Tag: opinion

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Fonts Matter

fonts-matter-meme

No matter what you do, project wise, we can all agree that fonts matter. We’ve been talking in our office lately about some of the most insane design fails we’ve seen simply because the font was illegible, unsuitable for the situation, or poorly executed. In talking about this, we also started to realize that some people may not realize why these decisions don’t work. We thought we’d illustrate our thoughts on this with a few examples. Are they necessary? Maybe not. Do we think everyone needs to see them? Definitely.

 

fonts-matter-memeOne thing we’ve all likely seen float around social media (especially if you have friends in design or art) is the meme showing why fonts matter in a message. The image shows the phrase “You’ll always be mine…” in a romantic handwritten font and then in what looks like a font associated with a horror movie. With this message, fonts truly do matter.

 

However, there are real-world instances of spectacular font fails. A big and somewhat recent one was a tote bag by retailer BelleChic. The poor font choice for the bag left the suggestion that one’s favorite color might be Hitler, instead of the intended “glitter.” The company changed the design and offered an apology, but this just proves that you should always ask for honest opinions.

 

Fails like this can be found in many places. Many end up being NSFW fails that we’re not going to mention here, but others are less outrageous. For instance, an establishment called Fast Tacos where the “s” in Fast is too stylized and looks more like the letter r? Combine it with the odd-looking shape above the words and you have something that I’m sure the owners didn’t intend others to see in their name.

 

How about a very famous brand making such an error? In an ad for Chanel, the tagline “I love Coco” is written out in a font meant to resemble handwriting. However, the tagline looks more like the brand is professing their love for cattle (which we can understand… cows are cute).

 

This is all meant to be light-hearted, but the issue is a serious one for businesses. In today’s digital age and where everyone has a camera in their hand, any font fails like this will live forever online. While some are harmless (because we all love cows), others can be much more damaging (such as your favorite color being Hitler). So, today’s design lesson is simple: Feedback is your friend. Your project should always be proofed by more than one set of eyes to prevent problems like those listed above.

 

As a bonus, enjoy this image and remember: If you want your request to be taken seriously, please don’t use Comic Sans…

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Social Media and Your Business

Facebook has been in and out of hot water of late, Twitter seems to be trying to stay out of trouble, and many people I’ve worked with don’t understand Instagram. While these aren’t the only social channels, they seem to be the “Big 3” social media networks. Are they really important? Should your business/organization be using them?

In short, YES. Your business or organization needs an online presence and, let’s face it, websites just aren’t enough anymore. You need to engage with your customers, and the most effective way is through social media.

Ready for the longer answer? You should consider what works best for your business. Facebook is almost a default to have, especially given the breadth of the platform. Until something comes along that can pull everyone away from the giant, it is a good practice to have a page for your business/organization. It allows you to make fast updates about your business, and you reach the masses faster than you would by just putting the information on your site and hoping for the best. Even this blog post will make the rounds and go to Washington Media’s social platforms. Why? Because we know it’s smarter to post it in as many places as possible than to just hope it’s seen on our blog. It will reach more people if it goes to Facebook, Twitter, and the like.

Twitter is another matter. Do you need one for business? Well… Do you want one? Twitter is the platform that seems to keep coming back from what some would deem a permanent grave. From what I’ve seen (and based on the experiences of clients and colleagues), the platform works best for those who are going to use it consistently. While that can be said to be true of any social media platform, I think it’s especially true here. A user’s feed fills up so fast that you have to use the site more than once per day to ensure your tweets are being seen. So, if you like the platform and plan to use it, then set up a Twitter account for your business!

Instagram… with all your hashtags and models? Actually, Instagram is a very good thing for a business to use. The sad fact is just how long it took for Facebook to make Instagram business friendly. The platform is based around the idea of capturing the moment. You can capture your products or services, share the antics going on behind the scenes, or share information about events (either in progress or by posting the event flyer). In a way, Instagram is Twitter for picture/video.

