I came across such a brand during a search for eyeglasses. After numerous visits to online stores and brick & morters, I found the whole process to be draining: too many choices, and a nagging sense that things were more expensive than they should be. Then I remembered an article I had read some time ago about a startup making vintage-inspired frames with prescription lenses for only $95.00. I began my Google search using the keywords “New York Times vintage eyewear website” which lead me right to the article.

Now I’m the proud owner of a wonderful pair of stylish, vintage-inspired frames from Warby Parker. I only paid $95.00, and found the whole experience to be, well… fun, which is a far cry from my previous experiences. Here’s why:

Great website
The site is an exercise in simplicity. Focused content, clear layout, pitch-perfect photography, clever writing, and just the right amount of technology. By technology, I’m referring to an cool tool which allows you to use your webcam to snap a picture of your face, and then map several designs onto your face. I was very skeptical of this, yet it worked seamlessly and was actually quite helpful.

The website did a really great job of establishing that the company had a clear aesthetic from their products through to their demographic. I knew right away upon my arrival that I wanted to stay here. We tell our clients all the time that your website is your virtual storefront to the world, and it’s great to see a company truly grasping, creating an experience about you, not them.

Innovative Concept
They have two main methods of connecting you to the perfect frame. The first is the “Virtual Try-On” described above, and the other is a “Try It Before You Buy It” program where you can test out up to five pairs at home. Again, they made the process easy to understand and execute with one method pushing the envelope of technology, the other is an offline method giving you the comfort of trying things on in your own home.

Making it Easy
The “Try It Before You Buy It” method comes with a well-packaged box of frames and a witty card describing the simple steps to take. They also include a return address label to make it even easier to send everything back.

Passion
For every pair of glasses sold, they donate a pair to someone in need via a program called VisionSpring. MSLK  encourages all of our clients to find causes they support or partner with, and this is a perfect example of a well-matched one.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ox2L05rTC0

Extras Make All the Difference
I received an email last week saying “It’s Here. The 2011 Annual Report: 100% Full of Statistics, Facts, Figures, Maps and More!” It took me to a microsite of incredibly well-designed, clever, and informative statistics from the company’s past year.

Targeted Marketing
This last point is one that I have mixed feelings about personally, yet is undeniably effective. Immediately after first visiting Warby Parker’s site, I started seeing ads for them on just about every blog and news site I visited. I soon realized that this was no mere coincidence, it is part of a highly-targeted advertising service called TellApart which tracks your web visits and presents ads from those sites to you on other sites. Weeks later I am still seeing Warby Parker ads everywhere, even though I’ve already made the purchase. We think this approach is going to be essential to any online e-tailing strategy.

For many, the word audit isn’t connected to creativity or much less something that can be good for business or actually fun. However, a brand audit is a great way of reviewing your brand to get an overview of how your company communicates. This is necessary in order to understand what’s working, what’s not working as intended,  and to set a successful course for the road ahead. We recently completed a brand audit and thought we’d share what we’ve identified as some best practices.

What is a Brand Audit?
A brand audit is a 10,000 f00t view of all the materials you are publishing surrounding your brand. For today’s busy consumer it’s never any one piece that fully conveys the message of your brand, but rather the aggregate of all the materials they encounter.  It is important to review these materials with fresh eyes imagining what your customer sees, not what you see. For this reason it might be helpful to work with an outside agency in order to get that genuine fresh perspective. It is also important to view all of the materials together, side-by-side, not one at a time. At MSLK we pin up at least one image or photo of piece of collateral including printed materials, signage, online, etc. (see our brand audit with Figment below)

What questions to ask during a Brand Audit?
As you begin the analytical process it is important to remain focused on what you are looking to get out of this audit. Of course you may be surprised at some discoveries you weren’t even considering, but good questions going in equals good incites coming out.  We ask questions such as:

Brand message
What do you want to communicate about your brand?
Do your materials clearly say this verbally?
What do your materials communicate non-verbally with their visual style?

Customer Perception
Do your materials stand out in the competitive environment?
What is the number one take-away a consumer gets from your brand?

When you have explored these two sides, the goal is to identify if there is a gap between what you want to say about your company and what you are actually saying.  This is why is it important to approach the audit with an open mind and fresh eyes observing your materials as your target audience would. Try to remain as objective as possible, there are no egos in a brand audit!

