Continuing our series of "What Is It's Purpose?" this post will deal with the Purpose of Letterhead and Letterhead Design. As we've mentioned before let me recap by saying, every design we create serves a purpose. Is it up to us to determine that purpose? Or does each piece innately have a purpose? I think there is truth in both. Our job is to amplify the innate purpose for each piece. Confused? Don’t stay that way, let’s examine one of the pieces we create on an everyday basis and the function they should serve.

Letterhead.

In today's digital society does letterhead even still have a place in the industry? I believe so. A traditional formal letter still has it's importance and uses. Businesses use letterhead for Thank Yous and other otherwise "form" letters that they must send out. It's also useful for subtly reminding your customers or constituents that you still exist and what services you offer. Wait? Can it really do this? Yes. Let's jump ahead and look at some of the things you might want to include on your letterhead: Remember, you can’t possible include EVERYTHING. So you’ll have to pick and choose:

Following up an earlier article where we discussed some magazine layout principles, let's take a look at continuity in design.

Design continuity for a specialized marketing piece, specifically one that only makes an appearance quarterly or annually is incredibly important. Because the piece will only be in the viewers hand a few times a year, it's important to make a visual impact that the reader can easily remember.

How is this accomplished? When creating such a piece, it's important to keep some "theme" of consistency throughout the magazine. The theme will usually consist of similar graphic elements that appear on each spread, every page or at regular intervals within.

Here is a great example of how this is applied in a semi-annual magazine for the Alumni of the Communications Department at ORU. Knowing the advisor/designer personally I can clearly see her thought process as she carries the visual theme throughout the magazine.

Notice the "recording" lines around the dominant photo. These are repeated symbolically on the opposing page that begins the profile article. Later on, as we continue through the magazine, we again see the same elements repeat. The story is different and even the layout is different but the theme is the same.

To keep the magazine fresh and changing, we don't want to simply repeat the exact same layout over and over. Between these main stories the magazine is filled with shorter articles, sidebars and photos. But once we come back to such a spread, there is an immediate visual connection to what we've already seen.

Ways this can be accomplished:

1. Repeat. Simply pull a previously used element such as a drop cap, a rule line, background graphics, etc.

2. Duplicate a photo effect. Add crop marks, frames, distress or elegant filter effects to dominate photos to create a unified effect.

3. Mirror. To mirror a spread simply re-arrange the elements in your layout to appear as if they would if you literally printed it out and held it up to a mirror. (If you can't visualize the effect--print it out!) This is what has been done in the above example.

4. Reflect. What would your layout look like if reflected upside down? Please realize we're not referring to the text or headline, but rather the arrangement of the elements on the page. If your dominant photo is a square on the bottom left, another layout within the piece could have it placed in the top left instead.

5. Rotate. If your original design is solid, you can rotate your layout of elements in a clockwise or counter-clockwise fashion to retain the 'feel' of the other spreads.

Keeping these tricks in mind with assist you in creating a unified magazine piece.  To download the entire magazine to see the visual impact of repeating elements click here.

A reader recently asked me for advice on creating a business card as a student. Still in College and finishing up a degree, but ready to start the ever present process of networking she wanted tips and ideas for creating business cards and identity as a student that will be taken seriously in the workforce.

A specific question that came up was whether or not to use the University provided service of business cards with the University branding. While there may be some pros for the students, there are also some serious cons to this approach. First of all, it doesn't brand you as an individual, but rather as an extension of your University. Without knowing how your University may be perceived to your potential employer or networker this may be a negative thing.

Let's suppose for a moment that this employer recently had an employee that graduated from the same University and they were fired for poor job performance. Waltzing in as an extension of that same University can possibly backfire on you. On the upside, if a recent employee from that University was a star, it could help. However, by creating your OWN brand you eliminate this risk. So, let's discuss. If you're a student, chances are you haven't established a brand. So then what? How can you create a business card that will promote YOU and not some fictitious business or alter ego. What if you've not really "done" anything yet so to speak? No problem. Keep in mind that the primary use of a business card is to CONTACT you. So all you HAVE to include is valid contact information. Let's look at some ideas of things you CAN include on that card to give you credibility.

1. Your name. This may seem obvious, but as a student, with no "business" to be prevalent on a business card, Your NAME is the most important asset you have. Display your name predominantly on the business card to take the place of a business name.

2. Your field of expertise. Again, as a student you may not feel that you have yet established "expertise". But what did you study for? If you are a PR/Ad major then that's your field. If you're a Journalism major then obviously you write. Determine what your niche is and claim it on your cards. If you're still trying to find your exact niche, keep it broad. For instance, you might use "Communications" or "Marketing" as generic terms to avoid pinning yourself down too tightly.

3. Basic contact information. Be sure to include your city/state on the card as well as a current phone number. A word about phone numbers. Keep in mind that now that you are entering the employment pool you may need to change some of your previous habits. For instance, be very careful about your voicemail greeting on your phone. Screaming/singing into your voicemail message may have been cool in college, but once a potential employer tries to call you, it is an immediate turn off. Be sure to re-record your voicemail message to something more professional. "Hello, you have reached So-N-So, I'm not available at the moment, but please leave your name and number and a brief message and I'll return your call as soon as possible".

