GDUSA Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2011

OCCUPY: THE BRAND

Would it surprise you to know the rush is on to register numerous versions of an Occupy Wall Street logo? Or that t-shirts, stickers, mugs, games, and a store have popped up? Or that companies like MTV, Ben & Jerry’s and NuVo condoms are wrapping themselves in the “brand.” I think most occupiers are pure of heart, give or take a few haters, and they made a point worth making. I also think it’s time to go home. They are being co-oped by every politician, advocacy group, celebrity and media outlet with an agenda. And here come the entrepreneurs and marketers! Stay any longer and they will be used – exquisite irony – to sell jeans, music, running shoes, candidates. If the occupiers want to do something to society – instead of having it done to them – then it’s time to move on to the next phase.
 
— Gordon Kaye

Graphic Design News

A BRAND THAT FITS

Hornall Anderson has helped introduce eloquii by The Limited, a new brand and product line that celebrates full-figured women. The branding is intended to touch all aspects of the new offering. Starting with strategy and positioning, Hornall Anderson developed the name, followed with an identity creating the overall look and feel. Elements include, among other things, print, signage, store merchandise, gift boxes, hang-tags, tissue wrap, and labels. The assignment also included messaging for a new e-commerce site. The eloquii line, introduced in late October, has made waves in the fashion industry because of its promise to provide a full-line of clothing with unusually fashionable flair, a sense of style, and extra attention to fit details for plus-sized women.

MAG+ STOCKS APPLE NEWSSTAND

Mag+, a simple InDesign-based workflow that puts creative control in the hands of art directors and designers, had a dozen of its client magazines stocking the new Apple Newsstand from day one. Designed especially for the iPad, these Mag+ titles are among the first periodicals on Newsstand’s virtual shelves. They include Popular Science+, Popular Photography+, Outside+, and Maxim+. Apple’s Newsstand offers publishers a market for their magazines distinct from the rest of the App Store, and gives readers a simpler way to shop for and manage magazine apps. Newsstand has arrived with Apple’s operating system upgrade to iOS5 and provides a tailored hub for digital periodicals – much like an iBooks for magazines and newspapers. For readers, the Newsstand app appears on the iPad desktop and houses all magazines to which they subscribe. Newsstand also directly links to a section in the App Store just for periodicals, and as they are purchased new magazines go directly to the Newsstand folder. For subscribers, new issues automatically download in the background as they become available, displayed with the latest cover. To help introduce Mag+ to designers, the company is running a contest through November: the winner will be the entrant whose App demonstrates the most creative use of the Mag+ platform. There's no need to produce a whole publication just illustrate the idea.
LEARN MORE >

BLOG: CREATIVITY AND DATA

Last month, the inaugural Graphic Design USA/Hopscotch blogpost discussed the future of creativity and marketing, noting that many professionals across varied disciplines have come to believe that data — not creativity — rules the day. It created quite a stir. In our second post, industry veteran Thad Kubis arguest that while data may be ascendant, and is required to transfer the art of marketing into the science of marketing, it is creativity that continues as the cornerstone providing this transfer from art to science. Read more about the role of creativity in a data-driven age and how it fits into personalization, customization, microsites and more.
READ MORE >

DUFFY’S SIGNATURE SOLUTION

Fashion label, Society for Rational Dress, has a new logo, garment tags, lookbook creation and stationery. Duffy and Partners created a “signature” solution that celebrates to founder and design Corinne Grassini. Missy Wilson, a senior designer at the Duffy firm, notes that the logo also “pays homage to the female form and draping, a signature of the SFRD line.”

IVORY REDESIGN NOT TRENDY

Ivory launches a new advertising campaign and updated product packaging for its current line of soaps and body wash. The initiative aims to contemporize the 132-year-old brand by changing Ivory’s traditional nearly all-white packages to be more colorful, and by creating ads with pithy “Ivoryisms” about the simple life. A redesigned logo evokes the familiar 1950s look and carries the slogan “pure, clean & simple.” Certain packs also emphasize that there are 10 bars compared to 8- and 6-packs sold by competitors. Credit for the consciously anti-trendy refresh goes to Wieden+Kennedy with package design by Sterling Brands. Explains W+K creative director Karl Lieberman: “The inspiration for this campaign came from the observation of how, over the years, in an effort to make life simpler, we have somehow made life more complicated. Unlike a lot of other brands, Ivory has stayed true to its equity. It has remained the antithesis of the overly complicated – from its ingredients, packaging and advertising – it’s a throwback to an era where there wasn’t time for such things.” Adds W+K creative director Danielle Flagg, “We don't want to do something that feels trendy or out of character for the brand. This iconic brand has a timeless feel, so we’re just putting it with a new backdrop in the modern landscape.”