What results can one expect from a Brand Audit?
In our experience a brand audit often results in new insights about the brand, the design, marketing, and communication challenges that need to be overcome moving forward. In the Figment Brand Audit for example, the team identified an internal misunderstanding on how the logo should be used as well as a need for a style guidelines manual and templates so that consistent materials could be produced by each of the brands five locations.

Typical results and next steps following a Brand Audit may include:
Market and customer research to explore the findings further
A marketing plan to address the communication gap
A redesign of materials that are not inline with the overall goals
Development of an overall campaign to reposition the brand’s message across all media
Revised style guidelines

Hiring a graphic designer to create something isn’t an easy task. The best design is a custom-tailored solution that could only work for that specific brand. Therefore you can’t expect to go to the store and simply pick up a pre-made logo, package or website that “fits” your brand.

But if you aren’t buying something that already exists, how do you know what design team is right for you? How do you choose?

Over the years I’ve come to define a few telltale signs and measuring tactics. I  follow these principles when hiring a designer myself.

Personality Fit
This list isn’t necessarily in order, but personality fit is certainly the cornerstone to any good creative relationship, and in the end tends to trump all other considerations. You and your creative team must be able to discuss complex, confidential business and creative issues. Often these are linked directly to financial matters, while other times it may also touch on interpersonal issues within your organization. You must both be able to speak your mind without reservations. A good designer should be able to speak eloquently about their profession, they should also demonstrate that they are listening to both your spoken and unspoken needs. Remember, you are entering in a relationship… the rules for dating often apply here!

Approach and Process
If your designer does not have a clear process for how they will unearth your needs and translate them into creative solutions, they should not be leading your project. Many creatives are used to being hired by other designers and being told what to do. These designers are helpful hands for tactical execution and production work, however they may not be able to effectively generate an innovative solution from scratch. Be wary of designers who try a bunch of “stuff” to see what sticks. This buckshot approach rarely leads to quick or effective solutions. This approach is more like a meandering drive in the car with no clear destination. A design leader will insist on a clear and direct process for documenting your needs and developing solutions.

Past Work
Short of a really good crystal ball, there is no guarantee of what your project’s final vision will be. That’s why a look back is the only reliable gauge, and a designer’s portfolio is always a good measure. The visceral sense of “Do I like this work? Are their layouts pleasant to look at?” is a great place to start.

Their past work should showcase not only the visual aspects, but the thinking that was behind it. You’re not looking for someone to “pretty things up” here. Rather, you are seeking a creative professional to help you solve specific business objectives. A good designer should demonstrate this willingly in their work. Be wary of designers who are willing to show you sample or “pitch” creative solutions for free. Although you may like these off-the-cuff solutions at first, the likelihood that they truly solve your business challenges is very low. Chances are the designer invested exactly what they were paid for on those solutions, which is nothing.

Ask if the designer has solved challenges that are similar to yours, but don’t get too caught up on this issue. Previous experience can be a positive or a negative for creativity. Too much experience in one area can leave a designer burned-out producing staid creative because they already “know” the solution. Fresh eyes and fresh perspective often breed the most innovative solutions. Experience with the media, the industry, or other companies with similar challenges is often enough.

Brand Identities
An identity, or logo, is the purest essence of a brand. It is also a very hard-working design tool. It must be memorable, legible, and indestructible — able to work in harsh design conditions from one color, to tiny on a business card, or giant on a billboard. I always look at a designer’s brand identity section of their portfolio to see if they know how to edit themselves and the big idea down enough to create a simple and elegant logo. If I find their logos overly complicated, fussy, or unclear I know they’ll have a hard time bringing clarity to more complex layouts.

Budget
A savvy shopper will find that design can be purchased at an extremely wide range of budgets. The range of budgets is complex, but often boils down to a few common factors: time and experience. A seasoned designer knows what their expertise is truly worth and is more well-versed at the time required to execute that job properly. A less experienced designer will be more eager to take on the work for the opportunity to round out their portfolio. This can provide a value, however, they also tend to underestimate the time required to complete a project. Be wary of time delays as a result.

