Challenge accepted and exceeded
Wow! What an interesting and amusing train of events this has been to follow! Nando’s has accepted Santam’s challenge, and even added to it by offering the Johannesburg Children’s home more than just one meal, but a meal a month for a whole year! Well done to Santam for setting the challenge all in good nature, and well done to Nando’s for going the extra mile.
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Product? Placed. Now it’s real.
The latest trend in advertising is to make the consumer less aware of the fact that they are being sold something while being entertained. This used to be called subliminal advertising but has gained a much trendier moniker, product placement, since the former sounded like a carnival sideshow attraction.
The majority of the average viewer hates television ads mainly because they can be repetitive and annoying. This used to spark a frantic grope for the remote control and flicking to another channel, often with minor injuries sustained like stubbed toes or 1st degree burns from scalding hot soup in laps. Read more..
The brand of a company is not just its logo… the brand refers to the character, nature and ethics of the entire company and if their brand is ‘perceived’ well by consumers, they will stand in good favor in the market.
Ever noticed how many different ‘brands’ you use while getting ready for your day? Have you ever stopped and noticed that pretty much every single item that you touch… is branded? Read more..
When thinking of Standard Bank, the words “Simpler, Better, Faster” comes to mind. Maybe not because the bank was ACTUALLY simpler, better or even faster – but mostly because this is the only brand positioning statement (BPS) I remember!
Problem is; this has not been their BPS since 2006, and I cannot recall the current. Which leaves me now, 6 years later, with no understanding of what SBSA stands for or what it can offer me as their client. Read more..
To understand design aesthetics we must first define aesthetics in general.
aesthetics (noun)
- The branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty, as in the fine arts.
- The study of the psychological responses to beauty and artistic experiences.
- A conception of what is artistically valid or beautiful: minimalist aesthetics.
- An artistically beautiful or pleasing appearance
Beauty is mentioned and we’ll pick up the idea of aesthetics being taken in emotionally as opposed to intellectually.
Design is about solving problems. As web designers we have to determine how information on a site will be organized and what would be the best navigational systems to use to allow our audience to find that information. We’re concerned with typography so content is legible and readable and we think about how to develop a layout that can house all the different things that need to be included on the page.
Every element in a design communicates something. Every element has an effect on the whole. Every design comes with an aesthetic. When the elements of your design work together in a style that unites them into something organized you create a more meaningful aesthetic. When you choose an aesthetic that’s in harmony with your message it becomes even more meaningful.
All too often when you look around the web you see sites designed with an aesthetic not based on anything meaningful, but rather based on the current trends. You also see sites that begin to blend together when it comes to their design with each site looking pretty much like the next. Different sites, different products and services, different messages to communicate, call for a different aesthetic.
Familiar logos don’t change a lot, but they do change. A restaurant or fast food outlet’s logo design might be considered as probably the most powerful way to attract customers. Don’t believe me? Here’s my argument…
In the true sense of the word, the target market of a restaurant or fast food outlet (or more commonly known as “take aways”), would be anyone who has the capital to buy food. Read more..
As time goes by it becomes progressively more difficult to come up with 100% original logo designs. The chances that somewhere on this planet there is a similar logo, to what you might think is the next best thing, is uncanny!!
Obviously we all live on the same planet & are exposed to the same brands as everybody else. Subconsciously we take in this imagery & associate different market brands with certain shapes & especially colours. For example – when you think about branding in the motorcar industry, what colour & shape comes to mind? Probably a blue & silver circle, right? Look at BMW, Volkswagen & Ford, to name but a few.
Keep in mind that designers all over the world work on similar projects where their clients would want an even better outcome than his competitor.
So the question is – should we embrace the similarities or run in the opposite direction losing all faith in your design skills…? Having a similar experience recently, my opinion is to embrace it. If there is a similar logo or concept out there, you obviously had a great idea. These similarities create a larger subconscious brand awareness.
Another important message that I learnt in my past experience is TRADEMARK. Firstly, this protects your client legally, and secondly, you get to add the very important ™ sign on your logo; giving the impression that this is a tried & tested brand.
I have put together a few examples of logos all over the globe that looks the same or have certain similarities, this is to give a better understanding of what us designer are up against on a daily basis.
There are 15 song titles in this article – can you spot them all? We gave you the last one for free
Candy poles, rocket ships and vintage cars – our office has much more to offer than just two beds and a coffee machine… So there’s no need to argue – we have the funkiest office in town! For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of stepping into our creativity hub, here’s a sneak peak…
We’re not just another brick in the wall – we’ve got it all! With the combination of a personalised art museum, a toy collector’s playground, a booming music centre, a bunch of insanely artistic maniacs and even a Movember Money Tree, our office is the epitome of creativity.
Read more..
Nandos has given South Africans some light on the Black Tuesday subject. Once again their marketing geniuses have made a mockery of the government assembly.
Throughout the years Nandos has been famous for their controversial ad campaigns which have struck nerves within our own government. Well done!
Thank you Nandos for making life just a bit more entertaining and keeping our hopes up. As for myself, I am on my way to buy a Marinated Peri-peri Chicken.
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