As a graphic designer and a student, I cannot help but drop my head whenever I see improper use of typography. It’s everywhere. But what truly makes me cringe is the logo I see whenever I tune into my weekly guilty pleasure, Glee:
The kerning is unpleasant and it’s obvious. Kerning, the spacing between letters, is normally judged by your eye rather than mechanically. The negative space in between the letters should be relatively even. This reads “g-lee.” As minor as some might find this to be, I cannot stand it!
It is very difficult to watch for the two seconds the Glee logo appears on screen and I know I’m not the only Gleek who feels this way…
Perhaps this was purposefully done and I’m sure there was a motive, but it has brought discomfort and grief to my Tuesday evenings. So please, Ryan Murphy and Co., take the time to kern your letters! There are only four of them.
If you follow our Facebook page, you may have noticed that early last week, we quietly marked the 10-year anniversary of envisionit media, inc. We’ll be celebrating properly as the year goes on (so be sure to keep up with us here and on Facebook and Twitter for updates). Meanwhile, I thought I’d take a look back at a few notable differences between the digital marketing landscape a decade ago and today.
It wouldn’t be a very quick read if I included every single difference, so these are just my faves. Enjoy the walk down memory lane and provide your own memories in the comments!
OMG, what did we do without Facebook?
That’s right…10 years ago, Facebook didn’t. even. exist. Gasp! Social media was barely even a phrase. Yes, the idea of social media has been alive for some time—think instant messenger and message boards. But the marketing world’s favorite buzzword of the last few years didn’t quite yet have today’s popularity and meaning back in 2002.
And how quickly the space has grown! In 2002, Friendster was introduced. Myspace followed in 2003. Flickr and Digg hit in 2004, and that same year the college scene was introduced to The Facebook. Twitter was born in 2006. StumbleUpon, FourSquare, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest…all these social networks later, and companies now commonly have dedicated social media marketing roles and entire departments.
Phone is ringin’…
I happened to graduate from college in December 2001 (which is why I know to follow up this section’s subtitle with “…oh my god.” Name the reference in the comments if you know it!) and got my first cell phone a few months later in 2002. It was the standard Nokia phone that everyone else had. It made calls, it received calls, that was about it. Some fancy people had PDAs at the time, but it would be a few years before Blackberrys found popularity and exactly 5 years until the first iPhone was introduced. And now? There’s an app for that! And QR codes, geo-fencing, mobile-friendly websites, mobile SEO…and the word on the street for a few years now has been that the future is mobile marketing. read the full story...
Similar to adding the words “in bed” to the end of a fortune found in a cookie and chuckling, try placing “in bed” at the end of a phrase you would use to describe your experience at work. If the resulting phrase doesn’t make you chuckle and isn’t something you’re looking forward to, then you’re probably not doing something you want to do.
I’m willing to risk spoiling Victoria’s secret that there’s a difference in the experience received and delivered when a person wants to do something as opposed to having to do something. I would also wager my dog’s lunch that most would agree when you’re engaged in something that you “want to do,” the experience is heightened and you become much more involved. As a result, amazing things happen and more creative moments are realized.
I believe if we can transition and replicate the “in bed” experience into an “at work” experience as well, we’ll begin to create an environment that many will enjoy and look forward to.
Too often, companies become so focused on operating and growing a successful business that they lose sight of the talents, strengths, and passions that exist within their company. The result of this oversight is the missed opportunity to align passions and interests with client goals, to drive meaningful results. Not to mention the positive physical and mental impact the common thread would have on the team.
Many companies would agree that a client’s experience is a cornerstone of their business, and would probably do what it takes to continue making that experience better and better. Well, here’s a suggestion for taking steps to evolve your client’s great experience into an exceptional one. read the full story...
Good pairings help make for a complete, thoughtful experience. The icing on the cake, if you will. Though cakes, with the exception of coffee cake, need icing. They just do.
Now that you’re thinking about cake, let’s jump to dinner. Dinner is fun! Especially when you’re able to consider a wine to drink with your dinner (perhaps pairing acidity to heaviness), or a beer to drink with another dinner (bitter and hoppy plays well with heavier dishes). Pairing can elevate a meal. Similarly, well paired fonts can make a good design.
The purpose of pairing fonts is to improve readability and establish hierarchy. The classic serif-with-a-sans-serif combination is used on print and web, often with the headline as the sans-serif font. It works because it grabs attention, but more importantly, it’s easy to read.
The ease-of-reading factor is key in font pairing. (And ideally, in choosing a font in general.) When readability becomes an issue, communication becomes an issue. This is to be avoided. Using fonts that are legible on screen or when printed is always a good place to start. If you find a font combination that works both online and in print, you have made magic and deserve cake.
