The Designer Network

What does a graphic designer have in common with a real estate agent? Not much when you compare the details of their job requirements.

However, chances are pretty good that graphic designer knows one and because most graphic designers are obsessively concerned with their reputation, that real estate agent is probably one of the best.

Why is this important?

If the design businesses you partner with aren't sharing their networks with you, something may be off about your relationship with them.

Likewise, if you aren't tapping into your designer's professional network to enhance and grow professionally and personally, you may also be missing out.

Instead of calling when you need a logo design, call and find out if they can be a resource for something else…like a real estate agent.

Gap Between Sales and Marketing

I recently came across an interesting statistic. A study by the Chief Marketing Officer Council stated that most salespeople view up to 90% of sales materials created by marketing as valueless.

I have even met some of these salespeople. They hand you a brochure and say something like "Here's some information about our company. You'll have to excuse the brochure though. It's hideous."

One business owner I've met touts his company as an upscale business. He claims to be able to bring your company to a whole new level. He's very inspiring. Take a look at his brochure, however, and not only does it look like a five year old designed it, but it features a photo of a stressed out business man holding his head in his hands right on the cover. The brochure design and the photo contradicts everything he speaks about.

We constantly see a lack of consistency in the design of most business marketing materials. Many just want to do it themselves and others don't want to spend the money. So, how much does it cost you when your sales force is out in the public demoralizing your company through your own marketing materials?

So, what do you do about it? You hire a professional graphic design team that works not only with the company's marketing team, but your sales team as well. Spending a little bit to put in the time and care into your corporate identity program is a critical component to promoting your business in the best light. It is not as much money as you would think and pays off big in the long run.

©2009 \\ COSMIC \\

Polishng a turd

The Snark Hunting blog posted an interesting find about insurance giant, AIG. Essentially, to move away from negative press, AIG has changed its name to Chartis.

I think we've seen this with Blackwater USA when they changed their name and logo to the abstract Xe.

Do companies think when you cover up bad habits with a little rework of your name and logo that people will forget? Does it really work?

In today's media cluttered society, it probably does. If you look at many companies annual reports and mission statements, you will often find that they enjoy using the word integrity. Is there integrity in running away from the real issues regarding your company?

From a design perspective, I like both new logo marks. From an ethical viewpoint however, changing your logo to skirt negative press doesn't help your problem. It contributes to more of it.

What do you think?

©2009 \\ COSMIC \\

A delicious new look

Cosmic's very own Sean Collier was featured in the Bermuda Sun for his rebranding work for H20 Café.

Read about it HERE.

©2009 \\ COSMIC \\

Overprotective

How important is your brand to you? Would you go to great lengths to protect it. Would you sue the pants off a small business owner at the risk of demoralizing an already tarnished image?

Citigroup would.

Protecting your intellectual property is important. Very important. But it doesn't mean let your lawyers go lawsuit crazy on every infraction. In most instances, there are less public and diplomatic ways to handle the outcome.

©2009 David Scott | Cosmic: Advertising & Design

Get clean with Poo!

Is it really possible that the designer who worked on this company's logo didn't point out the obvious to their client? Did the client really not pick up that this was a poor choice of spelling for a company name?

I'm often baffled about how these things get to market.

As an entrepreneur or business owner, you may be very talented in your industry. You might even be considered a guru. You might even have a product that sells itself, but please leave the creative and design services to professionals.

Graphic design firms are hired for their expertise. If we step over an obvious marketing blunder such as this poor choice for a company name, we are doing a disservice to you as the client.

To point it out doesn't make us bad, wrong or even jerks. We doing our job. When you consult with a graphic design expert, always be open to their ideas. Ask them their honest opinion about what works and what doesn't work, and give them the freedom to explore new directions for your company.

In the long run, it pays to work with experienced professionals who have your best interest in mind.

©2008 David Scott | Cosmic: Graphic Design & Branding

Sandpearl Resort

Last weekend, I lived in luxury. I haven't been to a lot of ritzy places, but the Sandpearl Resort and Spa in Clearwater, Florida was definitely in my top three of swanky hotels. Personalized five-star service. Champagne at check-in. Opulent landscaping. Marble everywhere. Waterfalls. Butlers. The works.

