Illustrator vs. Photoshop: Which is Right for You?

You are probably familiar with Illustrator and Photoshop. These are two of Adobe’s most popular programs and are used by everyone from design professionals to passionate creatives in their free time. They are both user-friendly graphics programs, but if you don’t have experience with the software or if you are just starting out on a project, you may not know which program is right for you.

As a graphic design firm, we use both programs on a daily basis. One program is not necessarily better than the other – it depends on the scope of the project and your desired outcome. Here is our quick guide to determine the differences and decide which software is best for your project:

Photoshop utilizes pixels

Photoshop is made up of small individual colored squares, otherwise known as pixels. These pixels can be arranged and combined to create whatever type of image you’d like. They can be independently altered to give you precise control over your edits. They give you the ability to create intricate designs, however, when scaled up and down they can lose quality and appear grainy or jagged.

Photoshop is best for editing images or photos

Photoshop was first created as a tool for photographers to edit their photos. It has since evolved and is the ideal program for creating web pages, video graphics, banner ads, social media cover photos and more. Using Photoshop is more akin to painting. The program contains a lot of unique filters, tools, and special effects that work great for editing photos that are staying at a fixed size.

Illustrator is vector-based

Adobe Illustrator is vector-based, which means that the program uses mathematical equations to create shapes. A line is formed from two dots connected by a computer algorithm, instead of just a line of pixels. Because of this, using Illustrator is more like drawing or drafting. The benefit of this is that a vector graphic will not lose its quality or clarity when resized. It gives you the ability to resize your creation to fit a number of different formats without sacrificing the dignity of the design.

Illustrator is best for logos or anything that needs to be printed or scaled

Illustrator is ideal for logo creation, or any design that needs to be scaled up or down in size. It is also a great program for anything that needs to be printed, since resolution is not typically a concern. Vector graphics give designs crisp, well-defined edges that won’t look blurry or fuzzy. The functions within Illustrator give the user great control over typography and it’s manipulation, which is why it is an ideal program for any print project.

When it comes down to it, both programs have advantages and disadvantages. Many times, they are used in concert with one another. Several functions are shared between the two, but are usually best handled by only one. We tend to use Illustrator for most of our projects, and usually only work in Photoshop when working with photos or special effects. Learning the ins and outs of each program, before beginning your project, will ultimately save you a lot of time and prevent unnecessary mistakes. Understanding the basic differences will help you determine which program is better suited for your needs, and will help you create more professional looking designs.

What other differences do you think are important to highlight? Do you have any other questions about Photoshop or Illustrator? Share your feedback or questions in the comments below!

How Emerging Lifestyles are Influencing Business Choices

An article came out recently on citylab.com that was entitled, “Are Gourmet Grocery Stores Gentrifying Neighborhoods?”

I was intrigued.

We know that we all chose the area we live in very carefully, considering everything from schools to traffic to convenience to life activities. Per this article, it seems that now more than ever before, we are choosing neighborhoods that fit our personal brand, and we want to surround ourselves with businesses that share our values.

Many have debunked or challenged the influence that generational mindsets, desires and habits have on buying habits in retail. I think it is fair to say that we can no longer ignore the fact that we live in a new paradigm. Gone are the days when business tell us what we want, how we should dress, act and eat and now it is the generational makeup, values, beliefs and lifestyles that are shaping the way business connect with the consumer.

As a growing business, it is important to know what values, activities, and traits of consumers we should all pay attention to as we shape our current and future branding and development activities.

Social responsibility and impact

It is a proven fact that businesses that have authentic social impact cultures and share them with customers command more loyalty, respect and value. There have been studies that found that all attributes being equal – taste, benefit, price and more – a product with a social impact component will win on shelf or online. Consumers of today want transparency, knowledge, authenticity and purpose. That is not to say that the purpose must be grand, but it has to be there and be relevant. There is a growing movement in the industry to create products and services that intertwine purpose into their strategic plans and business models – both for customer value and internal employee value and retention. It is time to ask yourself, how is my company integrating this new mindset, and if they aren’t, why not?

