Branding bands, a case study
One of my clients is the new Milwaukee-based band, The Hungry Williams. (Ok, full disclosure, this is John’s band – John is my sweetie.) Being that I’m a branding and digital designer, and John has played with dozens of bands over the years, we bring unique perspectives to the endeavor of effective brand marketing for […]
Does my logo need to include LLC?
Andiamo works with many small businesses, organizations and start-ups, and we typically start out developing their branding. The question inevitably comes up as we begin logo work – does my logo need to include LLC? does my logo need to include Inc? Ltd? The answer is a resounding “NO.” Nothing makes you look more rink-dink than making a mistake like that.
What’s in a name?
The name of your company is one of the most important decisions in starting your business. It’s obvious when you hit on a great name. It’s memorable, it’s distinctive, and it’s immediately obvious that the idea was inspired. It’s also obvious when someone has dropped the ball in naming their company. Your business name is […]
Changing the face of business
Business owners, I am curious. What, if anything, have you changed in your business to accommodate the recession? As the market has changed over the last few years I have had to rethink a lot of the ways I do business – my rate structure, my vendors, my marketing, my service offerings… all are under […]
Learning to love black jelly beans
I don’t know what it was like at your house, but by a week past Easter, the only thing left in our baskets were the black jelly beans. My brother and I wouldn’t touch them with a ten foot pole, favoring the chocolate treats first, then the marshmallows, then any other color jelly bean besides […]
Which came first – the logo or the marketing?
I have had a number of clients over the years approach me asking for an estimate to create a website or a brochure, or a business card design – and my first question to them is always – “do you have a logo”? It still surprises me when the response is “No.” No? You mean […]
Cheat sheet for a good website
As a website designer, I’ve seen my share of poorly developed websites. Enough that it makes me think there should be a cheat sheet with some basics in creating a successful site. It is all important to have a web presence but it’s not enough to just throw something up there quickly. This is your […]
Pet peeves in website design
Hooooo boy. This list has been a long time coming. I’ve amassed quite a few for this list over the years, but I’ll just give you the doozies. While there are thousands of fabulous websites to see, there are still way that are struggling with the basics. Ask any graphic designer and they’ll probably have […]
Are big agencies worth the money?
That’s kind of like asking, “Is that Chanel bag worth the money?” For those who have the money to spend, and for those who care about status, then yes. Worth the money. But most of us – particularly these days – have to be more careful with how we spend. That’s not to say that […]
Logo newbie mistakes
After all the years I’ve been working as a graphic designer, I see clients making the same mistakes over and over when developing a logo for their company. Let me name a few of the big ones: Including “Inc” or “LLC” or “.com” in the logo design Have a look at Coca-Cola. Do they have […]