astrid wehling – designer notes from a large island

Marketing Material for a Financial Risk Advisor

After a rebranding in 2011, Protecht Pty Ltd, Specialists in Financial and Operational Risk Management, needed marketing collaterals for conferences, trainings and expos.

Together, we developed a presentation folder, a wrapper to bundle information and fact sheets which were printed and collated inhouse.
The client didn't like the common business card slits in presentation folders, so an extra cardboard sheet for business cards was the solution.

The colours, the cleaness and the crisp look of the designs maintain the consistency with already existing material as logo and website and ensure immediate recognition.

The folder is printed on Rives Design stock, a cardboard with linen structure. The knife used is custom made as no knife available through printers gave us the certain edge we were looking for.

A banner, used at conferences and expos, shows Protecht's four main areas of expertise.

A company sign, cut from brushed stainless steel and the logo engraved, completed the rebranding process.

 

 

 

The Logo Stress Test

After you've designed a logo that

... represents the business or product it was designed for
... stands out from the competition
... is unique and distinctive

Does your logo still purvey the intent of the design when:

... in black & white?
... printed on an m&m?
... embossed?
... stitched on fabric?
... printed in a black and white newspaper?
... faxed? (yes, there are still companies using the fax)

Early Influences – Otl Aicher (1922 – 1991)

photo: Toby Barnes, Otl Aicher Pool @ flickr

Otl Aicher was one of Germany's leading designers whose work was a big influence on my education. Hi main focus was on crisp, clear visual language and legibility, stripped of all arty and unnecessary things. His believe was that a good design is a design which works in reality and which serves everyday life and human being.*

Otl Aicher was the director of the "Hochschule für Gestaltung" in Ulm, which in the beginning was leaning heavily towards the Bauhaus and, over the time, developed own design principles, now famously known as "The Ulm Model".
Together with his colleagues, Otl Aicher designed the corporate identity of Lufthansa and was involved in product design for the electrical appliance company Braun. The HfG defined what we call today "Visual Communication"

After the Ulmer Hochschule für Gestaltung had to be closed for political reasons, Otl Aicher was commissioned as the head designer for the Olympic Games 1972 in Munich. This was - in the eyes of the design community - his biggest achievement, as these were the first Olympic Games in Germany after Hitler's 1936 Games in Berlin. Aicher had to create an image that had to correct everything the image of the Berlin Games had presented to the world.
The pictograms he developed as part of the Olympic design are stillin use worldwide today.

photo: Toby Barnes, Otl Aicher Pool @ flickr
photo: alphanumeric, Otl Aicher Pool @ flickr

Later on he created Corporate Identities for institutions and banks like ZDF, Dresdner Bank, Sparkasse and Westdeutsche Landesbank, Munich Airport, Deutsche Airbus.
His font Rotis, developed in 1988, is today one of the world's best known and recognized fonts.

Just by coincidence some of my teachers at Uni and my first employer were students of Aicher and huge fans of his meticulous and exact designs.
His specific way to utilise grids and to work with white space became pretty soon second nature to us.

I remember, that in my first job after uni, when we worked on brochures for Deutsche Airbus/Aerospace, my boss flew regularly from the North of Germany to Rotis in the South to have Otl Aicher checked the artwork and to give us his OK (not always easy to get).

Deutsche Aerospace/Airbus brochure, 1990

For those early brochures we were only allowed to use the colours red and black - full colour came only later. The planes for example were drawn by hand and angles had to be on 45º.  And we could be sure that each time Aicher would find elements which were one millimeter out of line within seconds.

Deutsche Aerospace/Airbus brochures, 1990/91

I'm using more colour today and I can't always implement Aichers strict design rules, but I am still fascinated by his work and his way of thinking.

 

PS: I just got send this link which shows London's design consultancy Bibliothèque's collection of Aicher's 72 Olympics work:

http://www.bibliothequedesign.com/projects/exhibition-and-environment/72-Otl-Aicher/

* (http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20070102/the-olympic-feats-of-otl-aicher)

How seriously do you take your business?

