How many of you have your elevator pitch ready? No? Shame on you! Over the years, the elevator pitch has become increasingly important as an key component of the in-house designer’s toolbox, especially considering all the areas within a corporate environment that employees intersect—coffee rooms, cafeteria, hallways and, of course, elevators. Essentially it’s a sales ...MORE
Read Full Post »
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released as a single in 1971 has become a ubiquitous FM radio staple of the holiday season. The song was the final note from the 1969 campaign by Lennon and Ono to promote peace during the tumultuous and unpopular Vietnam War by ...MORE
Read Full Post »
By now you’re aware that branding strategies are distinct from marketing strategies, even thought they are closely related (and as designers, I know you are aware of how visual identity is different from brand). Last week I reviewed at a high level how to build a coherent brand platform, but how do you even get ...MORE
Read Full Post »
Hi there, Professor Andy here. Ready to keep trekking 2012’s path to becoming a smarter designer? Yes, then lets continue our briefing of the strategies behind branding, and how they tie-in with marketing. We left off last week by realizing that today’s businesses value success not by sales numbers alone, but by ensuring that customers ...MORE
Read Full Post »
Recently I wrote a 3-part series on marketing strategy aimed at giving in-house designers insight into how their marketing colleagues come up with those programs we’re asked to design for. For the last few decades branding has also played an important part in the corporate landscape, with designers paying a vital role. Because marketing and ...MORE
Read Full Post »
Last week I discussed how advertising could be used as a “pull strategy” by being aimed solely at end users and communicating messages that establish awareness and provide information about a new company, product, or service. Sometimes advertising is used to enhance a company’s “good will”, so we feel better about them. While not directly ...MORE
Read Full Post »
Last week I briefly described the overall role of marketing, and the 6 functions the department is typically responsible for. One of those functions is to promote new products or services a company is offering. When you think of how a company promotes new products or services you typically think of advertising. But advertising and ...MORE
Read Full Post »
So you're designing that new brochure, report, or ad for marketing this week and you're a bit stumped as to how to approach it. Before you start thumb-nailing layouts, or searching for images that you think might do the trick, take a moment to consider why this brochure or ad is even needed in the ...MORE
Read Full Post »
