Lucky. Thankful. Humble. Proud.

Michelle and I were going through our client and vendor list—prepping addresses to send Christmas cards and goodies—and we realized that local logo design has been a significant percentage of our workflow this year. While we provide many other creative services, we averaged two to three logos a month. That's quite a lot for such a small team, especially in a market the size of ours. The Parker Brand may be small, but we feel like we pack a punch that's not indicative of our size.

Michelle and I feel very blessed to have helped our clients develop new marks, or update old ones. The real joy has come in the collaboration with our clients. We take pride in the fact that we listen to our clients and put the input they give us to good use. We never blindly go off in a direction without first getting a strong idea of what they want their mark to accomplish. Of course, there's the added bonus of growing relationships with some really great people.

Many times our first set of designs have been approved with very few edit requests. I'll never get used to the way it feels to get that message saying "approved" after only one or two proofs. It's a feeling of pride, to be sure, but it's also humbling. When it really settles on you that your clients trust you... well, that's a powerful thing.

We thought it would be nice to collect the logos we've designed this year in one place. When I see this collection of logos I feel thankful for all of the clients that have hired Parker Brand this year. They've made it possible for us to continue doing the job that we love in the southwest Louisiana community we call home. The clients that trust us keep Michelle and I motivated. Their confidence in our brand pushes us to work harder and get better at what we do.

If we're currently working with you, or have worked with you this year, please accept our sincere thanks. If you have a business, organization, club, or manage an event in southwest Louisiana and you haven't worked with our brand, don't hesitate to contact us. We understand the challenges that small businesses face, and we're here to use our combined creative skills to help those in our area build stronger brands. That's our prime directive. That's all we do. Who knows? If you have a small business in southwest Louisiana maybe we can help you too, and if we can't then we'll help you find someone who can.

-Oran Parker

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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Think invasive advertising couldn't get worse? Urine for a surprise!

via adweek.blogs.com

I've always considered myself to be a hard sell. I like to think that advertising doesn't work so well on me. In fact, I usually look at the campaigns I work on from this perspective, constantly asking, "why the hell should anyone care about this?" I find it helps me to step back and think just a bit harder about the concept we're proposing.

See, I think a lifetime is the most precious thing we've got... because it's 100% limited, and that's what advertising does. It asks for your attention, and your time... your finite resources. Once you've given those away, the sender hopes you'll retain the information, or act on it.

Don't get me wrong. I still strongly think that advertising can be a good thing. It can inform us about things that could better our lives. It can motivate us to change. It can entertain us. It can encourage us to act. Advertising drives the pulling and hauling of our society, and without it our economy would come to a screeching halt, becoming fully dependent on word-of-mouth marketing (I feel like I'm selling myself here).

Still, more often that not, advertising is an invasion of our privacy, a cluttering of the landscape, reminding us to dig deep into our pockets and spend our earnings on a service, or thing. That's the way things work, and I can live with it, for the most part. In fact, this is the same message I give my clients. It is what it is and if you can't generate a successful word-of-mouth business, then you need advertising to get your message out to the public.

Every now and then a new form of advertising comes along that just grates on me, reminding me of everything that I loathe about our industry, hence these new restroom mirror displays. As if advertising's worst wasn't invasive enough, we are now destined to be exposed to more of in the worst place imaginable.

Meet the restroom mirror digital display.

Look, mens' restrooms aren't places that I tend to linger, and I think most men feel the same way. Public restrooms are usually pretty filthy, disgusting places, with the fine odor of mint and human waste floating like a cloud. I get in, wash up, and try to get out using elbows and knees, taking as few breaths as humanly possible.

News flash! These displays won't work on me... at all.

I think that really good advertising plays on all of the human senses, leaving subtle triggers in the human mind. This is basic psychology. You see, smell, touch, or hear something enough times in relationship to a message then you will eventually begin to retain and recall that information.

Simple stuff. Branding 101.

I guess my question is do you want your brand associated with the your service and message, or restimulating the fine scent of fresh pee and urinal cakes?

Hey... I think I just found my next sales pitch. -Oran

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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Run for cover! Here comes a gut bomb! (courtesy of Starbucks)

via thedailywh.at

So, Starbucks has announced its new size, the Trenta (which sounds like a pharmaceutical company to me). The Trenta will be a 31 ounce mega-gulp of Starbucks goodness.

I drink a lot of coffee during the day, but I don't think I want to have it all in one sit down. Still, I'm sure the Trenta will be a hit.

What I really want to talk about is the info-graphic showing the various sizes of their drink as compared to a soda can,... and a human stomach???

