Client Spotlight :: Noteable Progressions

When Noteable Progressions came to us in need of an identity, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a unique client.

Owned and operated by Darcy Lipscomb, a Board Certified Music Therapist and Neurologic Music Therapist, Noteable Progressions helps people of all ages and abilities realize their potential through the use of music-based therapeutic interventions.

Darcy needed us to create a new brand identity for her company—something to give her a professional and respected look, while still representing her work in the field of music. We first created her logo, combining the form of the human head with the treble clef symbol, to give a harmonious mix of science and music. The logo and color palette were applied to business cards and stationary, as well as a website and facebook banner. Last but not least, we worked with Noteable Progressions to create super fun egg shakers to use with her clients and at other events.

Recently, we were awarded a Silver Addy for the Noteable Progressions logo design in the 2013 American Advertising Federations Addy Awards. We are so fortunate to have great clients like Darcy at Noteable Progressions, who allow us to flex our creativity!

A Year in Review…Designer Style

First, HAPPY NEW YEAR! While typically my first blog post of the year is a list of business resolutions and goals, this year we wanted to do something different. Before we started to focus on 2013, we wanted to recap 2012 and note some of our bigger accomplishments, changes and outcomes. While we are eagerly looking forward to facing whatever comes with this new year, we're also proud of this past year and wanted to reflect just for a moment. How does a designer look back on an entire year, you ask? …with an infographic, of course!

Here's our quick Kalico Year In Review, designer-style:

Pinterest is Open for Business!

Earlier in the year we did a post on how effective Pinterest can be as a marketing tool for your business. However, just recently Pinterest offered a new set of terms targeted specifically to businesses. These new terms now supply specialized provisions separate from those of a personal account.

For instance, Pinterest has made the "pin it" and "follow me" buttons, as well as the "profile" and "board" widgets very easy to incorporate into an existing business website. These buttons increase pinner traffic to your website by engaging users to link to things they like while they are there.

But one of the best resources we have found with these new offerings is Pinterest's case studies and best practices examples.

In one case study offered by Etsy they explain how adding a business account increased traffic to their individual shops and has outperformed the "like" button on Facebook in referral traffic. While business accounts usually have boards that are curated and maintained by specified users and not the general public, Etsy shares a strategy in their study of how allowing "guest pinners" diversified the content of their boards and drove more traffic to their actual site.

Etsy is just one case study offered to get your creative Pinterest juices flowing. There are several others including Jetsetter, Allrecipes, Organized Interiors, and Petplan Insurance. Additionally there are tips and tricks on how to make your business become successful through Pinterest marketing. So check it out. You can convert your existing account to a business account with the click of a button, or you can create a new Pinterest business account in just a few easy steps. We just set up our own Kalico business Pinterest page—check it out at www.pinterest.com/kalicodesign!

My Business Card is Nearsighted

Recently Kim mentioned to me a new technology creeping its way into the business card market. Known as NFC or Near-Field Communication, this new technology allows you to program a certain amount of digital information onto a tiny microchip embedded within your business card. When someone touches the smart card to their smartphone (sorry, no i phones), it is told what to do. This usually means pulling information from the web, such as contact info, video, or even downloading an app. Card owners can re-write the info over and over.  Even if you have given the card away you still have access to re-write the data.

This all sounds pretty amazing. But is it really necessary to "bump" my phone into your business card to get your information? And at what cost? MOO.com currently has the market cornered on the business card aspect of this hot new trend, and their product will not available to the masses until 2013.

But what you may not know is that people have been creating their own NFC cards without the help of MOO since the technology has arisen. Tagstand is an online vendor that provides NFC tags and applications. For only a $1.00 you can purchase your own sticker the diameter of a quarter and as thin as a sheet of paper. Now you don't have to be held back by the pre-fab dimensions and design limitations of MOO.

This new NFC technology seems like it has endless applications and possibilities. It may be the next hottest thing since the QR code. But right now users seem to be happy to ride this one out. Could this just be another "myspace"?

Client Spotlight :: Wholistic Woman Retreats

While we love working with a wide variety of clients, there's a special place in our hearts when we get to work with those promoting healthy, organic and/or holistic lifestyles. So, naturally, we were thrilled when Wholistic Woman Retreats approached us with a need for some updated branding and marketing materials.

The mission of Wholistic Woman Retreats is to provide a variety of retreat and networking opportunities for busy women to refocus, rest and grow their whole self: body, heart, mind, and spirit. The group empowers women to reconnect with their inner wisdom while supporting personal and professional growth in an atmosphere that is relaxing, fun, and supportive.

