As with all designers I have a soft spot for info-graphics, something that pares down a topic to the salient points and presents them with great visuals to better explain what could be a comlicated topic. So naturally I love this beauty by Linda Dong. She explains the issues with Fracking, a very poignant topic in Australia at the moment, in such a simple and economic style, it’s beautiful. Read the rest of this entry »
The Power of Storytelling and Imagination
As a brand designer working in Melbourne, I constantly search for inspiration, unique experiences and creativity that keeps my mind fresh and active. In a world where we are so used to our routines, financial concerns and limited daily time, I see it important for everyone to sit down and re-evaluate what they are really doing everyday. As we go about our busy days, with everything we have and everything we have to do, we are often blinded to the wonderful things around us.
Brand Envy Pure and Simple
Yeah I know we bang-on a bit about Lego and the extraordinary level of loyalty, even obsession the brand creates. But we wouldn’t if there weren’t so many great examples of passion for the brand, a level of passion most businesses can only stand-by and admire with envy.
A US film maker has recently created a Lego stop-animation film to… you guessed it – propose to his girlfriend.
More then ever, honesty is vital for brands as consumers become more switched on, less naïve and ready to boycott those brands they don’t trust. Brands have the ability to have relationships with their audience and like any good, successful relationship, they should be built on trust and honesty. Brands are built on perceptions. You can’t just say that your brand is honest in the hope that the public will believe it. You need to earn this trust in every transaction, interaction and experience your audience has with your brand.
Australia day is here for another year, along with painted faces, flag flying, boxing kangaroos and, of course, companies trying to leverage patriotic feelings for their brand’s benefit. Coles and Woolies are fighting it out to prove who is ‘more Australian’, Vegemite has renamed their famous spread to ‘Australia’ and Lamb has again released their annual Lambassor, Sam Kekovic, for another ripper viral session – this time trying to get him the number 1 on the pop charts.
But this year, it is Wine Australia that has caught my attention with their idea to ‘de-stride’ those drinking foreign vino.
A feel-good Burger Brand
South African fast food brand Wimpy Burgers have come-up with a promotional brand gesture that has both underscored their inclusive positioning and created a real buzz. The story goes that Wimpy wanted to let visually impaired people know they offered braille menus. So to spread the word they created braille burgers that blind people could actually read.
We always say you either get branding or you don’t. There is no real middle ground. It was therefore a pleasure to visit our mate Lester Marshall from the Coffin Bay Oyster Farm just before Christmas. Lester farms oysters in Australia’s premium seafood area on the Eyre Peninsula. Internationally recognised for their quality, flavour and size, Coffin Bay is South Australia’s most famous oyster growing location. This is largely because the waterways surrounding Coffin Bay are constantly being nourished from the nutrient-rich seawater and up welling from the Southern Ocean. It is a remarkable area, amazing oysters and Lester is doing his best to tell the world about it.
The Pulling Power of Brand Rituals
To be successful, all brands must develop a culture that builds-upon their differentiated proposition with all they do each and every day. Brands able to create unique and engaging ‘rituals’ performed by their people create an indisputable brand property to leverage in the battle to win customers and their loyalty.
The Power of a Perfect Image
I’m the first to admit, I’m about as far from a vegetarian as you can be. Sure I haven’t reconciled the issues surrounding animal cruelty and a tasty dinner at my favorite restaurant – but when it comes to an appreciation of powerful visual communication I have absolute clarity. So when I saw these images over the weekend from a recent Meat Out protest in Germany I was moved to applaud the power of their visual communication.
Every year, we hear wonderful stories of brands and individuals looking to spread a little Christmas Cheer through unique brand experiences. From creating elaborate lighting and figure displays designed to engage with potential customers, to hosting Carols aimed at connecting with the local community, many brands are using this festive season to promote their own goods and services. One of the most famous in Melbourne, is the Myer Christmas windows, with Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes hoping that the 56-year tradition will draw over one million visitors to the flagship Bourke St store this Christmas.