Is it just me, or is this kind of gross? This doesn't make me want to try a Trenta sized Starbucks drink. It makes me think of the episode of Mythbusters where they test pop-rocks and soda in a pig stomach. It makes me feel kind of gross and I imagine that every time I see a Trenta sized drink I'll think of this graphic.

The thought of a bloated, sloshy stomach doesn't make me think "tasty treat."

What say you? -Oran

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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Chimp My Ride!

I don't care which e-news software you're currently using. I don't care how good it is at what it does. Do you know why? Because Mail Chimp is the top banana in my book.

It's not only very powerful and user friendly, but it's a treat to log in to. From their talking chimp, to their various landing pages, Mail Chimp obviously gives a damn about how you feel when you visit their site, and they have a ton of creative fun with it.

Check out their current log-in page, all snazzed up "Pooh Corner" style. What else do I need to say?

I know, I know; looks aren't everything. Mail Chimp has more than looks going for it. It has guts. And bolts. And nuts. It would take a lot for me to switch platforms, to be quite honest.

What I love about companies like Mail Chimp is that they're constantly adding features, asking for feedback, and coming up with new ways to help you have a better user experience.

If you're not married to your current e-news platform (and even if you are) I'd would say you should at least take Mail Chimp for a swing. It won't cost you anything but your time, and they've made sure even that investment will be enjoyable. Even if you're not interested you should at least get an account (free) and see what I'm talking about.

I guess you'd say I'm kind of bananas over it (sorry... I couldn't resist). -Oran

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Planning a Kid's Birthday: A Few Advertising Basics

via adweek.blogs.com

This video has been making the rounds online and I've got to say that I really, really love it.

First off, it's pretty funny, especially if you work in the advertising industry. But, beyond the obvious humor, what I love most is that it really does show you that most of what we do in advertising can be pretty standard. There are rules that seem to apply to planning and promoting any event, large or small.

I think what really gets me the most that there are businesses that put less effort into their marketing and promotions than they would for a child's birthday.

I'm not suggesting that we all go out and offer free pony rides (or whatever the relevant equivalent for your business might be), but I am suggesting that there are some basic actions that can be taken to get the word out (many are very inexpensive) and keep the message moving.

Sure it takes planning,... and money,... and time, but if those kids are any kind of reflection of what an engaged, happy customer might look like, then I'd say it might be worth the effort.

Watch the video. Take notes. Take action.

-Oran

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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A Brand New Day

via presentationzen.com

I wasn't familiar with Brene Brown until I came across her TED presentation over at Gar Reynolds "Presentation Zen" feed. I didn't watch the presentation initially, but instead focused in on the title of her book, "The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are." Stop. Now, read that again.

I got up this morning with the intention of writing a post about letting go, reinventing, and starting over, and as I scanned through my favorite feeds this came back to the top.

You see, today is the first official day of a new direction for my personal brand, the Parker Brand. For years my personal brand has been walking along side me like a shadow, always pointing the way, while attracting the right individuals into my life. It wasn't a personal brand in a marketing sense. It was a personal brand that I recognized to be the "stuff" that makes me who I truly am, serving as a signpost for me, a guide that reminds me to be mindful, and always cultivate a deep awareness of things.

Some of that awareness has to do with advertising, marketing, illustration, and design, so naturally most would assume that the Parker Brand was just another commercialized brand trying to make its way. That would be the wrong assumption.

I've tried to protect the Parker Brand from that world for a long time, often stating clearly that it wasn't a business, but rather a creative way of doing things. Still, it's hard to keep a the true nature of a thing buried for very long.

Today is a brand new day for the Parker Brand. Today my personal brand does exactly as Brene Brown says to do, "let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are."

As I sit here looking at the little mark that those around me know as the Parker Brand I can almost hear it speaking, "It's a brand new day, buddy. Let's do something different. What do ya say?"

I say, "Let's."

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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Creative Marketer, Or Glory Seeker? Who Do You Want Working On Your Advertising?

via tomfishburne.com

I don't participate in advertising contests. I haven't in a couple of years. The ad-toon by Tom Fishburne reminded me that our own ADDY Awards are right around the corner, even more so because our local ADDYs theme this year happens to play on the "Mad Men" motif.

I'm a bit outspoken about the ADDY Awards, and creative award contests in general, but don't mistake my stance as sour grapes; I've heard my name called out many times in association with an award, and have seen it adorn the ADDY star. I've had my time in the sun, and it felt pretty good. Still, I've become disenchanted by the whole process, and I'll try to explain why.

