Friday, February 26, 2010

2009 Logo Trends

Logo Lounge has released it's 2009 Trends logo assessment. Included in this batch is an atypical vibrancy of color and energy, a more critical use of type and text, and increased chroma of color.

While the report provides a lovely visual journey, we will say that some of these seem to defy the core requirements for a good logo, as their complexity makes them challenging to deploy at various sizes and in different media. Nevertheless, it is still a pleasant visual escapade, and if you're interested in the full collection of six years' worth of trends, click here.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Printing Tip #1—Quality Relationships


How can you know if you're getting the best print job for your money? A fine line exists between balancing quality and price, and those who want to get the best of both worlds must be savvy in both arenas. Here's the first of some tips we'll share from our experience in the business.

Develop a relationship with several quality printers.
No one printer is suited for all of your print jobs, so find three or four that you are willing to invest in. Their skills, culture and equipment will determine their capabilities. Treat them as partners, and make sure they understand the goals of your project, your quality standards and your service standards. By cultivating a relationship with those star performers, you'll have a trusted team of experts who can bring to life your creative material, delivering them on time, on target, and on budget.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Photo Techniques—Following the Rule of Thirds

Centered image lacks interest.

Use of rule of thirds brings energy.

The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb that can help you create powerful images. The rule states that important compositional elements should be placed along the one-third lines. Using this type of alignment can help create more energy and interest in an image than when the key elements are centered.

In the sample image above, the horizon aligns with the bottom line, the lamp post aligns to the right line and the tower roughly aligns with the left line. Although this can be best achieved when creating the original photograph, similar results can be achieved through cropping.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Client Showcase—Cardiac Print Ad

At the request of the client to come up with something unexpected, we crafted a "Dear John" break-up letter—or was it a wake-up letter?—from the hospital to its community. The message underscored Memorial's focus on prevention of heart disease—and was delivered in a fresh, engaging way.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Friday, February 12, 2010

Client Showcase—"Cardiac Fulfillment Center" Radio Ad


Calling to schedule your heart attack? We'll be glad to help you. When Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital asked CMBell to come up with creative that was unexpected, we developed this cardiac radio ad that deploys humor to arrest the attention of the listener. But stay tuned, and you'll find out that Memorial is the hospital to turn to if you want to stay away from heart disease—and out of the hospital.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Client Showcase—Key Technology Annual Report


In this year's annual report, the color orange anchors Key Technology's 2009 Annual Report and sends a message of vibrancy, innovation and energy—all characteristics of this market leader. Beautiful, saturated images of food help depict one of the primary markets impacted by this company—a world-wide leader in equipment that processes, sorts and removes defects from food and pharmaceuticals to ensure product safety and freshness.

The image of the executive team, shot from an elevated platform, delivers a fresh perspective that suggests both optimism and confidence.

Copyright © 2009 CMBell Company, Inc.

Unless otherwise credited, all content copyrighted by CMBell Company.