Animal Ads that make me smile.

Here are a few ads I've found that make me smile when I see them. Animals generally have a special spot in most of our hearts... What are some of your favourite ads?

I love this ad, I know exactly how he feels... ever driven with someone like this??

I like to think I look this pretty when I'm sleeping.

So Monday Snuck Up On You Too?

Alright, I have to admit working from home has its perks. I am not home all the time, but it is by far my favourite place to work. It may be because I can do so in my pajamas and not be judged. I think if I tried walking into work in my PJs, someone might just say something. Although, for the life of me, I can’t figure out how it could possibly be anything other than “Ohmygoodness, I wish I had worn my PJs today too!”

But working from home has a downside too. I never thought I would admit this. The downside of working from home is that work is always looming, ready, and waiting to pounce. Which means, Monday sneaks up on you because you worked all day Saturday and Sunday and forgot to take a weekend.

Ever happened to you? It has me. I am trying to get it under control, not working as much, making sure I take the proper amount of time off to do stuff like watch tv. Or even more important stuff like getting my butt on my bike (which I love- especially in the summer when there is an ice cream cone waiting for me halfway through my ride).

In the early 1900’s people worked 10 hour days, but after figuring out that people produced the same amount in an 8 hour day, companies cut back-saving them mucho dinero.

“Now we know from our experience in changing from six to five days and back again that we can get at least as great production in five days as we can in six… Just as the eight hour day opened our way to prosperity, so the five day week will open our way to a still greater prosperity.” — Henry Ford

If it was good enough for Henry Ford, its good enough for me. I’m thinking I’ll cut it down to a 5 hour day, about three days a week, with lots and lots of coffee breaks. You?

What happens when you get something you HATE from your designer?

You call us :) Well that isn’t necessarily always the answer...even though we like to be super-heros.

Seriously though, you need to be honest. Sometimes it is hard to understand exactly what a client has in their head, because well, even though we are awesome, we are not in theirhead.

Instead of getting upset, understand that this is the first round, and not too many people knock it outta the park in the first round.

You have may have given the designer your ideas on a napkin, or in a brief*, or you’ve tried to explain your ideas over the phone, hopped up on caffeine and adrenaline, while the designer is scurrying to write this all down and try to capture exactly what is in your head.

Design is a process. Its all about trying to understand the client and create at the same time. This isn’t always easy. Remember it is a procedure that needs working and re-working to create exactly what you are looking for.

If you truly hate what you’ve just been sent, then there are a few ways to go about telling your designer without dashing their creative souls.

Here are a few ways of going about it:

Take a little bit of responsibility, of course it isn’t your fault, but designing your logo is a team effort. Feel free to take the high road with something a little like this:

‘I’m not sure I did a very good job of explaining my vision, let me see...’ and proceed to try again.

Also being direct works really well: ‘this is nice, but it is not what I had pictured in my head. I wonder if we could try this...’ (as a designer I really appreciate when the client takes on some responsibility for the work as well, especially if they have come to you with an idea that they would like you to bring to life).

Another great way of is what I like to think of is a compliment sandwich.

Sounds a little something like this: “Ohhh I like this, I like this, I like this, I’m not sure about this, I don’t like this, but I really like this...” That right there is what I like to call a compliment sandwich, use it, it takes the edge off. It also helps the designer get better idea of what you are looking for.

If you are extremely frustrated take a night to sleep on it. The worst thing in the world for a designer is, to send off your first round of designs to a client and within 2 minutes get a response a little something like this: ‘NONE of these are good. I don’t like any of them.’

That only tells the designer one thing. It tells them you’re an ass. You haven’t taken the time to look the designs over, to think about the colour combinations, the feel of the design or the structure.

At least look them over and be able to tell your designer what you like about each one and what you don’t. Often your perfect design is lying right there waiting to be combined, compiled and molded into one fantastic logo. Feedback is key.

With a little well thought out feedback and patience, your awesome new logo will emerge.

Cheers,

M.

* (a design brief is often filled out by the client before the designer starts designing so that we know what you are looking for, so make sure your brief is as detailed as possible)