Okay okay, it’s not really what you’re thinking, but somehow, after working on lots of new restaurants (Herringbone, Cusp, Gabardine, Gingham), we had the opportunity to work on a bar, a beer tap, coasters and a raw and cold-pressed juice line. So actually, we’ve been eating AND drinking.

THE COMMONS BAR

We were super excited to work with friends Jake Pescatello and Leigh Gibson to open The Commons Bar downtown because, as mentioned, they’re friends of ours. But we were also stepping out of our comfort zone of sit-down, high-end restaurants into something accessible to a wider audience.

First, the name of The Commons Bar was originally The Commons. After we developed the brand research and determined our brand characteristics as friendly, classic and blue collar-esque, we added “Bar” so it could be shortened to TCB, Elvis’ saying for “taking care of business”.

We also recommended doing away with the chalkboard menus and instead using marquis-type signage to display beers on tap and drink specials. It’s fun, easy to read & makes people passing by want to come in and see the action!

The logo, menus and remaining collateral enhanced the approachable, good-times vibe with a touch of retro and a lot of fresh colors.

See the complete project here

SNAKE OIL COCKTAIL CO: HUNTER BEER

Enlightened Hospitality Group was working with Snake Oil Cocktail Co. to develop their cocktail programs for their restaurants and they wanted to include a beer in their offerings as well. After working with Karl Strauss, they collaborated to develop a fabulous, crowd-pleasing blonde lager. They came to us for a logo and custom beer tap.

Snake Oil’s brand is nostalgic and handcrafted, so we needed to use the snake from their original logo. After several sketches, we went about to find a metal artist to produce our vision. Lex Archibald was incredibly enthusiastic and talented and we knew immediately she was perfect for the job! She and DJ Brelie cut the brass pieces using a plasma cutter, welded them together and then etched the type and logo, creating a look that is totally custom, and totally bad-a**! Each one is unique as the process utilizes a lot of handwork, which reflects the qualities of Snake Oil.

See the logo design here

HERRINGBONE COASTERS

We were under the gun to find a fun and unique way to invite people to Herringbone’s grand opening party, and it needed to be a show-stopper. Nothing says show-stopper like letterpress and so we developed a set of coasters to express the brand and invite local La Jollans to the soiree. A HUGE thank you to In to Ink printing for rushing the paper out & getting those printed in time (and printed perfectly BTW)

Uline made a standard black box that fit our coasters perfectly, so we were able to wrap a simple belly-band/mailing label around them and they were ready to go! The party was a huge success and raised $25,000 for AidChild, a non-profit organization that provides homes, clinics and laboratory support for children and families in Uganda.

See the complete project here

SUJA

After all the indulging, it was time for a bit of detox, and just like that, James Brennan and Jeff Church requested our help branding a raw, organic, cold-pressed juice line. Are we lucky or what?!?

After obviously requesting some trade in the deal (the stuff is AMAZING!), we tackled naming, brand positioning, logo, packaging and vehicle wraps. We positioned Suja as the friendly, down-to-earth friend who understands life’s challenges and helps bring you to health with convenient nutritious juices that make you feel great & function better! With vibrant colors and copy that speaks to our audience, Suja stands out amongst it’s competitors.

We are absolutely thrilled to see Suja flying off the store shelves at Whole Foods Markets all over the Southwest. Plans are to enter the Rocky Mountain region stores by December 1st of 2012 and hopefully more in 2013!

See the full project here

Original Branding & Collateral

Sbicca has been a landmark in Del Mar, California for nearly fifteen years, so when we began working with Dan Sbicca on rebranding the restaurant, the pressure was on! The new and trendy restaurants of Del Mar were getting all the attention, so Dan was hoping to keep his restaurant’s integrity and continue to grow.

Through our research process, we concluded that Sbicca was different from all other restaurants in the area. Even though it served high-end dishes and had a profound wine selection like the others, it was also very comfortable and down-to-earth with hearty menu items. Their challenge was to let new customer understand this immediately when seeing any ad, business card or sign. We used European bistros as inspiration and selected a bold, classic font accented by curvy shadows and a bit of script, telling everyone they were different than their neighbors.

The result is rich and traditional. Menu and business cards were given more visual contrast to create excitement, but references of historical newspapers keep the design grounded. The custom leather blotters created for us by Lost Luggage helps complete the classic look.

