Flosites

We are so happy to launch a New Project for the very incredibly talented Tara Lynn Sen this week! But what made it special was her thank you note to our team for her project below:

“Dear Ross, Jenny, Alina and the entire Flosites Team,

I cannot thank you enough for your artistry, expertise and endless patience to bring my new brand and blogsite to life. I LOVE it so much- it is vibrant and sexy and sophisticated and I have so much pride giving out my URL :) I feel like the complete package is ME and I have you all to thank for that- I finally feel like my online presence reflects the energy that I have for my couples and that is huge as I forge my business ahead. You guys are so talented and I am so grateful for all of your efforts.

I look forward to using Flosites as my business continues to evolve and grow and I will definitely point anyone who asks your way.

Thank you, thank you, thank you and I wish you all blessed 2012s!

Best Wishes,

Tara”

As anyone who’s talked to me within the past 3 weeks can attest, I have been slammed with oceans and oceans of new clients. While this is always glorious news, it does leave me a bit feeling like a tape recorder as I try to explain the differences between a logo and a brand countless times a day.

But I don’t think anything will do it quite like this. While shopping the other day, I got stuck on a large scale “C R E”, and I was convinced I knew where I had seen this someplace else before. It took me a minute, but then it totally hit me in the face.  Victoria’s Secret and j.crew use the same logo. Mind you there are absolutely tweaks divided up between the two brands, but make no mistake- they use the same traditional serif, in a clear, crisp way– and BOTH are masters of using the surrounding elements to speak to the overall message of the two companies.

I don’t have to tell you what to think about when I say Victoria’s Secret. Bold, confident commercials, boasting dark saturations of color, bright lights and flashy sexiness.  Meanwhile, I cannot dredge to mind a single image of a j.crew commercial.

This is branding.

The choice in how you market yourself, the decisions of a color palette; and even more than that, how you apply those colors, for what purpose, and to what end?

What is the tone of your blog posts? How do you meet customers, and even more than that, how do you decide which customer’s to work with, and which ones you’d rather gently move away from?

While these decisions and questions are far less sexy than looking at delish images on pinterest, they really set the stage in terms of how to approach branding, especially when it becomes an attempt to brand something so personal.

Just some things to think about!

xo,
jne

Let me be the first to announce how much the addition to pinterest has EXPONENTIALLY helped our inspiration and overall branding process. Holy Banana, Folks. Pinterest, you are amazing! If you aren’t already face first in the most fabulous and random selection of images ever on the internet, let’s discuss:

Pinterest. Get on it. Set aside some swoony time… and then rescue your productivity because it is beyond addicting. I only allow pinterest time via phone, you know, to keep me occupied while my boyfriend does the dishes. It’s what we call a “balanced relationship”.

That being said, I’ve definitely noticed a wonderful trend when clients come to me with a pinterest account set up. Already comfortable flicking through thousands of  images to find ones that really sing to them, and all without the impossibly debilitating feeling of pressure to get it PERFECT.

Showing a designer even a huge collection of seemingly random images and talking through them will undoubtedly reveal the necessary juicy tidbits that we need– in a way, pinterest is a glorious short cut to the right answers.  Covering everything from typography, to sayings and meanings, color palettes, textures, pattern, tone, everything. Can I encapsulate that enough? EVERYTHING!

It seems that since people aren’t forced to look through specific designed pieces, for instance 30 pages of logos, they’re free to explore all possibilities of everything and anything a logo COULD be– bringing more room for exploration and creativity, instead of just rehashing trend after trend.

If you’re thinking about signing up with us for a rebrand, a blog design, or even just taking stock of your current brand, I say start working on a new board (because I know you have Pinterest. You have internet don’t you??) even just to begin to loosely touch on ideas that you like. Keeping a running tab of inspiration will help show your growth, continually documenting your process (and progress!) while you carve out your vision. And before you know it, you’ll have pinned your way to an amazing, inspiring, and totally unique place- which is the perfect starting point in creating a brand.

Until next time!

xo,

jne

Lately I’ve been noticing a trend in the clients we’ve been branding. More and more clients are wanting to see how pattern could work within their brand. It seems like I create more and more patterns by the day, so I figured today a brand board was in order, and how even the tiniest bit of pattern can spiffy up even the most tired of brands.