Over the years, I've worked with several talented creative teams, and all have participated in our local ADDY Awards contest. As a team member, I happily followed along and participated with everyone else. It was expected. It was just what we did.

The ADDYs, as an event, can be a lot of fun. It's great to get together with your local advertising peers, and celebrate another year in the industry. There's the drinking, the dancing, the laughing, the entertainment, and the usually great food. And of course, there's always the chatter about who brought home the ADDY glass, who felt like they were robbed, and the curses of those dissatisfied with the judging (unless it happens to lean in their favor).

I participated heavily in the ADDY process for several years, working behind the scenes, acting as ADDY co-chair, eventually moving into the role of ADDY chair for our local organization. What I learned was that while the ADDYs are focused on creativity in advertising, it ultimately comes down to how much money the contest is moving through the organization. I also learned that while the ADDYs do attempt to celebrate creativity, they do nothing to highlight whether a campaign was truly effective, and as a side-effect they foster a sense of accomplishment in the ADDY recipients that is regardless of the advertising's true impact.

And then, there are the ad folk out there that move into each advertising project with winning an ADDY in mind, often sacrificing effectiveness and reach for obscure wit and humor. The participants who've been at the ADDY game for a while enter their creative works with a strategy to win, often retooling creative projects year after year, knowing that they will be exposing the works to new judges with each ADDY cycle. Seeing this led me to wonder how much one can truly get from hearing their name, or receiving the ADDY glass, if the methods by which the accolade was received are empty?

My problem isn't really with the ADDYs, I suppose, but rather with what drives many of the participants. Tom Fishburne's ad-toon really captures this problem in its simplicity. If adding ADDY glass to your case is what drives you then you may be cheating your client out of a solid creative strategy. Creativity, at least in a marketing sense, should always be tempered by strategy. A strong strategy can bridle creativity in a good way, making it sharp and pointed, leading it towards measurable results. But I suppose that's what advertising is to me; strategy driven creative communications with measurable results.

But I digress. I'm picking on the ADDY awards because they are the creative contest I'm familiar with. In the ADDY's defense, it is a creativity based contest, which is good and fine. It never claims to be more than that. There is no hidden agenda, and there are a lot of talented creative people who participate in the process, many that I consider my friends (although, I may be on the brown list after this post).

My problem is not with the award itself, but rather the desire to win that it instills, a desire which can turn a creative marketer into just another glory seeker.

Which leads me to ask, which one do you want working on your advertising?

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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Blamestorm VS Brainstorm

via tomfishburne.com

I'm always looking for an update over at Tom Fishburne's blog, "Marketoonist." They're usually spot on, bringing to light Tom's thoughts on various advertising subjects that many hard-boiled ad-suits would find too taboo to actually say out loud.

His recent ad-toon coins the phrase "blamestorming," and while my take on the phrase may have a bit different spin, I believe Tom is revealing a very real brainstorming problem, where creative teams, bloated with multiple swollen egos, devolve into finger pointing pros who miss the point of why they gathered.

In my experience, a brainstorm morphs into a blamestorm when a creative team meets under the guise of getting something creative done, but instead uses the time to criticize or poo-poo on any ideas that may come out during the jam session. Do any research on brainstorming and you'll hear the popular phrase, "there is no such thing as a bad idea." Everyone likes to say that, but as Tom Fishburne points out, too often it's more like, "remember, there's no such thing as unconstructive criticism."

I've sat through many of these blamestorms over the years. I've always wondered if the folks running the creative meeting had any sense of what a brainstorming session was at all.

A brainstorming session should be a place where ideas are born and captured, regardless of value or correctness. Then, after the ideas are all out on the table, every rabbit hole having been explored, the ideas are sifted through, then paired with one another, allowing something new and great to be born. Working in this way allows a true team to form, every member seeing their input play an important part in the final direction.

When's the last time you've worked on team where the brainstorming session truly created something wonderful and new? Was it painful getting there? In my opinion, it should never be a challenge of egos in a brainstorming session, with each individual trying to out create the other, or prove that they're the saltier marketer.

A brainstorming session should always be about the client and their project, the goal being to determine the best direction, and hopefully that direction will be fueled by the collective creativity of everyone involved, the client included.

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

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Dissatisfaction=Action (Time To Do Something Different)

I've always been bothered by excessive consumption. It has never really sat right with me, and there were times in my life when I would try to make sweeping changes in my life to rectify this. Each time I've went down that road I've realized pretty quickly that it's near to impossible to go all-or-nothing, especially raising a family, in our country. I've tried to find ways to satiate this dissatisfaction, but I would fall back into old habits and go about business as usual.