When reviewing budgets from several design firms, it is often challenging to get an apples-to-apples comparison. Providing what is often called  a Creative Brief, a tight set of project specifications, can help you receive estimates for a similar scope of services. If a designer you really like is coming in higher than other estimates, do not let this deter you. Ask your designer how they arrived at their pricing. Chances are they are providing more time and services than the lower estimates. Many designers are open to working with clients to revise their scope of work to meet a desired budget.

Size of Team and Team Members
The size of a design firm and the make-up of the team members on the team can often affect pricing as well. Generally speaking, larger studios with multiple team members are more expensive than solo-practitioners. When considering an independent designer for a project make certain you feel they are up to the task. What happens if another job comes in? Who will work on your project? When considering a larger team ask who will be on your team. Are the people you are meeting with up front going to be the same people to see you through the end result?

Follow Their Own Prescriptions
We all know the expression about the shoemaker’s children having no shoes. It happens. However, we find it compelling if a designer is practicing the principles and tactics for marketing that they are asking you to embark on as well. I wouldn’t want to drink someone’s kool aid if they wouldn’t drink it themselves.

Happy design hunting. I hope these tips  help your efforts! Feel free to post a comment and let me know if these tips worked for you or if you have any other suggestions to add to the mix by  leaving a comment or sending me an email sheri@mslk.com

Our strategy phase included a comprehensive search engine optimization investigation. Using statistical tools, we established a list of key phrases James Porto should use on his blog to get more easily found by search engines. We then created a content plan around these key phrases that could be used as a guide when writing articles. Additionally, we carefully chose category names that would not only read naturally on the blog, but were mostly helpful in getting James found by the right people searching for these terms.

Expanding upon the brand identity and website that we had previously established, the blog’s design is bold and minimal, keeping James’s work as the star of the show. Its three-column layout clearly separates information, with filtering options on the left, content in the middle, and important external links on the right that drive users towards the website, Facebook Page, RSS feed and mailing list capture. The right column allows users to have easy access to these links no matter how far down the page is scrolled. Each post gives users the ability to “like” and tweet with one easy click. We were even able to embed his brand identity’s distinctive slab-serif font in the body of the text, avoiding the typically vanilla typography seen around the world wide web.

With his blog now automatically connected to his Facebook Page, James is beginning to see how people react to his images in a more personal way than print ads could ever acheive.

Everyone’s a critic. Over the years, graphic design has become more mainstream. And as more people have become more aware of design, more people have become quick to judge and criticize any change in a well known corporate brand. Because of this, it’s not unheard of for a brand to change their look and then have a public backlash force them to change it back and pretend nothing ever happened (Think Gap and Tropicana). Of course, it’s impossible to make everyone happy, but with so many people responding to rebrands, selling a new look to the public is starting to become a crucial part of the rebranding process.

Starbucks and Comedy Central were both given an overhaul recently and are very good examples of this. While they are two vastly different companies, what they do have in common is that both of the companies took the time to present these rebrands in a way that says, “Yes, we did change our look, and we are going to show you why this is a change in the right direction.”

First let’s take a look at Starbucks. It’s hard to find anybody that isn’t at least somewhat familiar with the logo, and as a company who had the same look for nearly twenty years, any change isn’t going to go unnoticed. Their new logo, I believe, is just different enough. It’s simpler, but every bit as recognizable as it was before. But just incase you weren’t convinced that this was a step in the right direction, Starbucks also launched a short video of CEO Howard Shultz explaining the new look.

As a former barista, I am aware that using a video to announce any change is something Starbucks does frequently so it is no surprise that this was done for the rebrand as well. The format is always similar. Howard will explain how a change relates to Starbucks’ past, why they are doing it now, how it will help position them for the future, and how Starbucks is still all about the coffee. The video shows that Starbucks knows how they want to present themselves. It definitely doesn’t hurt that the new logo is beautiful as well.

Comedy Central’s new logo is definitely a more drastic change. I, for one, think that the simple look is a welcome change, but not everyone has been immediately on board with the new mark. Most people think that it looks too much like the copyright symbol or that is simply boring. But like Starbucks, Comedy Central made the move of presenting the new logo with a video reel, and it’s hard to deny that the video is expertly done.  The video not only literally states, “Yes, our logo has changed and It works way f**king better,” but it shows you how the logo moves, changes, punctuates, and vomits (towards the end and it is fantastic). It’s brilliant, and it works. One fellow employee wasn’t a fan of the logo until he watched the video reel.