4. Email Address. Again, in lieu of something that used to get you by and have personal meaning such as "[email protected]" trade in your address for a new professional one. I strongly suggest Gmail accounts for a professional email address. Try to get something specific and relevant to you. Avoid numbers and make it as easy to remember as possible. When possible, use your name: "[email protected]" or "[email protected]". Creating a separate professional account will also help you to separate your professional contacts from your personal buddies.

5. Social Media contact information. Chances are a potential employer is going to look you up online. By including your social profile information on your business card, you show them that you have no skeletons in your closet and are beating them to the punch. Include your Twitter name and direct links to your LinkedIn or Facebook accounts. However, be sure that your content is employer friendly. Never use a social media outlet to bad mouth a previous boss or coworker. Keep your accounts clean and wholesome, understanding that you WILL be judged by what you allow to associate with your name on the web.

6. Blogs or Websites. Did you create a blog or Web site as part of a class assignment? If you did, and it's good, and you update it frequently, then feel free to add that to your card. However, if you don't feel that it's a good representation of your best work, or if you never update the blog, then you are better to leave it off. In order for it to be effective it must be current. Printing and Distribution. So now you have your information and a basic idea of your card.

The next step is getting them printed. My personal favorite for printing great, professional quality business card at a low price is OvernightPrints.com. Overnight includes a web based card designer, so if you'r NOT a designer, or don't have the software, you can use their Web site to still create a top quality card. And their quantities and prices are small and very reasonable. Staring at just 25 cards for $2.98 plus shipping.

Another option is Vista Print. A word of warning however, Vista Print's cards are "free" with the exception of shipping fees, but the backside of the card is Vista Print's logo and contact information. And the card quality is much cheaper and does not include a UV gloss finish, like Overnight does. So now that you have your card printed and designed, who do you give them too?

In short: Everybody! 90% of business success is networking. Never despise even the smallest connections that you might make. Stay especially alert at conferences, seminars and learning environments. All in all, put your best foot forward and establish your own professional reputation and you'll go far!

If you’ve been asked to create a newsletter for your club, group or business and aren’t sure where to start, look no farther. Today, rather than just "telling" you about the principles I've decided to do an in-depth tutorial to help you create a cohesive and concise newsletter design. In this tutorial we’ll layout a basic newsletter using InDesign, but keep in mind that the same principles of good newsletter design could be used in any program.

Yesterday evening, while sitting with a relatively new client I was a little anxious to finally show off my concepts that my partner and I had created. Though the two of us had done a lot of brainstorming, ultimately it was me, "the designer" who had to interpret everything the client had said and create a logo and web presence that would ultimately serve her needs.

I go there early, so that the two of us would have time to go over the proposal one last time and prepare to make our pitch. As I pulled in, I parked right beside the client. SHE WAS HALF AN HOUR EARLY!!!! Since I had only met her once previously, I hoped against hope, that it was just someone with an uncanny resemblance to her. I hurriedly rushed inside, my nerves getting the best of me each moment. She walked in right behind me. After initial greetings, she mentioned running to the restroom quickly before the meeting began. Perfect! That gave me the chance I needed to allow my partner to double check everything.

Among some of the most creative and impressive marketing moves of all time, chances are you will hear tales of early Starbucks. While trying to increase brand awareness, they hired people to drive around with a Starbucks cup glued to the top of their car just above the driver's door where it would be found if the driver had inadvertently sat it down while getting into the car.

Brilliant? Not yet, it gets better. As other drivers and those considerate enough to marvel at how he had gotten this far, and motion or speak to him regarding the cup, they were given a coupon for a free coffee at their local Starbucks. Now, it's brilliant. Not only did it raise brand awareness but also drove new potential customers to the store who had the potential of being turned into loyal customers

I'm a firm believer in learning by example. Whether positive or negative. That being the case, I love to look at successful logos. Not to steal ideas, but to learn from the strategies and execution of an idea.

Recently, Interbrand, a international brand consultancy specializing in brand services and activities, including: analytics, brand engagement and brand strategy. Last week, they announced the top 100 global brands. I'll have to admit I was a little surprised at who did and who did not make the list.

Recently I heard an insightful illustration about 2 business owners in the early 90s. Both businesses were fairly successful selling the same product: Radios.

Joe, the owner of the first store, knew everything there was to know about the radio business. He sold them, repaired them and could rattle the brands off without even thinking. When asked "What business he was in" he would throw his shoulders back, stand a little straighter and reply, "The Radio Business."

If you're new to typesetting it can be very overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be. I've recently been asked by several student designers to elaborate a bit more on Typesetting procedures and best practices.

Overview:

• All books should be typeset and gathered using InDesign’s “Book” feature. (No books that contain “chapters” (including Slims and Minis) should be set up as a single flowing document).
• All books should follow a standard “style” labeling schema for both Paragraph and Character styles as detailed below.
• All elements within a document SHOULD be utilizing paragraph styles.
• Master pages should be utilized as much as possible.