Recently I came across an Irish website called tweak.com where customers can buy logos and brochure templates online. Quick and easy – you pick an image, insert your company name, pay and you can download your logo. Or you buy a PDF for a brochure or newsletter and just insert the text.

A lot has been written about crowdsourcing, templates and instant online logo creators. I have to admit - it looks tempting to someone who just started a business on a low budget. It might be the right thing for someone who doesn't care about longterm strategies and solid brand building. But using these services can have serious consequences.


Just a few thoughts:

How sure can you be that one of your competitors doesn't buy the same logo / brochure / newsletter?

Did you know that you can't  trademark a logo that has been created through that website?

How sure can you be that the logo ideas, which are sold on this or other crowdsourcing websites are unique enough to prevent any legal trouble later down the track?

Are your copywriting skills so good that your brochure will stand out? That it can sit next to the same brochure (with all the same colours and the same images) at a business event? Only that the other brochure is for a completely different company? Or worse – your competitor?

How good are your marketing skills that you can change a generic brochure template into a personalised and effective marketing tool?

Can you afford to spend hours online to go through all templates, download the template, insert your copy which you've written earlier, find a printer and deal with the printer?

?

Or do you prefer to work on your business and leave the rest to specialists? And use your spare time on the weekend for nicer things?

I've used the word 'customer' in the first paragraph on purpose, because customers buy off the shelf or from a catalogue.

Clients get into a meaningful working relationship with their designers and marketing professionals. That relationship is not a one way street, but a dialogue and work in progress. Professional designers know their clients' businesses and their marketing and advertising needs. They know the market and last but not least they know how professional design can help their clients to grow their business. 

It's not about costs, it's about investment.

photos: www.sxc.hu ; www.istockphoto.com

Marketing Collateral

Consistency in design is one important part of branding success – the others being authenticity, responsibility and engagement (© Nicole Armstrong, More than a logo)

Following are some samples of marketing collateral for Sydney company TouchMarketing.com.au
I already spoke about their logo earlier, highlighting the importance of vector based designs: Scaling logos with a 3D look

For the business cards we developed a fold up card with information about the business, contact details and even a small section for recipients to add notes. The finish being spot UV varnish and silver foil. This card still attracts a lot of attention.

The logo often sits on a portrait format shape with round corners, eg with Facebook or Twitter. The red swirls have now become part of the brand.

Presentation slide templates

Pull Up Banner 

Website Background

 

Branding Essentials

Mosaic Financial Group is a boutique financial services provider in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Whilst there already was an existing logo and some collaterals, the necessity for a comprehensive branding strategy became clear when the business moved into new premises.

The following first elements as signage, stationery, presentation folder and blank inserts (which will be used inhouse on a laser printer) were developed in collaboration with TouchMarketing.com.au

 

Step by step towards building a brand

It's not done with a logo and business card alone. Small and micro businesses have to build their brand as much as any large company. Visual consistency  and keeping the same tone is an important part in any successful branding.

Following a strategic approach and ensuring that the brand is visible in all advertising material doesn't need to be expensive. After starting with a logo and a card a few months ago, this German client was then looking for a brochure, outdoor signage and gift vouchers to help promoting her business and getting new patients.

 

When less is more – a logo for a Start-Up

University Stays Pty Ltd is taking a proven European concept to Australia. The start up business provides a platform for University Colleges to advertise their free beds during holidays to tourists and the general public.

When the clients approached me for a new logo, they already had a pretty clear idea on what they wanted to see in the logo: a crest, a bed and the colours red and beige.

It was a smooth design process, that kind of productive teamwork between designer and clients I love.

I am looking forward to the final website www.universitystays.com.au, which is developed by www.numbereleven.com.au

 

First ideas, which later in the process turned out to be too detailed:

 

 

The final result:

 

First steps in branding a new coaching business

"Lime Green", "boutique", "passionate", "memorable" and "exclusive", but "not too corporate" were some of the keywords the client sent back to me with the filled out questionnaire I usually hand out before I start working on a logo.

Hero Coaching is a young and enthusiastic coaching business, focussing on Innovation and Creativity Training, Project and Personal Coaching. Ute, who founded Hero Coaching, had some specific ideas about how she wanted to present her business to her target group:
"... to have a company image that represents what I do, that is intuitively connectable with what I do, that is memorable ...".