Health and balance

What consumers wanted in products in the past was much simpler – cost value, taste, convenience and a clear reason for purchase (think: low fat, super indulgent etc.) Today, what consumers want is far from simple. How do you blend health with great taste, convenience with environmentally responsible, and free from everything with cost value? It is hard. Some companies are doing a great job, others not so much. I wish I could say I have the magic answer on how to do this, but savvy, authentic and honest communication helps to set expectations, build trust and ultimately build brand equity. And package design is an essential component of all of this J

Diversity

I have said this a million times, but we can no longer market to a white woman age 18-65. Our world is global with diversity in gender, race, ethnicity, wealth, values and taste profiles. We need to take the time to get to know who the ideal target customer is and what they truly want – and own it! Yes, it may narrow the market a bit, but it will ultimately create for more consistent, loyal customers and more reliable and stable businesses, outlets from which you can plan growth.

From a marketing perspective, we need to start to think about employing strategies that are “hyper local” versus broad and bland. Hispanic Millennials are at the center of this marketing trend demanding more customization and attention played to their uniqueness.

This new paradigm will over the next 10 years will change the way we go to market, create products and distribute them. Feathers will be ruffled, and those that keep an open mind, look to the future, and embrace it will endure.

What other factors do you think will play a big role in brand development in the future? As a consumer, what do you look for in a company or brand? How does your individual lifestyle affect your business choices? I’d love to hear from you, so please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Personal Branding (and Why it Matters!)

In today’s day and age, information is everywhere. We can’t escape it! We are bombarded by information, reviews and opinions on the Internet, television, social media sites, chat groups, text messages, and hundreds of other communication channels. In essence, we live in a world of constant connectivity with global audiences.

I know I talk a lot about product branding, but given our exposed lives, we have to understand the importance of personal branding as well. So I ask, have you taken the time to evaluate how you and your business come across on various channels? This is something that we should all be monitoring regularly in order to ensure that we are maintaining a positive impression.

In this age of information, personal branding is absolutely critical. It is how we appear to the world – our colleagues, friends, family, clients, and even strangers. If you show up to a meeting looking a mess, how can anyone trust you and have confidence to keep your business looking good? Our personal brands need to be well defined and consistent in order to successfully “self package” and market ourselves.

We’ve heard some great speakers and have done a lot of research on personal branding, and as a result, we’ve created this checklist to help.

Take a moment to evaluate your personal brand:

Branding Must-Haves

• Professional headshot
• Biography (both long and short versions)
• Business card
• Speaker one sheet
• Capability single sided, one sheet
• Media kit (if appropriate)
• Testimonials or case studies from clients

Leadership Roles

• Board member
• Committee member
• Association member
• Volunteer
• Industry award winner

Thought Leadership

• Publish an article or column
• Keynote speaker at an event
• Create a white paper
• Publish a book
• Blog regularly

Digital Influence

• Do you have a website?
  • Is it mobile adaptive?
• Have you Googled yourself or your company?
• Are you an obvious expert in your field?
• Does your Google search produce mostly positive or negative results?

Social Media Authority

• Facebook professional page
  • Do you have an engaging profile picture and cover photo?
  • Do you update content and post regularly?
  • Have you started any Facebook groups?
  • Do you participate in other Facebook groups?
• LinkedIn
  • Is your profile completely filled out with detail?
  • Do you have 500+ connections?
  • Do you post content regularly?
  • Have you started any LinkedIn groups?
  • Do you regularly participate in other LinkedIn groups?
• Twitter
  • Do you have a custom background photo?
  • Do you tweet and re-tweet others regularly?
  • Is your Twitter aligned with your personal brand?
  • Do you tweet articles and updates relevant to your industry?
  • Are you connected with other industry professionals or industry journalists?

After going through this personal branding checklist, how do you measure up? Which categories do you need to work on the most? What should your priorities be to increase your brand presence? Are there other categories you would add to this checklist? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

7 Tips for Great Logo Design

Every company has a logo, though some are more memorable than others. Why is that?

