You’ll soon be noticing a change in the weather, but also a change in color. Fall’s top hues like royal lilac and shady glade green are anything but boring. And don’t forget blue iris, Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2008.
Visit pantone.com for more information on color trends.
Even if you know nothing about art, you will find the stunning work of these photographers worth taking a look at. Jen Gotch’s polaroids capture the beauty of everyday objects, while Zena Holloway’s underwater shots show magical imagery beneath the water.
Need to add a little glamor to your desk? Nantaka Joy’s line of stationary includes sophisticated floral covered notebooks and chic embellished cards. And even staying organized can be beautiful with kraft file folders covered in metallic leaves.
Earlier this year, I started using Google Alerts to stay on top of the latest internet buzz on a number of different subjects. Basically, I told Google what keywords I was interested in and it started emailing me Alerts whenever it indexed a new page on that subject. I kind of like to think of it as ‘passive searching’ which gives me only the newest content.
I’ve since told a number of clients about the benefits of Google Alerts when it comes to keeping tabs of their brand. Having a Google Alert for your company name gives you the ability to monitor where you show up on the internet and what people are saying about you. In this age of social media, consumers are carrying on conversations online that would have previously been held in the local coffee shop or at the PTA meeting. They chat on message boards about their experience buying a new car, or post a blog about products that they love - or hate. Now you have the advantage of witnessing those “conversations” first hand.
Signing up for Google Alerts is ridiculously easy. Just go to www.google.com/alerts, add your search term, choose what type of internet media you want to monitor (I prefer a “comprehensive” alert, which includes everything), select how often you want to receive alerts (the “once a day” and “once a week” options are digest versions), and then add your email address. That’s it!
So I know all about recycled paper and soy ink, but what else can I do as a designer to help save the planet? I mean, my day is spent creating designs that will become printed material. Think of all that paper and all those trees.
But even if you are not a designer, these tips will give you good ideas for helping your office be kinder to the earth and it might also save you some money in the process.
Around the office…
• Reduce electricity by turning off computers and lights when they are not in use.
• Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent daylight bulbs (or sit near a window).
• Refill printer cartridges, or send empty ones off for recycling. Or even buy re-manufactured cartridges.
• Use both sides of the page when writing notes or making printouts. And then don’t forget to recycle the paper.
• Use digital proofs whenever possible and ftp or email files.
• Plan ahead to avoid air and rush shipping.
• Unsubscribe to stock photo catalogs and extra junk mail.
Layout and design…
• Create pieces with long-term value to avoid constant reprinting.
• Use fewer ink colors and avoid metallic and fluorescent inks which can be toxic. And use less ink coverage if possible.
• Avoid printing too many extras. Order only the quantity you need.
• Check with your printer to find out their press sheet sizes to make the most of each sheet. Also, designing pieces without bleeds will reduce wasted paper.
• Consider printing smaller sized pieces or reduce the number of pages. And print double sided.
• Use water based (aqueous) varnish instead of solvent based, UV coatings or laminates.
• Consider embossing as an alternative to foil stamping.
• Don’t forget about die-cuting to add interest to a piece and the dies can be reused.
• Avoid paper and ink all together – use online advertising, eblast and digital catalogs.
You all know how much attention has been paid to “Greening” up everything from our office supplies to our shampoo! This has left one of our friends feeling - well, blue. Help us cheer him up by visiting our newest division, Blue Bandwagon, where you can find out why Blue is so important to our environment and to your business. Want to see how others are cheering up blue? Watch this YouTube video produced by and starring Isabel and Cole Hollis.
It occurred to me this past weekend just how many online communities I’m a member of. I pretty much belong to a forum, a group, a mail list, or some form of “community” for every interest I have. Some are professional communities, some are for hobbies, others are political or even geographical, but they all have a common thread - they are resources in my everyday life.
Regardless of your reasons for belonging to an online community, I have a few quick tips to share that will help you be a good online community citizen - a “Netizen”.
Introduce Yourself - Most communities have a standard place or format for new members to say “Hi” and introduce themselves. Many established community members will welcome new members and answer any community-specific questions they may have. Take advantage of this opportunity to not only tell about yourself and why you joined the community, but also list some of your other interests and your profession. You might be surprised at how many members you have other things in common with, and adding your profession can lead to business opportunities where you least expected it!
Be Polite - Good manners are just as important online as they are in real life. Always keep “Netiquette” in mind. Make sure your Caps Lock key is not on when you type (it’s considered “YELLING”). Of course, no name calling. If a fellow Netizen is being disrespectful or breaking community-specific rules, report them to a moderator or administrator, don’t try to intervene yourself.
Don’t be afraid to ask - I said earlier that my online communities are resources in my everyday life, and it’s true! Whether I’m identifying a plant in my garden, or trying to master a difficult MySQL query, I turn to the right community and ask for help. More often than not, someone will know how to help and if they don’t, they’ll at least be able to point me in a good direction. The other great thing is that in publicly-accessible communities your questions will be indexed by search engines. That means that not only did you get your question answered, but anyone searching for the same thing has a chance at finding the solution as well.
If you don’t already know the benefits of online communities, I encourage you to join one or two and see what you think. Keep in mind that much like the real world, all communities are different and it may take testing the waters in a few to see how you fit in. Communities are everywhere - Google Groups, Yahoo Groups, forums and message boards. Ask your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues, your kids. Or do a search for your subject + community, such as “garden community”. I think you’ll be surprised at how many choices there are!
