Why Are We Loyal to a Brand

Recently, I've been writing a lot lately on here about different brand and package redesigns. And just this last week, I received news from Netflix that they were raising their prices for Blu-Ray subscribers. It wasn't just a $1 a month, it was $4 a month. That's almost a 20% increase in cost! So, as a loyal customer over the last seven years, I had to ask myself "why am I so loyal to Netflix?" I used to recommend them to all my friends and really did love the service, but everything has a value. So do I downgrade my service or cancel it all together? That I can't say yet. Regardless, they've lost any positive word of mouth marketing that they were getting from me and I guess actually I'm negatively campaigning against them. That said, how important is it that customers love a service or a company? Does it really increase business? I'm sure you would all agree it does. How many times have you been referred to a company or business and loved the outcome? If so who were they?

I want to say, I did communicate with Netflix and let them know my dissatisfaction with their decision. On their blog alone, there are 1100 posts and many groups have popped up on Facebook and Myspace expressing distaste in their decision. Here's the bad sign, Netflix has chosen to not respond. They've offered no further justification or breakdown of costs, only silence. I personally feel their action or inaction will have a long term effect on their business. These days, customers expect to be appreciated and not looked at as "just customers." Don't you agree?

So, I'm curious, why are we so loyal to certain brands? I know studies show customer service, product innovation, etc. But I want to know what brands you are loyal to and why. Click on post a comment at the bottom this post to join the discussion.

Is the End of Good Design Near?

First let me say I never thought I would be saying this - "there's a downfall to producing good design". Go ahead read it again. It appears that by producing really well designed work for the same amount of money or less then what a company was previously spending to produce crap is a bad thing.

This is a fight that has slowly been developing over the last couple of years. By working with my clients and knowing what our overall budgets are upfront I am able to produce much better work then their previous firm. It's not that my design services are necessarily cheap, but I truly am concerned about my clients getting a useful end product. I would rather make sure we are spending some money on photography or illustration instead of using stock and keeping the rest for myself. I would rather see the project be printed on a paper that makes the project pop, then have to go to cheap coated stock. I'm willing to sacrifice a little on my end to make a project great.

So many people these days want the perception to be that it was cheap to produce, regardless of if it really is. If it's perceived as cheap then there will be no questions from the board, or their bosses or their stock holders. Too many times recently I've heard it looks too expensive. How do you fight that philosophy? I understand where my client is coming from - I understand that they have to answer to a higher power, but how does this make their company better? How does it help them to advance their initiative? Since when did being mediocre become something to aspire to? It's a sad day, not just for design, for all businesses. It's sad when as an individual you are looked down upon for being successful. It's even more sad when as a business you are shunned for wanting to lead the pack. My sweet America mediocrity appears to be our destiny.

I remember when looking at the bottom line meant something. When doing the best you could was expected. I remember when I wanted to get out of bed in the morning, because I was dying to do something great. I wish, I hope that as we walk down this road more people will appreciate what used to be. Don't get me wrong, I love my clients and I'll still fight for good ideas, but I hate this new social conscience that a select few in this country has chosen to project on all of us. Damn it, I want to be successful, I want to want to get out of bed in the morning, I want to lead the pack and most of all I want to produce good design.

Now That's a Good Change

So, I've been talking a lot lately about all these brands that have been re-branding or re-packaging and going down the wrong road. In my weekly trips to the grocery store I notice a lot brands going under the knife and I wanted to talk about a re-design that I thought really works.

Several weeks ago Baked Lay's introduced a new flavor called Southwestern Ranch to launch their new package design. It's hard to believe that Baked Lays have been around for 15 years, but it is nice to see them move beyond their bright yellow packaging. The new design uses toned down colors as well as a nice new matte finish material for the package. It's also nice that BAKED has basically become a brand so they made it much larger on the package. This is also a great example of how you can take an existing logo and make some minor adjustments to it and adapt for the present day (something Tropicana should have thought about). You really have to examine the logo closely to realize the changes that were made.

Now here is the real kicker. Over the last several weeks Lay's have slowly been working the new look into their existing flavors. Oh, by the way, I purchased the new flavor because of the package and it is rather nice (a bit spicy, but I like). So I'm looking this last weekend and actually saw about 1/2 of the Baked Lay's flavors in there nice new wrapping and actually picked up the Sour Cream & Onion and put it into my cart. It wasn't until a minute later that I realized I don't even really care for Sour Cream & Onion - but the colors of the package was just so appealing I picked it up. Of course I put it back and insisted on only grabbing a flavor with the new look (I'm a package snob). Congrats Lay's on making our shopping experience more enjoyable. I'm just glad to see a successful re-design that isn't a step backwards.

It's Time to Grow

Alright, most likely if you are reading this entry you've received the Popcorn Initiative spring mail out. So below find the directions on how to plant your wild flower seeds that you've received. I'm planting mine tomorrow. I'd love to see some photos of what you grow. Happy planting and happy spring.