Logos can take many forms and include different elements, such as icons, images, typography, and tagline incorporation. As you know, a logo acts as the face of a brand. It is usually the first thing consumers come in contact with and one of the last images they remember; so making a good first impression is crucial. If executed correctly, a logo can serve as an extremely powerful asset to your brand.

Taking time to define your positioning, target consumer base, and long term goals beforehand will greatly benefit you once you sit down to actually create your logo. With these important details in mind, you will have a much easier time creating a logo that will resonate and connect with your consumers, and that can ultimately grow with your company as you continue to expand, shift and evolve.

When it comes to creating or refreshing a logo, there are a few rules of thumb that can help guide the process. Here are seven things to consider when starting or redesigning your logo:

A good logo should reflect your company culture.

What kind of company are you? Are you a financial company, or a business service provider? Are you in the health field, or in the beauty industry? Your logo needs to be appropriate for your industry in order to make sense to your consumers. For instance, if you are a bank, choosing a more traditional font will work to your benefit, whereas if you are creating a cosmetic brand, you have the ability to be more casual and playful. Logos can conform to the expectation of your client base or disrupt it. Deciding in advance how your company will differentiate itself will help you create a brand that aligns with your mission.

A good logo should be enduring.

Trends come and go, as do color combinations and symbols. Ultimately, you want your logo to be timeless and enduring to foster brand recognition and equity over time – being meaningful to current customers and interesting enough to attract new ones. Redesigning your logo every few years to fit the current look or trend will hurt you in the long run. Test out different fonts and colors to see which combination creates the most powerful impact. Now that is not to say that brands cannot be refreshed as a company grows. In fact, some of my favorite branding case studies demonstrate how brands have altered their look over time to remain relevant. However, if you study the brands carefully, you will see that keen attention to detail and equity was paid in every move they made, large or small.

A good logo should be scalable.

This is a really important factor that is often overlooked. Envision your logo printed on everything from a billboard, business card, website and everything in between. It will be seen in many different sizes, both big and small, so make sure it looks nice when scaled up and down. Legibility is key – if letters appear smashed together, or if your logo looks distorted at a certain size, you should reconsider your design. If no one can see or read your logo, you will not gain the brand recognition you need to succeed.

A good logo should be simple and clean.

This goes along with scalability. In order to keep your logo legible, identifiable, and consistent, utilize a simple and straightforward design. Some of the biggest brands out there follow this model. Consider Apple, Nike, Target, and Pepsi – all major, international brands with clean logo designs. 

A good logo should appeal to your target customer and niche.

Not every logo will appeal to every person, or be appropriate for every category. Think about to whom it is you are selling your product. For instance, if you are selling a high end or luxury good item, your logo needs to reflect that through the typography, intricacy of detail, and color combinations. On the other hand, if you are selling a children’s product, your logo should be more friendly, colorful, and playful. Your logo will set the expectation for what type of product you are selling, and will attract the customers you desire.

A good logo will be meaningful.

This is especially important for brands with a social or environmental focus, or mission statement. Your logo design should support your brand’s unique story. You should tie in elements, colors, or imagery that relate and resonate with your brand. Failure to do so will create confusion for your potential customers. A good example of this is the Animal Planet logo, which uses imagery of animals and the environment to support their positioning.

Typography matters.

Again, this may seem obvious, but take typography seriously. If your logo is text heavy or incorporates a tagline, you need to spend time looking at various fonts and sizes before making your decision. Be careful when looking at commonly used fonts, as this may come off as generic. Scripts can be beautiful, however, make sure you test your legibility at different sizes. You don’t want to lose the branding once it is scaled down. Typography is also a great way to make your logo more proprietary, and good partners can help you accomplish this. Add something unique and different – ownable – into your logo. People will remember it.

Do you have any other logo design tips? What brand logos stand out or appeal to you? Are there specific companies that you think have done an excellent job redesigning or revamping their logos? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Packaging Trends to Watch in 2016

A new year is just around the corner, which means we can expect to see new trends, styles, and movements within every major industry or field. Packaging design is no exception! Consumers are growing increasingly savvy and knowledgeable, and packaging design is constantly shifting in order to reflect changing perceptions and shopping habits.

