Chilcoat Studios has designed a logo for a large non-profit here in Corpus Christi, Texas. The new identity has been approved and now it’s time!  The client has asked us to propose a good way to reveal this new look, their new identity to a large group of its members.  This is an historic moment, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.  Surely this should be done live, in person…“the Big Reveal”!

Should we tease them for weeks and then ride it in on a monster truck…naah! How about one of those electronic blimps.  Maybe one of those models that show what round it is at a wrestling match. Better not!

I know.  Put a small print out of the new logo into 1,000 fortune cookies and distribute it at the weekly meeting. Not big enough?  There must be a thousand different ways to do a public logo unveiling.

We want your most creative ideas.

Come up with a great idea that the client likes(and pays for) and you’re invited.  The top ten ways to reveal a new logo to a large, live group at a non-profit organization will be featured in the next post.  Give it your best shot!

Everybody knows it when you see it.  Maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it, But everyone knows good design when they see it.  whether its the sleek and modern lines of a new car, or a magazine ad that made you stop turning the pages,  good design is universal.  People respond to attractive and pleasing things. A beautiful car, a pair of shoes, a new smart phone, a cool web site, a catchy TV commercial, these thing all have one thing in common…a well thought out and crafted design.  Some design is so subtle and simple that we don’t notice it unless we really think about it.  Other design is purposeful and deliberate in its intention to motivate and effluence, to get you to stop and notice and to remember.

As a creative communications company, Chilcoat Studios’ goal is to tailor creative design to the specific needs of our clients.  We strive to create communication tools for companies that want to get noticed and be remembered. Whether its a business card, a print ad, or a web site, you company’s image should work hard for you and put your best face forward.  There is no chance like the present to make an impression upon an audience of potential costumers.   No matter what your company does, shouldn’t it look professional and represent the best you have to offer.  People respond to well-crafted communications.  They remember clever and beautiful things, especially if they are useful in their lives.  Take for example the success of Apple’s iPhone.  The simple and elegant design coupled with it’s powerful and practical functionality have make it the driving force in smart phone design.  How about the popularity of Super Bowl commercials.  Because of the quality, cleverness and strategic placement of these ads, they have been elevated to the status of popular mass entertainment themselves.  Go figure!

A professional creative team such as Chilcoat Studios can help your company, new or established, take the next step towards growth and profits.  A well crafted image and marketing campaign can launch your company into a new era of expansion and sustainability.  Think of all the potential customers in the market that don’t know you or can’t remember where to get that service or product.  Help them find and remember you with a professional image and advertising campaign.  Market yourself with a vitalized message of professionalism and of quality design.  Chilcoat Studios has the experience, talent and creativity to make it happen.

There’s been a lot of talk about branding and it’s importance over the past few years.  But what exactly is a “brand” and why is it important?  A brand is a graphic image that represents you, your company or even just an idea. It’s your identity. Anyone can have a brand for anything.  But is that brand working effectively for you?  Does it represent what you do or sell in a positive and memorable way? When you watch TV or skim through a magazine, you will usually see a company’s brand(or logo) at the end of the message.  The reason for this is simple, to get you to remember who the message was from and most likely how to contact them.  This is why a strong brand is important.  It IS the company, it’s image and it’s professionalism.

So what makes a strong brand? And does it really matter?  A strong brand or logo is one that communicates who you are in a simple and direct style.  And, yes a good brand does matter. It projects an image of success and professionalism.  And given the choice between two unknown service providers or products, most customers will respond positively to the brand that is pleasing to them or that they remember seeing.  Everyone would rather do business with an established professional and/or someone they know.  This is the real job of a hard-working brand.  To reassure a prospective customer that doing business with your company is the right choice and to be remembered in a positive way.

Can you design and produce your own logo?  Yes you can.  But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.  A professional designer will not only be a fresh pair of eyes looking in from the outside, but he or she should have the creativity, experience and the tools to produce professional quality artwork and a variety of formats for varied usage.  A good designer should follow some basic design guidelines to create a unique and effect marketing tool that is your brand.

Your brand/logo should be simple, easily recognized and reproducible very small.  If it works in one color it will work in multiple colors. It should be able to be embroidered and screen printed. It should have flexible layout options with it’s companion logotype. In this world of technology and instant world-wide mass communications, there are always exceptions to these guidelines.   Last and certainly very important, you should be able to own your brand and it’s usage outright. It should be unique and able to be trademarked if desired.

As the client and ultimate decision-maker you can drive the design of your brand. You can make it exactly what you want.  It’s YOUR identity. But keep in mind, that a professional designer will work with you, your ideas and needs to create an identity that is lasting, memorable and unique.  So why is your brand important?  Because it is your unique identity that others will see and remember.