Don’t worry, we aren’t on the payroll over at Izze, and we won’t try to talk you into buying a few bottles for yourself (although it is worth a try if you haven’t). As a creative agency that works with food and beverage clients more and more often these days, we simply admire their approach to doing business. In fact, we think that a lot of our potential clients could learn a few lessons from their recent success.

Here is how Izze takes a fresh, healthy approach to branding… and a few quick ways you can follow their example.

First, Izze has a distinct look. Although it’s not something you may have ever thought about consciously, a quick peek down the soda aisle at your supermarket will reveal lots of strange – even unnatural – colors. These are obviously meant to convey the idea of energy and excitement, but they don’t exactly scream “wholesome.”

By using clear bottles, and very subtle labels, Izze instantly separates itself from the pack and shows off its healthier natural side. Could you do the same with your products by giving customers a peek inside? Transparency in what you’re doing and what you sell, whether it’s literal or figurative, can go a long way toward building trust quickly.

Next, Izze has the right match for its audience. As a more expensive option to traditional soda, Izze isn’t going to appeal to everyone. In fact, some of its strongest sales are in natural food stores and high-end gourmet markets. That’s important, because their look isn’t just distinctive, but it matches the demographic they’re going after, one that appreciates understated marketing.

At Envision, we see lots of good designs and marketing pieces that just don’t match the companies they were put together for, or the buyers they are meant to appeal to. Looking good is only half of the equation; you also need to resonate with your target market for your designs to have the impact you’re hoping for. Izze has done such a great job of creating a brand that their audience resonates with that they are able create and sell merchandise with their brand on it…people are paying Izze to advertise for them!

Finally, Izze is backed by a good product. It’s worth noting that, marketing pieces and pricing aside, the most important thing to know about Izze – and the reason we feel comfortable mentioning it in our blog – is that it’s simply a good, healthy, refreshing product. In other words, all the great packaging, branding, and design in the world can’t save you if people don’t want what you’re selling.

We aren’t mentioning this to suggest that your products and services aren’t great, but to remind you that the hard work of selling anything begins with identifying what your buyers want and giving it to them. Once you have something spectacular to sell, everything else in the marketing process gets that much easier.

Do you need the right creative team to help you market your great business? If so, schedule a meeting with the team at Envision Creative today!

In the mean time, check out this great brand at. Izze.com.

To answer the first question, we will refer to a quote by the historian Daniel J. Boorstin, who once said that “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.” That’s a great tongue-in-cheek stab at the way a lot of people think of PR: a quasi-ethical way to dress up the mediocre and make it seem marvelous.

We won’t lie, there are companies that do these sorts of things. However, within the bigger scheme of a reputable creative agency, public relations is so much more than that – and something much better. Basically, it’s about making sure that the media, your customers, and the world at large sees your business for what it really is.

Looking for more specific answer? Here are a handful of duties that fall within the public relations realm:

Spreading the word when your company does something great. When you win an award, do something charitable or of civic value, or otherwise add to the awesomeness of the planet, having a good public relations team on your side (and one that can make sure your business gets the recognition it deserves) can be invaluable.

Giving you a voice in the media. There are a lot of reasons you might want to have a closer relationship with the media, even if it’s just to report on your new products and company news from time to time. A good PR team will help you to establish these contacts and get members of the media talking about your business.

Helping you to craft the right message. Sometimes, organizations have something they want to say, but can’t find the right words. Whether it’s crafting a new message from the ground up, or just summarizing one you already have, experienced PR professionals can be just what you need.

Making sure that your side of a controversy is represented. Sometimes, even the very best, most reputable companies find themselves in the middle of an argument with a customer, competitor, or other outside party. When these situations arise, a public relations team can make sure that people hear your side of the story, too.

Being a public face when things aren’t going well. Likewise, companies and nonprofits alike sometimes have to give out bad news to buyers, investors, and employees. A good PR team can soften the blow and help you to make the explanations that are needed without dancing around the central issues.

Naturally, the areas between these duties and what a lot of people think of as “advertising” or “marketing” are a little bit murky. That’s all right; as we mentioned, we’ve been helping our clients with public relations unofficially for a lot of years. It’s just another way that we use our creative energy to help you meet the goals and challenges of running your organization.