In addition to the videos, both brands used imagery to show the progression from the old logo to the new logo. Starbucks effectively demonstrates how the siren has progressed to its sleek new look. Comedy Central (whose change is far more drastic) depicts the change in an appropriate more humorous light, which can be seen in the image above. It’s very clear that both of these brands know what they’re doing. With such effective videos, the added imagery is just icing on the cake.

Using a video to present a new identity is a smart move. Especially with bigger brands, it’s impossible for a brand to change their whole look without people noticing, and not everybody is going to welcome the change. It’s easy for people to criticize, but it’s not easy for everyone to think like a designer. A video may not make everyone love the new look, but it can definitely help people understand WHY a change was made and WHY it works.

-Cristina Gomez

We’re asked all the time to create logos for organizations. A logo is the single defining image of an organization that you see on every piece of branded material. Think of Apple’s ubiquitous bitten apple (a symbol) or IBM’s striped blocky letters (a wordmark). More often that not, MSLK creates typographic wordmarks rather than symbols for our clients. This is not simply a matter of preference, but there are circumstances when it is better to use one kind versus the other. Read more to find out what is appropriate for your organization.

Thinking about Your Organization

So which approach is right for you? Well, you should be thinking about your organization in terms of three basic characteristics:

1. Your Name | Is it distinctive? How long or short is it?
2. Your Size | Are you small or large? Are you a conglomerate of two or more companies?
3. Your Budget | How much money do you have to invest in promoting your identity so that people really remember it?

Using a Wordmark
Wordmarks are great for small companies, short names and/or distinctive names. At MSLK, we are always looking for opportunities to manipulate and combine letterforms or weave graphic elements within a wordmark to make it truly memorable. Check out our examples below.

Again
Find out how we transformed this eco-friendly handbag line by creating an identity that combines upper and lower case letters, along with unique materials, to reinforce a message.
View project >>

Fashion News Workshop
Discover how we branded the second largest fashion organization in NYC, by employing graphic substitution. Notice the how the button replaces the O.
View project>>

AnneEdgar
Anne Edgar is a media relations firm focusing on visual and cultural arts. Learn how we capitalized on their unique name to set them apart from the competition.
View project >>

James Porto
Find out how we reestablished this conceptual photographer and photo illustrator as a visionary in his field by starting with a sophisticated, minimal logotype.
View Project>>

Using a Symbol
Symbols become necessary when a company has a long name, is a conglomerate of two or more companies, and/or is large with the money to promote the shorthand. Check out our examples below.

Figment
Figment is an annual art’s festival that takes place on Governor’s Island. Discover how we used a thought-bubble, which became a flexible platform for them to use year after year. View Project>>

Velo Classic Tours
Learn how we conveyed the essence of this luxurious bicycle tour company with a sleek illustrative symbol.
View Project>>

Photos.com, a division of Getty Images, one of the world’s leading sources for stock imagery, has featured our website redesigns of James Porto and Cameron Socks on their Facebook Page. All of these case studies are contained within the “Makeovers” Tab. Users have the option to read the full case study and share each of them. Read more to find out about the two featured projects.

James Porto
Find out how MSLK translated a comprehensive brand repositioning into an intuitive site that has increased leads for photo illustrator and conceptual photographer, James Porto.
View Case Study >>

Cameron Socks
Discover how MSLK took this traditional sock retailer out of the dark ages by building an engaging e-commerce experience that has greatly increased sales. View Case Study>>

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4QBocAzDlA

Sheri L Koetting was interviewed by the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute as a part of their research on small business and social media. Guardian Life investigated which groups of people are more likely to use social media platforms for their small business. In the video, Sheri discusses how we at MSLK use social media for our clients as well as for ourselves. Sheri also discusses what kinds of social media platforms MSLK recommends for our clients as well as why certain groups of people are more likely to use social media than others.

According to the research done by Guardian Life, the groups of business owners more likely to use social media are women, people under age 28, and people whose businesses have less than 10 employees. MSLK stands out from the norm according to this research. While we are a business with under 10 employees, social networks play a large role in our business as we work to integrate social media into our clients’ as well as our own marketing strategies. To read more about the research done by Guardian Life, check out the press release here.

-Cristina Gomez

Having a Facebook page for your business is one thing, but growing your fan base and keeping your fans engaged is another. An easy way to achieve these things is through the use of sweepstakes and contests. We at MSLK did just that and experienced very positive results.