It may sound obvious enough, but choosing the most advantageous site on your property is a very important determinant in the eventual success of your wildflower garden. The most important factors to consider in this regard are the amount of average daily sunlight, the relative quality of the soil, and the accessibility to a water source like a hose or a sprinkler.

Though many wildflowers do tolerate some filtered shade - and a few actually thrive in it - the vast majority are definitely sun-lovers and will likely demonstrate the strongest bloom where exposure is greatest (especially in the morning). Therefore, the general rule of thumb when considering the optimum planting site on your property is 'the more sun the better'. This naturally means that areas with little or no tree coverage and as little obstruction from any structure such as a house, garage, or barn are best.

Soil too is sometimes a consideration when planting wildflowers, but it's important to keep in mind that wildflowers will generally sprout in all but the most difficult conditions. This means that pampering your site with fertilizer or rich sod is not usually necessary. In fact, doing so can sometimes achieve the opposite result by inviting unwanted weeds and grasses. Only in the poorest of conditions, where the soil is literally sterile, is using an accelerant advisable.

Lastly, when choosing the best site for your seed installation, the availability of a steady watering source is helpful, but not usually necessary. In most regions and during most seasons, natural rainfall will be sufficient to provide the water necessary for a successful bloom. However, if you live in a particularly arid region, are planting during drier months, or are simply experiencing prolonged drought, it will definitely be to your advantage to water your site every other day or so for the first few weeks after planting until root growth is established.

Now all you need to do is clear the area of existing weeds or growth and to loosen the soil. You can do this simply with a rake, hoe or shovel. Work the soil as best you can, of course you'll get some weeds sprouting along with your flowers.

Next, you want to sow your seeds. Simply scatter the seeds evenly over the area or in the pot you wish to plant. This can be done by putting the seeds in your hand or just shaking out of the envelope. After you get your seeds sowed lightly compress your seeds into the soil. Don't push them down any further than 1/2 inch. You just want to protect them from the birds and winds. An easy way to do this is by pressing them in with your hands or feet - just keep the pressure light.

Now you are ready to watch them grow, I hope...

What an Exquisite Corpse

No, I'm not talking about some dead guy here. I'm talking about a technique that exploites the mystique of accident. A kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. When done with art it works exactly the same way. The first artist illustrates a panel and hides 95% of the panel before giving it to the next artist. The artists have to continue the illustration from the 5% that they can see. A lot of times this creates amazing images that have great contrast in style and meaning.

I wanted to share a couple of artists that have taken the exquisite corpse idea to the next level. They passed the image back and forth 60 times to create an amazing 35 foot long piece. Check out all panels of the piece at their site http://www.jabcstudio.com.

A little thought for your spare time with a fellow creative. The best part is you can do a written corpse or an illustrated version. I've done it and it's a great deal of fun. Oh yeah, it doesn't have to be done on a computer. So go get your corpse on...

The New Brand of Recovery

So this came to my attention a couple of days ago. We have a new logo to represent our current recovery "stimulus" package. The first thing I noticed was how bad it is. I instantly thought of the logo for the National Recovery Administration from the 1930's. Take a good look at both of them. From a design standpoint there is no challenge (especially when you add in the 75 year difference) the NRA logo wins hands down.

Of course we have the obvious stars, what's up with the 2 stars that are bastardized bleeding off the blue? The gears that represent work, haven't we come a little further in 75 years? And the tilted green ghost, oh wait I guess that's a plant representing "green" growth - I get it...

This stamp was created to mark every project of the "stimulus" package of 2009. I saw the question raised yesterday - how do we mark the pig odor research in Iowa - does each pig get the new stamp branded on them? And since the logo itself was a government project that I sure taxpayers payed too much for, shouldn't it have a stamp on itself? I have great concerns about where this idea of branding government money will take us as a nation.

Do a little research on the National Recovery Administration of the 1930's and you'll realize that the government used the symbol to try and halt free business. They tried to control prices and most importantly if you resisted to display the logo or wear the logo as a worker the administration actually campaigned for the public to boycott you.

We are all in this regardless of how much money each of us puts into the recovery, do we really need a clip art created logo to tell us that our government is working for us? Maybe every politician in DC should be wearing the new logo on their lapels. Maybe it would remind them they represent the public where they reside. I believe this logo will be short lived - even the NRA only lasted 2 years before being put out of business by the supreme court in 1935.

Observe or Inspire

I wanted to do a brief post about a great site called Card Observer. The idea behind the site is to basically feature really well designed and produced business cards. The thing I love about sites like this is they really inspire everyone to want something better. The production techniques highlighted range from letterpress, die cutting, screen printing to special ink techniques.

Check it out and get inspired. It's one thing to observe and another to inspire and be inspired. Just in case you were looking for a particularly well done card check out the entry from 2.28.09. It's one of my favorites.