Branding & Design

Hand holding a stylus draws on a digital drawing tablet
Branding & Design

3 Reasons to Hire a Professional to Retouch Your Photos

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There’s a significant difference between sharing personal photos you altered on a social network and relying on the same methodology to promote your business

As graphic designers, we hear this phrase a lot from new clients: “We want to look like Apple!” But what most don’t realize is that “looking like Apple” involves investing in a graphic design team that can produce that type of cutting-edge imagery.

From its inception, Apple relied on high-quality, slick-looking imagery to sell its products. A young Steve Jobs was initially inspired by the work of architect and interior designer Frank Lloyd Wright, a man who believed in a philosophy he called “organic architecture.” Wright was the leader of the Prairie School architectural style that dominated the U.S. in the late 19th century and early 20thcentury. Growing up in a neighbourhood Wright had designed left an indelible mark on Jobs. Thanks to Wright’s work, it started Apple’s co-founder down a path of insisting on distinctive, clean, beautiful but simple designs for his company’s products. To put it another way, if you’re shopping for used goods on Kijiji, chances are you’re more inclined to click on a classified ad which features crisp, clear photographs of an item up for grabs instead of one with photos that are blurry or dimly lit. Why? In all likelihood, it’s because you suspect the item for sale with the shoddy photos is of poor quality or that the seller is untrustworthy. Now apply the same train of thought to the quality of the images you want to use on your company’s website or in its marketing materials. Your company’s website, and the photos you use to promote its products and services should never cause potential customers to doubt the high level of professionalism you and your team are capable of delivering. However, subpar imagery will do exactly that.

Hiring a Professional versus Do-It-Yourself

Advancements in raster graphics editor programs (software that allows anyone to create or edit images on a computer) has spawned a generation of amateur, do-it-yourself (DIY) image editors. Many of the freely available image editing software programs available are capable of coming close to matching the full-featured professional software designers use. It’s become commonplace for anyone with a smartphone or desktop computer to simply add a predefined filter to a digital photo, adjust the image’s level of brightness and contrast, and then upload it to Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest. But there’s a significant difference between sharing personal photos you altered on a social network and relying on the same methodology to promote your business. Here are three reasons why you should work with a professional design team to retouch your photographs and design your marketing materials:

  • Experience and expertise. Graphic designers have professional training, and they have honed their craft over many years. They have a deep understanding of the art of photography, the high-quality editing software they use on a daily basis, and they know how to leverage both to make your business stand out from your competition. Moreover, designers know how to produce the professional-looking business materials you want, even if you’re unable to convey to them what that is exactly.
  • Time and money. Despite the enthusiasm for taking the DIY approach, it’s not a wise business decision to make. Graphic designers know the most cost-effective ways to produce the high-quality photos and marketing materials you want in a reasonable amount of time. You’re busy running your business and serving your customers. How will you find the time to research, design, and create a professional logo, photos, and sales and marketing brochures?
  • Consistency and continuity. Every professional graphic designer takes pride in his/her work. They know if your materials don’t look good, neither do they. Quality design includes consistency and continuity across all of your online properties and printed materials. A designer will zero in on ensuring every pixel in every one of your images is perfect. They know what fonts and colour patterns to use, and they’ll ensure the overall look of all of your company’s marketing and promotional materials meshes with your brand and resonates with your targeted audience.

“There are three responses to a piece of design: ‘yes’, ‘no’, and ‘wow!’ Wow is the one to aim for.”– MILTON GLASER

Getting the Results You Want

Though on the surface it may seem like improving a digital image is quick and easy to do, more often than not it’s far more in-depth work. Professional designers know how the human eye works, how and where it will rest on an image, and how colour and graphic layout can impact emotions and stir intellectual activity. In some cases, photo retouching can be straightforward. In other cases, it can be vastly complicated. Here are a couple of examples of where that complexity comes into play.

In the first example to the left, the goal is to remove the framework we can see in the background of this image from the sky. The sky features a subtle gradient that gradually changes from light to dark grey. It will be tricky, but we need to ensure the sky is painted carefully to avoid banding in the colour and creating discrepancies. To the left, we can see pillars in the background. We also have to remove the framework from this area. We are no longer dealing with a smooth background colour as the sky. Now we must remove the framework and add textured pillars seamlessly. We would achieve a similar effect if we removed the framework the model is resting on and simply showed the tiled floor. Regardless, a textured background such as this one will need to be replaced, all the while ensuring it fits perfectly with the rest of the image’s lighting and its overall perspective. Now cast your eyes upon the parrot and its beautiful plumage below (apologies to Monty Python). Our goal with this image is to isolate the bird by removing him from the black background. As the background is one consistent colour, it appears to be easy to select and isolate the contrasting parrot, but the bird’s body is out of focus. If we’re not careful, we’re going to get a parrot with a blurry black outline in places where the attempt to isolate him from the background is made. It is possible to isolate him, but it would be far easier to do if the parrot was entirely in focus.