Well, the old sting has come back, but this time I've decided to make small, easy changes that I can truly implement on a personal level, and some that I can apply at home daily with my family as well. I want to share the journey, and my thoughts, with you.

I've openly shared my thoughts with others and I often get asked, "How does this fit in with your job? Aren't you in advertising?" I think this is a very good question, and it makes me look even harder at my chosen profession. I often ask myself this very thing. Being in advertising, a field that is very obviously geared towards the buying and selling of goods, can I honestly be true to my own feelings about consumerism without being a hypocrite? And on a side note, does this perspective that I embrace keep me from being good at my job? 

I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle for me. I've always sort of half-joked that the reason I'm decent at small-market advertising is because I'm not a victim to it. I resist being "sold," always keeping a healthy dose of skepticism about the advertising I am exposed to.

I think that advertising can be creative field that can do a lot of good, especially if the program, event, business or group is offering something this is truly beneficial to the community. Of course, there's also the reality that it's just pushing another plastic bottle, or styro-foam cup, encouraging people to "buy and toss," rather than reuse.

I've decided to walk that tightrope, and live in the middle-grey area, for now. I think that embracing these thoughts and finding a way to apply them to my craft will be good for me and my clients. It will help me look deeper into what they do, and the message they are trying to communicate to the public by approaching it with honesty, looking for ways to create the most impact with the smallest drain on resources. 

In presentations concerning social media I've often said that the dissatisfied will light the world on fire, while the satisfied sleep in the flames. That seems to apply here. Often, satisfaction breeds complacency, but dissatisfaction leads to action. Small actions. Small steps. Real, workable application in everyday life. That's the path I plan to take. I'll keep you posted on how it's going. -OP

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The Goodwill Girls

I love to go picking at Goodwill on $.50 Sundays. I always find something great, and even if it's not so great it's still only $.50. It's usually packed with folks, so I have to get in there and get pickin' like I've got a purpose. With all those folks jammed in the place I'm sometimes treated to a few horrible, yet wonderful sites. In fact, this past Sunday I was treated to something so horrible and wonderful that I felt I had to share it with you.

WARNING!! 

These creatures are not for the faint of heart, but I would encourage you to not look away. Take a minute to really reconcile your thoughts on what you are seeing. My friends, meet the Goodwill Girls!

Now, I'm sure these lovely ladies were placed near the check-out line to help sell the fine dresses you see them wearing. They were so odd, and terrible, and strange, and AMAZING... I felt that if I stepped to close they may actually turn their heads and speak. It was like being in an Old Navy mannequin commercial gone horribly wrong. I'm certain that one of these débutantes will eventually make their way into my dreams, or rather my nightmares.

I'm always curious to see how creative businesses can be with their in-store displays and packaging, and I know that Goodwill certainly doesn't have anything that resembles a big-brand budget for that sort of thing. Still, I can't imagine the person who put this ensemble together thinking "that looks damn good." Although, in it's own quirky way it actually works.

So, I'm curious... which of the Goodwill Girls scares you the most? My money was on the one in purple, but after looking at the pictures again I think I'm gonna go with blue. something about those thin eyes and rosy cheeks. GAH!

What say you? Which one freaks you out?

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Living in the Sunshine, Having a Wonderful Time!

I've been really busy for the past few months... I mean really busy. When most folks ask me how I've been, that's usually my answer, "It's been busy." Their reaction is, "That's good. Better than the alternative." I agree. It really is better than the alternative.

I love my clients. I love making their advertising look great, getting it done on time, and working within their budget. That's what I do. It's pretty rewarding to go from the initial meeting with the client, to work on their proposal and then finally see the project come to completion.

Here's the rub

When you do what you say you're going to do, do it well, on time and on budget word gets around. Again, this is a good thing. The problem arises when too many projects converge at the same time. It doesn't mean that the work can't be done at the same level, or on deadline. It just means that every minute is precious and that you have to do things by the numbers, with no hick-ups.

In time

Every project has to happen in time. I say this a lot, but I don't think many truly comprehend the weight of that statement. Time is a resource; a commodity. Our culture runs on a linear time system (I believe that we operate this way because our human lives are finite... or at least that's what we think). Time, for us, starts here and finishes over there. There is only so much of it available and every single thing we do is framed by this outline. So, when projects exist within the same time-frame you've got to be able to allot a certain amount of your time resources to specific tasks. To make this work effectively you've got to know how to do your job quickly and well, then properly manage your time. If you don't, then the whole system falls apart and that's when deadlines get missed.

