This series of sauce bottles designed by the Anderson Design Group was created for a small BBQ restaurant in Nashville called Hog Heaven. The southern-style, cage fighting feel is sure to get your mouth salivating at the thought of BBQ. I love the flask shape of the bottles and the custom typography is very well done. Williams Sonoma has agreed to carry the line in their stores beginning in March. The package design of these sauces definitely encapsulates the culture of Nashville and its roots.
“Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing ‘everyday’ about it.” - Pantone.com
2010’s color Turquoise was an escape for most, this year’s Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It inspires a person to conquer their everyday challenges with strength and vigor. It’s stimulating color will lift our spirits in times of stress and keep us motivated to push forward.
This color is exactly what we need for 2011. With it’s positive qualities and festive pink shade, your guaranteed to get inspired and do something great this year! I am definitely going to post this swatch on my inspiration board!
Starbucks has grown from a single coffee house in Seattle, to a $10 Billion global retailer. The have recently evolved their iconic icon for several reasons. They wanted to demonstrate the 40-year bond they have with their consumers, but they also reveal the common misunderstanding between trademarks and brands.
Starbucks has never had a conventional form of advertising; they have always thrived on their products, and word-of-mouth methods. Whenever a iconic company like Coca-Cola, Nike, or Apple changed a product, trademark, or logo, there is bound to be some push-back. This is expected because of the emotional bond the company has with its customers. However if the change is strategic enough, the company should stay on course.
Understanding the difference between trademarks and branding can make the difference in a successful branding change or a complete failure. The confusion exists among the public. A trademark can take several forms: words or brand names, logos, slogans, or taglines. Even shapes like Goldfish shaped crackers. But a brand meanwhile, is a sum of total elements and equities and it is a promise a company makes to its consumers. A brand will encompass its trademark as well as incorporate target users, pricing, and competitive positioning.
Starbucks’ strategy is to incorporate more products beyond coffee and tea. When changing such an iconic logo, core elements must be maintained in such as transition to anchor the brand. Something that I think Starbucks really took to heart. In short, just as the Apple’s apple or Nike’s swoosh, Starbucks now has the ability to play a broader strategic role to support a new growth agenda.
Brilliant campaign for TheLadders, a website that helps professional candidates snag that 100K+ job they have always wanted. Very creative and funny commercial that draws attention to not only the uniqueness of the product they offer, but stands out amongst other career websites. Well Done!
Grid-It Organization System
Time to get some order from the chaos we all love to hate. A great gift idea for anyone who loves to take their gadgets everywhere with them, also a great way to organize your electronics when traveling. The Grid-It organization system is a unique weave of rubberized elastic bands made specifically to hold personal objects firmly in place. Available HERE
Key Chain Flash Drive
Ever loose your flash drive? Maybe you would loose it less if it were attached to your keys. It’s got all the bells and whistles including high speed USB 2.0, MAC and PC compatible, and 8GB of storage. It’s thin, sturdy, and waterproof! This one is built to last! Available HERE
Camera Lens Mug
Need a creative gift for the camera geek in your life? This mug is sure to impress! It looks just like a 24-105mm lens in both Nikon and Canon versions. The coolest part is the lens cap lid for travel. Stainless steel lining can be for cold or hot drinks and the rubber grip allows a no slip grip. The photographer in your life will definitely enjoy this one. Available HERE
Paper Customizable Watch
These days, there seems to be a mad paper craze going on, but this might be the best stocking stuffer this year. It’s a paper watch that is cheap and customizable, and calling out for your doodles! For only $14, I think I’ll get some for myself too. Available HERE
Nano iPod Wrist Watch
The newest and coolest place for your iPod Nano (Gen 6). Your Nano will be more at home on your wrist then in your pocket with this super cool and tiny silicone wrist watch that allows you to pop in your nano as you wish. Great gift for the music lover in life! Available HERE
Designer Mugs
Any designer will love these mugs from Artefacture. Keeps your coffee hot and is sure to instigate some good conversation. Available HERE
Green Boy Keychain
This little piece of plastic has so much emotion. This cute little green boy does a great job organizing a jangling mess of keys and also reminds me to keep home life and work life separate. Another great stocking stuffer for anyone! Available HERE
Portable Speaker
This little speaker is no bigger than a credit card and no thicker then a blister pack of chewing gum. Great for work, travel, trips to the beach, or anywhere you want to share a little music on the fly. Available in black or silver. Available HERE
Chair Socks
What a cute idea for protecting your floors! These make me want to go out and buy a new dining table just to decorate the chairs. These are such a cute idea for protecting floors. Too bad they’re only available to European countries right now, but soon enough there’ll be some US stores that pick them up. Available HERE
Lighter Branding Iron
I don’t know why, but this is a must have item for me. It’s a 3D logo branding iron that sticks onto a lighter and within a few seconds under the flame, you can brand the non-flammable material of your choice. For only $20, you can afford to pick up a couple of these! Available HERE
Knit Headphones
Everyone hates cold headphones on your ears. These cute knit headphones available from Urban Outfitters are sure to please any music lover on the go. So cute, and so fun, I think they just made my day…Available HERE
Smart Scarf
Now talk about a “smart scarf”! No more cramming your phone, wallet, keys, and other junk in your pockets, this handy scarf has zipper pockets to secure hold all your goodies. Just don’t put too much stuff in them or you might choke yourself. Available HERE
Ninja Umbrella
The funnest umbrella I have every seen. I think this umbrella would make anyone feel like a kid. Bring honor to your family this season with a ninja umbrella. Available in small and large sizes. Available HERE
Effective marketing should adapt to its time and communicate directly to their audience. What better way than to utilize the technology of social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and the like via the internet? As we become more adept with our mobile gadgets and technological devices, these social media spaces have provided comfort and camaraderie giving us a unique type of relationship.