In the end, investing in a professional design team to edit your photos and give your business that “wow” factor will help you attract more customers and grow your business. It may be cheaper to take the DIY route, but the sting of the less-than-stellar quality of your marketing materials will last much longer than the initial satisfaction you felt by saving a few bucks.

A man's hands hold drawn mock ups of a website design
Branding & Design

Love Your Graphic Design Experience

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Keeping the love alive in your relationship with your designer

Whether your business is new and you’re starting from the beginning or you’re refreshing your well-established brand, designing a new look is an exciting move for any company.

When you first sit down with a designer and the ideas are flying fast and furious, it’s easy to fall in love with the whole process. The creative juices are flowing and the possibilities seem endless, and they are! It’s energizing and invigorating!

So what happens if you aren’t as delighted as you hoped to be when your design is unveiled?

Here are a few tips to bring back the love when the excitement starts to fade:

Explore Possibilities

No matter how serious and professional your business is, design is a chance to enjoy a little creative freedom – to play in a way.  Keep your mind open to the suggestions your designer brings you. What seems a little too “out there” at first might be just the revitalizing perspective you need.

Speak Your Mind

Communication is key in any relationship, including the one with your designer. There’s no need to beat around the bush – tell them what you want. If you have a concrete idea of what you want to see, be clear with your designers. They are skilled at eliciting and interpreting your ideas, but even in the best relationships, mind reading is rare. Be honest and direct about what you want so that you will give them a fair chance at creating your heart’s desire.

Keep an Open Mind

You may have a perfect vision for your business, but no matter how well you describe it, all designers will perceive it through their own creative filters. If the results don’t match your ideal right off the bat, tuck it away for a day or two to let your initial emotional response settle and then come back and give it another chance. You might find you can grow to love it even more than your original idea. If you still can’t love it, try to be specific about what pieces aren’t working so that your designer can work with you to achieve your goals. Make the most of their expertise by hearing them out on their ideas, feedback and rationale for their designs.

Trust the Professionals

You hire the pros to get results, but also to manage your designs for you so that you can get back to running your business. Let them put their creativity to work to help your business stand out in a crowd.

Your business is very personal to you, so when it comes to creating the visuals that will represent you out in the world, it can be difficult to find exactly the right look. If you’ve hired a professional design firm, you’re on the right track to getting the professional and appealing image you want and need for your company and your brand.

Glass ceiling with clouds
Branding & Design, Web Design & Development

The $100 Difference

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Some things to consider when deciding if the nickels and dimes are worth it

When selecting a web or graphic design provider, sometimes that $100 difference can make all the difference in your decision. When you’re stuck in a rut between providers, be sure to compare “apples to apples”

Consider these possible deal breakers:

1) Template solution OR custom concepts?

A template solution website takes a lot less time and money to build generally, however makes a great difference in the overall impression that your business gives online as well as your site SEO.

2) Outsourced Hosting OR their own servers?

Many smaller web firms sub-out or host your websites on servers that do not belong to them. This often times creates a web of confusion of who has what and where. When comparing the cost of hosting across the board, keep who owns the servers in mind and stray away from subbed-out solutions.

3) Two-Pop-Shop or Team of Professionals?

The reality is that a two-pop-shop firm (of which many exist and come and go each day) does not have the overhead cost of a larger marketing solutions firm, thus the reason for the cost difference in many cases.  But can two people provide the level of expertise and diversity that a firm with a team of designs, programmers, content writing, SEO specialists and admin /support staff can?

4) What happens if all doesn’t go well?

Should the scenario happen where you do select the $100 less company and things should not go as planned, what will the cost be to you to switch firms? Will you have issues getting ownership of the work that you’ve already completed? Will you be able to take what you have and move elsewhere OR will you be stuck?

5) Not a one-night-stand but a marriage

Remember that when selecting a web provider, your relationship will not be a one-night-stand but rather a long term marriage. With this said, it’s important to select a company that not only has been around for a while, but will still be around for you when you need them. Check on the availability and costs of long term support and webmastering.

Close up of clock gears
Branding & Design

7 Ways to Audit Your Brand

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Is it time for a brand refresh?

Your logo is one of the most critical parts of your branding. It is the visual manifestation of your business, voice, messaging and values. It multitasks, acting as your signpost, your calling card, your signature. It ties together every aspect of your marketing efforts and customer experience, from your website and signage to your invoices and receipts.

Your brand, however, is so much more than just your logo. It is your company’s personality and reputation. More importantly, it affects your customers’ recognition and positive impression of these elements. The most memorable and enduring logos stem from strong brand identities. Think of Nike, or Coca-Cola. Understanding your brand is the foundation for the visuals of your corporate character.

As with any part of your business, it is important to stay up to date with your branding.