- Tell us about your experience with PR, or ask us for our thoughts and advice.

Certainly, you could argue that great design is beautiful, and that’s certainly part of the recipe. But the world is full of pieces of art that aren’t particularly moving, in a commercial sense, and it’s hard to consider something as “great design” if it doesn’t do anything for your company. Likewise, you could say that any design that’s effective at moving products and creating interest is great, if only for the bottom line, but even some of the most profitable pieces aren’t memorable, or as well-executed as they could be.

So what’s left? How can you really spot great design – or better yet, ask for it – when there isn’t any real definition of what “great design” really is?

Graphic designer Wells Riley has come up with an imaginative and well-thought out answer to that question in his short guide: Startups, This is How Design Works. As an insightful primer on where design fits in the business planning and marketing process, it’s brilliant. Moreover, it’s a reminder of the few things that we are always trying to instill in our own clients here at Envision:

Great design is deliberate. By deliberate, we mean that there are specific choices made with regard to who the design is meant to represent, as well as who it’s really speaking to. There isn’t really any such thing as a “great design,” as much as there is great design for a particular project or situation. In other words, what works for one thing might not for another, and vice versa. Designing for print requires completely different skills than designing a website or web based application. That’s why discovery is such an important part of the process.

Great design can be simple. Sometimes, the best and most effective designs can leave clients thinking “Well, I could’ve done that!” That’s understandable, but it belies the fact that even simple designs are harder to create than they look, and it’s the subtleties of what you see on your web browser or printed page that make it so effective. Simple truly can be beautiful, but it’s rarely as easy to pull off as it appears.

Great designs help people. Well-designed pieces and pages don’t just help you to make money, but also help your products, employees, and others to understand what they are seeing. When everything has a deliberate function, and is in its place, everything seems more clear. For this simple example of what we mean, look at the words on this page. Would you want to see all of them in one block? Of course not, because that would be hard to read. It’s a simple example, but one that illustrates the point beautifully: As designers, we look for clarity and helpfulness at every step of the way.

Great design makes you feel something. Simply conveying information is only half the battle, however. A really strong design makes your readers, customers, or viewers feel something. What that “something” is depends a lot on the piece in the context, but when they feel it, you’ve gotten something you couldn’t accomplish without the right combination of text and images.

To see more about what makes design great, check out Mr. Riley’s guide on the subject. Or, meet with one of the Envisionaries, and let’s talk about what great design could do for your company.

What do you think makes design great…or not so great?

Probably the quickest answer is “not really”… but that doesn’t really tell the whole story.

That’s because, even though times have changed and our careers aren’t nearly as dramatic as the ones spelled out on that show, there are a handful of elements to Sterling and Cooper that the team at Envision can relate to. Even though the backdrop has changed – luckily, women’s rights and diversity aren’t the “controversial” topics they once were – some parts of the marketing and advertising world are enduring.

Here are a few ways that life at Envision is actually a little bit like an episode of Mad Men:

Finding and keeping clients is something that’s always necessary. If only earning new accounts were as easy as throwing back a few martinis over a steak dinner! In the real world, clients sometimes come and go, regardless of anything we do. As companies change hands, contacts change, and creative directions change, even happy clients sometimes move on. Or, we do so much great work for them that they just don’t need any new websites, brochures, or press releases for a while.

Even a successful creative agency like ours has to look for the next “Mohawk Airlines” from time to time.

We have to sell the client before you can sell the public. Believe it or not, one of our most stressful duties is explaining a new campaign, layout, or other piece of creative work to a new client. That’s because they have to approve it – and hopefully love it the way we do – before it can go live and start winning new business for them. We pour a lot of time, effort, and love into every single project we create, and it’s always a big moment when we unveil it to the business owner or marketing manager for the first time.

It takes a lot of hard behind-the-scenes work to create inspiration, and so we are as excited to show you what we’ve done as you are to see it.

Clients always come first. Along the same lines, people tend to think that “being creative” is our first job. That’s important, but it’s not necessarily true. What matters most is that we can handle deadlines, execute successful campaigns, and help the men and women who hire us to meet their bottom-line goals. In our world, the big moment doesn’t come when we convince someone to work with us… it happens in the months and years that follow afterward.