Having a wonderful time

Anway... I love my job. I love my clients. I love making them happy... even if every now and then things get a little tight. I'm glad that they all trust me to do what I say I'm going to do, which is help them get their message out there in an effective, attractive and creative way... even if every now and then I feel like this.

Here's wishing all of you, and all my clients a wonderful time in the sunshine! Now, back to my linear scheduled program. -OP

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Hello, Ladies!: A Neat Product & Packaging Design That Caught My Eye

For a product to sell it has to get noticed first. Once it's noticed, it can be purchased and used, then if it's really innovative someone will tell someone else about it, etc., etc. We all know how that works. While creating something innovative can really give a product it's legs, but it's the "getting noticed" that really gets those legs moving.

This weekend as I was shopping I noticed a product called "Brushing Beauties" on the shelf of our local "Bed, Bath & Beyond." Why did these little gals grab my eye? Well, not unlike the Pringle's can that I discussed a while back, the Beauties take things that we know (and are often disregarded), then twist them ever-so-slightly so as to cause our brain to question what we're seeing.

Now, these products aren't exactly innovative. They don't solve a problem, or introduce anything new. If anything, they're just scrub-brushes with a really cool paint job. But, that's not a reason for me to fault the company that makes them; quite the opposite. I think the Beauties are great!

The combination of the faces, hair & colors, married to the packing formed into their dresses, really makes them jump out at you in hard contrast to the other items on the shelves. I'm a hard sell, but I instantly found myself trying to think of someone to buy one of these for. In fact, I would have bought all three if I could have justified the purchase (I'm a hard sell). 

In the end, was the product itself that great? No. Would I go back to pick these up for someone? Absolutely! There's no doubt in my mind that someone would be excite to have these... especially if I got the whole set.

The folks behind this product are putting their innovative brain power on the packaging design, and I think it works! I don't imagine that they're trying to change the world here. They just want you to see these brushes, and buy them. It's probably not any heavier than that. If that's the case then I'm going to call this an innovative packaging design win. What are your thoughts?

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"What Galactus knows,... he can DESTROY!" Reflections on a 1960s comic pick

Sometimes you find a deal you can't pass up. This happened to me recently when I was picking up my comic pull from our local shop, Paper Heroes.

Every now and then Kevin (the owner) will by a bunch of old comics off of someone. Most of the time it's things that I bought back in the 80's, around the time of Crisis on Infinite Earths. But sometimes he'll get a batch of older stuff in, and I like to pick through those boxes when he gets 'em.

On this particular trip he had a stack of old Thor comics, about 6 or 7 of them, and they were in decent shape  (and by that I mean that they weren't coming apart in my hands). I would loved to have had them all, but they were all around $6 bucks a piece and I'd already spent close to my weekly comic book budget (self imposed, mind you). That all being the case, I picked the one with the coolest cover and interiors.

I don't get an opportunity to look through old books like this very often. It's a rare treat, and I thought I'd share a few pages with you.

The date on the inside puts it being published in January of 1969. The really great thing here is that it's from the Stan Lee / Jack Kirby era of Thor, which pretty much established everything we know and love about the character today.

This cover design features a classic Thor picture, and also features another prominent Marvel character... GALACTUS!

Now, I'm not sure who this guy is (I must admit that I haven't read the issue cover-to-cover yet), but I liked the dynamism and simplicity of the page. What I really love about this page (and this book) is the dialog. I totally get what this guy is saying. I mean, how CAN one convey the dire menace of Galactus? I just don't think it's possible.

Even better is when the big guy shows up. Galactus pretty much has the ultimate "I don't give a shit" attitude. I'd hate to have to negotiate anything with him. I guess he's earned the right to be a dead-pan punk, what with being the last survivor of the original universe before the big bang (If you don't know, then look that stuff up).

So he comes into the picture in this issue, then proclaims, "What Galactus knows... he can DESTROY!" I love the full page shot of his face. The colors are really awesome, especially the hot green used on the word balloons. they really contrast with the fusia and navy of his armor.

The other bonus of digging through these old comics is the advertising. It's loaded with great little gizmos and gadgets from the '60s. I really cracked up when I saw the ad for a "Darling Pet Monkey." Did kids really order monkeys by mail? I can't even imagine asking my parents for that.

Anyway, I don't know about having a pet monkey, but I can just about guarantee that if  were a kid in the '60s I'd have had my eye on the Hypno-Coin.

