We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Tarte Advertising! As a thank you present to all of our clients, vendors and those who support us, the Tarte girls decided to embarrass ourselves publicly and post pictures of ourselves when we were 5.
Whether or not you like the musical stylings of avant-garde Icelandic singer, Bjork, you can’t deny that her latest effort, Biophilia, released with a corresponding series of iPad apps meant to enrich the listening experience, isn’t a clever idea – much less something that could be considered an industry changer. The app claims to allow you to experience how nature, music and technology come together.
Biophilia, released Tuesday, has iPad apps that accompany each track to immerse listeners in an interactive experience – letting them play along on digital instruments, for example, or chart out visual representations of a song. With CD sales plummeting, could this experimental iPad album change the way people listen to music and save the industry – or is it just a silly gimmick?
I know that I, personally, over the years have moved from having to own the actual album to just buying the music I want online via iTunes. My husband, on the other hand, cannot fathom not owning the actual music – holding the jewel case in his hands, looking at the album art – he needs and wants something tangible to go along with his favorite tunes. His kind though is a dying breed, and artists who take their music in this new, interactive direction, may be tapping into converting their CD buyers into ones who will now appreciate the music with this new interactive, digital album art.
Say what you will about the music, but nothing has come close to the way Biophilia re-imagined the album as something functional. It makes the static cardboard album art, whose loss has been so bemoaned over the years, look like, well, cardboard.
What say you? Do you think this kind of interactive album will revolutionize the music industry and catch on as the new thing? Have you purchased the album and the apps and, if so, what do you think?
Coasters R Us
Discs in a Box
One D at a Time
DBag
Dmart
DVDeliver
Blockpounder
We Send You DVDs in the Mail
Don’t Give Us Money, Go Away
Getflix
Disc Hut
Conflixter
Initech
Napster
Skyflixmall
Skynet
Flickr
Notflix
Netflix Minus Net Plus Shiny Little Frisbees
Netsquik
Qwik-E-Mart
NetDisk
Netflix
I have to admit that “We Send You DVDs in the Mail” is my favorite. What, too long to fit easily on a business card?
I get it, naming a business can be tough work. Your company’s name should be catchy and sum up your business’s well, business in one fail swoop. But, it’s also something you’re going to have to live with for a while so you want to make sure that it has some longevity and does a good job representing you and what you do.
What do you think? Qwikster: clever or just plain awful?
And, just in case you missed it and have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s a great summary of Qwikster and why Netflix just cut their business in half.
I don’t consider myself to suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but I have been known to organize the clothing in my closet first the type of article (dress, skirt, pant, top) then by garment length or sleeve length when applicable and finally by Roy G Biv (aka: the color spectrum). When we had our kitchen remodeled two summers ago I organized the canned goods in the pantry by type of contents, can height (biggest to smallest) and turned all labels to face out in a perfect row.
When I play with my toddler daughter and her Fisher Price Farm Set, I like to place all of the animals into their designated spaces. The horse and cow line up at the barn door behind their appropriate gates, the sheep lives in the hay, the pig behind the gate with his picture on it and the goat lives upstairs because there is no specifically marked space on the farm for the goat. Poor goat.
And, while I find great satisfaction having things tidy and in order, I am certainly not this precise when it comes to all areas of my life (please do not look in the cabinet where we keep the tuperware).
I bet though, if you looked in Swiss artist and comedian Ursus Wehrli’s, Tupperware cabinet, you wouldn’t be digging through piles trying to find the matching lid to the piece of Tupperware you need for that evening’s leftovers.
This week NPR released a set of photos showcasing some of Wehrli’s “Totally Deranged Tidy.” From bowls of alphabet soup to the branches and needles on a pine tree cutting, Wehrli takes the mundane, tidys it up and in the process creates some really simple but stunning visuals in the end.
“We Swiss are famous for chocolate and cheese,” Wehrli told a TED Conference. “Our trains run on time. We’re only happy when things are in order.” Which may explain, NPR points out, “how he was able to recruit a bunch of totally cooperative Swiss kids, moms, dads and grandparents to come to a local park to hang out, after which they were re-sorted by gender, age and size.” Wanna see how he did it? Click here.
Today, on the cusp of its 40th year, the symbol borne of necessity and a chance meeting at Portland State is one of the most recognizable in the world — so much so that it can stand alone, without even naming the Oregon sports apparel empire it signifies.
“The Swoosh has become the living, vibrant symbol of the firm,” said Stephen A. Greyser, a Harvard Business School professor and sports management expert. “It is totally recognizable as the company, everywhere. It is global, without a doubt.”
As a business owner, what does your company’s logo say about your business? Obviously, not everyone runs or owns a global empires where quick brand recognition is of utmost importance, but your logo is often the first interaction your clients have with your brand, what is it saying about you? Is it working for your business to the best of its ability?
A logo should be memorable, original and engaging. Unveil a logo that misses the target, and clients will quickly pass you buy.
As you start to think about your company’s needs when it comes to a logo design or if you have a logo and it’s time for a redesign, here are a few things that you should keep in mind as you enter into the process:
1. Seek professional help.
Unless you’re starting your own graphic design business, it’s best to leave logo creations to the professionals.
All too often I see logos that were very obviously thrown together using a word processing program and a few pieces of generic, free clip art. Please, please, please! Put down the mouse, step away from the computer, you will thank me later.
Clip Art
Designers don’t just “make things pretty.” A professional designer will combine iconography, typography, color and flair to create a logo that symbolizes your company clearly and completely.
That little tidbit is really the only thing you need to know when it comes to creating a strong brand mark for your company. However, I do recognize that the whole concept process for clients can be a bit overwhelming and daunting. And, while your agency or designer should provide the utmost customer service in helping you through the process, here are a few more tips to take some of the mystery out of communicating your business’s needs and choosing from the concepts you’re provided:
2. Remember your target market.
It’s important to remember that your logo is for your customer, not you. If your logo doesn’t speak to your market segment, it will get lost among the millions of other logos that already exist.
3. Choose color wisely.
Humans naturally associate universal meanings to specific colors. For example, red is often associated with strength and power, while blue is associated with serenity and tranquility. Choosing the wrong colors for your logo could cause potential clients to have misconceptions about your brand. Similarly, integrating too many colors could cause your imagery to become visually confusing and ultimately, unattractive.
4. Focus on your values.
'NRA' is the most readable part of your logo. Not a good idea
When choosing a logo, entrepreneurs often try to choose an image that communicates their entire business concept. What many small businesses don’t seem to understand is that this is asking an awful lot! Instead of focusing on the big picture, zero in on values and ideas your company stands for. As customers come to know your business and interact with your brand, they’ll quickly learn to associate your logo with these positive principles.
5. Make sure it’s reproducible.
Your logo is the main component of your company’s corporate identity. It’s the visual cornerstone of your entire brand. As such, it’s VITAL that your logo be easy to reproduce in a variety of formats. From letterhead to business cards, to t-shirts and online ads, your logo needs to work well using all sorts of print and publishing methods. The amount of detail that is in your logo will greatly affect your ability to use your logo in certain situations as will gradients, negative space and intricate details.
A good rule of thumb? Keep it simple.
A well thought out logo can make or break your corporate brand. So don’t rush your upcoming design project; be involved in your design decisions and don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion.
