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!

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In prosperous times, a company’s anniversary is celebrated with lavish events, tchokies and the addition of a numeric icon to the logo. But in a troubled economy, a company’s anniversary can, and I argue should, take on a new meaning. It no longer is just a reason to celebrate but a way to create a sense of confidence in the company. This confidence is comforting to both employees and customers, instilling a sense of loyalty that is even more important in down times.

The other day, I heard a radio ad celebrating the 60th anniversary of Schneiderman’s Furniture. They aren’t having a blowout sale. Instead, they used their ad dollars to explain their humble beginnings and the evolution that has taken place over the last 60 years. They credited their dedicated employees for superior customer service and thanked their customers for decades of patronage.

Even in today’s economy, this heartfelt message hit me harder than a 50% off sale would have. I mentally compared them to my perceptions of the national furniture chains and felt a sudden connection with the local company. In an era when big box stores are filing chapter 11 and gift cards are being rendered useless, knowing that they have been around for the last 60 years makes me feel confident that they are dedicated to being here for the next 60.

So while budgets are cut, don’t automatically write-off the importance of celebrating your anniversary. If positioned appropriately for today’s economic climate, it can go a long way towards instilling confidence with your employees and customers. With any luck they will return the warm feelings with a sense of loyalty that will see you through the hard times.

My 19 years at Go East (formerly Century Graphics) allow me to look back and marvel at the design evolution that has taken place with the onset of the digital age. Keylines with wax and color breaks, the typesetter and stat camera have all been replaced by the personal computer, laser printer and PDF proof.

The Internet has created a world-wide audience, a global appreciation for digital design. With powerful software, graphic designers can quickly make changes, allowing for seemingly endless creative possibilities. All these “bells and whistles” have to be used with restraint of course, with regard given to the basic elements and amount of time it takes to do good design.

I’m grateful for the many opportunities and ever-evolving career I’ve had at Go East, and to Ric and Tim, who have always looked ahead and provided the training and technology necessary to be successful in the graphic design industry.

Celebrating a business anniversary is a very special event, and it’s even more special when you are a founding partner.

When you open the doors on that first day of business, you tend to think about the next day much more than 10, 20 or even 50 years down the road. But before you know it, you are celebrating milestones of success.

There are many reasons to celebrate an anniversary: to let your clients and prospects know of your sustainability in business, to strengthen your company’s brand and to attract new clients. However, there is one reason that stands out for me — to thank those employees that have helped your business succeed.

Every principal of an organization understands the value of a good employee. During the decades, you see them come and go, and in one way or another, every one of them has helped shape your business into what it is today.

Go East has seen a lot of changes over the past 20 years, but the company has successfully retained its warm personality and appeal because of its employees. And that’s a trait worth celebrating.

When a company has been around for a while, inevitably someone says, “We should do a timeline.” And before you know it, one has been thrown together and tossed up on the corporate website — often without imagery or relevant content or any type of interactive functionality.

This, of course, begs the question “what is the real purpose of a timeline?”

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Traditional design processes dictate that logo design be undertaken in a pure, pared-down visual form — creating a logo in black and white. I was taught to design identities in black on white to ensure the mark communicated successfully at its core.  Traditional thinking has it that the mark has to work in black and white first. Also, clients may be unduly swayed to or from a logo if we showed them initial designs in color. If a client hates orange, then that logo, which might be the best at communicating the personality of their brand, has died an early, perhaps unnecessary, death. So, at Go East we continue to start all identity projects working with black on white.

However, I am beginning to question the wisdom of this approach.

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Vote: The best new brand mark of 2008.

Five companies updated their brand marks. Take our quick poll to weigh in on which you think is the most successful update.

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Oh my. Sometimes I find it very funny when you get a request to use a “Real World” metaphor for a software application or website. Here’s a great interpretation of what Photoshop would look like if it really was made up of scissors, tape, paint brushes and rulers …