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When logos try to do too much.
One of the common mistakes when designing logos is creating them in a vacuum and not in context. This leads to the temptation to turn a logo into all-encompassing ad, signifying an organization's laundry list of capabilities in one small symbol.
While a logo must communicate a company's core thoughts simply and effectively, it's important to remember that a logo rarely lives on its own. It is almost always paired with some type of meaning or message: in an ad, on a product, on stationary, etc.
So how do you know if a logo is effective?
When you look at the logo, in an instant, do you get its core thoughts? Does it provoke an emotion or an idea? Does it identify the basic brand promise (or premise) of the business, service or organization? Is it functional? Most importantly, is the logo imaginative and unique? This helps with its memorability and likeability, which translates into real value for the organization.
The masterful designer Paul Rand said that a logo should serve as a flag for an organization. Simple, memorable and inspiring, rather than overly descriptive.
What challenges have you faced with logos, as a marketer or creator?
Posted by 3 at 04:11 PM | Post a comment
Friday, June 8, 2007
Welcome to my ad, please come in.
A popular (and somewhat comical) mantra in advertising is "break through the clutter." Rise above the sea of ads or drown with the thousands of other inputs that go virtually unnoticed. Of course, it’s true that thousands of messages assault people every day and that the competition to be noticed is ever-increasing – but focusing on “breaking through” seems to give undue credit to conditions we can’t control. People like it because it sounds easy, “Oh, I can just break out of the clutter…piece of cake.” Unfortunately, most people tend to come up with a solution that attempts to be physically bigger, brutally louder or simply annoying. Voila, instant clutter.
Instead, we like to invite people into our ad. People don’t experience sensory overload only to end up exhausted; they have filters so they can pick and choose what to perceive and what to pass up. Have you ever noticed how many ads for televisions you become aware of when you’re interested in buying a TV? It’s not that television advertisers are suddenly advertising more. It’s because that has become important to you and your filters let it in. Getting through those filters becomes the puzzle - and clutter is simply one environmental reality to plan around as we figure out how to earn meaningful attention from the right hearts and minds. How do you get them to come into your ad? By presenting something relevant and important to them. Not by shouting what is important to you.
The clutter monster isn’t ours to conquer – consumers have that influence and they use it every day. Our success will result from seeing the world from their point of view, not from focusing on the environment they live in.
Posted by 3 at 11:48 AM | Post a comment
Monday, April 23, 2007
Tuning in to TV commercials.
In the advertising world, what goes on in media research doesn’t always affect creative circles – but Nielsen’s new TV commercial ratings are causing quite a buzz. Up until now, there were TV program ratings – we knew how many people watched Ugly Betty. However, soon we’ll know how many people tuned into the commercial breaks during Ugly Betty - and soon after that, Nielsen will tell us how many people saw each commercial within the breaks.
The breakthrough benefit for agency media planners and their clients is a more accurate assessment of actual value and a likely economic advantage. We finally have the negotiating leverage to stop paying for restless eyeballs that zap out during commercial breaks. TV sellers are understandably nervous.
Creative departments, though, are a bit more cautious. Clients hungry for accountability may perceive the new data as a black and white report card on each piece of creative. There is a natural attraction to data-based rationale whether it’s out of genuine interest to make better decisions or relief that the stake in the ground no longer has to be personal judgment. This new research capability may be a revival for the value of great creative. Demonstrating one and for all that people are more likely to tune in when the message is relevant, meaningful and (dare we say) entertaining. As opposed to the classic ad formula of screaming features and prices at the viewer.
But we can’t ask this new data to do more than its share of heavy lifting. When all is said and done, there will still be the age-old question about who gets the credit and who gets the blame: does a commercial rating reflect the spot’s appeal, or its position in the break within a well-targeted program? Or, did viewers simply zap out to grab breaking news on CNN? And to that point, can any research capture the countless forces that affect how well a message is received, such as whether someone was distracted by kids or dogs at the time of exposure? Maybe some day, but not quite yet.
It’s important to embrace Nielsen’s progress as key input, but it should not serve stand-alone as rationale for multifaceted decisions that are still better made with good old collaboration and human judgment.
Posted by 3 at 03:21 PM | Post a comment
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