When we first started working with Wholistic Woman Retreats, they already had a number of marketing materials in use, but were looking for a more uniformed and professional brand. Starting with small tweaks to their existing logo, we expanded on a new design direction for their web header, print advertising and eBlasts. Using the organization's own photography,  the new marketing materials focus on showing the personal connections, experiences and relationships of members and retreat attendees.
 

We've had a great time working with Wholistic Woman Retreats and can't wait to attend some of their retreat events (including one this weekend…yay!). We look forward to working with this amazing group of women and helping their organization grow!

In It to Win It!

Hooray! We were just awarded three American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA magazine.

For almost 50 years, GD:USA  has sponsored national design competitions that spotlight areas of excellence and opportunity for creative professionals. The American Graphic Design Awards is their largest competition open to advertising agencies, graphic design firms, corporations, institutions, publishers and more. It honors outstanding work across all kinds of media: print and collateral, advertising and sales promotion, corporate identity and logos, internet and interactive design, motion graphics and more. With over 8,000 entries, only a selective 15% are recognized with an award—boy are we honored (and super excited, we might add!)

Our winning work included:

1. Kalico Design Earth Day Spring Promotion
(Category: Self Promotion)

2. Equinox Dance Company 10-Year Anniversary Performance Campaign
(Category: Public Service & Pro Bono)

3. A Tasty Nosh Website Design
(Category: Internet Design)

WooHoo! We're very excited and honored to be awarded, yet were even more excited to have such wonderful clients as well as such creative and fulfilling projects to work on!

Operation Fancy Wall :: Office DIY Project

While I've mentioned it a few times in previous posts, I realized that I haven't actually posted any pics or blogged much about Kalico's new office space! After working in my home office for the first 4 years of business, this past Fall, Kalico branched out and moved to an office space in Historic Downtown Frederick, MD. Check out a few of our before and after shots on our Facebook page. (PS-have you liked our page yet?!) Last week, I was able to complete the first of many DIY projects for the office. We'll call it Operation Fancy Wall. Here's a recap of the process, note how it is very similar to our design process:

1. Inspiration: I had fallen in love with this wallpaper by Brocade Home (which apparently doesn't exist anymore) on a recent trip to NYC. Unfortunately the wallpaper was very expensive and hard to install due to the metallic silver back.

2. Problem Solving: After doing lots of research (different possible wallpapers, wall decals, and fabric), I decided fabric would be the easiest and most cost-effective approach, while still maintaining the original look I was hoping for. So, I found a fabric swatch I liked the best, figured out the amount of fabric needed (even accounted the fabric repeat for the pattern…what a pain!), and then placed my order via fabric.com.

3. Application: Once the fabric was in, I recruited the help of my very handy husband, and we installed the fabric. Honestly, the fabric was hung just using a staple gun, and the fabric pattern was lined up "by eye". Then we applied a white trim around the entire wall to give it a finished look and to help hold the fabric up. Here's the before, during, and after look:

All in all, I love the new look of our office! And I love that I was able to do it ourselves (and by me, I mean my husband did most of it—Thanks Jimmy!), for a much more cost-effective price. Plus, it will be much easier to take down should we move office spaces. What do ya think? What was your latest office DIY project?

2012 Logo Trends

Every year LogoLounge, an online logo database of almost 175,000 logos, releases an annual Trends report. And, you guessed it, the 2012 Logo Trends report is now out! As a designer, I love reading about the noted trends and seeing the examples. But, I think this information can be very interesting to everyone, including business owners who may want to stay on top of some of the latest design trends. Plus, it's fun when you start to recognize these trends being used in logos and design that you come across.

While it's always fun and educational to view the Logo Trends Report, please keep in mind that these are not the end-all, be-all for logos. Just because it's considered a trend, doesn't necessarily make it a good logo for your company.  Good logo design doesn't follow a trend simply to follow the trend. Good logo design is a mark that truly represents your business visually, that can work well on multiple platforms, both in color and black and white, and that can transcend trends (afterall, your logo needs to last a long time…you don't want it to look outdated just a few years down the road).

OK, with that disclaimer being stated, please check out the full report of LogoLounge's 2012 Logo Trends here.

My favorites are Icon Clusters and Anaglyphs (though some of these may not translate easily to one color and/or black and white). Which are your favorites?

ICON CLUSTERS:

 

ANAGLYPHS:

Logo 2.0!

Woo-Hoo! Our logo redesign for Aaron Haslinger Photography is featured in "Logo 2.0." The inspirational design publication showcases 283 Logo Makeovers, showing the before and after, along with the Design Strategy behind each project, written in the designer’s own words. The eBook, by David E. Carter, is available (along with many other design books!) through Bright Books. (pick up your copy today!)

