It’s no secret that the world is becoming more attuned to and proficient in visual language by the day. We understand visual language at an earlier age with every generation and can interpret and apply the elements of visual language in ways that transcend cultures and spoken language. So just what are the building blocks […]

If there’s any topic that’s never far from our attention or the national headlines, it’s healthcare. It’s something that’s personal to everyone and is, without exaggeration, a critically important aspect of our lives and those of our loved ones. The industry itself has been undergoing momentous change over recent years. However, in contrast, if you’re […]

No, we’re not encouraging you to cop an attitude with your boss and co-workers. What we’re talking about here is making more intelligent decisions about what you fill your craw with. If you’re wondering right now how you accidentally wandered onto a health and fitness blog or if your mom somehow suddenly jacked the keyboard […]

Let’s say you know that you need a design firm. However, you may not know how to go about hiring the right one for you. Finding a firm that fits your needs, whether it’s for a single project or for ongoing long-term assignments and campaigns, can be time-consuming and exasperating without understanding what to look […]

Lorem ipsum has been the design and publishing industry’s standard placeholder text ever since the 1500’s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type from a work by the Roman philosopher Cicero to make a type specimen book. Amazingly, this Latin passage is still widely used today in the layout development process of both […]

You’re probably already familiar with responsive web design and its critical role in optimizing the mobile environment. However, if you’re invested in content marketing, you also need to be mindful of how your copy is written and presented on mobile environments as well. A few tips: 1) Put the most important message in the middle […]

We see type every day, yet often don’t pay attention to or appreciate what goes into its actual design. In truth, there is just as much thought and creativity that goes into the look of a typeface or its implementation in presenting content as there is in an image-based composition or illustration. The design of […]

You know, you can learn stuff from the most unlikely places. To be specific, a great example of how to do content marketing the right way was recently demonstrated by Chipotle, our favorite fast-and-awesome burrito eatery. A few months ago, Chipotle did something widely perceived as blasphemous in the restaurant industry—it gave away the recipe […]

While independent schools generally have a range of advantages and freedoms over public schools, there is one large burden that they must carry. Unlike their public counterparts, independent schools have to appeal to student and parent communities and sell these audiences on their benefits, values, and unique offerings in order to sustain their existence. In […]

There’s a language commonly used today that is also a complete mystery to many, mostly older, individuals. You guessed it—we’re talking emoji. If you’re a teenager or young adult, you’ve probably already sent a few texts or tweets today that rely on these itty bitty images to convey how you’re feeling, your perspective on a […]

As much as the general public bemoans advertising and marketing, we all know that just about everyone still has a particular campaign that they can’t resist. Every individual has an ad series that touches, entertains, intrigues, excites, or engages him or her in a way that others don’t. While we can all debate what we […]

Once-successful brands that have fallen on hard times often turn inward for solutions. They tend to circle the wagons and develop a bunker mentality in which they shut out the world and re-dedicate their internal resources to coming up with ways to increase profitability or market share. The thinking is “if we do enough soul-searching […]

Regardless of the industry you’re in, you know that brainstorming sessions can often be a frustrating exercise. After a few participants initially contribute an idea or two, the session often devolves into a slog, with long stretches of silence, head-scratching, pursed lips, and glazed eyes as everyone struggle to come up with additional ideas. An […]

Brainstorming can be a fun exercise. But sometimes the open-ended, freeform nature of most brainstorming sessions can be frustrating if there isn’t some kind of structure or process to help guide or direct the thinking. A process called mind mapping can be a valuable tool. Often used by designers to facilitate idea generation and categorization, […]

The beauty of content marketing is that you don’t have to have a huge budget to draw interest and cultivate leads. Of course, having millions of dollars at your disposal can’t hurt, but there are all kinds of content that can be effectively put to use that cost almost—or precisely—nothing. Look through your inventory of […]

We know that we’re all prone to writing mistakes. Even the best spellers and grammarians among us are guilty every once in awhile. And today’s mobile communication norms and technology certainly don’t make us extra-vigilant about checking everything we tap out on our smartphones—we love using abbreviated net lingo (OMG, LOL, IMHO, BTW, etc.) and […]

You’ll get no argument from anyone that today’s marketing and branding landscape is fundamentally different than the one that existed less than a decade ago. The idea that breakthrough branding can be created only through intrusive downstream messaging is as outdated as dial-up internet. People today have access to all the information they need for […]

Most clients believe that the success of their brand lies primarily on the shoulders of their marketing department and/or agency. They’re the folks who build the positioning, messaging, look and feel, creative and social media strategy, etc., so why shouldn’t they be held accountable as keepers of the brand? Sure, we marketing types can help […]

It’s safe to say that the banking world, in recent times, has been turbulent. But for the most part, it’s still an industry in which almost all players are seen as offering pretty much the same products and services—with few, if any, breakthrough brands. As such, there is a tremendous opportunity for banks today to […]

A staple of presentations all around the world. As well as a blight on real engagement and understanding. What else could we be talking about other than Microsoft PowerPoint? We all know and dread it, yet we continue to use it. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us use it as the primary vehicle of our […]