File Name Standards:

• Before you can utilize the “book” feature in InDesign you must first have a set of documents to work with. Ideas for naming these book Documents would include the following file names:
  • FrontMatter.indd (Include Title pages, Copyright, Table of Contents)
  • Acknowledgement.indd
  • Introduction.indd
  • Preface.indd
  • Foreword.indd
  • Chapter1.indd
  • Chapter2.indd . . . and so forth until the end of the book
  • Appendix1.indd . . . and so forth as needed
  • AboutTheAuthor.indd
  • Ads.indd
  Creating A Template To create the appropriate “design” of the book. You will want to start designing with Chapter 1.
  • Create a new document (apple + n)
  • Set document page count (just guess at this point)
  • Set document margins (remember to allow thumb room and interior gutter)
  • Set document bleeds
  [caption id="attachment_757" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Screenshots from CS4 but the process is the same"]

  

  [/caption] Number and Section Options: Number and Section Options are found under the “Pages” panel flyout menu: [caption id="attachment_758" align="aligncenter" width="272" caption="Numbering and Section Options"][/caption] For each document set the “Number and Section Options” to “automatic page numbering”. Front matter will be set to “Roman Numerals” styles, but all others will be set to “Arabic Numerals”.  When this is set up, the page numbers will automatically update throughout the entire book as pages are added or subtracted to a single document.

   

  

  Tip! Use this document to set up your master pages, paragraph styles and character styles. When finished save it as a “template” for the rest of the book. Using Styles: To maintain consistency, I often use a specific naming scheme to be used when creating my paragraph styles. Paragraph Styles Naming Standards: Chapter Number Chapter Title Chapter Opening Body Copy Scriptures Pullouts Opening Your Paragraph Styles: Window  > Type and Tables  > Paragraph Styles

   

  

  From the Paragraph Styles panel click the flyout and select “New Paragraph Style” or from the bottom of the panel window click the “New Style” icon. Creating the Style: When creating a new style there are really only 4 of the Paragraph Styles option panels you need to deal with: 1.    “General” you will name your new style (one of the names above) and be sure to set your “Based On Style” to “No Paragraph Style”. Why? If your style is “Based” on another style and the other style changes it will alter this one as well. That is something you do NOT want to happen.

   

  

  2.    “Basic Character Formats” you select your typeface, weight, size and leading height.

   

  

  3.    “Indents and Spacing” choose your alignment (normally left justify for body copy) and extra spacing. i.e. First line indent for body copy, space after and before for subheads or scripture text, etc.

   

  

  4.    “Hyphenation” Set your hyphenation options as seen below:

   

  

  Now your new style is complete. Tip! To apply a paragraph style to an entire paragraph it’s not necessary to highlight the entire paragraph, you can simply click within the paragraph and select your style to alter the entire thing. Also try clicking with the formatting eyedropper tool for a quick fix. When to Use a Character Style? Character styles should be used anytime an “override” needs to take place for a paragraph style. For instance a bold word, a bold number, etc. Opening Your Character Styles: Window  > Type and Tables > Character Styles From the Character Styles panel click the flyout and select “New Character Style” or from the bottom of the panel window click the “New Style” icon. Creating a character style is the same process as a paragraph style but with more selective options. And applying them requires that you click within the WORD or highlight the character that you would like to change. Master Pages: Your master pages will need to include: •    Page Numbers •    Running Heads •    Chapter Opening Art •    Any other graphic elements that are consistent chapter to chapter Adding Your Content: As long as you have created your margins and columns within your InDesign document, you can flow all the text in for your first chapter automatically. To do this, choose File > Place and then select the document you’d like to flow in. Your cursor will change showing you that there is content to place. You can flow this content in with several different options. The quickest and most efficient way is to “auto-flow” the text throughout the document. Using this option will automatically place the text for you, allowing you to go back in and fine tune the layout and add your paragraph styles as needed.

   

  

  Creating the “Book”: Once your main document is set up you will want to use the template you saved to create each subsequent chapter. To create the “book file: File > New > Book

1.    Name the book as needed. This creates a new “book” panel in your workspace.

2.    Click the “+” to add documents to your book.

3.    Load all your documents into your book panel.

4.    Your page numbers will auto adjust and you can now edit each document by simply double clicking it to open make your changes and then save the documents.
5.    When you’re finished with the book file, you can save and close the book panel, export the entire book to digital additions (more on that later) or package the book for printing!

While perusing the list of sites I follow and blogs I watch this morning. I stumbled across a gem on the Advertising Age Web site. After a summer consumer marketing campaign, during which, PEPSI got their followers involved in their marketing strategy by allowing consumers to submit designs for a new PEPSI can, which appeared very successful as cans began hitting the shelves at grocery stores, PEPSI has re-vamped their logo.

What does it cost for a national brand such as PEPSI or CocaCola to update their brand? Though the company won't confirm the cost, experts at Advertising Age estimate the logo development itself cost somewhere above $1 Million. Why so much? The firm contracted to do the re-design: Omnicom's Arnell Group, spent a solid 5 months to develop the new look. 5 months? On a logo?