Who wouldn't want to "make people obey your command?" And all in the power of a single coin? I gotta have one.

I think I'm really going to start looking for more of these old comics; not really to collect them for resale, or anything. I just like having them to dig through and share with friends. It's nice to actually hold a piece of comic book / art history in your hand. It reminds me that things change, and for me that's an important lesson to keep at the forefront of your mind. Maybe someday some fella will buy one of my comics after I'm long gone, and reminisce about how comic books were actually drawn with ink, and printed on paper.

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• Is Hasbro's Giant Galactus The Greatest Comic-Con Exclusive Toy Ever? (The Answer Is Yes) (splashpage.mtv.com)
• Galactus versus Thor! An ICONS sample combat from Greywulf's Lair " RPG (greywulf.net)

What's Behind Button Number 4?

So, I stopped to fuel up this morning, and before I could get out of my vehicle I was bombarded with the sound blaring from the little screen at the left of the pump. Look, I'm all for advertising. In fact, good advertising can actually be entertaining and beneficial to society (I'll defend that another time). All that being said, good advertising is not what comes to mind when I run into one of these devices. They're very annoying, and nothing short of noise pollution.

I reached out to look for the magic mute button, and what did I see? If number 4 is any indication, then I'm not the only one who can't tolerate these things.



Thoughts?

"Reach For The Sky" A Logo Goes Into Action

I recently started working with a new client. I was hired to help them develop their logo, and am now working with them on the signage for their new location. We installed their "Coming Soon" banner last Friday and it turned out great! It's highly visible from the street and the colors really stand out. I've got to say, there's something pretty rewarding about seeing a logo go into action. It's even more rewarding when you know you did your job well and on time, and left your client satisfied.

Posted via email from The Parker Brand Picture Post!

You "Mite" Like This Billboard (or "Local Outdoor Concept Gets The Parker Brand Bump")

Outdoor advertising is one of my favorite forms of communication. That may come from the roots that I laid down in the sign industry when I first got into the advertising field. Like most medium-sized markets, we've got our fair share of billboards. Most of the time they're just more noise on the landscape, but from from time-to-time something really cool will pop up. This time, it popped up right across the street from my office.

So, what's so exceptional about this particular billboard? Well, there are few things, but I'll get to that in a second.

On the surface it looks like just another pest control advertisement. It does the job of telling you who the company is, and what they do. It's not overloaded with text. I do happen to know that the logo was inherited by a local sign company, and then they created a set of graphics for a vehicle-wrap (which is pictured in the layout), and it seems that those graphics have set the tempo for everything you see here. I'm assuming that the jeep is a large part of this company's advertising campaign because I've seen it used in their print advertising as well.

Now, on to the good stuff. This is actually a double-stacked billboard. If you look closely you can see the backside of the board. I think purchasing both boards is a great idea. You get all of the attention that way.

They've utilized an extension from the top of this over-sized outdoor purchase to draw attention to their "100% Effective" message. If that's what they wanted folks to see, then it does the trick.

All of those things are great, but what really made me stop (literally... I pulled over) was the pole. Who uses the pole? In this market, just about no one. This company wants you to know that it's termite season and all of those little termites crawling up the pole do the job just fine. What a creative way to draw a potential customer's eyes up to the message.

This pest control company owns this side of the board, 100%! It's the only board on this side of this particular stretch of highway, so if you're scanning the horizon as you drive then chances are they'll own your attention as well.

I'm not sure which agency advises this particular company. Maybe they make their own media decisions, or maybe they were advised by AdSource Outdoor Advertising. I know that Henry "Rock" Hardy is an experienced outdoor man, so I wouldn't be surprised if this little morsel wasn't cooked up by him.

No matter where is came from, this local piece of advertising get's the Parker Brand Bump! I hope that we see more of this type of creative thinking in this market. Good job!

"Batter UP!" Updating A Package Design Without Leaving the Existing Brand Behind

I've been working with a Cajun food product manufacturer for quite some time. Most of the designs that I've had to work with were inherited from those who came before me. My challenge has always been to update the look of the company's advertising and packaging, without leaving the brand identity established by the original designers.

I've been working on a packaging update that addresses this point exactly. The company is rolling out a new fish fry and all-purpose batter. These products will be packaged in the same size bag as the company's already popular seafood boil. When I came on board, the seafood boil packaging was already in place.

Here is the original seafood boil design:

New products don't roll out every day. When they do, I usually do what I can to move the packaging design forward. I don't like to upset the status quo of the brand too much, but if I think I can improve on the product's shelf appeal by enhancing the brand's existing elements, and adding a few, then I do.