For a moment I felt a little inadequate pulling up in my Nissan Altima while the valets were carefully repositioning the Bentley, Porsche and Rolls Royce situated on the hotel's polished pink cobblestone driveway.

However, I couldn't get over one tiny detail that was bugging me during my whole stay.


The resort displays their logo everywhere and it has two fundamental flaws. If you look closely, the type is not properly drawn with smooth connecting strokes in two places. And, if I want to get downright fussy about it, the capital "S" and the flourishes lack proportion and consistency with the rest of the type.


I don't have a problem with the composition of the logo itself, and if this were a Holiday Inn, I wouldn't bat an eye at it. For a company with such a high demand for integrity, however, this doesn't fly for me. A hotel like this pays very close attention to the details–especially in their logo.

This is a great case where "good enough" is never good enough. It really pays to know your client's business inside and out. For the Sandpearl, I could tell the second I walked inside, this hotel expects perfection because their customers expect perfection. I would bet whoever drew this logo didn't even step inside the hotel and if they had, they probably were't paying attention.

When we give 98% to our work, it has a trickle down effect. Eventually, that 98% becomes 75% and you get crap or get fired or both.

Your clients don't settle for 98%. Why would you?

©2008 David Scott | Cosmic: Graphic Design & Branding

Premier Smoke Letterhead Design

Here's a fun little project we just wrapped up. This letterhead design for a local cigar distributor features custom smoke illustration and calligraphy that mimics the swirl of cigar smoke.

©2008 David Scott | Cosmic: Graphic Design & Branding

Logo design is irie

Recent completed logo design for a Reggae band called Jam Signal.

©2008 David Scott | Cosmic: Graphic Design & Branding

Featured Project: Freewheel Logo

The Homeless Emergency Project (HEP) is one of our longtime clients. They are quite an extraordinary organization and are doing amazing things to transform homeless issues in the Tampa Bay area. They recently contacted Cosmic to design a logo for their Freewheel program. Through the program people can donate their used and unwanted bicycles to HEP. The bikes are then refurbished in a fully equipped bike shop on site and then given to homeless individuals who are in need of transportation.

©2008 David Scott | Cosmic: Graphic Design & Branding

Paul Rand

It was Paul Rand's birthday yesterday. For those not in the design industry, Paul Rand was probably one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. He was well-known for his corporate logo design and some of his most notable works include logos for IBM, UPS and ABC Television.

One thing I never knew about Rand is he was born into an Orthodox Jewish family and Orthodox Jewish law forbids the creation of images that can be worshiped as idols. Ironic, considering Rand's career of creating icons of global capitalism seemed to supply him with a highly lucrative career.

©2007 David Scott | Cosmic

DipStick

Here's a recent logo we've done for a pool cleaning service. The client wanted to name the company Cool Pools, which we felt lacked some orginality. We instead suggested the name Dip Stick which came from the concept of "taking a dip." In the pool cleaning industry companies often appear static in their marketing efforts. The name and logo was designed to be catchy and fun to help stand out amongst the company's competition.

Designer: Sean Collier

©2007 David Scott | Cosmic

Tuscan Dairy Farms Unveils New Logo and Packaging

Tuscan® Dairy Farms announces a new, contemporary logo and packaging for their fluid white and flavored milk products in quart, half-gallon and gallon sizes. The updated logo gives the familiar Tuscan cow a modern make-over, combined with a fresh green background and places emphasis on the dairy's history by adding the date, 1918.

In support of the packaging re-launch, Tuscan Dairy Farms will also run a new television, radio, and digital campaign in the New York market beginning in April. The campaign features a Tuscan gallon of milk on the commuter rail showing off his hip, new label.