 

Here's the description and thought-process behind this logo re-design:

Aaron Haslinger is a photographer in the Baltimore/Metro DC area who specializes in weddings, but also does lifestyle and business photography. His original logo, an all-text composition, did not represent his outgoing, personable and creative style. 

Aaron requested we did not use any specific graphics or illustrations, but opted to focus more on his name. So, we melded Aaron's initials, playing with the negative space to create a point of interest. Per Aaron's request, we utilized a bright, vibrant color palette that would appeal to both his primary audience —brides between ages 25-35—as well as his secondary audience, which included both genders and a broader age range. The new look works well in both color and black and white, and the sans serif font choice gives a smooth, contemporary and professional feel.

In conclusion, the new logo mark serves as a better visual representation of Aaron Haslinger himself, as well as his photography business, than his previous logo did.

Do you have a logo that needs a redesign? (insert shameless plug here) Give us a call—we'd love to help! Feel free to visit the Kalico website for additional samples of our logo work!

Sharing Scher :: Finding A Creative Outlet

 It's not everyday we get to meet our hero. But, last week, Jen, our junior designer (pictured left), got to attend a presentation and meet one of hers! Here is a recap of her experience:

This past week I had the distinct pleasure of meeting one of my design heroes–Paula Scher. Now, I'm certain that most of you are probably unfamiliar with the name “Paula Scher”. However, if I were to name… Truvia, Bausch and Lomb, Target, Swatch, Tiffany and Co, or Citi Bank; surely some images would come to mind. Well, Scher is responsible for those brand images! That’s why I'm proud to admit that I’ve been stalking her since I was a lowly graphic design student. That being said, you can see why I was so excited to meet her. (For a second time I might add. But that’s a whole other story.)

During her presentation, Paula let us in on a little secret. She had become bored with design. BORED?! Often times I find myself frustrated with the same problem. However, until recently I honestly thought it was just a lack of my own creativity and that it made me a mediocre designer. Paula shared with us that her personal solution to this common obstacle was to find an outlet. Her outlet is painting. Why is an outlet so important? We all need time to re-charge the juices that make us best at what we do.

So what’s my creative outlet? Well, my outlet is actually not so creative. I use my free time to let my brain soak up the subconscious inspiration. I love to just be with my friends and socialize. One of my favorite things to do is “Play House.” Nothing makes me happier than to have guests over for a nice home-cooked meal or even just to be a hostess and have people in my home.  Kim (my boss for those of you who don’t know her) has a creative outlet too. She is part of an adult modern dance company–Equinox Dance. And dances and performs for several hours each weekend.

So what's your creative outlet? I'm sure you have one. It can be anything. It doesn't have to be creative. It's just something that is yours, that makes you feel relaxed and happy. Something no one can judge because it's for no one to judge. It is the key on your chain that “unlocks something inside and lets the intuitive unconscious side of you do its work”. –Paula Scher

Keys to Effective Self Promotions

As mentioned in a previous post, a few weeks ago I participated in International Freelancers Day, an online conference exclusively for solo professionals. Here is another recap of some of the insightful information I gained during the webinars.

Next up, is a recap of James Clear's session "The 10 Keys to Effective (and Ethical) Self-Promotion for Freelancers" (but, I'm just going to highlight a few of the primary concepts). James focused on some of the fundamentals for self promotion—not the tactics, but more about the strategies. Here's a list of some important things to consider when considering your next self promotion campaign:

1. Value First. This is a very key point to make. Be sure you provide value to your target audience before you promote your work to them…otherwise, it's kind of pointless, huh? Don't wait until money exchanges hands before giving something of value. This way you'll create fans and then you'll have a much easier time selling your services. Examples are: samples of product, blog posts or white papers of information, coupons, etc.—be sure it is something relative to your field that is  thoughtful and/or useful.  "Giving is better than receiving because giving starts the receiving process".

2. Build Relationships. Effective self promotion never starts with the pitch, it starts with the relationship. Build relationships with the right people that can help accelerate your growth. Everyone is valuable, but try to find relevant people to you and your business. So, get out there and network! But, remember, it is about making relationships, not just making the sale. Be sure to be genuine and just get to know someone, don't bombard them with sales tactics…nobody likes a pushy salesman (or woman)!

3. Research. A more, specific, targeted audience is usually more effective than a blanket pitch the everyone. Research your target markets, and cater or tweak your promotions to them. Research gives you the content to make connections, and also will allow your promotions to create a maximum effect in a minimal amount of time.

