10 Gifts for Graphic Designers

With Christmas coming soon, I thought I’d make a list of things that would help spur creativity for any creative. This list is in no particular order.

10. Helvetica

You can get the typeface or the movie. Designers will enjoy either one.

 

9. Moleskin

8. Sharpies

Any size, any color.

7. Color Pencils

 

6. Mugs for our Coffee

It’s hard to get up in the morning.

5. Typeography t-shirt.

Buy a type t-shirt or even a framed type print.

4. Printer Blocks.

3. Run away alarm clock.

Did I mention it’s hard to wake up in the morning.

2. Apple’s Magic Mouse:

Anything apple will be a hit.

1. Wacom Tablet

Book Art

You can’t judge a book by its cover (unless it’s a romance novel), but you can judge a library if it’s uninspiring and turns youth/non-readers away from its doors. All the libraries I’ve visited have been pretty boring and do wrong onto the books they keep. I have found pieces of art that can help boost a library in need.

This example I found from NotCot.org, it’s a book case that I think would be fun for a travel or American History section of a library.

What your read can make up who you are, but what makes up what you read? Check out this classic BBH sheep in the bookcase look:

Also, think outside the box with bookends.

The essence of libraries needs to be changed to encourage those who not only judge books by there cover, but won’t even go near a boring library. Thanks to the Kansas City Library, who is way ahead of the game with their wonderful facade:

Time to capture the power and imagination of books through art.

Lunch with Ashly

I just had lunch with Ashly Stewart, who is interning at ID Branding across the street from Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse.

We discussed branding/strategy, but also reminisced about school (even though it’s been less than a month since graduation).

She’s still documenting everything from even the street of Portland.

How to Entertain Yourself

Truth About Wolves

NYC One Show

After being selected to present our Long’s Horseradish campaign at the One Show 2009 Client Pitch Competition, it was time to buy a plane ticket.

One of the best perks of the trip was booking a room at the Ace Hotel; however, it wasn’t open so instead they set us up at the swanky Hudson Hotel. There was no way any of us could normally afford it, that Ace for paying the difference.

It was a great opportunity to enjoy the city with people I love to hang out with. We found a city strange enough for even our motley group.

Navigating the subways and streets was one of my favorite parts, it even became a challenge when my trusted BlackBerry lost service underground.

During the portfolio review, I gained insight in what my peers were doing when introduced to the same difficulties that occur when putting a portfolio together.

Thursday, Rachel Hom, Megan Nuttall, and I presented our Long’s pitch. I could have been more pleased with how it turned out and it was great to have the support of our Oregon friends there. Not being select for the pencil was not a big deal, we learned a lot from our experience of branding horseradish.

My take aways from the trip were: great work = great ideas, enjoy life 100% of the time, I have an awesome group of supporters, friends, dance partners.

Check out this flip video of Tyler beatboxing with the Naked Cowboy and click here for another video by Kristin Vanderburgh of the trip.

Mt. Bachelor Rebranding

Partners: Danielle Schisler, Alison Ho

We were asked by DVA in Bend, Oregon to help redesign and rebrand Mt. Bachelor the 2010 snow season. The redesign consisted a new modern look using the typeface Rockwell in combination with natural colors. The logo represents the 360 degree view from on top of the mountain, allowing snow enthusiasts 360 different possibilities.

Each excecution represents passionate and customized experiences. The first targets people in cities that don’t recieve an annual snowfall. Clear, see-through billboards will be placed around cities, like Los Angeles, snow is placed on the billboard and if seen at the right position the city experiences snow. In the airport, travelers will experience what it’s like on top of Mt. Bachelor’s summit. As the luggage carousel rotates, weary travelers get the 360 degree view of the summit.

Henry Weinhard’s Campaign

Partners: Nicole Schultz

Our process began with our initial concept of Experience Portland. We believe Weinhard’s local roots to the city and Northwest attributes will create loyal brand advocates.

Styleboard:

Using the variety of sodas (Root Beer, Vanilla Cream, Black Cherry, and Orange Cream), we took the brand to the next level: we attributed the soda with distinct personality types of the Northwest.

Root Beer: outdoorsy-bear-wrestling-hiker, Vanilla Cream: Pearl-District-yoga-enthusiast, Black Cherry: self-proclaimed-Hawthorne-hipster, and Orange Cream: nautical-salmon-loving-AARP-member.

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Final Excecutions

The next step we took in the Weinhard’s campaign was connecting the soda to distinct places in Portland. The people of Portland are already advocates for where they live, by introducing each soda to distinct areas of Portland, we in turn create distinct advocates for the sodas.

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For furture gowth, taking the concept :Experience Portland” to the next level. We want Henry’s be more Portland-y and Northwest-y by using music and the Northwest green awareness. By taking Henry’s to local music venues and festivals, each soda can have its own flavor or genre of music. For example, Black Cherry would attend The Manimals concert at the Crystal Ballroom, we create a following of The Manimals‘ fans that have an affiliation with the soda that is beyond flavor or taste.

In order to be green, Henry’s would go back to the roots of soda distribution by creating bottle refilling centers. Instead of recycling a bottle, Henry’s will go up the green pyramid by reusing bottles. The Northwest is know for being a leader in green, Weinhard’s needs to reflect that leadership. We would introduce the bottle refilling centers at the local music venues and from there establish centers around the Northwest.

Oregon New Ventre Championship

Just had an exciting weekend in Portland at the NVC event hosted by the UO Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship. The AHA team documented and took a break from worrying about the collateral for the event. The best take away of the event was understanding what happens in the business side of a brand. 

The business school is pretty distant from the SOJC, both physical location and school of thought. Yet, beyond college these two must mix and work well together. One huge difference was how to present. The business presentations were structured exactly the same way — where in advertising, being difference gets you the job. The business teams always stressed the bottom line profit and initial investment — where the judges looked more for brand current and potential strength. The winners of the event were BYU with KT tape, they had a solid brand and made the other teams look like door to door salesmen.

Click here for photos I took of the event.

Article about on the NVC event.

NYC with my Mama

My mom and I took a must need voyage across the continental United States (via Delta airlines — check out their new inflight safety video, it’s awesome new branding). We stayed at the Milford Plaza hotel (the lullaby of Broadway), one block away from Time Square — great location and great price. The hotel is located in the center of all the Broadway shows, Avenue Q, Billy Eliot, Impressions, Hair, and the Lion King were all on our block. My mom really wanted to see Mama Mia — we were able to get half-off tickets for a showing that day thanks to the TKTS booth in Time Square. If you don’t care about what play you want to see, you should visit this ticket booth.

More TK

Check out my flickr for more photos of the trip.