But note! Two fonts looking good together does not equal good design. There are images and layouts and format to consider. Consult your local graphic designer for more information.
Chatype, a font created by designers Robbie de Villiers and Jeremy Dooley out of Chattanooga, Tenn., is set to be the first font created for a town.
“A custom typeface reflects character, extends excitement, and becomes a rally point for suffering projects,” the Chatype website states. “This opportunity…is as important as picking the colors in a flag.”
If the font initiative is approved, Chatype may be used free of charge by city government, local businesses, and Chattanoogans around the city.
Another Super Bowl is in the books. In the end, it was a tale of two catches – the hero catch belongs to Mario Manningham of the Giants, and the goat was Wes Welker of the Patriots, for his missed catch. Both changed the game dramatically. We extend congratulations to Eli Manning, while Tom Brady will have to settle for a beautiful shoulder to cry on.
As marketers, the Super Bowl is much more than a game, but it’s still a fierce competition with millions of dollars (and probably some jobs) at stake. Let’s take a look together at Commercial Bowl 2012.
First, we surveyed the envisionit team to find what we thought was the best overall commercial of 2012 – who did the best job of connecting with viewers, and getting their message across? Then, we also want your thoughts on the 2012 Super Bowl commercials, so below that you’ll find a few questions for you to weigh in on.
envisionit’s best commercial of 2012 was…
A tie – between VW’s “The Dog Strikes Back” and Bud Light’s “Weego.” Both, not by coincidence, did an excellent job of breathing new life into previous campaigns. VW capitalized on the Darth Vader commercial of last year, while Bud Light cleverly reinforced the “Here we go” campaign that’s been running during the past NFL season. We also liked Bud Light’s pet adoption message and tie-in with Facebook, compelling viewers’ further interaction with the brand.
Now, it’s your turn!
We want to hear from you, so please leave your thoughts in the comments section below. read the full story...
What brand do you remember most (perhaps different than the ‘best’ or most entertaining commercial)?
Did you interact with any brands as a result of their commercials, either by visiting a website or a social media channel? If so, which one(s)?
Party Like a Copywriter fact: Writers always love to talk about writing. Or write about writing.
The great Lee Clow’s Beard Twitter stream aside, Advice to Writers on Twitter has been a great source of writing advice. Some of the bits I’ve enjoyed:
Always carry around a notebook. If you don’t write it down, it’s gone. STEWART O’NAN #amwriting#writing#writetip
We were so excited to meet Vlad, and even more excited that he decided to come join the team! Without further ado, ladies and gentleman, our new Senior Analyst—who would be happy to brave the crowds of Wrigley with you at the next Cubs game.
Vlad Chaykovsky
Where are you from?
Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, but lived in Columbus, Ohio for most of my life.
What do you do at envisionit?
Senior Analyst.
Tell us something you’ve enjoyed about working here so far.
The atmosphere here is really nice, everyone is so supportive and relaxed.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A veterinarian.
Fill in the blank: My favorite thing about Chicago is …
Yesterday, January 12, after an unusually mild start to winter, we finally had our first major Chicago snowfall of 2012! Some people celebrated. Some moaned (must be new to Chicago). But envisonit intern Ben set up his camera in the front window of our office to capture timelapse coverage of the snow accumulation on Ohio St in Chicago.
Good copywriting tells the facts, supports a brand, and speaks to an audience. Great copywriting becomes something bigger—part of our memories, part of an era.
William Bernbach, David Ogilvy, and Lee Clow are just three who have created campaigns that have become just that, cultural references. Take a look
Known for: The “At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls Royce comes from the electric clock” headline, tasting blood through direct advertising*
Once said: “Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals.”
Lee Clow
Known for: Apple’s 1984 commercial, the Energizer Bunny, Taco Bell Chihuahua.
Once said: “Great brands have a story, our job is to tell them.” (Lee Clow, or more specifically, @leeclowsbeard, has more to say about advertising, creativity, and ideas on Twitter.)
Known for: Pitching ideas and doing whatever he pleases as a partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce
Once said: “Just think about it deeply, then forget it…then an idea will jump in your face.”
Who else do you think has contributed to part of our culture through good copywriting? Tell us in the comments!
*Ogilvy took on a client who had $500 to spend on the promotion of his new hotel. Ogilvy bought as many postcards as $500 would purchase and mailed invites to people listed in the phone book. The hotel was packed at opening. “I had tasted blood,” he later said of the experience.