PUSHING BACK ON AGE BIAS

A finding of potential age bias against 40+ creatives in a recent survey of our readers (see the GDUSA September 2011 magazine) continues to frustrate and resonate. Here is a representative and thoughtful response by Kevin Bryce of Designwerks, Inc.
 
I thoroughly enjoy reading the editorials and features in Graphic Design USA. Your editorial in the September 2012 magazine discussing the age bias in our industry rings true within my personal experience. Sadly, age-bias in hiring has proven time and again to be a baseless judgment of those who have garnered immeasurable experience, knowledge and skills over the course of their working lives. The premise of the bias, as you point out, is that older workers are technology resistant and out of tune with “pop culture.”
 
I would like to point out that Steve Jobs, up to age 56, personified those individuals who are seasoned innovators and trendsetters. Many others are clearly past the age 40 viability cutoff which is becoming pervasive in the advertising and creative industries. Yet such individuals often have a strong work ethic, and are capable of contributing creative work that is outstanding as a result of their lifelong commitment to honing their skills.
 
The bottom line: age-bias feeds on an irrational belief that older workers cannot be hip and creative, or deliver the solutions sought by those in the advertising and creative field. I say this is BS.
 
Here is thought. I would be all for setting up a collective initiative to counter these biases – we can leverage the same creative skills and technology these naysayers claim is lacking in our skill inventory! A website could be constructed that objectively collects information about companies who hire employees based on merit and capability – not age. By the process of omission, it will become clear which companies are engaged in age bias in their hiring.
 
I am not suggesting a “witch hunt,” but instead a real focus on companies who are fair and unbiased players. This is a rough idea which might be something worth exploring. The worst thing to do is do nothing. The result of complacency is already known to us. I am open to comments and suggestions on what I propose; GDUSA has made their e-mail address... editorial@gdusa.com ... available for this. Or contact me directly.
 
Kevin P. Bryce,CEO/Creative Director
Designwerks, Inc., Palm Harbor FL
http://www.designwerks.net

HATCHING A SKIN CARE LINE

San Francisco’s Hatch is bringing great cosmetics to the sassy and beautiful. The firm helped Benefit launch its first-ever skin care line, b.right! Radiant Skincare by, among other things, art directing lampshade-wearing model ads and penning the tagline: “Skincare solutions so radiant, you'll need a dimmer switch.” State Hatch principals Joel Templin and Katie Jain: “We're now an integral partner and have done everything from designing their catalog to rebranding the wildly popular Brow Bar outposts to developing a slew of campaigns for upcoming launches.”

SOCKS FOR SEATTLE

How do you transform an upstart sportswear trend into a strong brand? Two UW entrepreneurs came to the Hansen Belyea design firm in need of brand memorability and loyalty for their colorful crew socks. To create an engaging and differentiated brand narrative, Hansen Belyea repositioned the challenger with a new name, identity and packaging, evoking a combination of sportive and fashion-forward imagery.

Take Five! Career Tips

The Newly Released 2012 Salary Guide

There could be a little more green in your wallet in the coming year. According to The Creative Group’s newly released 2012 Salary Guide, average starting salaries for creative professionals are projected to increase 3.5 percent over the previous year. Following are in-demand positions that are expected to see even bigger gains in 2012:

1. Mobile Designer – 6.5 percent increase to the range of $61,750-$90,000 annually
 
2. User Experience (UX) Designer – 6.2 percent increase to the range of $71,750-$104,000 annually
 
3. Art Director (5+ years) – 4.4 percent increase to the range of $66,000-$95,500 annually
 
4. Graphic Designer (3 to 5 years) – 4.1 percent increase to the range of $47,500-$65,500 annually
 
5. Creative Director (5 to 8 years) – 3.8 percent increase to the range of $87,750-$118,250 annually
 
To download a free copy of the 2012 Salary Guide or calculate local salary ranges using our online salary calculator, visit The Creative Group Salary Center.