Patterns range in style from the gorgeous Arabesque tiled patterns to the tiny repeating subtlety of Japanese prints, and some of my favorite patterns were created in the Arts+ Crafts period (No, not the period in time where everyone made bird houses out of popsicle sticks).  I’m talking about the beautiful visual art movement from the early 1900′s that brought back artistry and craft to the focal point of the conversation (Do me a favor and just google William Morris, will you?)

And if you thought the types of patterns came in a ton of categories, the uses for pattern are pretty much just as varied. Of course the obvious choice for a pattern would be as a full on background to any sort of blog, page, what have you- but I’m a huge fan of the unexpected surprise of pattern. The hey- what’s -inside -this -envelope-and -AHA! -pattern, the oh-wow -look- at -how-well-those-two-patterns-work-together-pattern, and I love love love the use of pattern as the main visual  element, like in the Mast Bros Chocolate. It’s not for everyone, no. But it’s striking, strong, elegant, all of the keywords so many people love so much.

When it comes to finding patterns that will “work” within an established brand, or even finding out which ones could work within a look that you’re trying to create, I say (of course I say this) stick to what you love. I’ve been trying to think on some absolute no-no’s when it comes to pattern + style combination, and I think any pattern can really work in any situation- what plays into it however is more along the lines of scale and color, vs. imagery within the pattern.

Let me explain: 

A client wanting a clean, and modern brand with a touch of feminine pop (sound like anyone out there?) can absolutely benefit from a pattern, and nobody’s hemmed in to just stripes and dots either.

A clean lined, geometric pattern (like a quatrefoil, or a simple trellis type pattern), can deliver the dual natured feeling of structured/ clean + feminine, while keeping the entire thing feeling super high end. It’s truly all in how it’s used in placement, the color palette, and the scale of the overall pattern that’s going to fine tune each of these connotative emotions. A larger set pattern will probably feel more funky/eclectic, while a small repeat pattern could feel very subtle + light. Some patterns are so small that when looked at 100% it creates an overall tone, as opposed to a repeating print.

So where does that leave us now?

Much like everything else that branding seems to be, the best thing to do is start with what you already like. Look to your clothes, accessories, home furnishings. What do you already surround yourself with? If there is no pattern at all (which I doubt, honestly) then pattern is 100% not for you, and I apologize for making you read all about the versatility and wonderment that is pattern. BUT! if you find any recurring visual themes, take note. Even if Flosites doesn’t provide you with a lovely custom made pattern, you can still be open to the possibility of incorporating something new to freshen up what you’ve already got going on, which pattern does beautifully!

Until next time!

xo,
jne

Way back in the dark ages of 2006, yes back when people still sent packages through the GASP! postal service, I was working on my own newly-minted-freshly-graduating-college-brand. At the time, it was extremely important that printed collateral be designed, considered, and meticulously scrutinized before sending them out to any potential employers, and when I mean meticulously scrutinized, I mean this was some literal advice I got from a professor at the time: “Everything, down to the damn postage stamp, must be ‘designed’” And truth be told, these words still haunt me to this day.

Of course now we have way more of a digital presence than a tangible one, but the weight of importance to printed material (aka things people can hold in their hands) is not to be overlooked. The power of feeling something in your hands is one designers have ooh-ed and aah-ed about for centuries. Seriously, since Gutenburg and his press in 1500 something. Books, and their business counterparts- brochures, folders, booklets, pamphlets, “leave-behinds”, whatever you call them, create an instant personal intimacy (an appropriate one) between the business and the potential client. Something physical, being considered over a pdf doc/pricelist or a website, will be something that is easier to ‘get back to’ attention wise. I know from sending hundreds of thank you cards, little posters for “gifts” (designers like to be bribed, what can I say?), in the hopes that one of those little promotional snippets will make it to the desk of so-and-so who, one day, needs the talent of an amazing designer (Me!) and then looks over at my adorable gift, or poster, and says “Wow! this designer is fantastic- I can see their awesome talent in this proof! Right now! I’ll be emailing them shortly…” And you get the picture.