During further brainstorming sessions and discussions we settled on more keywords: vivid, flow, development, empowering, break through barriers, a fun delivery.

In the end it took not long to find the icon that symbolises all of what Ute wanted to communicate.

Following the logo and the business cards will be a website, promotional and training material.

 

 

Logo Revamp No 2

MCA® - Business Education & Training is one of my earliest clients from my very first years here in Australia. The company provides a comprehensive range of Business Education and Training Programs, Business Management Systems and Consulting Services, mainly for the trades industries.

I designed a logo and all the necessary collaterals as stationary, signage and advertising material for MCA back in 2005. Now, 5 years later, the logo came across a bit tired, not progressive and strong enough for future directions.

 

Logo 2005:

New logo:

 

We've also used the opportunity to freshen up the separate icons for the three pillars of the business - OHS, Environmental Management Systems and Business & Quality Management.

Logo Redesign for a boutique law firm

Dimos Lawyers, a well established boutique commercial law firm from Melbourne, approached me this winter and asked for a logo redesign.

The firm, founded in 1967, had last upgraded their visual identity in the mid 90ies. Over the last 15 years their clientele had changed to more larger corporations and a new and younger generation of clients who might regard the existing identity as too old fashioned.

The new identity had to include the colours grey and blue. The distinctive capital D from the old logo should also be represented in some way. Another requirement was to highlight the founding year.

The first step has been completed now, with the new logo being launched today. More collaterals will follow over the next months.

 

Old logo

 

 

New logo

Stationery

 

 

Highly valued - longterm clients

I think it's about time to introduce and to say thank you to one of my long standing clients, Webasto Product Australia. Webasto is one of the leading manufacturers of innovative products to the transportation industry, as air conditioners, heaters, coolers and sunroofs. With their headquarter located in Germany, Webasto has companies worldwide.

In 2005 I started working on Webasto's advertising and promotional material. Since then we have developed - always according to the company's corporate style guides – advertising campaigns, product sheets, exhibition banners and posters and other below the line material.

Here are a few of the many ads from the last 5 years:

2005

2006

2007

 
2008

2009 

2010

A cool product launch

Last Thursday was the first day of the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in Queensland, Australasia's most significant marine lifestyle event.

One of my clients, 12 Volt Outlet Pty Ltd, used that opportunity to launch it's most recent product 'Ozefridge', a smart and efficient refrigeration system for yachts, powerboats and recreational vehicles. Developed and manufactured in Australia, Ozefridge already had some great media response over the last months, but what was still missing, was a proper 'face', a brand.

While not all designers like to work on technical products, I enjoy it. Should developing brochures and catalogues for chain saws, drills and other power tools during my very first employment have started that interest in all things not really self-explanatory?

The first element I developed together with 12 Volt Outlet was the product logo. It needed to have a technical touch and feel and had to look professional and fine in colour, in black or even engraved.

Out of a selection of 3, this was the winner. The grill on top of each refrigeration unit, resembling a target, was an ideal subject for the icon within the logo.

I developed the tagline together with the client, which was actually a straightforward and easy process.

It was pretty clear from the beginning that the accompanying brochure would have to contain a lot of copy and technical information. A smart structure, bright colours and an eyecatching cover photo makes it easier for customers to read through the text and to pick up all information relevant to them.
The format - A4, folded to DL size, with general information on the outside and all technical information on the inside – proved to be an ideal size to go into product boxes and especially for a mail out.

 

Right now I am developing additional material. Advertising campaigns in special interest magazines, POS material, packaging and digital marketing will help to grow this brand. Stay tuned.

Trade mark registration

Whenever I design a logo I advise my clients to get the business name trademarked. Whilst I always check databases and the web on designs, it is still highly recommended to get in contact with a professional trademark lawyer to register the business or product first and the design after the logo is finalised.

One of my clients, Colin Cheung, from the Melbourne law firm actuate ip, allowed me to publish some of the most important questions and their answers on this topic. Thank you, Colin.