As you may have noticed, the one thing we really have in common with the characters on Mad Men is that we are constantly trying to use our creativity for our clients. I guess it doesn’t matter whether you are on TV or in the real-life business world – doing a great job for the people who hire you is always the biggest story at any creative agency.

Ready to work with a team that takes the drama out of working with a marketing group? Sit down with Envision Creative and we will help you come up with a script for bigger profits.

In the mean time, tell us some of your favorite Mad Men moments.

Why do we think that these types of businesses make such a good match for what we cook up in our creative kitchen? Finding the right marketing for these groups often comes down to a few distinct skills:

Creating the right look.

Colors and styles are always important to the design process, but they are especially important when you are marketing food, beverages, and hospitality. That’s because we aren’t just looking to “market a product,” but to ignite the senses. Any good chef will tell you that we taste with our eyes first, and that’s also true when it comes to things like logos, menus, and other collateral materials.

Forming an instant impression.

At a deeper level, food and hospitality is all about comfort, and that first impression you get when you examine a menu, label, or check-in counter. For a good example of what we’re talking about, visit a Panera location sometime soon. We’re sorry to say that we haven’t had the opportunity to work with them yet, but they have somehow managed to put a finger on a welcoming design scheme without our help. We love giving other companies that same kind of immediately-identifiable look and feel.

Making guests feel comfortable.

It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting down for a quick meal or turning into bed after a long day on the road – a small sense of comfort can go a very long way. Once again, this all starts with having the right look, but it also goes deeper, especially when you have a sense of continuity from one experience to the next. Some of those experiences are going to be with your restaurant, hotel, or company directly… but a lot of them are going to be with your marketing and promotional materials, too.

While it’s true that a lot of what we’re talking about comes down to basic branding, the reality is that companies who sell food, beverages, and hospitality have to take branding even more seriously than business to business organizations do, if only because the experiences they offer are so personal. And so, if you’re looking for a creative and design partner who takes your brand as seriously as you do – and one that loves the taste of a winning campaign – choose your deign and marketing team wisely.

At Envision, we think all of those details are important, but they don’t go nearly far enough.

That’s because, when it comes down to it, branding isn’t really about looks and images, but feelings and associations. (read a recent article about the difference between logo and brand) We were reminded of this firsthand recently when we started concepting some different ideas for a hotel client of ours. The hotel is committed to service on every level so as we began creating the logo, we examined how it would play into their brand. One of the elements that really jumped out to our team was the ampersand in the logo mark we created. It’s almost like that new Dr. Pepper commercial where the guys keeps saying “and…” and get’s more stuff, (though that commercial had not yet come out when we had our brilliant idea). Suddenly, we started seeing other places the & could be used: peace & quiet, rest & relaxation, and so on.

In that way, something that could have been a minor detail became a striking focal point for our design and messaging – not just something to play off of, but an interesting way to separate our clients from their competitors. Best of all, it’s something that our client’s customers can identify instantly, a piece that’s likely to remain memorable in their minds. In other words, it not just something we’re putting on their materials, but an element that can add significantly to all of their marketing communications.

Because you should be looking for those same benefits in your branding efforts, here are a few quick pieces of advice to help you get started:

• You’re not looking for just any brand identity, but the one that works for your company. In the example we gave, the “&” turned out being a great visual element. For a different client, however, it might not have worked. That’s important to remember, because all brands – like all companies – need to be different. As tempting as it is to simply go with something that’s catchy, you really need something that reflects your values, and your place in the market.
• Good brands sometimes take a bit of creative time and effort. This matters more than you might think. On the one hand, it can be tough for clients to understand why good branding and identity pieces are disproportionately expensive and time-consuming, but that’s because you aren’t paying for the simple image, but all the work that comes with finding the right fit. And on the other hand, you should be very wary of any creative team who claims they don’t need much time to develop a new logo or branding piece, since that might be a sign that they aren’t ready to put forth the effort you need to get the identity pieces you deserve.
• It’s the details that make all the difference. The difference between a good logo or idea and a great one is slight, but it’s something that everyone can see and feel. Knowing your customers, not to mention your employees and competitors see that you have taken the time to establish a strong brand, it sends a message of quality, stability, and reassurance. Those are subtle benefits, but they affect your bottom line in so many ways.