How do you know that your brand needs an update? Here are seven important considerations.

1. You’ve recently changed your business

If you have acquired a new company, grown your business, or if you’ve started offering new services, it is a perfect time to update your brand. Your brand must speak to your marketing and consumers. If your business changes, your brand should adapt to reflect those changes.

2. There is inconsistency between branches of your business

We see this all too often with companies who have extensive, divided sectors of their organization. These sectors should compliment one another to promote a concise, consolidated brand.

3. You cringe or apologize when you show someone your logo or website

If this is you, stop reading right now and call Treefrog. You should be proud of your brand, your logo and your website. If you aren’t, your customers will know it.

4. Your competitors have updated their brands

We don’t mean this in a “keeping up with the Joneses” sort of way, but if your competitors are updating their brands, it means that they are going after new potential clients. That means, your potential clients. If they have a sexy new look that better represents their company, then something needs to be done about it.

5. It’s been 10 years since you updated your branding

A decade is a long time. Look at the differences in time between the 1990s to now. Your brand should keep up with how you do business. At no point should someone look at your logo and think “That looks so 1999!” Changing your brand does not mean losing sight of who you are. In fact, it means the opposite. Updating your brand carefully shapes your business while maintaining the authenticity, history and evolution of your company.

6. Your previous logo was not designed by a professional

If you used clip-art or a stock company to create your logo, you have not invested in your brand. Creating a brand should be a thoughtful, thought-provoking exercise that takes into account all the aspects of your company. It should be an investment into the identity of your organization.

7. You have lost your voice, audience or identity

If your current marketing is not working for you, it’s time to re-evaluate. You cannot expect to continue with your marketing as-is and expect different results. If you are not reaching your audience with the tactics you are using, then it’s time to change the conversation.

Your brand should capture and align with what your ideal customer is looking for. It should stand out from the crowd and invoke an immediate trust in your business.

Treefrog can help you gain new perspective on the perception of what your brand is, and what its potential could be. We can also help you understand your customers’ opinions and incorporate this into your messaging. Once we’ve helped you create a brand image that fits, we’ll help you transform the concepts into insightful and imaginative visuals that will make an unforgettable statement.

For more information or to inquire about updating your brand, contact us today.

A man's hands hold drawn mock ups of a website design
Branding & Design

What is Graphic Design?

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101 Information

Graphic design is art with a purpose. It involves a creative and systematic plan to solve a problem or achieve certain objectives, with the use of images, symbols or even words. It is visual communication and the aesthetic expression of concepts and ideas using various graphic elements and tools.

Elements of Graphic Design

Graphic design can use image-based designs involving photos, illustrations, logos and symbols, type-based designs, or a combination of both techniques. These designs can include various combinations of the following elements.

Lines: Straight, curved, wavy, thick, thin – when it comes to lines, the possibilities are limitless. Lines allow designers to divide a space or separate content in a layout. They can also be used to guide the eyes of the viewer, or make other elements follow a strategic path for added findability, to get the viewer easily from point A to point B.

Shapes: Shapes offer a variety of ways to fill spaces creatively, to support text and other forms of content, and to balance a design. Shapes can be created out of nothing, using white space to give a design structure and clarity.

Colour: Colour, or the absence of colour, is an important element of any visual design. With a solid understanding of colour theory, designers can amazingly influence a design and a brand, seamlessly integrating colour boldly or with brilliant subtlety.

Type: Type can transform a message from mere text to a work of art. Different fonts, combined with customized alignments, spacing, size, and colour, can add power to the point you are communicating to the world.

Texture: Even a smooth and glossy advertisement can seem tangible with texture. It gives a sense of a tactile surface through its visual appearance and adds a sense of depth, enhanced by selection of appropriate paper and material.

Tools of Graphic Design

Professional designers possess a creative mind with an artistic inclination, and so much more. Keen observation skills and analytical thinking are essential tools for graphic designers, before they dig into their physical tool kit and touch pen to paper or stylus to tablet. Designers employ a variety of methods to combine art and technology to communicate a particular message and create an impressive visual.

Sketchpads: A traditional tool used to sketch out ideas; it is the quickest way to jot down the rough designs, which designers can develop further using other tools and technologies.

Computers: Computers now occupy an essential place in every designer’s tool kit. Hardware such as tablets allow designers to expand their creative freedom and maintain that sketchpad feel while creating a digital design.

Software: Technology has opened new doors for realizing creative vision. Specialized software such as Illustrator and Photoshop can help to create illustrations, enhance photographs, stylize text, and synergize all of the pieces in incredible layouts.

Graphic Design communicates your brand and message visually with impressive business logos, enchanting brochures, newsletters with impact, and stunning posters.

Let the professional graphic designers at Treefrog Inc. turn your dreams and ideas into realistic revelations.