For the last two years, Bex Brands has participated in Chairs for Chair’ity, an event organized by our client, Hold It Contemporary Home, to benefit Make A Wish Foundation San Diego. Prominent interior designers, architects and other local celebrities are chosen to select a chair from Hold It, and re-design it in a fun and unique way. The finished chairs are auctioned off for sale.

We had so much fun each year creating a chair! Since we generally work in a two dimensional world, it’s incredible to work with something that you can actually touch and feel (and sit in!). Each year our goal is to create a chair that everyone can enjoy, but approach the design from a child’s point of view, so it has a playful quality.

This year we were instantly inspired when we saw the chair L’Eau by Calligaris. It just screamed “Lifeguard” to us. We also realized we didn’t have all the skills or equipment necessary to create our vision. Thankfully, we had a TON of help along the way.

First, we contacted our talented friends at Make Fabrication and they graciously volunteered to help us produce our vision. The next thing we needed were pool parts, so we contacted various pool equipment companies to find grab rails and pool steps. Inter-Fab Inc. was incredibly generous and donated all the pool parts you see in the design. And finally we needed some items for presentation, and our ever-loyal gurus at Freeform Graphics pitched in with signage.

We are so proud of our group effort. We had the opportunity to visit Hold It last night and view all the chairs … what an incredible collection. Everyone did such a great job! Hopefully we can raise lots of money to help benefit this year’s Make A Wish child, who wants to go to Disney World. Please join us at Hold It Contemporary Home Thursday, Oct. 20th from 6 until 9 for the final bidding!

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

I just viewed a video done for Bally celebrating 160 years. What a remarkable milestone. While there are many things that go into a long-lasting brand, I find that one of the most important things to do is maintain a consistent brand personality, but also to say something fresh and new in each creative execution.

Many times this can be confusing, but if you think of your brand as a person (as we like to do), it can be easily understood.

Each person has a personality. It is a set of traits that makes that person unique. Every time you meet that person, you have a new conversation and each time, you learn something new about that person. It doesn’t clash with the person/brand’s core personality, but enhances it and your relationship deepens. This is precisely how a relationship between brand and customer works and it should be treated the same way.

Many times brand managers will find themselves bored with the brand they’re maintaining and will attempt to change everything in the hopes of attracting attention. Unfortunately, the result at the very least confuses the customer and in the worst case scenario, can develop a sense of distrust for the brand, as if they are talking with a person who seemingly has a new personality overnight.

You’ll notice in the Bally video, that while there are many different logos, ads, colors and headlines, there are elements that remain consistent. Each execution embodies a feeling of classic, conservative luxury with an upbeat attitude.

Define your brand personality & stick with it. From there, you’ll have the freedom to create fresh & exciting communications to keep your customers wanting more!

We repeat over and over that a brand is similar to a person, so just as a person’s core beliefs are implicitly important to making a successful relationship with another person, a brand’s core values are equally important to connect with their customers.

To better understand what core values for a company might be, let’s look at some examples:

Tom’s — Here’s an easy one. Tom’s tagline is One for One, meaning that for every pair of shoes or glasses bought, a pair will be given to a person in need. They believe consumerism should be matched in charity. For those who share this belief, they will look more closely at their products. for those who enjoy their products, they can feel better about themselves by knowing they’ve helped someone else.

Apple — This one may be a little more difficult as many might guess Apple believes in making money, however, core values transcend monetary issues. We believe Apple promotes two primary core values. First, Apple encourages innovation and communication. Secondly, Apple supports the local economy, as it clearly states that products are designed in our California.

Consider your brand. This could be the product you sell, the service you offer, or even your family or simply yourself. What are the core values of your brand and how can you express them in a way to leverage success with your target?

In branding, perhaps the best way to engage your target market is to create a feeling of “me too” within potential customers. When your audience agrees with a brand’s values, a connection is instantly developed and the opportunity for communication between brand and consumer can begin.

Since the Searsucker brand had already been established, the tone of voice, the coloring, fonts, etc. needed to fit within what people already recognize as Searsucker. The voice of Searsucker has always been off-the-cuff & poking fun at itself, we had the opportunity to think of new ways to portray this attitude. Placing Brian backwards on the seersucker striped donkey seemed to be a perfect fit! We stripped Brian’s face onto a photo of another man on a horse, stripped that on a donkey, added stripes and placed all that on a historical image of a town street. The effect is a seamless extension of the Searsucker brand.