On the new batter and fry products, I wanted to start introducing some new color schemes and tactile elements. I felt like it was important to show food cooked with the product, and to choose textures and colors that may trigger specific feelings and emotions about the food.

The new direction for the batter and fry packaging:

If feel like these design updates are moving in the right direction. I've left most of the staple branding elements intact, such as the logo, mark, banners, framing and font choices, but what I've changed has made a huge difference in the way the bags will stand out on the shelf. 

This may be the new direction for all future packaging designs produced for this company. As product is sold, and existing packaging and labels are used, I may eventually have an opportunity to revamp the look and feel of every product in the line.

I always find it challenging to take an existing brand and update it without actually doing a complete 180 from where it stands. This product line poses that challenge to me, which makes working on it a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to updating more of their packaging designs in the future.

This Logo is DYN-O-MITE! (or "J.J.'s")

This was a pretty fun little logo update that I had to burn out. The client was in a time-crunch pickle so they hired the Sweet Spot Team to create an identity update. Is it a dyn-o-mite logo? I don't know about that, but I think it'll do it's job for the client, and that's what counts. I do my Parker Brand best to produce modular logos that work hard, so my clients can get a lot of life out of them. Due to production deadlines, I had to crank it out like a fire-cracker, but I made sure that I didn't sacrifice quality for speed. If you're interested in seeing where the logo was before the update, then click here. I've got a few thumbnail sketches in there as well. Now,... what was I doing before I started this?

Posted via email from So, what does Oran Parker post?

Watchin' the Wheel Go 'Round and 'Round... Again!

The Southwest Louisiana marketing & advertising world, like most sub-cultures, has it's own gossip pipeline, and the valve has been opened once again. Since I moved back to the area 5 years ago, I've seen this pipeline pass information from person to person, office to office, email to email, around our area and back again in a matter of minutes (around and around and around we go... where we'll land, nobody knows).

Over the years, there have been names that almost always float to the top of this pool of information. Sadly, these are the folks that I will most likely never have a real, or meaningful conversation with, because the the hard-boiled truth is that my information isn't safe with them...and neither is yours. I suppose, for those folks, being "in the know" is more important than being trustworthy. Who knows?

The local cycle always seems to be in flux (guess that's why it's called a cycle), usually kicking into gear every 6 months or so. Every time one of these shifts happens, the whole advertising community is ablaze with predictions and theories. It's pretty funny to watch, actually.

I remember getting my foot in the door to the local marketing community, hearing the "big" names in the local business (I've worked with more than a few of them). Folks talk. Who's the best at what we do, the most talented, the smartest, on the rise? Who has better clients? Who's working for who? Who's leaving who? Who's unhappy with who?

Since those first days in the market I've seen some folks rise to the top, take a tumble, start over at the bottom and rise up again. Others have shifted job titles and companies multiple times, never finding a semi-permanent home. Heck! I suppose that could even describe me, to a large degree.

It's all a bit silly, actually. Who's the best at what we do? Who is the strongest "agency" in our market? What's going to happen if such-and-such leaves this-and-that company? Now that person-x has left left company-y, and now works for company-z, what does that ultimately mean?

I honestly just do not care (I suppose I care a little, or I wouldn't be writing this post, but I digress). You see, for all of the soothsaying that goes on in our market, not one of these predictions actually does anything to make the market stronger. It just puts the same tired cycle into motion, over and over again...and we all play our part by continuing to pick up the phone, pass emails, tweets, Facebook posts and whisper in each others ears at parties, events and lunches...spreading our delicious information.

Well, you guys have fun with that.

I plan to just stand by and watch the next wave of musical chairs come and go. Folks'll settle in and get comfortable and before long it'll be business as usual...until the next time the wheel rolls around. In the meantime, I'll just focus on what matters to me most as an advertising professional; being honest and straightforward, working hard for the clients who trust me, and getting the job done on time. You see, that's what's really lacking in our market. If we all worried about what was going on in our own house a little more, and about spreading gossip a little less, we'd all have happier clients and a stronger market too.

That is all. -OP

Counting Backwards: Project Planning Made Easy

Projects. Deadlines. Two words that I deal with everyday, and if you're working on a team in any of the creative industries then you deal with them too. From the sign business to the print industry, on over to web marketing, projecting and managing projects is an important skill with a lot of gravity attached to it. I've been lucky enough to work under a lot of project managers and systems...and I've seen a lot of chaos and broken promises. But, I've also been fortunate enough to have seen a few things that actually work, things that generate happy customers who returned again and again. I claim to have no "inside scoop" or "magic solution" to your project management problems. What I offer here are my direct thoughts on how to keep your projects moving and on time. If it's of use to you in your particular industry...FANTASTIC! If not, drop me a comment at the end. I"m always open to learn a thing or two.

