Brand Design Blog, News and Ideas

We’ve just launched the updated JHL Civil website.

JHL Civil, Pipeline Construction Specialists, have discovered the returns available by having an online presence are looking to expand their penetration into the market.

So to help them achieve their online goals we’ve revisited their existing web site design to allow for expansion.

The new navigational system has been simplified with the aim to become far more user friendly and to allow the addition of multiple new sections that are to be added in the near future.

If you have a chance to look at the code. We’ve also taken time to clean up the source html so allow for faster page loading and better search engine spidering.

The simplification and optimization in the coding should also allow for better search engine listings.

If you would like to learn more about JHL Civil you can check out the JHL Civil, Pipeline Construction website here.

While this blog isn’t about movies or television, I will from time to time mention anything I watch that strikes me as extraordinary.

Deadwood is an example of a television series that falls into this category.

A story of a growing mining camp set in Dakota Territory 1870, Deadwood is a western along a similar vain of Unforgiven or Tombstone.

Like the movies I’ve just mentioned, Deadwood provides the same level of quality while being over 15 times the length with 3 series’ currently completed.

While the series does have an excess of violence, nudity and course language which may scare off some views. It only added to punctuate and enhance the writing by becoming part of the language of the camp.

The writing is superb and could be considered as Shakespearian if allowed it’s liberties with foul language.

The acting is top notch from ever participant. Especially Ian McShane as Al Swearengen, which won him a golden globe for the performance. It’s also the best I’ve seen from Timothy Olyphant. Who does a fantastic job as Seth Bullock.

The other great thing about Deadwood is the attention to detail. For a television series they’ve really pulled out all the stops to make you feel like you are looking back into the 1870’s. Something which television westerns of the past have always struggled with.

This is the best television series I’ve seen next to perhaps Firefly. So I’d suggest if you haven’t already seen it and are able to see past the explicit use of profanity.

Go rent of buy it now and let me know your thoughts.

Lists are all the rage on the internet. Everyone has a top 10 of this or a top 5 of that.

Here is another one for you.

What impressed me about this list, is the description that accompanies each link. It becomes far more useful than simply listing urls.

Check it out at: 99 Useful Resources for Graphic Designers

One of the major projects we’ve been working on over the last month is the 2008 Brisway Street Directory Cover and Point of Sale materials.

As part of the Ausway group of publications, Brisway is in world renowned company, partnering the Melway and Sydway Street Directories.

The push with this cover was to include major reference to the Australian Made quality of the product. Brisway is researched, designed, cartographically drawn, printed and bound right here in Australia. Very few publications of this size can say the same.

Working with our existing design from Melway and Sydway, we have completed the set by applying consistent branding now across all Ausway Projects.

You can find out more about the Ausway Group of Publications here.

Or, you can even purchase a copy of the 2008 Brisway online here.

On Saturday the College of Creative Arts and Technology (CCAT) had a fantastic open day which I was privileged to be a part of. I’ll be helping to head up the new Graphic Design course for 2008, including Certificate IV and Diplomas in Graphic design.

The great thing about this new college is the participation of real industry representatives.

Almost all the lecturers and tutors are working professionally in the Creative arts. They’re putting their time into the college because they believe that the course structures will actually benefit their industry.

Each course is styled to produce industry ready students. The college is created to get students work and make they industry relevant in their preparation. Many Arts colleges like to think of themselves this way, but CCAT is actually doing it.

The College, which is located on Glenferrie Road in Melbourne, Australia, hosts a number of creative arts courses including:

• Audio Engineering
• Digital Television & Film Production
• Music Performance
• Entertainment Music Management
• Drama
• Dance & Movement
• Graphic Design

I really think this college is something different and definitely worth some attention.

You can find out more at their website:
CCAT: College of Creative Arts & Technology.

Here’s another unusual building design which I found really funny.

The ‘Toilet House’ was built by Sim Jae-duck, who is the chairman of the organizing committee of the Inaugural General Assembly of the World Toilet Association. Too Funny.

As of November 11 the ‘Toilet House’ will actually be open to the public to coincide with the launch of the World Toilet Association.

Even though the design represents one of the least attractive areas of the home – this housing design actually looks very attractive from the ground.

Check out the other pics and the full story here.

While the design of this new airport is very impressive from an aesthetic point of view.

You have to ask yourself…Is the return on investment going to pay off on this one.

Every 4 years a country spends millions if not billions of dollars on impressing the world when holding the Olympic games.

I wonder if the return in tourism based on impressive visual effects would not be higher if the money was put towards service and staffing.

Let’s relate it back to business. Does great service or an impressive premise provide more referrals and increase your return on investment?

Check out more about China’s new airport here.

I’ve seen a lot of posts on forums and other blogs suggesting that business cards are no longer relevant in todays advertising.

Do I agree with this sort of statement?…Not at all.

Business cards are one of my most successful forms of marketing.