1. Why are trade mark searches important?

Trade mark searches serve the purpose of (a) ensuring that your trade mark can be registered and (b) that your use of the proposed trade mark will not potentially infringe the rights of other traders with existing rights. 
A trade mark search will place your business in a position to make an informed decision regarding the availability of a trade mark (both for use and for registration), prior to committing valuable resources to a chosen brand name. It will avoid placing your business in a position of investing time and money in a business or brand name, which later cannot be registered or is changed as a result of a disruptive trade mark dispute.

2. What types of searches can be conducted?
a) Comprehensive Register Search - this is a comprehensive search of the Australian Trade Marks Register to identify any identical and similar marks to assess whether your trade mark is registrable and to identify any potential trade mark infringement risks. A written opinion outlining risks and strategies for protecting your trade mark is provided. 
b) Full Availability Search  - this search includes a comprehensive search of the Australian Trade Marks Register as well as a structured marketplace search to assess unregistered use by other traders. A written opinion outlining risks and strategies for protecting your brand is provided. This search is recommended for new businesses and businesses wishing to trade under a new name.

3. Can I conduct a trade mark search myself?
It is possible to conduct your own search and this can often be a good starting point. However, it is advisable that ultimately a search be conducted by a Trade Marks Attorney. This is because a trade mark will not be registered if it is either ‘substantially identical’ to or ‘deceptively similar’ with a prior trade mark registration or application. A Trade Marks Attorney has the expertise to understand these tests of similarity and the associated legal requirements.

4. I have my business name registered, so why do I need a trade mark?
If you intend to trade under a name other than your own personal name, it is a requirement that you register the business name with the relevant state authority. However, a business name does not provide legal rights to a name. Hence, registering your business name as a trade mark is also recommended. Indeed, it is possible to register a business name and still be infringing another trader’s rights by virtue of its prior trade mark registration. It is therefore important to have trade mark searches conducted prior to registering your business name to avoid this potential conflict.

5. Are all trade marks registrable?
No, not all trade marks are registrable. If a trade mark is descriptive of the goods or services (eg ‘bright’ for lamps) or is a term which other traders would ordinarily need to use in relation to their goods or services (eg ‘quality’), the mark will be difficult to register. There may be ways to overcome this issue if the trade mark has already been in use for several years. When choosing a trade mark, we recommend selecting a name which is distinctive and unique rather than descriptive.

6. Why is trade mark registration important?
Registration of your name as a trade mark:
•    provides your business with the exclusive right to use the mark and protects the developed reputation in your brand; 
   
•    provides your business with legally enforceable rights to prevent your competitors, or other traders, from using the mark in relation to your registered goods or services; 
   
•    blocks any future trade mark applications made by your competitors or others for identical or similar marks in relation to similar goods or services; 
  
•    deters others from adopting your company’s brand by being on a publicly available database which places other traders on notice of your rights. Trade mark registration provides the above rights automatically throughout Australia, irrespective of reputation.

7. How long does it take to register a trade mark?
The entire trade mark registration process generally takes between 6 and 9 months. However, the important date is the application filing date. Your application will have priority over any applications filed after yours. Of course, the rights provided by a trade mark registration cannot be enforced until the mark is actually registered.

8. Do I need a logo designed in order to register a trade mark?
No. A trade mark does not need to be a logo in order to be registered. In fact, the best way to protect a name is usually to register the name itself, irrespective of font, size, colour or stylisation.

9. How long does a trade mark registration last?
A trade mark is initially registered for a period of 10 years. It can then be renewed indefinitely for further 10 year periods. 
However, if you do not use your trade mark commercially, it is possible for another trader to have it removed from the Register after 
5 years.

10. Do I use the TM or ® symbol?
The TM symbol indicates to others that you consider the name/logo as your trade mark. However, it does not mean that the trade mark has been filed or registered. Accordingly, you can use the TM symbol at any stage. The ® symbol means that the trade mark is registered and hence you can only use this symbol next to your trade mark once a registration certificate has been issued (and only in relation to the goods or services for which you have registered the mark).