After you've worked on the above three tasks, be sure to make your self promotions simple, yet powerful—and, focus on being consistent! And remember, this is a cyclical process that you will have to do over and over again throughout the course of your business, it's not a one time thing and you're done. In order to grow your business, you need to grow with your business!

Do you have any advice on good self promotion? I'd love to hear it!

"Brand You Business"…Kalico Featured on InterviewHer.com!

We're thrilled to be featured on InterviewHer.com, a website dedicate to highlighting and supporting creative women business owners! Check out the full article here!

Here's some additional info about InterviewHer.com, straight from the horse's mouth:

InterviewHer.com Interviewher is not for your boyfriend or your husband, instead it’s a galaxy just for women. A galaxy where the Sun, Moon and Stars revolve around us, LADIES! Have fun learning about some fabulous artist studios, food adventures, breathtaking boutiques or even a great little hole in the wall that we’ve discovered and had to share.

We stumbled across InterviewHer.com just a few weeks ago and loved the playful and informational stories about women entrepreneurs, the variety of tips, the unique product picks, and more! Be sure to check out Kalico's article and let us know what you think. And while you're there, don't miss the other inspiring stories about women start-up business owners all over the country!

Ridin' Along in my Autobmobile...

This past weekend, I happened to be traveling along the roads of West Virginia on the way home from my husband's latest Motocross race. And what should appear before our very eyes...

That's right, it was a large billboard for the Martinsburg-Berkeley County CVB's annual "Pickin' in the Panhandle" BBQ & Bluegrass Festival! Why was this so significant you ask? Well, here's a hint—the CVB is one of my clients and...yep, you guessed it, that wondrous billboard was one of my designs! There's just something exciting about surprisingly seeing your work, larger than life, when your not even expecting it! (and, yes, I do still get excited about seeing my work in use!).

I started working on Pickin' in the Panhandle last year, starting with the recreation of their logo, then moving on to print ads, web banners, and eventually billboards (see some samples below)!

Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the Festival last year, but you can bet it's on the calendar for this September—just two weeks away!!

Don't miss it:

Pickin in the Panhandle
September 10-12, 2010
Lazy A Campground
Featuring: The WV State BBQ Championship
Plus Bluegrass Music including Ricky Scaggs, Joe Diffie, Shenandoah and more!

Graphic Design and Video, Oh Mai!

I am happy to have Whitney Hahn of Digital Bard Video.Web.Marketing doing a guest vlog this week! I had the pleasure of working with Digital Bard on several projects, and I have to say, as a primarily print designer, it is super cool to see your designs transformed into the animated world of video! See below for Whitney's explanation, then scroll down to see the original poster designs for both of the 24/7 Dance productions:

As mentioned in Whitney's video, Kalico Design supplies Digital Bard with the raw file formats, mostly photoshop or illustrator files, and then they work their video magic! Below are the original poster designs for each production:

See! Graphic Designers and Videographers CAN play nice together! If you're interested in video for your next project and or would like to add a video component to your website, please contact Whitney at Digital Bard Video.Web.Marketing!

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: Damascus Dental Center

Over the past year and a half, I've had the pleasure of working with Damascus Dental, a cosmetic and laser dental center. With an established practice in Damascus, MD, and the opening of a second office in Mt. Airy, they were looking to rebrand themselves. After our initial client consultation, I got started on the project and have had a solid working relationship ever since!


It all starts with a logo...
The logo developed was a simple, yet still sophisticated, text treatment. Since their focus was on cosmetic and laser dentistry (i.e. no scary drills) I wanted to give the logo a soft, warm, inviting feel (because, really, who actually LIKES going to the dentist!). This ideal is carried out through the use of a scripted, handwritten-styled font, as well as subtle soft colors.




Power to the People...
One of the key words that kept coming up in our initial client consultation was the fact that Damascus Dental prides itself on customer service and happy returning clients. For their marketing materials, such as ads and brochures, I wanted to capture that human element. So, keeping in mind their budget restraints, we utilized a variety of stock photographs highlighting naturally smiling people. Keeping with the simple sophistication of the logo, we opted for clean, bold silhouetted imagery, which truly captures your attention.




Bringing it to the Real World...
Damascus Dental was so invested in and optimistic about their new identity that they used it as the inspiration for the decor and interior design of their brand new office space. A state-of-the art dental center, warm golds and greens pulled from their logo line the walls, and in the center of the waiting area is a custom-created die-cut sign of their new logo. Everywhere you turn, their identity and brand jump right out at you!