From November 9th thru December 3rd we ran a sweepstakes giving away ten sets of our “Cheers!” Gift Tags. Participants simply had to become a fan of MSLK and provide their name and email address and they were done. Even with such a simple sweepstakes we saw a 13.2% increase in our fan base and nearly a 400% increase in our monthly active users. If MSLK was able to yield such results with a simple giveaway, just think what it could do for your own brand.

Sweepstakes are an easy way to simply increase your fan base. Pressing the Like button on Facebook requires a very low level of commitment to begin with. By having a sweepstakes, people are more encouraged to become a fan because they see that there is something they can gain by doing so.

A contest, on the other hand, is a good way to both increase and engage your fan base. A contest is different from a sweepstakes in that a contest requires some level of skill. For example, entrants may be competing to come up with the best idea for a new fragrance for a cosmetics company. A contest has the ability to make fans feel like what they have to say is important and that their support is appreciated. Non-fans, again, are encouraged to Like your page because they feel like there is something to gain from becoming a fan.

A really great example of keeping fans engaged through the use of contests is the Facebook page for Oreo. Oreo keeps its millions of fans engaged by hosting a weekly “Fan of the Week” contest. Fans are simply required to post a picture of themselves enjoying Oreo cookies, and the winner gets their picture used in the Oreo Facebook profile picture for the week. The contest is simple, but fans are still enthusiastic in showing their love for Oreos and are able to feel like Oreo appreciates that enthusiasm.

So give it a try. If your fan base is in need of a little jolt, then try out a sweepstakes or a contest. In MSLK’s book, these methods have definitely proven to be real winners.

-Cristina Gomez

There’s one trend in website design and development that we simply must call attention to. The curse of the “Coming Soon” page! In a world of up-datable content, blogs, and sites that change almost daily, a “coming soon” sign anywhere on a website pretty much guarantees that it’s a feature that is “never coming.”

How often do you get excited about a website, click over to the News section and see an exuberant “Coming Soon!” sign up there? Maybe there’s even an upbeat “Check Back Soon!” added for more dramatic flair.

It’s not your fault. It was probably your web designer’s idea, but it’s a bad one. If you are the web designer who suggested it — stop that!

Here’s our advice for what to do instead.

Get rid of it altogether and plan better.
MSLK is big on planning, which is why in the 15 years we’ve been designing websites, we’ve never needed to have a “coming soon” on any site. That’s not to say that we never add sections — we’re constantly helping our clients improve their site to make it more effective.

The difference is that we plan systems for adding sections and features, rather than making empty promises. To us, a link on a site that leads to a “Coming Soon” is like the end of a rainbow with an IOU instead of a pot of gold. You’d be better off not having a link at all until there’s something actually there.

Still need some convincing? Have you considered what a “Coming Soon” sign on your site is saying to your customers?

• “I can’t commit to promises.” If you’re wanting to add a new section/feature/gadget to your site, please don’t get my hopes up. Instead, surprise me. Send me an email. Advertise. Tweet  it. But don’t think I’m ever going to remember to check back myself. I never believed you in the first place.
  
• “I ran out of money halfway through the process.” It’s like you’re saying,  “As soon as I turn my out-of-control business around, I swear I’m going to get to this. It’s just that it’s on a list of, like, a million other things I hope I can afford to do one day.”
• “I have parsley in my teeth and, frankly, I’m proud of it!” Hey, it’s totally cool. We get it. You’re that wacky neighbor who still has holiday decorations in his yard in June. You wear two different colored socks. Your left taillight is out. That’s also why your competition is getting your business.

Why does this happen?
Creating a website is lot of work. Once it’s live, most people involved are happy the process is over. Somehow those two little words of “Coming Soon” become an excuse for everyone to move on to other things and never look back. Other priorities take over and before you know it, that section is no longer on your radar. Again this could easily be avoided if there was a clear site map planning phase. That way, you’re clear on the future intentions to launch new sections, but if you just so happen to delay longer than you intended, no one will ever know! Delays happen, but savvy designers and marketers know it’s best to keep future ideas under wrap. Setting goals, meeting them, then promoting them is the key to effective marketing.

Avoid the “Coming Soon” by developing marketing strategies that keep them Coming Back.