Don’t Panic. Stay The Course.
So, unless you’re living under a reaaaaaally big rock, you probably know that the economy isn’t doing so well right now. And it’s not getting any better, with news yesterday that the Government’s financial bailout package didn’t make its way through Congress – Immediately sending the Dow down almost 800 points. Yikes. With all this trouble [...]
New Work :: Phi Sigma Pi Magazine(s)
Orange Element is the design + communications firm responsible for all aspects of promoting the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity brand. Phi Sigma Pi is the nation’s only National Honors Fraternity and has more than 30,000 members across the country from approximately 100 chapters. Want to learn more – go HERE. As part of [...]
Freebie Friday :: 9.26.2008
Welcome to Friday – a rather dreary one if you’re in or around Baltimore. Today’s Freebie Friday is an awesome tool for anyone who uses Photoshop regularly, whether they’re an amateur or a professional photographer or graphic designer. Courtesy of Design Reviver, the link below provides you with over 400 free Photoshop Action downloads. Some of you [...]
A Gutsy Brand Identity
I came across a bank Web site that I found to be pretty amazing. Not so much because the Web site did anything innovative, but because the brand identity did something I’ve never seen before in a bank: Used virtually no color. Check this out: I applaud First Direct for taking a bold approach with [...]
SlideRocket :: A Better PowerPoint
It’s probably safe to say that there aren’t many computer programs that are hated more than Microsoft PowerPoint. Its limited functionality and customization abilities and inefficient user interface have been responsible for some of the worst presentation atrocities (I don’t know what else to call them) in the world. Don’t believe me? Then check out [...]
It Gets Worse
Ok, this couldn’t have been in Microsoft’s game plan…The Microsoft/Seinfeld/CP+B saga continues with new claims that someone uncovered proof that the new ad campaign was created on a Mac! Here’s the scoop, courtesy of Roughly Drafted Magazine: Flickr user LuisDS found that metadata on the creative copy of the “stereotyped PC user” and other photos [...]
Waste Not
Check it out – another continuation from THIS blog post. These are small business card-sized seed cards we did to promote The Brick Companies’ environmental stewardship e-brochure. They allow for tangibility while minimizing waste: Aren’t they beautiful? Garret Ohm http://www.orange-blog.com
What A Difference A Brand Makes
There’s no question that a strong brand identity is crucial to building a brand in the mind of the consumer. This is something that we always stress with both clients and prospects of our firm. It’s a topic that I never mind discussing at length as anyone that reads this blog often can attest. However, [...]
I’m A PC And I Have A Beard
The next in the series of new Microsoft ads has been released. I like it. But it totally doesn’t relate to the Seinfeld/Gates commercials. And…didn’t I just see an interview with Pharrell Williams where he proclaimed himself a Mac guy? Tsk tsk. Maybe he fell for the Mojave Experiment???? Still NO mention of Vista, [...]
AIG Reminds You To BE HONEST
The current situation with the global financial markets is not pretty. Even here in Baltimore today, Constellation Energy, a Fortune 100 company, has been sold to a company out of Iowa. We can only hope this all resolves itself in time and that we all learn something in the process. As marketers, I think we [...]
I’m Confused…
Breaking news: It appears the remainder of Microsoft’s $300 million campaign that I’ve discussed HERE and HERE will not feature Jerry Seinfeld. Microsoft is calling it a “planned second phase” in the campaign, but if that’s true, it’s a way more perplexing move than either of the first two spots. Here are some excerpts from [...]
Some New Faces!
I’d like to take a moment to welcome two awesome new folks here at Orange Element: Rachel Stuart and Jasmine Sarp. Rachel is our newest graphic designer and Jasmine is our intern for the Fall semester. Let me tell you a little more about them… Rachel is a recent graduate of the University of Delaware [...]
New Client :: Parks & People Foundation
Today is a great day because I can officially announce that Orange Element was recently chosen by the Parks & People Foundation to help the non-profit develop and communicate a new brand identity. (Their current logo is pictured below) The folks at the Parks & People Foundation have a great mission: Parks & People Foundation is [...]
Problem Solving
So many people believe what we do consists solely of creating stunning visual and graphic solutions for our clients, but what we do goes so much further than just that. We consider ourselves problem solvers, looking to find a solution that has aesthetic appeal but is also functional for the client, the client’s client and [...]
Freebie Friday
Rachel Stuart (one of our newest hires – you’ll learn more about her soon) designed an awesome desktop wallpaper for this week’s Freebie. Thanks, Rachel! Click a link below to download the Orangey Orange Element Wallpaper: 1024×768 (best for standard) 1680×1050 (best for widescreen) Enjoy! Have a great weekend! Sarah Rosenthal
An Amoeba With A Blog?
After having written about the first one HERE, I just caught the second new Microsoft commercial featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. I actually laughed. Check it out (over 4 mins long): As we continue to discuss this campaign and make it one of the most debated and talked about in recent history, the story [...]
Typography Is Art
Happy Friday to all. My friend Joey sent me a pretty cool link yesterday that I wanted to share. Check it out. Have some fun, flex your design muscles and learn more about the elements of typography. http://www.typeisart.com
Green Bowie Identity Development
You might remember that we were recently hired by the City of Bowie, Maryland’s fifth largest city to create an identity for their environmental stewardship initiatives. One of the most environmentally friendly cities in Maryland, Bowie needed to have a strong brand identity that could be used both to increase awareness and resident participation in [...]
I Love This Screensaver
I stumbled upon a pretty cool (and customizable) screensaver this morning, designed by a graphic designer and Web programmer from London, Simon Heyes. I’ve downloaded it and it’s loading everytime my computer sits idle for more than 60 seconds. And you can too, via this link: http://www.simonheys.com/downloads/ Via Brandflakes. Garret Ohm http://www.orange-blog.com
Humility Pays, Even In Advertising
Ego can be a dangerous thing, even in advertising where it’s common practice to gratuitously ‘toot one’s own horn.’ The problem is, it can be taken too far. Too much ego turns consumers off quickly – their eyes glaze over nearly instantly and once that happens, there’s no chance of getting them back. I think [...]
I’m Talking About It, Too.
Last week, Microsoft (along with its ad agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky) debuted the first television commercial in its $300,000,000 quest to upend Apple in the battle of the computer behemoths. Watch the spot here: I missed the spot when it originally aired but knew within minutes that I had missed it because my Twitter stream [...]
I CAN!
Have you seen Porsche’s new marketing campaign? It seems their recent marketing efforts have focused on convincing folks that have always dreamt of owning a Porsche that it is actually within financial reach. The campaign is centered around the headline “I Can” and is supported through a number of channels, many of which are electronic. [...]
T-Shirt Search Engine!!
This one’s for you, Aaron. I was browsing my Twitter feed today when I saw a Tweet from Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg, about a company his friends were just launching called Please Dress Me. Go to this link to check it out: http://www.pleasedress.me. This is a great resource for those who [...]
