Ever wonder what makes the creative side of Shennum Green tick? Take a minute and get to know a little about the newest addition to our Creative Department, Graphic Designer Charlene Wong.

How did you know you wanted to become a graphic designer?

I knew I wanted to become a graphic designer whenever I went out to a restaurant or movie; I would critique the design of the menu or the type in the opening credits.

How did you start designing?

I started designing in high school. I took an electronic arts class and was exposed to Adobe for the first time. One of my favorite projects I did was designing a kite and then actually printing it out and assembling a real-life kite.

How do you keep up with the latest trends and technology?

I sign up for a lot of e-mails! Some are design blogs, some are retail. You get great ideas from seeing them stack up in your inbox and they usually have quick stories you can read to keep up on the latest trends. I also follow Logo Lounge, Veer, and 99 Designs on Twitter.

Where do you go for design inspiration?

I actually go to Google Images. I type in a phrase that comes to mind and see what comes up. That usually gets my gears going, and from there I’ll sketch out different ideas.

What is your favorite type of project to work on?

I heart logo design. I find that it’s challenging and not easy to develop a logo that works.

What are the tools that as a designer you couldn’t live without?

I couldn’t live without my Pantone books and my iPhone! I even have a Pantone app on my iPhone. Also, I have another app that helps me keep track of time I spend working on projects.

How would you define a “good” design?

A good design is when I see it and it makes me think, “I wish I’d thought of that.” Usually, it’s clean, simple, has good use of type, and compels you to explore it more.

What are some of your favorite advertising pieces out there?

I love Method products and Apple products. I think the design of everything from the product to the packaging just works without trying too hard. I think Target has great advertising. And I pretty much die every time I see Jack-in-the-Box commercials. Plus, their new logo is a fantastic refresh of the old one.

Author: Charlene

Author: Lindsey

From government surveillance to in-car directions to mobile phone apps, GPS technology is now finding its way onto more and more marketing plans.

Many companies are banking on mobile advertising to be the next big thing. Market researchers RNCOS predicts the market for GPS products and applications will hit $75 billion by 2013. A chunk of that change will come from advertising dollars. In fact, Forrester Research projects advertisers will spend $561 million on mobile ads in 2010 and $1.3 billion by 2013.

Advertisers are continually looking for new ways to reach their audience, and the emergence of Smart Phones with their wireless Internet and GPS capabilities is shaping up to be that new vehicle.

Whether the location-based mobile ad is a text message sent within a geo-fenced area (geo-fencing draws a virtual perimeter around a particular location – in urban areas the fences can be up to half a mile around say a store or restaurant and up to a mile in suburbia) or an email alert that a store is within walking distance – advertisers are able to get closer to consumers than ever before.

And the evidence is out there:
- In February 2010, The North Face launched a campaign in San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Boston where consumers were sent a text message once they were within a certain proximity of a North Face store
- Between Feb. 25 and Mar. 11, 2010, H&M partnered with the online game MyTown in a campaign promoting a sale using GPS locations and online alerts
- This March 2010, Target introduced a mobile coupon program that allows consumers to receive exclusive offers on their phone

“Mobile ads are promising because they are highly personalized, but that intimacy also means the bar is higher for the ads to be well done and relevant,” said Julie Ask, Vice President and Mobile Analyst at Forrester Research.

The niche of mobile advertising is still in its infant stage – but is growing and becoming more sophisticated by the day. Of course, the one large detail to a successful mobile advertising campaign is having a robust list of interested OPT-IN consumers – which, granted, is no small feat to build. But it’s only a matter of time for advertisers to navigate this new territory and the location-based mobile advertising boom to begin.

Author: Lindsey

If you think that dumbing down your website is all you have to do to design a mobile website, think again. There are many requirements you have to consider when developing a mobile website.

The mobile Internet is the web designed just for mobile phones.  It is not only for the high-end smartphones with 3G or 4G network service – it’s also now available on virtually any mobile phone (even those disposable, pay-as-you-go phones!).

First, when developing a mobile website, you need to consider your users data plan or service.  Depending on the amount of usage, users can purchase a service plan by the pay-per-kilobyte or a flat fee for unlimited usage.

Second, you must consider the type of mobile browser that users would use, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer.