Recycled
It takes less energy to make new paper from recycled paper and it also keeps more of our trees from being cut down. Recycled paper fiber can be sourced from two types of waste. Pre-consumer waste fiber is recovered from the manufacturing process and includes paper mill scraps, offcuts, trimmings, unsold magazines, etc. Post-consumer waste (PCW) comes from paper that has been used by consumers and was recycled instead of being sent to a landfill.
Tree-Free
Tree-Free paper is another way to produce paper with minimal environmental impact. There are many speciality papers made from agricultural residues (husk and straws left in the fields after harvesting of the main crop) and textile waste such as cotton, linen and rope. Fiber crops (hemp, jute, kenaf and flax) and wild plants (wild grasses, sisal and bamboo) can also be used. Plant-fiber papers tend to be more durable than wood fiber papers. Kenaf in particular contains less lignin than trees, requires fewer chemicals, and is naturally acid-free.
Chlorine Free
Chlorine is used to to remove lignin which causes yellowing and gives paper its white appearance. Totally Chlorine-free (TCF) paper is unbleached or has been processed without the use of chlorine. The use of any type chlorine produces extremely toxic compounds that cause environmental damage when released into waterways. Oxygen, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide are bleaching alternatives to chlorine and chlorine derivatives.
Uncoated
The clay that gives coated paper its smooth, shiny surface also makes it harder to recycle. During the recycling process, up to 40% less fiber can be extracted from coated paper. So choose the natural feel of uncoated paper or select a supercalendered paper, which has been pressed to create a smoother surface.
To ensure you are making an earth-friendly choice, look for papers certified by Rainforest Alliance, Green-e, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Green Seal or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
Is your marketing engaging your audience or are you simply preaching your brand sermon? We all know that consumers are more savvy and more fickle than ever – a fact that makes brand loyalty a difficult proposal. Engaging your consumer and connecting with them in an intimate way is critical. You can make this connection by adding mobile marketing to your strategy.
Mobile marketing is a very targeted tactic reaching a young, hip demographic of 18-35 year olds that love to adopt new, innovative ideas. Brands that appeal to this audience will be right on target with a strong mobile marketing campaign.
Mobile applications include mobile text, mobile web, and mobile video. Mobile text still leads with the largest percentage of users, but mobile web and mobile video are rapidly making pace. Mobile text allows you to engage your customer through loyalty programs like Coca-Cola’s Coke Rewards. It also provides a way to drive users to online mobile web content, which might include online video. The most innovative marketers targeting early adopters can stay ahead of the pack by adding mobile video, either through direct video messaging or through mobile web content to their strategy early on. One final word of advice - while online engagement can develop a lasting relationship with your consumer, it might not go over well with your girlfriend.
As a team, we love to get involved in the community and help out local charities whenever we can. So when I was asked to serve on a committee that puts on the Largest Food Drive Campaign in the US, I jumped on the opportunity.
A team of highly dedicated volunteers, from the Atlanta Apartment Association, have been working for several months to put on this amazing event supporting the Atlanta Food Bank. Now we are getting ready to “Shake Our Can Can’s” at the Can Can Ball in celebration.
This event is a great way to give back to your community and is open to the public. Please join us for a fun filled evening of cocktails, silent auction and, of course, dancing. You can reserve your tickets here.
Rearview would like to thank the top 3 companies that were so gracious in helping out with our silent auction duties by donating through our Rearview office.
Also, a big thanks to our creative team! These ladies made personal donations of their handcrafted artwork. You must check out their websites. 7 Holli Papa Pots
Be inspired. Here are a couple of sites dedicated to the love of typography…
The name says it all. I love typography features lots of images including handwritten and found type, as well as articles on choosing a font and web typography. Still want more type? Type for you is filled with creative samples and designer interviews.
On a search for the perfect font? You must take a look at the incredible choices at House Industries.
How many times have you visited a site and requested a brochure only to receive a printed brochure with exactly the same content? It has happened to me so many times that I consistently ask myself, “What was I expecting?”. Apparently, too much. Too much as in more information than I had before receiving the printed brochure. I want details, I want more photos, a video, an exclusive offer, something, ANYTHING! I just want more - and so do your customers. Whether you are selling a car, a destination, or a bar of soap, if a customer requests a brochure they are announcing to you, “I want to buy!”. Now, get your content together and close the sale!
Online invitations are a great way to save on paper, envelopes and stamps, as well as manage your guest list. And by now everyone has sent or recieved an Evite, but did you know there are lots of other options? The latest is Pingg, a free site offering clean and modern invitation designs without the annoying advertisements.
With Pingg you can create and manage invitations for your social or business events and even add them to your facebook profile. Choose from simple yet stylish designs, not cheesy clip-art graphics. Be sure to take a look at the designer series, which I love, or you can upload your own image. Pingg has also partnered with Fotolia allowing users to purchase stock photos to customized invitations.
Pingg’s easy to use site simplifies the management of all your event communications including follow-ups, reminders, guest list additions and last minute changes. Guest can RSVP from their email or go to the site to view more photos, maps, videos, and gift or charity registries. Need to send invitation via snail mail? For $1.50 Pingg will print, stamp and mail a postcard invitation to selected guests.
Now I can’t wait to try it out. Who’s up for a party?
Is your marketing engaging your audience or are you simply preaching your brand sermon? We all know that consumers are more savvy and more fickle than ever – a fact that makes brand loyalty a difficult proposal. Engaging your consumer and connecting with them in an intimate way is critical. You can make this connection by adding mobile marketing to your strategy.