With the Burlap window, we were also given the opportunity to establish the brand, including logo, colors, fonts, tone of voice, etc. Brian and James explained the new restaurant to be Asian Cowboy, meaning the flavors, while inspired by the traditions of Asian cooking, are translated to a more bold, brazen and unapologetically brash perspective.

For colors, fonts, etc., we looked to Kung Fu and Western movie posters. We gave texture to the type and threw the outline off-center to describe it’s rebellious nature. When it came to the concept of the display, we were inspired by the large rotisserie section being built in Burlap. After researching Asian meat markets, we decided that recreating the rotisserie/meat market in the window was the perfect way to attract attention and express the essence of Burlap in an honest way.

We’ve enjoyed watching people walk by and stop to check out the displays. Hopefully that will translate to a super successful restaurant opening for Brian & James. Can’t wait for Burlap to open in July!!

Special thanks to Freeform (Printing) and MakeFab (metal fabrication).

Let’s look at an example with Hopkins Ag, a great friend of ours and local San Diego gourmet almond company. With the help of Moo.com, Hopkins Ag and Bex Brands were able to showcase six different types of almonds on the back of regular business cards with QR codes on the top right of each card. Once scanned, the codes send you to a website describing information on each individual flavor of almonds. It creates an alternative, fun and interactive way to go to your website, no typing needed! It appears as though this is the way of the future, so if you’re unfamiliar with this new technology, here’s a run-down of some different types of QR codes:

QR Codes
QR codes are matrix barcodes, or two dimensional barcodes that are placed in advertisements. The designs of the codes are commonly seen as black modules placed on a white background in a small square shaped box.

Once you see a QR code, you scan them by using a smartphone’s QR barcode reader app, which can be found in any smartphone’s app store. Once scanned, the QR code redirects you to more information about the advertisement it was placed in, whether it be their website, videos, pictures, or Facebook page. You can try creating your own QR code for free at http://feedly.com/k/jfaaqz, to try and promote your business in a fun and new way!

QR codes have already been used to replace coupons, gift cards, movie tickets and we even found people using QR code temporary tattoos!

Microsoft Tag
Microsoft Tags are similar to QR codes, but have taken the concept and tried to expand on it. They allow customizability of the codes themselves, to put color and make them designed to your personal liking or brand identity. Microsoft Tags also have the ability to frequently update the URL’s associated with your 2D code, unlike QR codes which have one permanent URL. The code can also be created in a much smaller size, be read faster, and read under a much wider range of lighting conditions. The final characteristic is that Microsoft Tags can be read with any form of tag reader, which older formats couldn’t do, or as Microsoft says, “tags just work”. You can download them and try it out for free on Microsofts website, http://ow.ly/4SwI3.

JAGTAG
JAGTAG’s are another form of 2D code similar to QR codes and Microsoft TAGs, but Unlike QR codes or Microsoft Tags, in which you need a smartphone with a QR reader app, with JAGTAG’s, all you do is take a picture of the JAGTAG and text it to 524824. Once received, the server will send you back all of the information a regular QR code would have sent you. Therefore, with JAGTAG’s, you are able to reach all prospective consumers, rather than just the 26% of mobile phone users with smartphones. To use the JAGTAG service itself is free, but to create your own JAGTAG’s is not. You need to go on their main website at www.jagtag.com and contact them to be set up as a customer.

The potential for codes like this is enormous, giving the audience a virtually full brand experience. The future is dependent upon the ability to continue to create broader consumer awareness and education on how to use the codes. If fully achieved, We won’t be surprised to see QR type codes in every form of advertisement available.

1. Provide information — Give your firm as much information in the beginning as possible. They are experts in communicating your brand, but you know more about your brand than they ever will, so the more information you can give them, the better they will be able to discover what Bex Brands calls the soul of your brand.

2. Share your vision — Most clients have a picture in their head of what they’re expecting to see. As important as it is to be open-minded when reviewing what the firm has developed, it is equally important to share your expectations. No need to judge whether your vision is right or wrong, it’s just another way to get on the same page with your firm, making the branding experience truly collaborative. Look for images to help you describe what you have in mind. These images should serve as inspiration for your firm, but are not meant to be literal interpretations for brand communications.

3. Be open-minded — As I mentioned above, being open-minded is an important part of the process. Remember they are experts at finding the soul of your brand and expressing it in a way that’s honest, distinct and memorable. On occasion, we’ve had prospective clients come to us telling us he or she knows “exactly what I want, I just want you to execute it.” I implore you not to take this approach with your firm, as it will disservice both of you. By dictating design decisions, you’re not using your firm’s talents to their best ability. You’ve also changed their jobs from discovering ways to connect with your audience to reading your mind, and trust me, most of us are not good mind-readers.

