A+ logo design

Many times a client will want us to cram a bunch of stuff into a logo. If too much is going on in a logo, it hurts legibility and confuses the message. This new logo for the National Park Foundation, designer unknown, manages to incorporate a mountain peak, a trail or river within a ranger's hat in an elegant and clever manner. The word "Foundation" is set in bold, probably so people don't confuse it with the National Park Service. The NPS administer the nation's parks while the NPF is the charitable partner of the NPS.

Designer Computer Files

A friend sent us an email asking:

A designer has done graphic design work for XXX the past couple of years. XXX has now decided to do all the work in house and is no longer requiring their services. Now XXX wants me to contact them and ask them for the ads in a version so that we can ask our internal communications person to make changes. Is that right? Are they obligated to give it to us?

I'm glad they asked. It give us an opportunity to talk about this issue.

Files always belong to the designer. The above situation is similar to dining at a restaurant for a while, then deciding to cook the meals at home and asking the chef for thier recipes. The computer files contain "trade secrets;" special techniques the designer uses to execute the design. When you hire a designer you are paying for the right to use their design in what ever manner you agree to. It's the same in photography and illustration. You may own a print of a photograph but the photographer continues to own the rights to the photo. You can't take the photo and reproduce it in a book or an ad, unless you have the photographer's permission.

At the beginning of a project you can request the files be turned over to you. You will get charged accordingly and it must be written up as such in your contract.

Creative Zumo WOOD like to wish you a...

New Tremé Neighborhood Guide

Want to know where to eat, get your car fixed, get your hair & nails done, buy groceries, and more in the Tremé? The newest Stay Local!: A Project of The Urban Conservancy Neighborhood guide features Tremé. All this plus points of interest. Click here to download a PDF of the guide.

Just in time for the Satchmo Fest

The latest StayLocal! neighborhood guide to shopping, dining, services and culture is all about the French Quarter and the French Market. Visit the StayLocal! web site to download a PDF of the guide (link) as well as guides for other New Orleans neighborhoods.

Hot off the press!

The new StayLocal! neighborhood guide to shopping, dining, services and culture is here! The "Creole Faubourgs" covers St. Claude, Faubourg Marigny, St. Roch and Bywater. Visit the StayLocal! web site (link) to download a PDF of the guide as well as guides for other neighborhoods.

FYI we are currently working on guides for two more neighborhoods. Look for them before the end of the year.

AIGA New Orleans Student Portfolio Review

Gaby and Christy were reviewers for the AIGA New Orleans Student Portfolio Review earlier this month. We met with students from design programs throughout the state in 15 minutes “interviews.” We reviewed their portfolios, critiqued their work and answered questions. We enjoyed seeing what the newest generation of designers has in store and sharing words of wisdom and encouragement.

Email Marketing Kudos

One of our clients who understands the importance of email marketing for her business is Katy Beh of Katy Beh Contemporay Jewelry. She also understands that your emails must be smart, to the point and relevant to be noticed in a recipient's in-box. We develop the concept for each email campaign, Katy's provides us with stunning photography and she's not afraid to use humor. Recently she got the following note:

Every time I receive your emails – I love them! And today I decided to send you a note and let you know that I love them. They are attractive, short and sweet, very entertaining – and authentic. They excite me about jewelry (I normally do not get excited about jewelry from looking at pictures) and bring me to your site even when I should be busy working :-). I feel like buying the jewelry from your store every time I think about it, and if I were not located in Canada – I would! You are doing a great job in marketing – and in selecting such wonderful pieces. Thank you.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, sign up for Katy's emails on her website: http://www.katybeh.com/stayintouch.php

Letterheady

In the world of email and ink jet printers, letterhead is a dying breed. We rarely get to print letterhead for clients any more. Mostly we do a template in Word so they can type up their letter and print it out. The exception would be many of our non-profit clients who need letterhead for thank yous.

Letterheady is a web site that showcases letter head designs. Many are vintage and very cool. A personal favorite of mine is the one from the Contemporary Hotel in Disney World. I love the graphic nature of the logo and clean simplicity of the design. I grew up in Florida and visited Disney World many times (I think it was required of all Florida residents) and I loved the Contemporary. The monorail would glide right through the middle of the hotel. I thought it was the coolest thing.

2009 AIGA New Orleans Fellow: Christy Hackenberg

December 8, 2009
by Weston McWhorter

Congratulations to Christy Hackenberg, our 2009 AIGA New Orleans Fellow.