With 2015 coming to a close, my team and I put together a list of some of the emerging design trends that we’ve been seeing more of. If there is one word for 2016 it is AUTHENTICITY. Packaging, being only one part of a total marketing mix, has to connote and communicate authentically the values, benefits and purpose of the product it carries. Here are six packaging trends to watch out for in the New Year – some support the theme of authenticity, and others focus on transparency and individuality, but together there is no hiding the fact that companies must pull back the green curtain and share what they’ve got whole-heartedly.

The “Artisan” Look

Hand drawn fonts and graphics on packaging are expected to make a big return in 2016. A handmade look or design gives off an artisanal, handcrafted feel that speaks to a more authentic, high quality, perceived better ingredients, and a rich tradition or heritage. Packaging with a handmade or artisanal look gives the impression that each product is unique or made in small batches with more attention to detail and quality – the opposite of a big brand commercialized product. Be wary though, just because it looks handmade does not mean it is. Get to know the company, their culture, and whether they are truly authentic or not.

The Nostalgic or Retro Influence

Lately, we have been noticing a lot of brand redesigns that utilize a historical, vintage or retro aesthetic. This style goes along with the handmade feel that was mentioned above, but it harkens back to heritage, tradition and time, not production methods. Packaging inspired by history is meant to foster loyalty with customers by evoking nostalgia for past glory days. Hey, if the company has been around for a while, they must know what they are doing, right? Brands recall their history by using images from their archives or by creating “retro” packaging that takes us back to our childhood and easier days. Some companies create this historically-inspired package through minimalist design, illustration, and simple fonts. Although these designs may appear to be a “thing of the past,” they actually come across as relevant and new in 2016. You know what they say, “What’s old is new again.”

Abstract Design

Abstract art is making a big comeback on labels and packaging design, particularly for premium products and luxury items. Abstract design draws upon shapes, forms, colors, and lines to create patterns and compositions that appeal to buyers, mainly because it forces them to think about, engage with and interpret a package on their own without being spoon-fed the information. By using abstract art on packaging design, the package acts like a canvas. The result is a very art-focused, elegant looking, and high quality design that stands apart on a crowded shelf and has a more individual quality.

Transparent Windows – what you see is what you get

Transparent cut outs or windows in packaging design are becoming increasingly more common. These small windows are both appealing and functional, allowing the consumer to actually see what it is they are about to purchase. The whole principal behind this design trend is that “seeing is believing.” Consumers want to know that what they see is what they get, and that they won’t be fooled, shocked or surprised when they open up the box. This trend is fueled by the fact that more and more shoppers are searching for clean, natural, and healthy foods than ever before. They are searching for authenticity and honesty in every way they come in contact with the brand.

Eco-Friendly, Sustainable and Functional

Eco-friendly packaging is quickly becoming a necessity in today’s “green” world. Shoppers want packaging that they can ultimately repurpose, reuse, or recycle after consumption. This is one area within packaging design that is extremely innovative and constantly evolving. For instance, there are companies whose packaging can be planted after use to grow flowers, and coffee cups and pods that are durable like plastic but are made from biodegradable material. It is very simple – many consumers prefer to buy from companies that care about their social or environmental impact. It sets companies apart and will increase long-term profits.

Generational Packaging – who are you talking to?

With multiple generations in the market all with strong buying power, speaking directly to your consumer will become more and more important. We used to market to an 18-65 year old consumer – this is not the case today. Today, we need to speak directly to our target consumer, in language and visuals that THEY understand. Gone are the days where we can use packaging to say how great the product is. Now we have to create packaging that tells the consumer WHY they should buy it. Why does it matter to them, how will it solve their problems and how will the product contribute the greater good? That is a huge responsibility, and a bit of a paradigm shift for brand managers.

What other major packaging design trends have you noticed? In your opinion, what trends are on the brink of popularity? What do you, as a consumer, look for in packaging design or functionality? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!