We have provided countless clients with beautiful, eye-catching graphic design work, but don’t just take our word for it! Let’s Talk.

The word "brand" decoratively drawn in a notebook
Branding & Design, Digital Marketing

What is Corporate Identity?

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…and Why is it Important?

The concept of corporate identity is akin to what we refer to when we talk about our own identity, the specifics that differentiate us from others. It is our personality and character that maintains our individuality, which we express through how we behave, speak, and even what we wear.

Similarly, a business makes itself distinct through the image that it presents to the world, through collateral like business cards, letterheads, brochures and other options. It is a physical expression of the company’s brand, an extension of the culture that is already expressed through communication style and behaviour exhibited to maintain the image of the business.

Corporate Identity expresses your business’s brand personality and sets you apart from the competition.

The Importance of Corporate Identity

In a fast-paced and competitive world where the consumer has innumerable options available to them, a company needs a strategy to establish a solid presence in the marketplace. There are strong reasons to believe that the right corporate identity helps achieve this business objective.

Building Corporate Persona: When we meet a person, it is the first impression that has the most impact. We tend to gather cues from what we see and feel, interpreting our observations to form our opinion about the person. This is also how we treat products and companies. To stand out from their competitors, every company needs to have a good brand image, to create a niche in the client’s mind by having a unique, pleasing appearance and identity.

Consumer Loyalty: The consistent design of a corporate identity, in accordance with objectives set for the business, uphold and reflect the ethos, culture, principles, future ambitions, or visionary goals of the business. Customers who find this to be in accordance with their philosophy and liking feel connected to this image and are more likely to develop loyalty to the business.

Business Enhancement: Personal experiences with a corporate identity influence consumers and their purchasing decisions. A corporate identity with a strong and positive impact creates a favorable mental image of the business in a consumer’s mind. A strategically planned identity gives a good return in terms of referrals and repeat business.

Businesses may occasionally need to update their corporate identity, if there is an ideological change in the target audience over time and as the world changes. Design professionals can help with attention grabbing logos, impressive business cards, elegant letterheads, inviting envelopes, stunning brochures and other identity elements. Invest in your corporate identity to develop trust, a sense of value, and a lasting connection with your customer base.

Close up of a zebra's eye
Branding & Design

The Power of Print

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Pack a Punch with Professional Print Design

If the web is a superhero in today’s marketing strategies, then print design is a trusty sidekick with its own unique set of talents and strengths. Often lost in the shadow of the ever-available Internet, it’s time to rediscover that sometimes the sidekick can be the one who saves the day.

Let Print Design Reveal Your Website’s Secret Identity

Your website might be the most powerful marketing tool Metropolis can ever hope to see, but unlike most superheroes, it can’t have a secret identity. You want the world to know exactly where to find your site so you can solve the problem by providing the products or services that are needed. Print materials unmask your website by driving traffic to it. From business cards to billboards, you can use print materials to maximize your investment in your website, creating an unbeatable dynamic duo for your marketing plan.

The Boy Wonder of Branding

Superheroes know branding. Whether they are famous for the bat signal in the sky, the letter “S” on their costume, or maybe for a “Holy Classic Catchphrase”, their trademarks are recognized for generations. Print design can make your logo and tagline, the personality of your brand, just as pervasive. Get instant recognition in your target audience and infuse the marketplace with your message and your mark using posters, postcards, brochures, trade show displays and signage.

Print Takes Your Marketing Strategy “To Infinity and Beyond!”

Print design may be seen as a sidekick in our digital world, but its power and effectiveness also stand strong alone. Print materials are tangible and tactile. Who can resist turning the glossy pages of a magazine or catalogue? These temptations are marketing kryptonite to consumers everywhere. Get their spidey senses tingling for your product with strategically placed ads in newspapers and magazines to promote special offers and send seasonal reminders.

If you have been dazed by digital, try putting the power of print to work for your business and “Pow!” “Blam!” your business will become a super power to beat all the competition.

Design process of a logo graphic
Branding & Design

What’s in a logo

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Logo design, and for that matter brand design, are not cookie-cutter solutions.

Sure, an agency can state that they have stock imagery that gets “close” to a logo design that captures the essence of your business. That’s like trying to be authentic by hanging a box-store piece of art in your living room, knowing that somewhere out there, thousands of other living rooms are donning the same badge of “authenticity”.

At Treefrog, we’re very passionate about design. It’s what makes us unique. Our attention to artistic creativity and visual impact is what sets us apart from other agencies.

We are also passionate about defending the work that goes into good design.

There’s been an emergence of online stock design companies recently. These companies create tension in the market because it makes people think that a brand is something you can just choose and move on. As if you could pick your corporate identity off a shelf and carry it to the checkout line.

Why You Should Invest In Your Logo

What’s in a logo, really? It’s just a graphic that identifies your company brand. What’s so complicated about that? Anyone can create a logo. Right?