These companies have brilliantly taken the tools of social media spaces to collaborate with users to not only personalize an advertising message, but to also recognize potential successful sales. Here are the best social media campaigns of the year:
2. Bing | Facebook’s Farmville
4. PepsiCo | Customer-made ideas
Article information: http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/28112.asp
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posted by: Vivi Fitriani, Interactive Designer
Gap learns a hard lesson in consumer resistance: Every year, one in 50 companies will change it’s brand for a variety of reasons, but why are some met with such resistance? Research has shown that consumers with a stronger commitment to a brand will have more negative resistance towards brand change and consumers with less commitment to a brand are much more open to these kinds of changes. When someone has a strong relationship with a brand and is presented with a new logo, it alters the emotion connection they have with the brand. One approach is to appeal to both strongly and weakly committed consumers and additionally inform consumers of an upcoming brand refresh to make them aware of the upcoming changes. Either way, Gap learned the hard way and lets hope they re-evaluate the why they need to change the brand in the first place.
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Posted by: Maranda Mitchell, Graphic Designer
Drawing machine that translates words of texts into patent drawings
Learn more: Perpetual Storytelling Apparatus
Level Green – The concept of sustainability
Learn more: artcom
Everyone Ever in the World
Learn More: theluxuryofprotest.com/
augmented sound data sculpture
Learn more: anfischer.com
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Data Visualizer Spotlight:
Watch David McCandless on TED. David McCandless draws beautiful conclusions from complex datasets — thus revealing unexpected insights into our world.
Watch Hans Rosling on TED. As a doctor and researcher, Hans Rosling identified a new paralytic disease induced by hunger in rural Africa. Now he looks at the bigger picture of social and economic development with his remarkable trend-revealing software.
Found in: butdoesitfloat
Found in: thedesignblog
Found in: troika
found in: acidolatte
found in: demofb
found in: wefeelfine.org/
Mike Esperanza, Senior Designer;
“Living in two creative worlds, dance becomes an inspiration to all my design work and in turn, design becomes an inspiration for all my dance work. I cross reference to bring life into something stagnant and structure into movement vocabulary. Having an understanding of the body’s connectivity to mold shapes and forms helps me organize design as a better communication tool. It guides the eye through the design presentation. The order helps bring harmony into social information and focus into visual deconstruction. “
Maranda Mitchell, Graphic Designer;
“Design can improve people’s lives…
You may already be familiar with Charles and Ray Eames, and their significant contributions to modern design in the twentieth century. Their work continues to inspire me in my daily life and also in my work life. Most notably recognized for his furniture design from the 40s to the 70s, Eames also impacted the world of toys, buildings, films, exhibitions, and books. The Eameses’ whole-heartedly believed that design could improve people’s lives and this remains their greatest legacy.
Eames always began design with function as the primary intention. This reminds me on a daily basis to begin my own design with purpose in mind. Also to create something for a reason and never “just because”. As seen in his work, the greatest challenge of design is to achieve function while also displaying elegance, wit, and beauty. Nothing goes to waste and everything has a purpose. “
Vivi Fitriani, Interactive Designer;
“Everyday behavior and fleeting moments inspire me to bring forth those realities by enhancing them back into reality. I call these informational (and visual) chaos and so, organizing these chaotic moments inspire me to design an experience.”