Printed brand material gives you the option of planting seeds and letting them blossom in the future, at some magical unforseen time. Really, usually these things feel like happy bursts of awesome coming into your life, but I totally digress.

My real point in all of this is that you really never know what element of your marketing or overall brand strategy is going to work for every single option in attracting a potential client. Using tangible pieces within a digital brand is a classic, and now very under appreciated, method of connecting with clients, and honestly, the more ways we can connect with potential clients, customers, fan bases- whomever the object, the better.

Until next time!

xo,

jne

Rebranding takes effort. Figuring out who you are, your work, the type of market your in– ugh and color palettes? On top of handling an already bloated schedule with work, side projects- oh and also maybe a LIFE? Yeah. Oh Yeah. I get it completely.  As much as I love to individually talk to and work with clients to create spectacular brands, tailored specially for them, I definitely understand the need for templated approaches. Sometimes you just need something NOW. No muss, no fuss, and buying a theme, plugging in content and throwing it up on the web just SIGHS margaritas-at-the-beach. And for this purpose, it’s splendiforous! However, once you get into a groove of owning whatever style/bride/format you’ve carved out for yourself, it’s time to start planning for some customization.

Getting a huge branding package right off the bat is okay for some. If you’ve got the resources, the inspiration,  why not go for it? I’ll never dash someone’s design dreams, but I do find that those who’ve been in business for a few years with an already established design (custom or template) will know better questions to ask, results to expect, and be better acquainted with a sticky process called decision making with visual choices– at least to some degree.

So which is better?

I think they can both be used to your advantage. If you find yourself getting more stressed than excited when it comes to a rebrand- go for a template. Get something done and up there quicker vs PERFECTION, and then plan for the glory that will be your customized brand. It’s always better to relieve the stress with an easier fix than pressure yourself to death with making it perfect straight out of the gate. While branding may take some thought and some elbow grease, the results always speak loud & clear– and really, isn’t that true with almost anything worth doing?

Until next time!

xo,

jne

Whenever I meet with a new client, we always discuss how the individual sees the brand & business. Both where it is currently, as well as the hopes and dreams of achieving where the business could go. This is always client dependent; success could look like a specific type of bride you want to work with, being able to support a fully fledged film addiction, or even just making their small business something more stable, but whatever it is, these are the things that are seriously important when thinking about, and working towards, a brand for your business.

1. Why does it matter where my business is now?

Because you need to be realistic about the work that you’re currently doing, the type of client you’re attracting- and maybe even more importantly, what’s working in your favor, and what is just not working. Knowing how to objectively think about these important aspects of your business will not only help you be able to weed out the unecessary information within the branding process, but also keep you from any indecision you may face when thinking about a look and feel. Be aware of your current surroundings and it will only help you build up towards a better place.

Which brings me to,

2. Why should I think about the next 3-5 years?

Let me rephrase, does treading water sound successful?

So you’ve got your current situation covered, you know what your market is, and your place in it. You’ve got your competitors, and you’ve got your style down; now what? Now you dream and plan. Remember what success felt like when you were figuring this out? Okay, now you figure out how to get from where you are, to where you’d like to be; and the fairy godmother in this situation? Designing your brand.

Creating a brand with this stage, the where-to-next stage, will help springboard you to that desired outcome. You want to attract an edgier bride? Express your quirk. You want to get into that exclusive venue that only specific photographers get access to? Let’s talk about class-act, traditional southern gentility and how using texture can speak so clearly to the down-home feel, without ever feeling the cheese factor.

Thinking about how to position a business for growth within a brand will ultimately put you in a stronger position to be more in control of what kind of work you do, the kind of people you work with, and the kind of worth you command. While I’m sure everyone now knows that brands are more than just a logo, they can absolutely be more than just a beautiful facade over a variety of services. Used strategically, brands can be used to the total advantage of the owner, to communicate and connect with whomever and however they want; making branding a very powerful marketing tool. So take advantage of it!