Christy founded award-winning New Orleans–based branding and communication design company Creative Zumo along with business partner Gaby Tillero in 2005. Prior to that, she was an instructor in the Visual Communications department at Delgado Community College and had worked at several prominent design and advertising firms in New Orleans.

In 2007, Christy was named a New Orleans Magazine “Person to Watch” for co-founding Women & Wine on Wednesday, a women’s networking organization that provides an opportunity for women to share resources and discover new opportunities.

She is a founding member and past president of the AIGA New Orleans chapter and continues to stay active. Christy moved to New Orleans in 1992 after graduating with a BFA from Florida State University and attributes her association with AIGA as an important factor in the development of her graphic design career.

Please join us in congratulating Christy on receiving this honor as a leader in New Orleans’ design community, not just as a designer per se, but as motivator, organizer, and general ball o’ fire. Her tireless efforts have benefited us all many times over.

New Web Sites Launched

The last few months we’ve been busy with websites. We launched 4 in the past month.

NOCGI | New Orleans Creative Glass Institute - http://www.nocgi.org/

METRO | Metropolitan Center for Women & Children, an organization to break the cycle of domestic violence and aid survivors of sexual assault - http://mcwcgno.org/

Breakthrough New Orleans, a program helping at-risk students reach their full potential and placing them on the path towards college. - http://www.btnola.org/

Zeus’ Place "Your pet's home away from home" - http://www.zeusplace.com/

This web site is a little different because it is built on the WordPress platform.

We also design the new Zeus' Place logo seen on the web site.

Web Design Kudos

Our web site design for Katy Beh Contemporary Jewelry got a nod recently in the Times-Picayune's special shopping section "Wish." (link)

Hot off the Press!

Now available the latest neighborhood guide from StayLocal! and the Urban Conservancy featuring Gentilly. Download a PDF of the complete guide and also for other neighborhoods such as Old Algiers, Carrollton, Freret, Plaquemines Parish, Mid-City and Viet Village. More guide coming this Fall. Stay tuned and Stay Local!

Happy Earth Day

We at Creative Zumo try to be as "green" as we can. It's more effort but we think it's worth it. Today we sent out out latest issue of "Squeeze" that talks about this.

Business Cards

We did an issue of Squeeze that addressed business card design. While they maybe small, they are still important even in today's digital age.

In the video below is a man, not a designer, ragging on bad business cards. His card is way over the top but I guarantee you, no one will forget him or his card.



This scene from the movie "American Psycho" is the antithesis to the above.

(Hat tip to Steven Heller)

A Zumo client gets Lucky!

One of our clients, Katy Beh Contemporary Jewelry, has appeared in Lucky "the magazine about style and shopping" in "Lucky Picks" and in a 2007 article about shopping in New Orleans. Recently, the web site - that we designed - was proclaimed one of Lucky's "Sites We Love."

Offering a well-curated selection of cool names (Annette Ferdinandsen, Jamie Joseph), this New Orleans boutique photographs all of one designer's items together, in beautiful vignettes, so you don't have to scroll through tons of pages to see everything.

How much is that doggy in the window?

There will be times when someone calls us and ask, “What do you charge for a brochure?” or “How much is a web site?” That’s sort of like calling a contractor and asking “How much to build a house?” With a house, you have to consider how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need. One-story or two? Do you want top of the line appliances and finishes or just the bare basics? The same is true with brochures, web sites and other marketing and communication pieces.

Creative Zumo offers a free, initial consultation. We want to sit down with you, face-to-face, and talk to you about your business, your customers, your goals and your budget. We can make recommendations if you’re not sure what you need but know what you want to accomplish. Afterwards, we’ll send you a proposal and estimate. Branding and marketing is a process and everything we design is custom, so don’t expect a one or two week turn-around; it’s not realistic.

4 Years and New Work

This month, Creative Zumo celebrates 4 years in business. We have also (finally) updated our web site with new work. We've added the work we've done for StayLocal!, Metro, La Boca and Scout and added new work for the JCC and Susan Campbell Jewelry. So check it out and let us know what you think.

Welcome to the Creative Zumo Blog

What is Zumo? Zumo translates to "juice" so Creative Zumo is Creative Juice! I spied this Zum(m)o juicer (is that redundent?) at a cafe in Florida.

The blog is to post tidbits we find interesting that may not make it into our periodic e-newsletter "Squeeze."