Is there a TV show that is directly related to your profession? I am a senior project manager at Go East, a design, brand and interactive agency in Saint Paul, and I am fascinated and inspired by the TV show, The Apprentice, not only because it is completely based upon project management, but because the social dynamics of it are incredibly vivid and entertaining.
Three is a powerful number. It shows up a lot, in everything from fairy tales to scientific and basic human concepts. We all cherish the stories about the three little pigs and the three bears. There are three parts — a beginning, middle and end — to all things. In school we learn about the three elements to the structure of life (protein, fat, carbohydrates), the three elements that make up an atom (proton, neutron, electron) and the three branches of government (federal, state, local). We have three meal times (breakfast, lunch, dinner), three stages of life (young, middle age, old), three Olympic medals (gold, silver, bronze) and we often make three golden rules to succeed in some sort of task.
At Go East we value what has already been established and successful and use it to succeed in what we do. We have seen what the power of three can do, so we also use a three-pronged approach to solving complex marketing communication challenges. We have an account executive, project manager and an art director on all projects related to a brand. This three-person team is responsible for knowing the client, the history of the project and the brand. This approach allows us to quickly make good decisions about what is needed. At the onset of a project, the three team players interact and conquer many of the project’s complexities right away. We know who to pull in, what to do, when to do it, why we can or can’t do some things and how to begin. We all have our own perspectives based on what our position is, so we have a lot of information covered without a lot of extra meetings — saving time and budget dollars.
We have proven the success of the power of three many times in the years we have had this team approach in place. Best of all, we have formed some great working relationships and friendships along the way.
Yikes! It’s June! Half the year is over. I had a nice to-do list for the year that looked attainable. Now that it’s June, the list is starting to look a little daunting. I think I better revisit my goals.
Following Merlyn Sanchez’s SMART goal-setting objectives helps me make my goals a reality.
Now that I only have six months to achieve this year’s goals, I am highly motivated. I think Sanchez’s most important tip is to complete at least one action per day toward making a goal a reality. Smaller tasks are easier to deal with, and as I whittle away at them I get closer to realizing my larger goal. I stay focused on the small things, so I’m not overwhelmed with the larger picture.
Whether you are writing in blood or regular type, don’t forget: You must purchase fonts and license typefaces. The process is similar to purchasing stock imagery, and can get tricky. For example, agencies like Go East can buy various types of licenses. The licenses listed by Fonts.com include the standard end-user license, an extended multi-user license, and a Web server license, as well as other commercial licenses. The one to purchase depends on the number of users and how the font will be used. Most sites that offer fonts have roughly the same types of licenses, but the cost of fonts can differ widely. In fact, price tags can range from free to thousands of dollars, depending on the font, how it will be used and how many people will use it.
So have fun with your typography, but don’t forget to lock your door … Oh, I mean, don’t forget to lock up your licensing.
During a design project’s brainstorming and idea-forming stage, designers usually select images and use Adobe Photoshop to “fake” certain effects in order to get their visual ideas across. And most often, designers assume that these “faked” images will be replaced by photographs shot professionally during the development stage. But what happens when a concept is expected to go to final art within days or hours of a concept’s selection? Should the finished-looking, Photoshop-created concept be considered final art?
There have been various debates about whether it is better to use Photoshop to create an image or to take original photography. I think it really comes down to the situation one is in. These approaches may cost roughly the same or may differ drastically in cost, depending on what is involved. Original photography may involve pre-production costs, photography costs, model costs, location costs, color correction costs, and many other post-production costs. And using original photography may still require some Photoshop work. Creating an image with Photoshop involves stock photo costs and the design costs associated with a designer’s advanced retouching skills.
In addition to thinking about cost considerations, time issues may be relevant. Using original photography and designing with Photoshop may require about the same amount of time, or one or the other may require less time. Maybe it is not feasible to coordinate a photo shoot under a particular scheduling crunch, although often the time that it takes to design with Photoshop would allow for a professional photo shoot. On the other hand, an image might prove to be so difficult to create in Photoshop that time would be saved just shooting the image.
The bottom line is that each situation is unique. Hopefully, people will have enough time to think through each decision during a project’s brainstorming phase, ultimately ensuring that the final image not only represents the brand appropriately but is worth the cost and time that will be put into it.
Ripped jeans. Tattered. Torn. Faded. Frayed. Your mother might say they look like they came from a garage-sale free box. They should be less expensive than crisp, denim bright blue jeans, right?
WRONG. Take this example of a pair of Colette Selvedge Abercrombie and Fitch brand jeans.
These fashionably distressed jeans cost $198 off the rack.
Brand managers are thinking about how they should position or reposition their brands and products in this down economy. What stores are consumers shopping at these days? How are people viewing value versus cost? What do consumers think about the design of the package or product in terms of what they are willing to pay for? Some are designing up to make their brand or product stand out. Others are designing down to make their brand or product look not quite so expensive.
How does a person catch a break on cash these days? I would imagine we are all thinking about ways that we can make an extra buck, given our economic situation and the fast-approaching holiday.
Maybe you should set up a lemonade stand. Imagine the looks from coworkers passing by your desk as they notice your newly decorated office space with a wooden stand, a pitcher of lemonade and some plastic cups neatly stacked beside it. That would be kind of silly, wouldn’t it?
But seriously, there is a website called Lemonade.com, where you can set up your own “lemonade stand” and promote products that you like and make money when people buy those products. Crazy!
“Everything we do is based on agreements we have made — agreements with ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy, and diminish our self-worth.”
Do you remember your mother or father telling you things like, “Don’t assume — you just make an ass out of you and me” or “Don’t take it personally, dear … ” ? Maybe you just remember them telling you to always do your best. Whatever the case, as much as you may not have wanted to hear it, your parents were right.
I read Don Miguel Ruiz’ book, The Four Agreements, and now try to live my life by those agreements. They are quite simple:
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.
I encourage everyone to read this book. It is so helpful.
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