Some may think so, but then you have to ask yourself why so many high profile companies spend so much on logo design.

What makes a powerful company logo? Why do some logos stick out from others? What makes us remember them? If they’re so simple that just anyone could do them, then why doesn’t every company have an unforgettable logo?

Consider that your logo is a tactical piece of a brand. A logo is not a brand. If a company comes to Treefrog asking for a new brand, expecting only a new logo, we’ll challenge their thinking.

The fact is, if your company is in need of a brand revamp, you’re not going to fix the problem with a logo. Don’t confuse an iconic symbol of your business as being the entirety of your brand identity. There’s far more to the concept of brand than a logo.

That is not to say that a logo is not an important part of your brand; quite the contrary. This is partly because of the fact that people can immediately tell a shoddy logo from one that’s quality. Your logo can immediately cause people to identify your company as either slapdash, or serious. That’s a pretty powerful sentiment to leave people with as a first impression.

Ideally, the logo will convey a feeling. Maybe it’s powerful enough to spark a memory. It needs the depth of meaning in order to foster an emotional attachment with people.

Keep in mind that a brand encapsulates all the pieces that a company uses to communicate with the world; from business cards, letterhead, brochures, colour uses, typography and image choice. A logo is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to establishing a brand.

The Potato Factor

Gaby Hart, a faculty member at Georgian College for design, summed up logo design succinctly by saying: “A logo is a mark that a company can be remembered by; it should be so simple that you could draw it in the sand with a stick.”

In a similar vein, at Treefrog, we say that you should be able to cut your logo out of a potato. Think of all the things you want to do with your logo—feature it on print pages, your website, have it emblazoned on T-shirts and display it on trade show booth signs that need to be visible from hundreds of yards away. Who knows, you may actually want to have your logo in potato form.

Your logo should be able to stand out in a group of other logos listed on a partner webpage. It should be clear, definitive, and identifiable. There’s a lot of thinking that goes into the development of a logo, word mark or brand identity.

One of the many things we pride ourselves on as an agency is our personal touch. We want to spend time with you to understand your business and how you operate. Is the cost going to be higher than simply picking a logo off a shelf of dozens more like it? Sure. But you get the benefit of a team of experienced designers working with you on your brand rejuvenation.

We want to show off your logo as an emblem of our successful partnership. After all, the best logo designs are derived from collaboration, and a deep understanding of what makes your company unique.

Online Agencies: The Bargain Bin of Logo Design

Some wonder why there are agencies who charge premium amounts for logo design, when there are companies on the web kicking them out for a hundred bucks a piece. The question usually gets around to: what are you actually paying for in a logo design?

First of all, your business has its own unique identity, something that gives people the perception of character. You’ve put time and energy into your business and your brand. Would you really want to hire a stock logo company to shoehorn a look into your corporate identity? Think of it this way: who would you rather have write your autobiography, someone you know, or someone you just found online?

When your company wants a new logo, you have a few options.

1) You can go to a stock logo company.

Right away, the terms, conditions and deliverables are likely going to be different for each one you find. These companies often offer a fast turn around, and a handful of concepts for you to choose from. They may also allow you to make a number of revisions, depending on the price level you choose. Once approved, your logo may be sent to you in a variety of file formats that you will need for printing.

Where you may run into trouble: these are often online companies, i.e. they may not be locally based, so you can’t pop over to discuss your concept with the designer. They may even be in a completely different country, and there may be a language barrier. Discussing logos can often be a very abstract process and be quite an emotional experience. Email often doesn’t work when conveying emotion. Clients often cannot easily verbalize what is bugging them about a concept. A face-to-face meeting with a designer who can help you through the design jargon to focus in on the key areas can be very useful. Furthermore, with an online stock logo company, once you’ve maxed out your number of revisions, that’s it. If you’re not happy, then you have to pay for more revisions.

2) You can use a competitive design website.

These are sites where a client can post their project and the specifications and state how much they want to pay the designer. Designers then can “bid” on the job and post their ideas. After a predefined amount of time, the client then chooses which design they like most, pay the designer and the logo file is supplied.

Again, there are problems inherent in this method. This puts a lot of responsibility in the client’s hand, they have to be able to cohesively communicate the requirements of the project to a broad audience. A lot of people aren’t creatively minded, nor do they really know how to communicate what they really want. What you put in the brief will be taken literally by the designers on the site. If you’re not clear on what you want, then it’s highly likely that you won’t get what you want.

Also, since graphic design is not currently regulated by an authoritative body that checks that designers are at a particular level, ANYONE can post a design on a competitive design website. There is no regulation for quality or skill level. You may have to scroll through thousands of sub-par designs in the hope of finding your new logo. What if no one submits a design in response to your brief? That logo you desperately need will not get done until a designer, wherever they may be in the world, decides to do it.

