Serif Group

There comes a time when your friends are suddenly very absent. They don’t respond to your texts or answer your phone calls, and when you finally do see them they tell you that they have not slept much in the last couple of weeks. “I got up at 3 a.m. last night, and the night before that I was awake until 6,” they will say. You could be out on a romantic date at a fancy restaurant and your significant other will be gazing sweetly into your eyes one minute, and the next minute his eyes divert behind you and he is bursting into spontaneous cheering or a stream of profanities. Be alert: these are the symptoms of someone who has been bitten by the FIFA World Cup bug. It is a plague, and the only cure is to let the inflicted be and hope their favorite team wins (or at least is not beat by someone worse).

As contagious as it is, some of us are just immune to it, but that does not mean that we cannot still enjoy something about this month of soccer (or is it football?). From a marketing perspective, we have noticed the craziness that has been the logo explosion of each World Cup. You cannot get through a huge event such as the World Cup without at least seeing the logo in a mall, on the internet, while you’re watching tv, on someone’s shirt, or on a box of McDonald’s french fries! (Seriously, McDonald’s has an entire FIFA-based game you can play if you buy their french fries!)

In an article posted on the McDonald’s newsroom webpage was a quote from Steve Easterbrook, Senior Executive VP and Global Chief Brand Officer at McD’s, where he explained, “This is the first time in brand history we’re changing the packaging design of one of our customers’ most favourite menu items on a global scale, and what better reason than to share in the excitement of one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world.” They’re pretty serious about this World Cup thing and are taking the image up to a whole new level. Simply put, it’s hard to not run into some sort of World Cup marketing scheme this month.

So now that you agree with me that the World Cup isn’t all about soccer, (it’s actually more about marketing, right?) I want to take you on a trip down memory lane of the last 10 years of the FIFA World Cup logo. You have to admit, this is the real plague that strikes more of the population, even if you aren’t a football fan.

And last, but not least, this year’s vibrant logo for the vibrant country of Brazil:

Do you remember any of these? There is strength in a powerful image, especially when it is embedded in your mind without you even consciously realizing it. Perhaps now you will notice just how much you actually look at a World Cup endorsement. You can’t fight the plague!

Right after my first step in the door, I was greeted by Rosie’s sweet curly-haired face, followed by friendly smiles from Jackie and Bill Powell. Jackie and Bill have graciously given me some summer hours as an intern to learn the ropes of their creative marketing agency and add some college perspective creativity to their brand. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow in my skills and understanding of the marketing world. Since I am going to be around for a couple months, I figure you may as well get to know me!

My name is Amelia Hegle (pronounced “Heg-lee”) and I am a 19-year-old college Junior. I am the youngest of 3 kids and lover of all things fluffy and cuddly. I love to laugh, find the beautiful things in life, and write about the moments and people that inspire me. If you want to you can check out my  personal blog! Born in Janesville, WI in 1994, I am a native Wisconsinite. But, don’t ask me anything about Wisconsin because I barely know my way around my own city. When I was 8 years old, my family packed up and moved across the ocean to Bandung, Indonesia where I made friends, went to an international school, and learned the ropes of traveling from country-to-country while attempting to avoid worst-case scenario jet lag.

I found my niche in high school working on the yearbook in every aspect of design, writing, and photography. After I graduated from high school in 2012, I made the move to Wilmore, KY where I began studying Communications and Public Relations at Asbury University. Despite all my jokes about it years prior to moving here, Kentucky quickly stole my heart and became my second home.

So here I am, embarking on the next step in my life as their summer intern and excited to see how I grow at Serif Group. Here’s to a new adventure!

Around Easter every year, I pass mounds of PAAS dyes and goofy stickers featuring prancing bunnies and cheesy flowers while at the grocery store. These kits are fun for kids, but my designer’s heart has always craved something more elegant than stickers, and more interesting than solid colors. Thanks to the wonders of Google, I found these beautiful twists on the classic Easter tradition.

Silhouette Eggs | Possibilities are endless with this super-simple update on sticker eggs. LollyChops

Watercolor Eggs | These beauties use craft supplies you probably already have on hand, and the result is pretty and whimsical. Alisa Burke

Dried Flowers | You won’t need centerpieces with these bright options. The Magic Onions

Washi Tape | For pattern lovers. Lovely Indeed

Painterly Eggs | These soft pastels are Springy and artistic. Paper & Stitch

Mustache Eggs | Cute and sassy, these eggs remind me of a barbershop quartet. Oh What Fun

Foiled Eggs | Super-elegant and perfect for a fancy Easter gathering. Martha Stewart

Silk Tie Eggs | Easy, unique, and stunning. Mommy Knows

As a designer, it’s easy to get bogged down by the illusion of perfection.

• Is the spacing right on that headline?
• Maybe we should scootch that block just a hair to the left.
• That orange may be too orange.
• Check the thesaurus. There has to be a better word to use there.

This need for perfection can be paralyzing in life. Chores go undone because they can’t be done perfectly. Pictures lean against the wall until the perfect location and hanging mechanism are determined. A run fails to happen because I don’t have my headphones or the right socks.

As we established Serif Group in 2000, our business mentor gave us the best bit of advice: “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of better.”

We have since used it weekly to help clients feel better about pulling the trigger on a name change, brochure printing, logo design – you name it.

If you find yourself stuck, just do SOMETHING. You can always go back and make it better later. Taking the first step will feel so good.

I was inspired to create a graphic to remind us of these words to live by. If you need a reminder, you can order a variety of products featuring this design on Café Press.

Dont let perfect be the enemy of better Throw Pillow

by
Jackie Powell
Find more stuff
&
unique gifts at CafePress

While my fellow ad industry folk anticipate accolades at Lexington’s American Advertising Awards tomorrow night, I look forward to a different opportunity to bring home a win next week. Our printing friends at Multi-Craft in Newport, Kentucky put on an annual Fat Tuesday luncheon – complete with poster design contest.

Eager to flex my creative muscle – but mainly due to the fact I had an awesome picture of our office dog – I whipped up a design over Christmas. Time will tell if Rosie will bring home the bacon, but she’s ready for the spotlight.

Serif Group’s entry in the Multi-Craft Fat Tuesday poster contest