The biggest shortcoming of most branding and identity efforts isn’t that they aren’t good, but that they don’t go far enough – either in terms of the concept being used, or taking it to a level that’s deep enough to really resonate with buyers. If you think your current branding isn’t doing for you what it could, then call us today to set up a free consultation… or tell us what you’ve done to create your own great brand.

As a web design client, there are a lot of things you can bring to the process that can make it easier for us to do our best creative work. Here are five ways you can help us do our jobs faster and create a better finished product…and a more successful website for you:

1. Come into the process with a vision for your website. Most clients do this already, of course, but what we’re talking about isn’t necessarily a vision for the way your new website should look, but what it should actually do. Presumably, you want a new website because you’re looking for a new way to grow your company or make it more efficient. Let us know from the beginning how your website fits into your overall business plans, as well as how you plan to communicate with your prospects and clients, and we’ll be more prepared to ensure you get something that does just that.
2. Be upfront with your preferences, feedback, and expectations. Providing initial preferences and expectations to your web design team can feel a little like your providing too much detail. However, the more we know about your thoughts and ideas, the more effective we’ll be. We will always provide you with our expert opinion and make our recommendations for success but we can’t read your mind. If you make everything clear from the beginning, the project will likely be a great success.
3. Designate decision-makers. One of the things that never fails to slow down the web design process is having too many opinions, or none at all. Decide internally (before you initiate the project) whose opinions really matter, and who will make the final call. Collect all of your feedback before you communicate with your creative team so that you can avoid extra rounds of revisions. Having this kind of clear chain of command is a great way to get a consistent vision for your new website, and to avoid lost days and weeks going back and forth waiting for approval at every phase of the website. It can also ensure that you stay on budget.
4. Have a content strategy. It’s not at all unusual for the design of a website to be complete, only for everyone involved to collectively look at each other with a blank expression once it’s time to fill in the content. Decide from the very beginning who will be responsible for writing the text, where it’s going to come from, and when you expect it to be ready. Waiting on copy can delay your business website’s launch by weeks or longer – and having the right message can make a big difference in your online profitability – so don’t overlook this important detail.
5. Trust us. Just as it’s important that you be upfront with your opinions, remember that you hired your web design team because they know a thing or two about designing and building websites. What we’re really getting at is that you have to trust us a little bit from time to time, especially when we show you a something that may not be exactly the way you envisioned it. If you have an objection, say so, but be open to a conversation and let us show you what we can do by thinking out of the box a bit.

Of course, having the right web design team makes every step in the process easier and faster. I think I have one I can recommend. ☺

Do you have any suggestions for how speed up a successful web design project?

Simply put, there isn’t any middle ground with brochure design because the window of opportunity is generally so small. Brochures can be an extraordinarily powerful sales tool, warming up potential customers to the best benefits of your products and services before you’ve even met them, or keeping them nice and interested after your sales team has already given their presentation. For any of that to happen, however, it has to have a design that engages them and makes them want to learn more immediately. Otherwise, it’s just another piece of clutter that they can’t wait to clear away fast enough.

With that in mind, here are four things to remember about brochure design:

Learn to love simple designs. The more white space there is on a page, the less of a hassle it seems like to read. You want your brochure to seem like it will take only a short time to read and digest, which favors simple, clean designs. One of the biggest and most common mistakes with brochure design is trying to cram too much in too small of a space, so be very aware of how much you are asking your design team to integrate into a small page or two.

Remember your real goal. The job of your brochure probably isn’t to actually sell anything, but to create interest in the potential customer’s mind. That might seem like a small distinction, but it can reduce the amount of information and graphics you need by half. Remember what your real goal is with producing the brochure, and tell people just enough of what they need to know to take the next step in the sales process.

Think of different formats. Brochures should always be print-friendly, of course, but they may need to be e-mailed from time to time as well. It’s also possible that your brochure could be turned into a web page. So, as you examine different designs and concepts, ask yourself: Will this layout look as good on paper as it does on a screen, or vice versa?