Until next time!

xo,

jne

I felt like I needed to expand on my last post a bit- I honestly feel like talking about feedback without mentioning how to gather, and talk through, inspiration, is like trying to show people what it’s like to drink water without offering a cup first– totally helpful. Basically, without insightful inspiration backed up by clear explanations as to why it’s inspiring, the potential for disaster in terms of design- especially branding, increases ten fold. Now I know that this is difficult- even without working on branding, even DESIGNERS (yes, we glorious bunch) have a REALLY hard time with articulating feedback. My college critiques were painful, people. Laborious, draining – “Oh.. you know, like.. it’s not THERE, but it’s like.. close? I don’t know, like, you know”, and I pretty much quote and end quote there.

Working with as many different people as I could ever imagine, I strive to be as fluid and as empathetic as possible when trying to read through client’s FAQ’s and inspiration folders. I’ve probably had to evolve this part of the process what feels like a hundred times throughout my time here with Flosites, but with each round of fine tuning, the better and better the results. What started out as a quick read through from the FAQ has now been loved into a fully fledged process, involving a far more in depth questionnaire, an image inspiration hunting process, and what’s looking to be the newest addition: a conceptual word list, meant to give the designer a stronger insight to the tastes and personality of the client. But it’s still difficult, and there will inevitably be more flaws in the system. Seeing a whole folder of images, or even getting 100 words in a word list will still leave room for interpretation as to how each particular concept, direction, whatever, is applied; and it’s because every single person is 100% unique. I’ve referenced the fact that I’ve had clients at the same time, send me over some of the exact same images as reference, and yet the end result of the process is like night and day. What better way to hammer my point across, than to lay it all out here, case study style, so here goes.

And the final results; of course after a few rounds of tweaks:

These images are a pretty solid sampling of both ladies’ inspiration folders, while the color palettes may differ, the overall feel presented here is the same: clean, bold, fresh with some sort of modern and romantic flair. From a designer’s perspective, this is still pretty wide open visual wise- how we get to the end product is really not mapped out at this point. All that’s laid out, and that is tentatively laid out at best, is a clean-lined font- most likely sans serif, with a breezy, playful, casually high end element. How do I fill in those blanks? Why the client’s feedback, of course! The thing about the inspiration, visually or verbally, is that it’s all the possibilities and suggestions. Showing each look and feel with the client’s name/info/next round of feedback will help show the client if that’s the right direction, or if a new one is to be determined. None of the inspiration will be “perfect” or “exactly right” because it hasn’t been created yet. The client and designer create the perfection together.

For me, these problems really feel like mad libs, “Photography Company X needs a brand. It needs to feel (adjective), (adverb), with a dash of (adjective), communicating overall the desired feeling of (noun/adjective)”. I could spend all day and night adding in different dashes of this and that to make things different, but those aren’t really brands for clients. Those are different doodles and hypotheticals for me.. and maybe other people who want templated things, but not a solidly designed, results-yielding-I-paid-a-lot-of-money-for-this-brand, brand. And thats why I turn it around on the client. I know they put their heart and souls into their work, as anyone who is passionate should. I in turn, pour my heart and soul into my work- which as it turns out, is crafting brands and such for other companies. Which is why I will spend hours, days, months, finessing my approach and process, to not only help me create awesome brands that as a designer I can boast about all day, but help make the client’s side easier. So that when we have a meeting to discuss things, they feel prepared, understood, and that they have a team of people wanting to help them through this sticky situation of branding; and the better the client feels, the better the brand will be.

Until next time!
xo,
jne

I love making these brand boards, I’ve gotten tons of compliments on how beautiful they look (why, thank you!) but mostly on how much it helps people understand branding from a different perspective. This week I wanted to showcase how different a brand can become by it’s surrounding elements. The logo, a DELICIOUS clean and vintage feeling typographic mark, was sent over from a client for their inspiration. And while I will never blow the lid off of some freshly collected client inspiration, I thought to recombine it with other elements to create something totally unexpected, and very different from what the client is wanting. Logos and brands like the this one are so strong that they really can be combined with almost any other visual direction and still work. I’m sure if I really wanted to, I could pair this with some hand drawn doodles + other soft pretty things, but I chose to focus on the strength in the typography and work in some lush patterns featured both in the woman’s headscarf and graphic overlays, that are simply repeated in a different way in the quatrefoil pattern.  Texture, color, pattern and mood are all working together to push a specific tone that isn’t necessarily present in the logo per se- but when combined with these other elements  become a cohesive and beautiful brand.