As for revisions, it all depends on whether they were negotiated when you submitted the brief. The designer may provide the logo “as is” in which case you’d better be happy with what you got. Who knows whether the artwork file will even be constructed properly for a printer?

Here’s an analogy: imagine having a plumbing issue in your house. You know what’s wrong, but you don’t know the source of the problem. You describe the issue to the best of your ability on a website, say how much you’re willing to pay, and hit “submit”. Then you sit and wait for a plumber to come fix your problem. When (or more accurately if) that plumber arrives, you have no idea of their skill level, whether they are a legitimate plumber (maybe they do it part-time, maybe they’re a student!), whether they have any work experience and if they even know what they’re doing. The end result? Your plumbing issue might be fixed, or it might not, and you may have just flooded your house and be down $500.

3) You work with Treefrog or another Graphic Design/Branding company.

First off, you can go look at our website, get to know us, look at our portfolio of work, come meet with us and check that we’re real human beings. If you’re then happy to partner with us, you’ll soon be sitting down with our Art Director and a Designer to discuss your new logo, and the goals of your project. This is usually an in-person meeting and can be an hour or more of in-depth discussion about your company, your long term and short term goals, your likes and dislikes as well as your target market and applications.

After this meeting our designers will work on your logo. We have a team of designers and we will often work collaboratively on a project to refine ideas and come up with a wide range of concepts. Our designers have all had at minimum four years of Graphic Design training prior to working with Treefrog, and are all Graduates of recognized educational institutions. Our designers also have a wide range of skills, with backgrounds in illustration, fashion design, and editorial design—not to mention being skilled web designers. Our Art Director will work with the design team to refine your logo concepts until we’re sure they’re at the level of excellence that we aspire to here at Treefrog. These concepts will take into account your target market, the goals and future extensibility of the brand as well as adaptations for alternative printing techniques (such an embroidering on a T-shirt).

After presenting you with the concepts, we will plan another meeting, sometimes over the phone or in person (your choice) to discuss your thoughts on the presented ideas. We will then work closely with you to refine the logo concept to the final piece, until you are 100% happy. After the logo is approved we will save out a wide range of file formats and colour options to suit most, if not all possible ways that you may need the logo in the future. If you lose these files, we’ll always have backups to send to you if you need them.

At Treefrog, personality is very important. We know your company has a story, and we’d love to help you tell it. We also know that budget is a factor. But the good thing about working with an actual agency, is that we can work with you directly, and not expect you to have to conform to a rigid price structure or process for what should be a rewarding creative experience.

The point is, a brand and a logo are made up of so much more than just a stock image or your company name in a font.

What’s in a logo? You are.

Cropped close up of a woman's face
Branding & Design

Professional Imagery: Why it is Important for Your Website

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As much as we all loathe to admit it, let’s face it: appearance is everything.

Humans are visual creatures hence what others see has an undeniable impact on our success. Images transcend language and words and allow for a greater understanding of whatever is being discussed. Since first impressions are formed within seconds and since most of the information we consume and interpret is visual, quality design can make your site and your brand stick in the viewer’s mind as professional and credible. This article will discuss why we’re image based, how you can benefit from this knowledge and what constitutes as a well-designed site.

Why are we so Image Based?

Our minds react differently to visual stimuli because the human brain deciphers image elements instantly, while language is decoded in a linear, sequential manner taking more time to process. Studies tell us that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text. “Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak” (Berger, Ways of Seeing, 1972). So unless our words, concepts, ideas are hooked onto an image, they will go in one ear, sail through the brain, and go out the other ear.

How can we Benefit?

A professional, modern looking website can immediately build trust and guide visitors to take action. When it comes to web copy, people rarely read a piece of content word for word. On the other hand, images stick with readers longer and are more likely to give you a greater return on your content investment. The design of a website is significant because it affects how quickly visitors can find what they are looking for. If navigating the website is difficult or frustrating, the visitor will leave and try on another site, resulting in a lost opportunity. A good design will be easy to understand and navigate, helping potential customers find what they need and taking you one step closer to making a sale or getting in touch.

What Constitutes a Good Design?

Effective design should convey a message, tell a story, and allow anyone to understand what you’re talking about. Several factors such as consistency, colours, photos and simplicity all contribute to a well designed site.

I Want My Site to Look Like Apple

A common request we get via our design questionnaires is; “I want my site to look like Apple’s”. So many people ask this because Apple Inc. is pretty much synonymous with classy design. Why does Apple’s design work? Here are just a few reasons:

Simplicity: Take a look at Apple’s homepage and don’t think about what you see, but what you don’t see. The answer of course is visual clutter. Specifically the homepage, which simply shows off their most recent work and provides you with a few easily understood categories to help you get to the information you want to see. Even if your company is not as ubiquitous, you can still use minimal but attractive design to increase usability.