11. How do I register an international trade mark?
There are a number of options and strategies when considering seeking protection overseas. There is no ‘worldwide trade mark’ as such but there are mechanisms in place which make the process of seeking registration in multiple countries achievable.

The Madrid Protocol provides a means of seeking trade mark registration in multiple countries by way of a single application. It provides a simpler and less expensive means of initiating applications in multiple countries. It also allows for the renewal of registrations in multiple countries in a single step. There are presently 73 member states to the Madrid Protocol, including the USA and China.

The European Community Trade Mark System (CTM) is another means of seeking registration in multiple European countries initiated by a single application.

More detailed info on the trade mark and design registration process can be found on actuate ip's website: www.actuateip.com.au


© Actuate Intellectual Property Pty Ltd  April 2010. This content cannot be reproduced or disseminated without our prior written consent. 
This information is not purporting to be legal advice. If you wish to rely on it, contact actuate ip for specific advice regarding any of these matters.

A new logo for a young packaging business

Evergreen Packaging is a young company, mainly whole selling disposable packaging to cafés, take away shops and fast food restaurants.

EP contacted me a couple of months ago and asked me for a logo design quote.

After approval of the quote I send out a questionnaire to get a better idea on the business and their requirements. I ask about the company size, company attributes, project objectives, target groups, competitors, customer benefits and product descriptions (where applicable).

I have noticed that this questionnaire is very often helpful to the client as they do not always put down the answers to these questions in detail during the early stages of a business set up.

The next step for me is research. I usually spent a couple of hours to find out more about the industry and the competition, before I start scribbling. 

I always start with pencil and paper first as I find it easier to isolate ideas to keep or to discard. When I'm confident that I've found some good avenues to follow, I move over to the computer to test these ideas in Adobe Illustrator.

The first design is always in black and white. A logo has to work in one colour, even with online advertising in such a demand. It has to be guaranteed that the logo will e.g. looks good engraved, in black and white on a receipt, or embroidered in one colour on a t-shirt, just to name a few things.

In case of Evergreen Packaging it quickly turned out that the disposable cup would be a good symbol to communicate the business purpose. It is easy to display and internationally recognisable.

The additional challenge was for me was the existence of an  Canadian American company with the same name, but in a different field of the packaging industry, which made it even more important to highlight the core business. So I concentrated on that idea in various ways.

I presented 3 ideas to the client and he immediately found his favourite, which is now in the trademarking stage. 

Some of the first scribbles 

Step 2- taking it to the computer

The final logo

 

© Evergreen Packaging (final design) & Astrid Wehling

Colour matters - but which one?

photo: © Scott Lidell

In one of my last entries I asked if your logo would survive the black and white test. 

But the second most important decision in the logo design process (and an important question in general design) is about colour.

There is this saying about having no second chance to make a first impression. Colour plays an important role in that. I read some days ago that 80% of any first impression with brands, websites, packaging is based on colour. That's quite a lot when you think about it. Especially when you get it wrong. It's not about the General Manager's personal preference (or his wife's or your own) – it's about the right colour for the brand, the product or the business. It's not about decoration, it's about strategies.

There is a lot of information available online about colour, colour symbolism, colour psychology. The following list only shows a small part of what's important to know:

Blue: Trustworthy, committed, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives, blue has an equal appeal to men and women, blue is calming. Blue is the colour accepted by the majority of people. Is this why so many financial institutes and insurance companies use blue within their corporate design?

Green: The colour of peace and ecology, but also associated with health, relaxing, soothing, renewal, harmony, self-control: check out hospitals, pharmacies, charity organisations.

Yellow: Optimism, happiness, enlightenment, golden yellow carries the promise of a positive future, mentally stimulating, encourages communication, activates memory.

Orange: Warmth, energy, stimulates activity and appetite, encourages socialisation, generates either a 'love it' or a 'hate it' reaction. 

Red: Has the most personal associations than any other colour, it's stimulating, energising, red increases enthusiasm, encouraging, protecting.

Purple: Shows royal and mystic qualities, eccentric, uplifting, offers a sense of spirituality.

Brown: Organic, natural, evokes orderliness, stability.

White: Purity, cleanliness, neutrality, enables fresh beginnings, aids metal clarity, evokes purification of thoughts or actions.