4. Give them time — The more time you can give your firm, the better. Once you
provide the information and share your vision with your firm, they’re minds are on it 24/7, as portions of the subconscious brain continue to decipher and process the creative task at hand, whether they like it or not.

5. Trust — If you’ve done research on your firm before hiring them, you should know that they will do their best to make your brand expressions honest, distinct and memorable. Making your client feel like you don’t trust them will only add stress and generally not produce better results since you’ve developed an “us vs them” relationship. Instead, try to develop a “we” relationship with your firm as you move toward a common goal of creating a successful brand.

What is Market Research?
By George Kusaba

In creating a successful business, market research can be an important part of creating knowledge about the consumer. Market research allows businesses to tap into their consumer base by understanding their needs, identifying new trends, and finding where products are most likely to sell. It also allows businesses to establish fair market prices for products, discover how to overcome obstacles into the industry, and identify market trends. Typically, these results are achieved by using qualitative and quantitative modes of research. The debate between qualitative and quantitative modes of market research is not a new one, but it is important to have a basic understanding of each before we think of starting our own successful business.

To begin, let’s take a look at some aspects of qualitative methods. Qualitative research involves analyzing data with words, with examples such as interviews, pictures, and videos. It is primarily concerned with why a consumer makes a choice, rather than the choice itself. Some examples of how they achieve this is through personal interviews and focus groups. A focus group is an interview, conducted by a trained moderator among a small group of respondents. The interview is conducted in a natural setting where respondents are free to give views from any aspect. Focus groups allow companies developing, packaging, naming, or testing a new product, to discuss and view the new product before it is made available to the public. Therefore, qualitative research is important for potential market acceptance.

Now let’s take a quick look at Quantitative research. It looks at data in a more objective way. Quantitative research involves creating hypotheses and theories. Once created, through methods of experimentation, researchers separate information into numerical categories and are able to identify different variables and relationships between the market and consumers. Some examples of Quantitative research involve phone surveys or online surveys. Once the surveys are conducted and received, a group of researchers analyze the numbers of how many individuals chose one product over another and formulate conclusions to their hypothesis based on their numbers. Therefore, quantitative research relies on having an objective understanding of the market, in which the importance lies in finding the consensus or norm of a product.

Now since we have a basic understanding of each, it is important to compare the two. Qualitative research allows businesses to understand trends by personalizing themselves with the consumer, but this process can become time extensive as well as expensive. The results also may vary greatly based on the manner the interviews are conducted or how the interviewers may vary their answers according to what they decide to listen to and what information they block. In comparison, quantitative research allows a more accurate and precise answer due to controlled observations, such as mass surveys and laboratory experiments, but it doesn’t take into account the many different cultures and experiences of the individuals buying the products. For example, merely reading a book about someone and judging your results based on analysis of the book is different from actually getting to really know that person in real life.

It is easy to see why many companies often use one or both of these methods for success of their companies, but what happens when a company uses both types of market research, and there is still nothing to show for it? It is true that market research can help with the success of a company, but sometimes it can be expensive and useless. For example, in 1996 most CEOs of large banks dismissed the Internet as irrelevant in terms of future profitability. Market research strongly confirmed their skepticism and the overwhelming majority of customers said they weren’t interested in using the Internet to run their bank accounts. The survey results were misleading to say the least and two years later many account holders began buying goods and services over the internet and changing their minds sooner than expected. At this point it was already almost too late to recover from the failed results of their research and this shows that market research is not always the answer in running a successful business. Therefore, in conclusion, it is up to the business owner in regards to personal finance and the business approach they feel most comfortable with in creating a successful business. In other words, market research isn’t for everyone and although potentially very successful, can also be utterly and wastefully useless.

Book Description: Whether it’s on the web, in a book, or live in-person, the most effective solutions are those that unexpectedly grab our attention. David Langton and Anita Campbell identify eye-catching and thought-provoking marketing and PR tips, ideas, and stunts. In this compendium of winning ideas will inspire small business leaders, creative professionals, and students. Award-winning visual communication designer David Langton has worked for a range of businesses from Fortune 500 leaders to mom and pops. Anita Campbell, an internationally known small business expert, reaches over 1 million small business owners and stakeholders annually.