Other than referrals, business cards bring in the most new customers for my business.

Why do Business Cards Work?

The many reason is a simply one. You are attached to the business card when you hand it over.

A face to face conversation normally accompanies the presentation of a business card, meaning you’ve already had time to express to the prospective client your services, your sales messages, your personality and hopefully the reason you are giving the business card is because they have shown interest.

So is the business card really doing any work?

Yes. Once you’ve made a contact with a client in person they may not contact you straight away, so having your details on a memorial business card makes find your name and details straight forward.

I often have people contact me months later after a chance meeting at a BBQ or dinner party.

One point that comes up concerning the relevance of business cards in today’s age of communication technology.

Why not just add your details into the clients phone or PDA?

Sure, feel free to do this as well, BUT, a listing in a text based address book is going to be hard to find once a client has forgotten your name.

A business card carries branding as well as those precious contact details. The visual branding (logo, colours, company name and tag line) jog the memory and help your prospective client to place your name and phone number to what it is that you do.

But don’t people just throw business cards away?

People often throw business cards out as soon as they get home.

The trick is to design a business card that holds enough interest that the client thinks twice before throwing it in the bin.

Does the card look expensive? Does the card feel nice to hold? Is it interesting to look at? Is there something about this card that makes me want to hold onto it?

So, how do you create something of value in a business card?

Don’t use business card templates. If you want to make your card look and feel like everyone else, then go right ahead. Personally I want my business card to stand out in a clients mind. Using a template won’t give them the intensive to hold on to your details.

If you can’t do a brilliant design yourself hire someone to do it for you. Business cards have a very high return on investment when designed well. It’s worth spending a little extra to get it right.

Cheap printing will make you look cheap. The thickness and texture of the card. The colour. The clarity of the printing. All these things work towards making you look cheap or successful in the mind of a prospective client. You can still get great prices on printing that looks great, but make sure you do your research. The cheapest price is often the cheapest quality.

Make sure that your details are simple and easy to read. While it’s great to get creative with business cards and stationery. Make sure you always keep your eye on the point of creating a business card in the first place. A business card should always be about conveying your details. So, don’t make those details too small to read. Make sure you don’t have too much background interference, like photography, so the details become unreadable.

In keeping with the idea of making it easy to read. Don’t cram too much text onto one side of the card. This can also make it hard to read. Use both sides if necessary. Or, make firm decisions on whether your card really needs your home phone number, your entire service listing, does it even need your address. If a client can contact you successfully via, office phone, mobile, email and your website, that should be enough for them to get your postal address.

Business cards can be one of your most successful forms advertising and have fantastic return on investment.

Simply, take some time and create something of worth in a business card. You’ll come to see that even today, business cards are a relevant and powerful way to gain business.

Nintendo’s new gaming system the Wii has made an unexpected splash into the gaming market.

While many people showed some interest in the new style controls, no one saw the potential in this new system

In 2007 the Wii is topping U.S. sales and has almost doubled sales over competitor products.

Why has the Wii been so successful?

The new functionality of the remote controller brings you closer than ever to being part of the action. Swinging at tennis balls, attacking enemies with sword thrusts or throwing jabs in a boxing match provide an experience that actually build a sweat. You feel like you’re getting some exercise while playing a computer game.

The way you use the controller is simply…Fun!

The games themselves are built around group participation. Most games, the whole family can join in. Unlike other gaming experiences, you have the opportunity to interact with real people.

One of the other points I have to make is that the ‘batteries were included’. Very rarely do I ever purchase a game, toy or electronics device of any kind that comes with batteries.

Is this important? Yeh!

The ability to be able to play with a gift as soon as it’s opened is a huge bonus from a customer satisfaction point of view.

It’s Christmas morning, your child has opened their gift only to find that they need to wait until the shops open to get batteries before they can enjoy their present.

Simply adding good quality batteries into a package such as this is a master stroke. It only adds a few dollars into the overall cost and you can build that into the purchase price.

The benefit in customer satisfaction is infinite. Customer satisfaction drives more sales through customer referrals and the proof is in the sales figures.

So, the reason why I love the Wii? The product has simply been designed to perfection.

Everything has been thought of and constructed around user experience. By thinking about the customer and how they and their friends will interact with the product, Nintendo has been able to tap into not only the gamer community but the public as large.

They’ve created a much larger customer base than other system designers and for that they have my approval and applause.

Have you got some spare time on your hands? If you’re reading this blog then chances are you do.

So why not check out this fun little time waster.

It’s called Line Rider and it has become a world wide illustration sensation.

How does it work?

Basically, using the tools provided, you draw up a course for your little line rider. When you’re finished hit the play button and watch him ride.

Why am I featuring it here? Well, I wanted to show you some of the samples you can watch on You Tube.

Once you have a go yourself at the official website or at other sites like this one, You’ll soon see that designing a course for our little guy, is not as easy as it seems.

Check out this same below.