Serif Group

Yesterday, we happened across this great video featuring Michael Bierut of Pentagram—designers of some of the world’s most famous brands. I enjoyed the way he breaks down the four different types of logos

1. Wordmark
2. Pictoral
3. Abstract iconography
4. Logo system

And his comparison of a logo design to a swimming contest instead of a diving competition? Pretty brilliant.

It’s not what kind of splash you make when you hit the water. It’s how long you keep your head above that water. —Michael Bierut

Now if only we could design another swoosh and find a client to invest in marketing it the way Nike did. Though the $35 was probably nice for a student’s budget, and the Tiffany ring was undoubtedly beautiful, I’m glad she eventually received something more as a token of their appreciation.

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

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” –Pablo Picasso

Are our souls just way too dusty? I recently came across a video that got me thinking. Is there too much great stuff out there? Are we so overly-programmed to tune out stimuli from meaningless and unverified sources that we will ignore great work when presented to us?

World-renowned and notorious artist Banksy set up an experiment recently on a street in New York. He offered his work for $60 and hired an older man to sit at the booth all day to see if he would find any buyers. For perspective, Banksy’s work Keep it Spotless went for $1.8 million in 2008.

Would you pay $60 for a Banksy?

Another similar sting operation was set up in a subway station in Washington D.C. with famous violinist Joshua Bell… would you stop to listen –would it even phase you?

Check out this article from bloomberg.com for more on art vs. hype.

Social Media Jumpstart

With a background and a passion for graphic design, I often share in the joke with other designers that knowing how to use the software doesn’t make you a designer. Sometimes you can pass as a designer because you pleased the person who hired you, but your design may not have worked effectively.

What’s a designer to do? Nothing, really. All we can do is educate our clients and the public on the value of good, professional graphic design. Although your customers may not ask for it, they react to it. And if done with good commercial sense, your business will benefit from it.

When it comes to social media, many of the arguments are similar. Using Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for business does make you a social media marketer—but it doesn’t necessarily make you an effective one. Knowing the tools will help you be an effective social media marketer.

And while knowing the tools is an important aspect of social media marketing, using good engagement practices and solid marketing principles will go much further than knowing how to upload a link to your Facebook page. Fortune 500 companies and small mom-and-pop corner stores alike are using these social platforms to reach new and existing prospects. But are they doing it effectively?

Sales Pitch

So I had to be going somewhere with this, right? Yes, I admit this is a sales pitch, but my pitch won’t be for everyone. After all, my personalized session for social media consulting is an on-site session—here in Lexington. For those reading this who aren’t willing to travel in for the on-site session, I encourage you to look for a marketing agency in your area that can help you navigate the tools of social media, and educate you on the best practices. Or, contact me and we can organize a Skype session.

And for those of you who live here or are coming to Lexington, Kentucky in the near future I hope you would consider scheduling a time I can advise you on using the social media tools effectively and introduce you to best practices. Find out more information about my social media jumpstart session.