Stunning product shots: One of Apple’s principle reasons for cutting back on superfluous graphics on their site is to really showcase what’s important: their products. Just look at the shots they use; it’s nearly impossible to look at a page on the Apple site and not have your eyes focus on the products for seconds on end. There are several things that make these products look so incredible. The first is that they are obviously pristine. Chalk this one up to digital imaging experts. The combination is a mixture of photography, 3D modeling and Photoshop. The next thing they do is to make them take up a huge portion of the page, which are overwhelmingly impressive.

Consistency: Apple’s general look or “brand essence” is applied across every single thing they design. It’s quite stunning when you realize how much their software actually looks like their hardware. You can’t get much more integrated.

Details: Apple is all about attention to detail. Every little piece of their site is finessed into perfection. Never fall into the trap of saying “no one will notice” or “good enough.” It is often the margin of time spent on the tiniest details that separate the good websites from the great ones.

Strong grid: Every page on Apple’s site adheres to a strict grid structure; whether simple or complicated, it’s there. There is a ton going on, but it somehow seems attractive instead of overwhelming. Breaking sporadic information up into manageable cells drastically reduces visual clutter and confusion.

Go Pro

Professional images capture authenticity. Photographs not only show the visitor what you offer, but can also make them want to act. People no longer just want to browse a website, they want to experience it. The bakery website www.cookieitup.com is full of quality, wholesome images of fresh cookies and natural ingredients. The tantalizing photos and custom illustrations make one want to rush over and buy a box (or five). A personal touch is the result which really speaks to the handmade aspect of the products. The simplicity and consistency of the images speaks to the quality of the product.

It’s simple: the more professional, compelling and enticing your site’s photography is, the more business you’ll conduct over time. We’re not just talking about pretty pictures, we’re talking about a way to visualize information in a simple way that makes sense to the client. Using good photography of your products and services will help you market to a much larger audience. Photos open your content up to a whole new audience through giving visitors the chance to share your imagery with friends and family. Bonus: shared images are basically free advertising. Professional photos can make your visitor understand your product or service more.

Stock Photography

The key to using stock photography is searching for unique and compelling images that are relevant to your brand and your message without looking cliché. Using the site www.octacom.ca as an example, we immediately recognize what the business does, based on the images alone. Depending on your budget you can choose to use all professional, all stock imagery or a mixture of both.

Team Photos Convey Culture and Consistency

Hiring a professional to take photos of your team in action will get you authentic results that will convey company culture and consistency. Your face is part of your brand, so a professional head shot will not only look flattering, but will also make your customer see you as more trustworthy, sincere, and well-practiced. These photos can also be used in places other than your website. You can use them all over your personal and professional social media accounts, such as LinkedIn and Facebook where profile pictures matter most.

If you are striving to be professional and knowledgeable in the workplace, then your website needs to reflect that. Using great design and quality photography is a necessity in this visual world. Great design should convey a message in an easy, simple way, transcend language barriers, provide a good summary of information, support and break down complex concepts, and take a fraction of a second to understand.

The next time you’re tempted to skimp on the professional graphic design, bear in mind that images go directly into long-term memory (words are processed by our short-term memory). They can be called upon when thinking about a particular business or company. Make sure your business conjures great images along with compelling content. Recognizing the importance of visual communication for your site is key to your success.

Out of focus artistic image of fibre optic strands
Branding & Design, Digital Marketing, Web Design & Development

CASL Deadline is Approaching

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Do you think it’s unreasonable to be fined 1 – 10 million dollars for sending an unsolicited email? Sure, who wouldn’t. The new CASL legislation, the first phase of which is coming into effect July 1st, 2014, is going to hold businesses accountable for their email broadcasts. And the fines are incredible—some would say unreasonable.

Regardless of what you think of the fines, CASL is making small to medium sized businesses ask a lot of questions. There is much speculation about what will be legal, and what will be illegal after the law takes effect. And with the first phase of CASL starting up at the end of this month, things just got real.

What is CASL for?

CASL is designed to protect Canadians from receiving unsolicited commercial electronic messages (CEM). That means any type of CEM including texts, emails, malware prompts… It is meant to foster a sense of protection for Canadians online.

Canada will now have one of the most stringent anti-spam laws in effect across the globe, and it is likely that other countries will follow suit. The plus side is, the law will discourage businesses from abusing email lists. Unfortunately, it will probably have little to no effect on actual spam. You’ll still get a ton of Viagra discount messages in your inbox.

Regardless of whether you agree with the law, you need to know how CASL affects your business.

Implied or Express Consent

Here’s the main benchmark by which to measure the people on your email list. There are two types of consent. Implied, and express (also referred to as explicit). An important point: implied consent is okay, express consent is best.

Implied Consent

Implied consent means: anyone who you have an existing business relationship with, but who has not given you express consent to send them email correspondence.