Gray: Timeless, solid, practical, classy.

Black: Authoritative, powerful, too much black can be overwhelming

But there is still more to think of, especially when you design for a global company. Some colours have different meaning in different cultures. For example, White is a colour of grief and death throughout Asia. Red is the traditional wedding colour in China, Yellow in China is reserved for royalty, in Japan pink is equally popular with both genders, brown in Colombia would discourage sales.

Over the last years the boom of so-called 'Web 2.0' companies brought a lot of logos in bright orange, bright cyan and bright green or in a mix of all three all over the web. So interchangeable, so often not in the right context with the brand or the business purpose. Sometimes so colourful that there was no room for any association left. This trend seems to disappear slowly now.

It takes time and a good discussion with the client before choosing and implementing a colour for a successful brand.

Thanks for the inspiration:
http://www.sensationalcolor.com
http://www.colormatters.com

Photodirection and the fun part of a campaign

Sunny morning in Sydney, the latest in fashionable fold-up footwear and a relaxed atmosphere between model, photographer and client. Perfect ingredients for a photo shooting and great start into a new season.

 

© © both images: Fabz Frontier and Ed Kirchschlager, 2010

Fabz are Australian designed fold-up leather shoes, stylish, fun and always a step ahead. www.fabz.com.au

Corporate Design Style Guides

Many companies use a style guide – or a corporate design manual – to make sure that their brand and the company values are always presented in the right way and constant in all corporate communication. 

Some of these manuals are pretty straightforward and only contain general information like logo specifications, the company colours and fonts.

Others are extremely detailed, I remember working for a BMW client and having to deal with 2 big large binders full of instructions on how to execute any design and advertising work for BMW.

The Logo - sizes, dimensions, colour versions for PMS, CMYK, RGB, Web and unacceptable use
Colour palette
Typefaces
Imagery - the approved photographic language
Copystyle for advertising material
Taglines
Design grid for brochures etc, for various DIN sizes
Website
Adverts and posters
Stationery incl Business Cards, sizes, margins, colours, position of logo
Other collateral like vehicle designs, apparel, flags and newsletters or PPT presentations
Paper
Social Media Appearance

I have developed a few style guides over the years, from small single page sheets to 40+ pages documents.
A consistent identity is a big part of a professional and credible business. As soon as more than one person or supplier is involved in the design process of any advertising material, a style guide will help to maintain that identity. 

Scaling logos with a 3D look

There are quite a few logos out there which have been done unmistakably in Photoshop. A lot of them are great and colourful – but a lot of them also won't work in 'real life'.

They look fantastic on screen, but as soon as they have to be printed, let's say in a really large size ( or a really small one), there is trouble ahead. They are either too complicated and detailed, which would cause problems in a smaller size or the master file is just not big enough to be printed in a large size.

That's why I prefer and recommend to create logos in a vector based application like Illustrator or Freehand. You can still recreate a 3D look with gradients. There won't be any problems scaling vector based logos at all.

In this case above we created a logo with a stainless steel look, including a 'call for action' button which transforms the "O" into a kind of interactive looking element (well ... it will later become interactive in some places, on the web, for example).

As this logo has been created in Illustrator as a vector based file I won't have problems printing it on a ball pen. Or a lear jet.

The first job after Uni

Ever thought of your first job after Uni?

I still do and I still keep the results in some of my portfolios because I still like the classic and timeless design behind it.
My first job after Uni was 1990 with an advertising agency in the City of Bremen/Germany and one of our clients was Deutsche Aerospace Airbus, part of Airbus Industries. We created company profiles, product brochures for airplanes and info flyers for various Airbus plants in Germany and France.

The Corporate Identity for Deutsche Airbus was created by the famous designer Otl Aicher (1922 – 1991) and very often he had to approve the final artwork although he was not involved with the agency. Someone had to fly to Rotis in the South of Germany to show him what we created.
As he was very particular about the design and put a lot of attention to the tiniest of details it was a great extra training for me. I still can see immediately if a letter or dot is half a mm out of line.

And the best thing in hindsight – it was all done without computers. A really great training.