Associating an organization with an individual is a double-edged sword for any brand. Making a company’s founder its namesake or mascot can bestow it instant credibility and industry cache. Yet, these affiliations can be devastating if its figurehead is discredited, or simply goes rogue.
Enter Lance Armstrong, the Bruce Wayne of professional cycling and the Batman of cancer philanthropy. For years he has used his Tour De France celebrity to promote Livestrong, his charitable effort to raise money for cancer research, education and advocacy.
But today Livestrong faces an identity crisis for...More
As a brand designer it is always somewhat flattering when a client wants to use their new identity as much as possible. After all, the application of one’s logo is branding, and branding is good, right? Well, not always.
Call it a pet peeve, but a great example of bad branding is the old “Putting your logo in the signature of your email” move. I see it all the time where businesses don’t realize the faux pas they are committing in the interest of looking more professional.
Basically, emails with graphic signatures have a few problems.
Mac users (at least) receive these emails as...More
Those of you who know me well may already be aware that my wife and I are expecting. With a baby on the way I guess I couldn’t help myself but to see the design process through the lens of parenthood. Forgive the unintended sexism.
The essence of my observation is that the relationship a designer has with their brand is probably not so unlike the relationship a father has with his child. At best its creation is an act of passion, and its long-term stewardship and care is a labor of love. At worst its creation is self-indulgent and there is no long-term follow through whatsoever.
In other...More