People have a tendency to think that because you have a business relationship with them, you are automatically allowed to send them email correspondence. Not so, under CASL. At best, you have implied consent from this person, and that means something very specific under CASL.

Here’s an example of implied consent. I meet you at a conference. I give you my business card, and tell you you can put me on your e-mailing list. You can add me to your e-mailing list, because I have given you “implied consent”. You need to then track me in your database after that initial contact. If I don’t interact with you for two years, (meaning I do not email you, buy from you or otherwise contact you) then you have to remove me from your emailing list. Implied consent only lasts for two years, after the grace period that is in effect starting July 1st.

However, if I do happen to make contact with you at some point, other than to specifically tell you to stop sending me emails, the implied consent timeline resets. In other words, you’re good to send me emails for another two years, starting from the day I made contact with you.

You can see why this could be an administrative nightmare.

That’s why in every case, it is much better to encourage your contacts to give you their express consent. That way, you can continue to send them email correspondence, until they decide to opt out of your list.

Main points of Implied Consent:

  • Existing business relationship
  • Good for 2 years (resets if you do business with the person again or they contact you via email)
  • People who post their email addresses online who don’t specify they don’t want any spam or unsolicited CEMs could potentially be giving you implied consent (even though this one is really dodgy).

Express Consent

Express consent means anyone who has “opted-in” to receive your emails. That usually means they filled out a form on your website stating that they wanted to get your newsletter, or other email update.

You can legally send CEMs to any recipient who has given you express consent, as long as the correspondence adheres to the rules.

Any CEM you send to someone who has given express consent has to contain the following:

  • Your company name, physical mailing address and business information
  • An easy, clear way for the recipient to opt out of your correspondence, at any time.

You’d also do well to clearly label the email correspondence, whether it’s a newsletter or whatever it is, so that the person can remember signing up for it.

Keep in mind that the opt-out procedure can’t contain any duplicitous snares, like “Are you sure you want to opt out?” Of course they want to opt out. They clicked the “Unsubscribe” link.

You also can’t try to fool someone into opting in to your email list. Remember those checkboxes that were automatically checked, stating that you give the company permission to send you emails? They will have to go away. They’re illegal, according to CASL regulations.

How do you collect email?

Are you aware of how you collect email addresses? Is there a process by which you filter people signing up for your newsletters to undergo a specific opt in procedure? In short, are you making sure you can prove that a person signed up to receive your stuff? If you’re not sure, then you need to look at how that process works. What are you telling people they’re signing up for? Is that what they end up receiving?

Are you tracking what people are signing up for? If there isn’t a clear method by which you can prove that a person signed up specifically for your correspondence, then you need to tighten that up.

Keep in mind that each separate email correspondence (each channel) should be clearly identified. For example, if you are telling someone that they can expect product updates from you, then send them product updates. Don’t then start sending them updates about something else. Make sure that you identify exactly what it is you will be marketing, and have a sign up process through which you can clearly prove that people have signed up. Each channel needs a method by which you can prove people’s opt in.

If you intend to continue “scraping” email addresses form the web to build up your lists, be aware that anyone who has specified that they do not wish to receive spam would not be considered “implied” consent. Regardless of how that would be monitored, it’s just not worth it to scrape email addresses from the open web to make up your email lists. Who does that, anyway?

Permission-Based Email Marketing

Think of a pristine email list, full of people who are interested in hearing from you. That’s what you could have after adhering to CASL’s regulations and cleaning up your email collection/distribution methods. Even though your overall recipient numbers may go down at first as you clean things up, over time your open and click rates will go up. That’s what CASL could potentially bring about; a shift in consciousness when it comes to email marketing. It isn’t about grabbing as many addresses as you can for the possibility that someone will click on a link. It’s more about “Permission-Based” email marketing, where people opt in to receive your emails because they are genuinely interested in what you have to say.

When you have a list full of people who have given you permission, it becomes less about “marketing” and more about having a discussion with your supporters and brand evangelists. What a wonderful world it would be!

There are some marvelous resources out there with tons of useful tips about how to be CASL compliant.

Read:

Constant Contact Insights for Small Businesses 

Constant Contact CASL Resources

Elite Email CASL Survival Guide

Canadian Federation of Independent Business- Does Your Business Send Emails?

Watch:

CRTC Information Session Regarding CASL

Connect:

Javed Khan of Empression has done extensive speaking and training on the subject of CASL.

If you have specific questions about anything, we’d be glad to answer what we can.

TREEFROG IS AN EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER, AND OUR E-MAIL BROADCASTING PROGRAM IS FULLY CASL COMPLIANT. THROUGH BUILDING THIS PLATFORM, WE HAVE LEARNED QUITE A BIT ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE CASL-FRIENDLY. PLEASE SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS!

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT CASL AND THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS, IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS TO CONSULT A LAWYER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.

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