We had the challenge of communicating a trusted, 89-year brand while creating packaging that is modern and fresh. The new logo as well as a bright color palette across the full line has been well received with our core customers.
“The new logo and package redesign balances a vibrant, urban aesthetic while conveying the freshness and purity of Tuscan's line of dairy products,” stated Derek Archambault, Marketing Manager, Tuscan Dairy Farms. “We had the challenge of communicating a trusted, 89-year brand while creating packaging that is modern and fresh. The new logo as well as a bright color palette across the full line has been well received with our core customers.”

“Since 1918, Tuscan Dairy Farms has been the local milk brand for families in the New York City metropolitan area, Northern New Jersey and Long Island. We are proud to deliver the highest quality products in our newly updated packaging this spring,” said Brian Kornfiend, General Manager, Tuscan Dairy Farms. “We believe our new packaging accurately reflects regional dairy farming in a relevant way that will resonate with our urban customer base.”

The dairy plans to roll out new packaging beginning with their fluid milk products including whole, 2%, 1% low fat, fat free milk and flavored milk in quarts, half-gallons and gallons. In addition, the dairy will update the entire family of products throughout 2007 to include the complete line of beverages, cultured dairy products and flavored milks.

Beginning in 1918, Tuscan Dairy Farms has a rich history of delivering the highest quality dairy products including fluid milk, cream, half and half, flavored milk, juices, and cultured dairy products. A long-time leader of advances and innovations in the local dairy industry, Tuscan services the New York City metro market, including the five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester and Dutchess counties as well as Northern and central New Jersey. Its central processing facility is located in Burlington, New Jersey, and distribution centers are located throughout the greater New York city area. For more information, and a complete list of products and retailers, visit www.tuscandairy.com.

Source:Press Release

©2007 David Scott | Cosmic

Bryn Mawr Unveils New Athletic Logo

After nearly a year of meetings and discussion, the brand new Bryn Mawr athletic logo has finaly arrived. The logo was unveiled last Thursday night, April 12, in Schwartz Gymnasium to a sea of athletes, students and staff members. Acting Director of Athletics Jody Law opened up the festivities with a little history of the department's decision to commission the logo, before introducing seniors Cara Petonic (Track and Field) and Stephanie Wujcik (Lacrosse) to unveil the new logos. Petonic and Wujcik both served on the committee for the new logo.

Law went on to say “A few years ago when Bryn Mawr went from being the 'Mawrters' to the 'Owls,' there was no definitive Owl for our logo. The current college seal has the Athena Owl, but that is not very inspiring for athletics. I felt it was necessary to create an athletic logo to inspire unity and pride in what we do and who we are. So this past fall a focus group was formed to aid in the creation of this new logo. Students and other campus departments helped to define what we wanted to convey and the designer took it from there.”

The Athletics Department provided Hope's Cookies, while members of the Public Affairs staff donated a logo-bearing cake. Several t-shirts and a hooded sweatshirt were given away to audience members, after which an eager crowd pressed forward to buy apparel bearing the new logo from representatives from the Bryn Mawr Bookshop. Items of clothing sporting the new logo are now available online through the Bookshop's Web site.

Source: Press Release

©2007 David Scott | Cosmic

To Swoosh or Not to Swoosh

When it comes to developing a company's trademark design, it is not uncommon to see businesses carelessly adopt a swoosh or two to represent themselves. In reality, this is not only a highly overused and abused design technique, it is also completely meaningless to your customers. What does a swoosh really mean anyway?

The most famous swoosh, of course, comes from our friends at Nike. The technique evidently caught on big with several high tech companies throughout the '90s and when the dot com bubble burst, it didn't seem to kill its monumental symbol of the swoosh.

The swoosh is a dated design element and represents a dead era. Companies that use a swoosh aren't telling their customers anything about what they stand for and just because Nike is sucessful doesn't mean a swoosh will put money in your pockets. A great logo design presents a simple concept that represents a company's mission.

Steven Lekowicz provides some great information and sometimes a humorous perspective about the swoosh or the "Millennium Orbital Crescent Swish" at the >Logo Hell site he has published. The site provides examples of companies that use a swoosh as well as informative links explaining what makes this bad design.

©2007 David Scott | Cosmic