Don’t forget about the text. Although design is almost always going to be the most important element of your brochure when it comes to catching attention, you have to have a message that compels people to take action, too. Otherwise, you’ve just got an interesting-looking document that isn’t going to help you meet your business goals whatsoever. The golden rule of brochure copywriting is this: Think less about what you want to say, and more about what you want your customers to know. That philosophy will almost always guide you to a more compelling finished version.

When it comes to brochure design, there really is no middle ground. Luckily, if you can follow these guidelines, you won’t need one because your brochure will be a powerful sales tool that customers will keep, read, and act upon.

Because the wrong logo can do big damage to your business, and its image, not to mention be with you for a very long time, here are seven things to look out for:

1. Logos that aren’t a good match for your company’s personality. An artistic, attention-grabbing design is wonderful, but without any tie-in to your company’s culture, products, or mission, it’s just an interesting picture. Look for a logo that gives people some sense of what your organization is about.
    
2. Logos that won’t age well. Some logos, like potential mates, look a lot better now than they will in a few years. Having strange color combinations, bizarre fonts, or other novelties is a good way to make your logo more interesting in the short term… but worse for the wear when styles change.
    
3. Logo designs that feel generic. Just as you don’t want to go too far off the deep end with the “artistic vision” for your logo, neither do you want it to feel so plain that no one can tell it from all the other millions of logos that are out there. We know it’s a fine line between “classic” and “boring,” but it’s one that your graphic design team can help you find.
    
4. Logo designs that look too much like someone else’s. It should go without saying that your logo needs to reflect your business, not someone else’s. It can be tempting to borrow inspiration from a Fortune 500 company, but the last thing you want is doubt, ambiguity, or a lawsuit. Keep that in mind and choose a design that’s just as original as your team is.
    
5. Logo designs that are radically different than what you have used in the past. There are times to completely re-brand your organization of course, but you shouldn’t do it on a whim. Dramatically changing your logo or other brand-identity pieces is a good way to confuse your customers, not inspire confidence in the marketplace.
    
6. Logos that are too complicated. There are a lot of really interesting logos out there that probably fall into the category of “creative nonsense.” They’re cutting-edge, in a way, but they’re also so complicated or bizarre that they are literally difficult to look at. As we hope you understand by now, a clean, classic look is best, so avoid having your creative team go off the deep end.
    
7. Logos that you don’t like. Your logo isn’t coming to you via arranged marriage, so don’t think that you have to like something just because everyone else does, even if it’s your design team. While they can give you great input and guidance, you’re the one who has to live and grow old with your logo for a long time coming, so don’t let anyone talk you into something you don’t fall in love with yourself.

Does your logo fall into any of these pitfalls?

Ready to take the plunge with your next logo? Give us a call and we’ll set you up with one that will make you feel warm and fuzzy for many years to come and establish your desired perception of value at the same time.

That’s a catch 22 that isn’t always easy to solve, but a little bit of creativity can usually lead to the kind of compromise that’s good for your business.

On the other hand, there are a number of tactics that people try – especially when they are first getting involved in search engine optimization – that don’t work at all because search engines and customers both hate them.

Here are five that you should stay away from:

1. Poorly thought out domain names. It’s getting harder than ever to find available URLs, but going with five keywords crammed together into a nonsensical “.com” name isn’t doing you any favors.
2. Confusing site structures. When search engines spiders crawl your site, they want to see a clear path and navigation structure. And if researchers can find what they’re looking for quickly, they will almost always click elsewhere.
3. Spammy articles and pages. Google, Yahoo, and Bing have all caught on to the trick of articles and pages “written” by computer software and will ignore them completely. It goes without saying that these aren’t exactly appealing to potential buyers, either.
4. Too much flash and animation. While the major search engines have gotten better at reading flash and animated pages, they still aren’t an ideal layout choice for the business that wants to achieve a higher rank on Google. Searchers, for their part, tend to look for a site that loads quickly and ranks highly in usability, rather than one that looks like a motion picture trailer.
5. Links that don’t make sense. With Google’s “Panda” update, you could actually be penalized in the search engine rankings for having the wrong kinds of links in and out of your site. Random linking is also a sign to customers that you don’t pay attention to the quality or content on your pages.

Don’t let your desire for a better search engine position overwhelm common sense. Not only are these tactics a sign that you aren’t serious about growing your business online, but they’re likely to annoy search engines and the customers you want to reach at the same time.