Third, you need to make sure your mobile website is easily found by using mobile search engines. Mobile sites such as Google Mobile, maintain a separate index for “true” mobile websites. Remember, not everyone will be on an iPhone® or Blackberry®, so balancing content and graphic images will be key to your mobile website development.

A mobile website isn’t just your website reduced in size, but rather reorganized and concise to present relevant content more efficiently.

Here’s one mobile website worth checking out: mobile.fandango.com. It’s optimized to fit on any mobile phone, and you can view the most popular movies and critic ratings, watch a trailer, search movie theater locations and purchase tickets with less than 25 kb worth of data.

Author: Oshi

Attention all snail mail users, those currently waiting in line at the post office and direct mail marketing professionals: get ready to say goodbye to postal service on Saturdays.

Faced with growing deficits and dwindling business, the United States Postal Service last week reintroduced proposals to cut costs, close post offices, raise rates and eliminate some services, most notably Saturday mail delivery. BUT. Eliminating Saturday delivery would take an act of Congress – let’s face it, not the most expeditious government entity, especially in an election year.

But how big of an impact will stamping out Saturday service have on direct mail marketing? One-third of the postal service’s revenue comes from advertising mail, according to Linda Woolley of the Direct Marketing Association trade group. She said her association, which includes magazine and catalog publishers as well as direct-mail marketers, supports the service’s proposals because its members, too, depend on the Postal Service remaining viable without sharply raising rates.

And although the move will present a challenge to the direct mail marketing industry, Advertising Age reports that many marketers are bracing themselves and preparing to adjust.

Of course, this all begs the question whether email marketing is slowly replacing direct mail marketing all together. Campaign dollars have dramatically shifted to online ventures and limiting the number of mail delivery days isn’t exactly helping the cause.

So, what’s going to happen next in this delivery drama? The Postal Regulatory Commission first must offer an official advisory to the service on significant changes like reducing mail service to five days a week. The Postal Service will formally propose its changes to the commission later this month, said Ruth Y. Goldway, the chairwoman of the commission.

We’ll keep you posted. Pun intended.

Author: Lindsey

On the heels of a successful event last week, I thought it’s about time to share some helpful tips on the fine art of event planning. Despite the online and social media craze now dominating many marketing campaigns, special events can still be a valuable tool for host and guest to connect in person – as in real face time.

Event planning takes time and money, but the latter is less important as the current economy is encouraging planners to get creative and still pull off a great event on a limited budget.

Consider these five tips before you start planning your next benefit, bash or ball:

1) It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning

Years, months, weeks, days (OK, now we’re pushing it…) – it is never too early to plan an event. Once you have the date, budget and estimated attendance you’re ready to find a location and let the planning process in all its glory begin. Giving yourself time will allow you to think through the entire event and plan for the smallest detail. Planning early also usually gives you more and better options when choosing a venue, caterer and other third-party vendors.

2) Let Your Budget Be Your Guide

The budget is like the blueprint for the entire event. It will determine what you can do, where you can do it and how many people you can accommodate. Once you have a set budget you can narrow down your options and get to the planning. That being said, it is never a bad idea to include a cushion for those pesky last minute but oh-so-necessary expenses.

3) (Almost) Everything is Negotiable

This challenging economy has a silver lining – vendors, caterers and venues are all willing to work with you when it comes to pricing. From room rental to food, signage to giveaways, there is always room for negotiating a better price. Like I always say, “There’s no harm in asking.”

4) Social Media is Your Friend

Leverage the mighty power of social media to help promote your event, if appropriate. Make a Facebook page, Twitter your invitees, go green and make a YouTube video invitation, or track RSVPs and comments using Evite. There are limitless free opportunities for you to connect with your guests.

5) Expect the Unexpected

I’m a worst-case scenario kind of person. Meaning I plan for the worst to happen and thus prepare for unexpected emergencies during the planning and more importantly the event. Of course you run through timing and other plans with your team, but “stuff” happens. That’s why budgets are always cushioned, collateral extras are always brought and alternative plans are even crafted. Considering all event variables will help you quickly and successfully act when something unexpected pops up.

Have any other tips? Let me know. In the meantime – let the planning begin!

Author: Lindsey