Getting that perfect photo that captures your vision and wows your client takes a lot of hard work to achieve. These 5 tips will help you art direct a successful photo shoot: Plan, plan, plan. It is extremely important going into a photo shoot that you have a vision for the end result. This usually […]

We’re bombarded daily with stories of scams and fraud perpetrated by individuals, corporations, and even government bodies. Identity theft has become one of today’s most common and damaging crimes. Fake charities prey on our emotions and steal millions every year. Any time you venture online, there is an individual or program somewhere that is tracking […]

Every marketing director knows the key to directing traffic to websites is search engine optimization (SEO). Certain factors have changed since 2014—there are now other elements that increase the number of visitors. Google and Facebook have changed their algorithms, so much of what you knew about SEO and the golden ticket to web traffic is […]

Recently AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) invited David and other design professionals around the country who submitted self-portraits for a published collection almost 25 years ago to create a new self-portrait for a second edition. Here’s David’s new take on himself—comprised of numerous misspellings of his name that he’s gathered from envelopes, packages, letters, […]

Most new business directors will tell you that networking works. They will encourage you to attend seminars and luncheons sponsored by large, local companies to meet potential prospects or partners. It will benefit you, but how? You might say that it is a waste of time or boring because you won’t get immediate gratification out […]

On April 21st, Google rolled out an update to its search engine algorithm, which is not a rare occurrence in itself. Google is always updating its algorithms. But this particular update is significant. Now, if you are conducting a search on a smartphone, Google’s search results will give higher rankings to sites that are mobile-friendly. […]

What is positioning? Why do you need one? How do you develop a positioning statement? Without a positioning that accurately reflects the values, convictions, and purpose of its company or organization, a brand won’t have a strong foundation—or, for that matter, a compelling reason for customers or prospects to buy into it. This e-book provides […]

In your blog, you obviously want to publish high quality content in all of your posts to enhance value and shareabililty. However, there is some evidence that if you really want to maximize the chances of your content going viral, you need to—no joke—strongly consider making your titles more menacing. That’s what Iris Shoor, head […]

There’s no doubt we’re in a new golden age of television. In recent years, there has been a plethora of groundbreaking shows, especially on cable networks, which have become pop culture milestones and standard topics of morning watercooler/Keurig machine discussions, and have blown up our traditional views of character roles and narratives (Walter White and […]

Many colleges and universities are often hesitant to dive into the branding process. A common view is that such institutions shouldn’t deign to market themselves in the same manner as cars, shoes, or energy drinks. However, given today’s reality of shrinking state education budgets, exploding emphasis on STEM programs, and increasingly tech-centric modes of instruction, […]

A funny thing happens when you give most people—even creative professionals—an opportunity to present their work or ideas. Surprisingly often, their presentations can turn into long-winded slogs that prevent audiences from engaging with, let alone getting excited about, the material being presented. However, there’s a presentation format that’s rapidly gaining popularity which prevents drooping eyelids […]

When companies and organizations want to develop or refresh their brand, what’s the first thing they do? You already know—release the RFP! However, if they’re truly looking for an inventive, forward-thinking branding partner, more often than not, they won’t find one if they continue to rely on this archaic and increasingly distrusted practice. In this […]

Everyone’s marketing challenge is different. However, there are some principles and practices that are almost universally applicable to any organization or situation. Here are some simple ways to be much more effective and efficient in your prospect and customer engagement going forward, regardless of the scope of your outreach. Look at marketing as an opportunity, […]

When it comes to establishing a strong positioning and distinctive brand for a vacation spot, convention city, or hip neighborhood, the process is similar to that of branding a product or service. You need to become completely knowledgeable of not only what makes each location unique but also how its qualities meet a variety of […]

If you’re a person, you can have many different facets to who you are. You can be a warm and caring husband and father to your spouse and kids. You can be an authoritative and decisive manager at work. You can be a gregarious, hail-fellow-well-met dude with your friends. In short, you can easily be […]

If you’re a smart marketer, you should continue to use tactics that work. Now while that sounds ridiculously obvious, it’s actually harder to stick to than you might think. Why? Because we’re human. We like new, shiny, sexy things. We want to be hip, fashionable, and skating on the bleeding edge. And that applies to […]

Anything can have a brand nowadays—celebrities, television shows, sports teams and even political leaders. However, effective branding is more than just a recognizable face or logo; it requires discipline and insight. No matter what is being branded, it’s important to remember some foundational principles. one voice Behind every successful brand is a clear and consistent […]

You’ve been hearing it for years now—the last days of print advertising are here. Social media, online content, e-books, and other virtual platforms are the established channels of the marketing frontier going forward. Magazine and newspaper ads will soon be ink-stained memories quickly disappearing in our digital rearview mirrors, perhaps forever. Well…perhaps not. We can […]

In 1945, Southwestern College in Memphis, Tennessee changed its name to “Southwestern at Memphis College” to distinguish itself from other schools with the name “Southwestern.” Few people noticed or cared. In 1984, the school changed its name again—this time to “Rhodes College,” in hopes that the prestige of the renowned Rhodes Scholarship Award would rub […]