What's in Store...
With an established identity system, Damascus Dental continues to promote their new office location and unique laser and cosmetics abilities. We've applied their identity to stationery, signage, brochures, office forms, and are currently working on a new website!




Remember, as a small business, treat your visual brand and identity seriously. Think of it as an investment—something that will give you an instant visual consistency with your existing and potential customers, as well as make you strongly stand out among your competitors. Hire a professional at the start, and you'll have the basis to extend your unique "look" to anything and everything that will come in the future.

Gettin Down with the Monkey!

I've mentioned it once or twice before in various blog posts and eNewsletters— MailChimp rocks! If you currently are using a different email marketing provider, I highly recommend making the switch. If you haven't started your email campaign yet, do it soon and be sure to MailChimp it up!

OK, why do I love MailChimp? Let me count the ways:

1. Organized, non-confusing interface
2. Easy to customize templates
3. Great customer service and resources right on their site! (Here's just a few)
4. They're funny and fun to use
5. Data tracking is a breeze (see for yourself)
6. They provide so many ways to network with your social media accounts (seriously!)
7. List management is to the point, and (again!) easy to use! (ahem)
8. Oh, and did I mention you can get a FREE account!?

Need help with your eNewsletter campaigns? Kalico Design can create a customized newsletter template to match your existing brand. Mix up some great design and a little MailChimp magic, and viola, an eNewsletter campaign that YOU can update (or we can do for you, it's your call!). You can't beat that!! Contact us for more info!

I'll Admit It. I'm Stuck!

That's right, I'll be the first to admit it… I am totally stuck! I work with clients all day to design their informational and promotional pieces, but when it comes to creating my own, it's like my brain just quits!

I've been brainstorming a good self promotional idea for Kalico for several months now, and still haven't come up with that "just right" idea. I think my problem is that I am putting too much pressure on this one, single self promotional piece. So much, that the creativity and ideas just shrivel up. Why is it so hard to design for yourself!?

Here's my criteria so far:
1. Has to be fun yet functional. (I don't want to send out something just for the hell of it, I want there to be a meaning and a message behind it!)
2. Has to jive well with my existing brand (duh)
3. Would prefer it to be printed or produced with/by eco-conscious materials and vendors
4. I want that "Wow" factor (it needs to be something that you didn't expect and would want to keep)


Well, at least that's a start, I guess. How to you brainstorm for your own self promotional ideas? Any and all suggestions are appreciated! I'll keep banging my head against a wall and hope that an idea will come soon! And when (or if!) that "just right" idea comes, I'll be sure to post the results!

Loving the Olympics!

So, not only have I loved watching Shaun White, Apolo Ohno, Seth Wescott and all the other fantastic Vancouver Winter Olympians, I've also loved the graphics for the 2010 games(above)! I am loving everything about them, the bright colors, the overlapped textures and patterns, the sense of movement, and the hard-edged styled figures! Has anyone else gotten side-tracked from the racing, spinning, or jumping of the athletes to find themselves admiring the bright fluid graphics in the background!? Is it just me? (Doubtful!) Check out all of this year's Olympic posters here.

In fact, I was so enthusiastic about this year's Olympic graphics that I decided to research and compare it with the graphics of past Olympics. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find the full graphics package of some of the older games, BUT i did manage to find a lot of the past, present and future Game emblems (or "logos", in graphic designer speak). Here are some of my favorites. Which one do you like the best?

The Logo Low-Down Series: Tip 5

Logo Tip #5: The Black and White of It
Another important design principle to consider when designing (or re-designing) a logo is the ability for it to read well in black and white, as well as at large and small scales. A logo must work equally in black and white or color. Even with the predominance of web and 4-color printing, your logo must still be legible on such simple business paperwork as a fax, invoice or photocopy. Your logo also needs to work on various size scales—small enough to fit on a pen, and large enough to work on a billboard.

In order for easy and clean scaling to occur, a logo should always first be designed as a vector-based illustration file. (This is one main reason why hiring a professional is important!) Special design programs, such as Adobe Illustrator should be used for logo development—never programs like Word, Publisher or Paintshop! Have your logo created in the correct file format the first time around—it will save you frustration, time and money in the long run.

The Logo Low-Down Series: Tip 4

Logo Tip #4: K.I.S.S
My design instructor at Salisbury University instilled a very valuable design principle on us—K.I.S.S., “Keep It Simple, Stupid!”. This concept applies best to logo design. Frequently, over-used effects such as glows, shadows, 3-D effects, gradients, unreadable fonts, and unnecessary graphics take away from the readability—and ultimately the success—of a creative and compelling logo. The old saying “Less is More” certainly applies here.