Of course, there are other platforms (LinkedIn and Snapchat are probably another two that most people have heard of), but they rely heavily on being right for your business/organization and your client base. Like all things in business, be smart about your social media channels and make them work for you.

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What’s #Trending

I know we all like to see what’s the best new trend in just about any market. We all want the latest in gadgetry, social media, clothes, and more. However, should this spill over into graphic/web design?

Wait! Don’t click away, yet. Let me explain.

In talking with other designers and creatives, in general, we’ve all found that potential clients sometimes want to know what’s the latest trend for their product. Presumably, this is so they can appeal to a younger audience, which is good logic. However, trends shouldn’t always be the determining factor in a business decision.

At WMS, we tend to look at trending designs in this way: Does it fit for you? A construction company doesn’t necessarily want their website to look overly artsy, so they don’t want something that looks more like a photographer’s portfolio (like this). A company providing a necessary service (like a medical institute, fire department, etc.) will need their site navigation to be easily found, thus the trend of making the menu blend with the rest of the site won’t help them.

Let’s look at this in other aspects, shall we? Another thing we’ve recently seen a lot of companies change is their logo and/or branding. Here, too, what’s trendy shouldn’t be the crux of your decision for this change. Example: a law firm doesn’t necessarily need the bright colored gradient in their identity (think of the Instagram branding for that visual). On the flip side, a beauty salon doesn’t want to look too dressed down or overly serious (like, say, the Chase Bank logo or the logotypes often used by law firms).

In reality, a design/media company should suggest designs that benefit your business. Someone should be able to look at your website or printed material and say, “Yes, this has [business name] written all over it.” If there’s too much of a disconnect between what you do and how you present your business, then people might look for alternatives.

So, what was this all about? In short, it’s just a reminder. We just wanted to remind you that trends come and go, especially website design trends. What’s considered trendy one day will be old hat the next. So when you’re looking to refresh your business’ look (whether online or via print), take trends into account, if you like, but focus on getting a good design that fits your identity.

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Do You Need Print in Your Life?

Thought time! Washington Media Services has seen a lot of clients look away from print products. However, we’d like to run down a little rabbit hole on the importance of print…

First off, we don’t want to say that digital isn’t important. Digital ads and promotions can be a business lifesaver. It’s super efficient for projects that are meant to be one time things and run on a short shelf life. This post is meant to look at the importance print can play in our lives. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but one has been touted as superior, to be sure.

So, what are we talking about when we say print? Everything. From the small items like business cards to large publications, anything material can make a difference in how people interact with your business/organization. While digital media is efficient and clean, it also takes away an aspect of an important human sense: touch.

Imagine you’re meeting with potential customers. After you talk to them for a while, you’d like to let them know how they can get in touch with you or your business, right? You can point them to your website (which is a good thing to do regardless), but actually handing them your business card gives them something tactile. It allows them to make a bit of a connection. They have your information right there in their hand… easy, right?

Let’s try another. Imagine you run an organization and want to put out a newsletter so your members know about all the events your organization is putting on. Sending out email newsletters is effective and uses fewer resources, but are people actually reading your newsletter? Let me explain my question a bit. In doing some research for this piece, I came across a paper called “What Can Neuroscience Tell Us About Why Print Magazine Advertising Works?” In reading through the paper, I found an interesting point. The researchers put forward the idea that (at least in most cases they witnessed) reading on a screen was mostly comprised of skimming through data. It showed that reading a printed piece was usually slower and subjects read deeper into the material.

In short, print isn’t dead. Print hasn’t truly come close to death. Some studies suggest that young people purchase physically printed (non-digital) magazines and papers more than was done a decade ago¹. So, when you are looking to have a project created, don’t just assume digital publishing is your only option. Instead, ask “Is my audience going to value a printed copy?” In the end, you have to know your audience and predict what they might prefer.

 

¹Scott McDonald, Ph.D., What Can Neuroscience Tell Us About Why Print Magazine Advertising Works? (A White Paper from MPA– The Association of Magazine Media, 2015).