Creative Agency Talk - Page 2 of 11 - By A Creative Web Design Company

See It Now: Design Disruptors

It’s no secret that InVision has made their mark in the creative landscape as an innovative platform for designers. What’s more is that they don’t just do the work – they live it. With community engagement and education on relevant subjects – their team, and collaborative community at large – has a lot to say. So it’s no surprise that they have just released the new documentary DESIGN DISRUPTORS. The film, screening now in select locations is an inspiring and engaging look at companies and products that are changing our landscape (and daily lives) through design. The film – while truly eye-opening for anyone with an interest in design or business, is a must-see for collaborative teams and creative agencies. As a team of self-described creative problem solvers, the Versions Collective resonated with the statement made by Julie Zhuo, VP, Product Design at Facebook; “(design is) the act of intentionally solving problems.” Check…

Logo Design Fundamentals: A Balancing Act

Logo design is the bedrock of successful branding, so shortcuts are not an option. The process of designing the identity of a brand is essentially laying the groundwork for a conversation with the user, and in order for that exchange to go smoothly – the design must be crafted impeccably. If designed well, a logo can do much more than just look pretty – it can establish credibility, build trust and allow a brand to stand out from the crowd. Branding with regard to logo design has always been important – but in an age where much of business is done virtually, establishing solid brand recognition in a visual way is a requirement. So how do you create something that truly stands out and reflects the values of the brand it represents and ‘speaks’ to the audience? Here are a few essential elements: Versatility A logo that is truly effective…

5 Tips for Concepting and Delivering Powerful Branding

The award winning design team at ArtVersion is no stranger to tackling both new brand launches and brand refreshes. Working with a global set of clients has taught the collaborative group many lessons on how to best approach branding to turn out the best brands possible. Foremost, the team has been struck by how many companies don’t realize that their branding needs to be updated. “Clients will approach us with a digital project – a new website or app – and give us initial direction that isn’t in alignment with their existing branding. It’s here that the ‘aha’ moment happens and they realize their branding is stuck and needs to be reworked to align with new standards and their own growth strategies.” discusses Erin Lentz, ArtVersion director of design. Here are their 5 top branding process takeaways: Go Deep (But Keep It Simple) Though you might be anxious to try out a…

Creative Process: Design is Iterative

Working together takes a certain amount of empathy and curiosity – which aren’t always the easiest qualities to tap into on a moments notice. They are, however, invaluable tools that can propel a project to the ideal outcome in less time. Building this type of collaborative environment that fosters experimentation that, if productive, requires some level of structure that many are looking to create on an enterprise scale. With the shifting models of agencies – and highly competitive marketplace, founders and creative directors are on a constant search for a pioneering model for idea generation. The challenges throughout the lifecycle of a project can be immense, so a system of organization rooted in not only creativity, but accountability has emerged as a perennial favorite. So what process has risen to the top, providing optimized efficiency and creative flow to a team of collaborators? Featuring one of the most sustainable approaches to the…

Tapping Into Your Creative Community

When living and working in such digitally and technologically connected culture, its all too easy to sit behind a screen and think that you are getting all the information that you need to do your best work. Articles, webinars, streaming video and audio and project management tools (read: Slack) just to name a few – all provide the connectivity and information for us to get inspired, put the puzzle pieces together and ultimately get the job done. But is it enough to produce the best work possible? Think of it this way, usually in the morning, you are ready and rearing to go (fueled by caffeine at least) – ideas are flowing and you get to your desk to knock those ideas out of the park. As the day goes on, the momentum seems to slip and finally the afternoon comes and the process doesn’t have quite the spark as when…

Why User Experience Matters

We can all agree that design is important, and it’s even better when something that looks good works well. So, then why is user experience such a hard sell for some? With regard to design, UX is just as critical an element as the visual identity of a company. If the user can’t figure out how to navigate the site or app, they can be easily turned off, much like a bad logo design or unsuccessful packaging. User Experience can be of benefit to any digital platform, however when implemented strategically for ecommerce, complex applications, wearables or any experience where a user has to accomplish a task – the presence of UX opens up a clearer pathway to conversion. Ongoing user experience strategies and optimization can also greatly increase the longevity and scalability of a digital product. Focusing on the importance of user interaction is a key aspect in driving…

Proof of Concept: 4 Effective Prototyping Tools

Whether it is with an internal team or client, having the tools to effectively present an idea and show the process to delivery is integral in gaining stakeholder approval and ultimately, the best end product. A creative team requires a toolbox to aid in the communication and visual aspects of the project, and prototyping is the main driver for helping this process along. Determining what method to adopt for a specific project, whether print or digital, will depend on the content, team cognition, budget & time constraints as well as the preference of the design and development teams. Sketching, albeit low-fi, is perhaps the most innovative route when developing a design. Sitting down to pen and paper leaves the possibilities open to all possibilities and no constraints. It allows the designer to explore the problem and come up with a solution through experimentation. Without the ‘walls’ of template suggestions and framework of what has ‘worked’ before,…

The Positive Side of a Creative Block

The flow of creativity is a strange thing. Like precious a natural resource, it comes in waves – either a big rush or a slow trickle. A constant stream is a rare gift and can sometimes be taken for granted. The fact is, creative roadblocks can actually be a good thing. If you continue on the same path for too long, innovation is hindered and new solutions have next to no chance of seeing the light of day. It’s the action of doing something new, something as simple as taking a different path to work or ordering a different meal – that can be the catalyst for reinvigorating creative mojo. You might not even know you lost it, or were even looking for it, but the feeling will be unmistakable – an ignition of your creative self. Getting Creatively Un-Stuck Unplug This might be the most obvious, but the hardest…

The Creative Process: Embracing Ambiguity

When working with a creative agency, the premise is that the creative team should know exactly how to proceed with any project – large or small. The pathway should be clear – a creative brief is employed and its off to the races. But if you look at it closer, all projects are vastly different, requiring every company, organization and brand to engage in a unique approach to meet even their most basic of needs. Unfortunately – many designers, agencies and strategists implement a formulaic approach that lacks longevity and impact. More often than not, the ideal end result derives from a process where iteration is the only way to reach an innovative product – not everything can be meticulously planned and crafted down to a formula. With focus turning away from traditional project management, its beginning to look like creative ambiguity is not such a bad thing – in fact it could be the optimal…

Creating Stand-Out Visual Content

Visual storytelling and content strategies – no matter how well crafted – all come down to the visuals that drive the message. If a great story is paired with a bad visual, it will lose credibility and therefore, be rendered uninteresting to its audience. Add in the rapid pace of information consumption by the mobile set, and visuals become the most important channel in connecting a brand or message with the user. The simple truth is that users now depend on visuals to be the deciding factor in choosing what content is worth engaging with. In a content-first, social-first atmosphere because people are constantly bombarded with content its important to get your message across quickly, pack a punch, and make it as easy as possible to consume and engage. Without the right imagery – the audience might as well be looking at a blank canvas. There is no company or brand…