• Start at the end.
• When does the client need it in hand? Begin backtracking from there.
  
• Know where to begin.
• What would be your first step to getting the project started? How long will these things take. You figure this out at the beginning. Everyone needs to know what is expected of them, hot dates, etc.
• Don't lie.
• If you can't complete a project in the time frame needed then don't say you can. You'll tax your office resources (your team), throw off your entire schedule of projects and you run the risk of creating a negative reputation for yourself and your team.
• Where are all your projects?
• Are you moving on a track that will allow you and your team to meet all of existing deadlines?
• Could the new project put any other project behind? If the answer is "yes" then the new project's time line must be adjusted accordingly. Sacrificing one project to save another is a bad habit to start. Once you pick this nasty habit up you'll be out of sync, and so will your team, and fixing this could take many, many months or years (yes..."years").
  
• How long will it take?
• Lean on your experience. How long will it take for each individual to realistically do their tasks? You must know how long it will take to produce each individual element that will come together to complete the project. Trust your team members to tell you this. If you've hired the right people then they will be able to give you an approximation on project time.
  
• How many hours can you put into it each day?
• Again, you must know where each project stands before you commit to a time line on your new project. It is unrealistic and detrimental to the entire process if you do not take each project into consideration before you start planning a new one. If this become "the norm" then you have a problem. Time shaved off of other projects to make room for new ones will put you into a creative tailspin. Taking that approach can push team members to do what is easy, not what is best, and that's not why you were hired...is it?
  
• What do you need to do the job?
• Most projects in advertising industry need a stew of ingredients to be completed, and that's just internally. Externally you need to know who your vendors are that will be producing many of your final products. What are their deadlines? Are they set in stone? Is there any cushion?
  
• When does it go into production?

• Externally you need to know who your vendors are that will be
  producing many of your final products. What are their deadlines? Are
  they set in stone? Is there any cushion? Remember! These dates are important and you must have them to successfully plan a project. Going off what you think is a fair time frame is not fair to your client, your team or your existing projects. Call your vendors. Tell them about your project expectations and work with them as if they were a member of your team. Trust them to tell you what is possible.
  

• When is the first internal proof?
• How long will this take? Once you've gotten to the internal proofing stage then you need to move quickly. There is no reason to let a project sit and grow cold. Internal proofing is the easiest thing that can be done, a step over which you have complete control. Being at this stage means that your team has done their job. All of the elements have been brought together. Now is the time to stop and review.
  
• When will the client get their first proof?
• So, you've proofed it internally. Now it's time to put it in front of the client. Are you on schedule? If you've respected all of your project benchmarks then you should be and your client should be receiving their proof shortly, and they should be very pleased because you are delivering it to them when you said you would. Being on time is a true sign of professionalism.
  
• Don't wait on the client.
• You'll want to make sure that the client is aware of the project schedule from the very beginning. Be clear. They must understand that at this stage they are a part of your team. Put this "proof to client" stage of the proofing process on a schedule and try to stick to it. Remember! You will need time to make any changes that the client may request, and to polish off anything that you may have missed in your first round of proofing. The goal is to get it to the client by the promised date, follow up on it, make any changes, proof one more time, then move on to production.
• If you promise it, then do it!
• Don't ask your team "how fast can you do this." Instead, ask your team "how much time will it take you to do it right." This is going to give you a more realistic time line, a much better product and a very happy client. You'll have realistic benchmarks in your time line and you'll be able to hold all those involved accountable for making sure they meet their individual deadlines, which should bring your project together in the end.
• Pack in some peanuts.
• Remember! No matter how much planning you do there will always be problems. Make sure you add some cushion to your time frame. Another tremendous error that most teams make is not allowing time for errors, production delays, equipment failure, etc., etc. (seriously...if you can think of it, then it can happen). Maybe everything will go perfect and you and your team will slide through the project from beginning to end, with no hang ups, completing the project right on time (or EARLY), but the old saying "hope for the best, prepare for the worst" is a good one to keep in mind.

There are plenty of project management books out there; software too. Ultimately it come down to the people running the show, how skilled their team members are, and how good the project manager is at doing their job. Most of my thoughts on getting from beginning to end on a project seem like common sense to me. I hope these simple tips will help you give your project management methods an overhaul. Comments are welcome.