Lessons from Google's new Chrome icon

Last week, Google unveiled a new, simpler icon for its Chrome web browser. In a blog post explaining the change, Google designer Steve Rura wrote, "Since Chrome is all about making your web experience as easy and clutter-free as possible, we refreshed the Chrome icon to better represent these sentiments. A simpler icon embodies the Chrome spirit -- to make the web quicker, lighter, and easier for all."

Whether you love it or hate it, the new Chrome icon provides an important lesson to corporate marketers: When creating logos, color schemes, and icons to represent your brand, make sure those symbols represent the core values you want people to associate with you.

Another lesson comes in the way Google went about creating its new Chrome icon. "Redesigning the icon was very much a group effort," Rura continues. While you probably should put together a core team of designers and marketing people who will have the final say in creating your corporate brand, don't overlook ideas from "outsiders" in your organization (customer service people, salespeople, product developers, etc.) who might bring a different perspective to the discussion.

And finally, make sure your new identity translates well both online and off. "It was important to maintain consistency across all media," Rura concludes, "so we kept print, web, and other possible formats in mind."

One way to ensure a strong print-based presence for your new logo, icon, or color scheme is to involve a printing firm, like ours, early in the design process. As print professionals, we can help you choose colors that are attractive, cost-effective, and easy to reproduce, so you don't wind up spending more than you hoped to for less-than-ideal results.

Comments

Print Coupons Are Valuable Tool for Driving Business

With the advent of the Internet and mobile technology, it may seem that print advertising has gone by the wayside. However, that is simply not true. In fact, there are still many legitimate, valuable uses for print advertising. One of those opportunities is coupons. We see coupons in grocery stores constantly. Every Sunday paper has coupons that give customers incentive to try new products or new versions of older products. Why is that? Simply put, coupons work. So how can you use coupons effectively if you're not running a grocery store? Here are some ideas to consider: Return Business Coupons are one of the best ways to obtain return business. For example, consider creating a "Buy 10, Get 1 Free" card. This type of coupon works well for businesses that sell multiples of the same type of product. Examples might include "Buy 10 earrings, Get 1 Free" or "Buy 10 ink cartridges, Get 1 Free." Another option is to offer a coupon to every...

Boost Your Marketing With Postcards

You probably get at least a few postcards in your mail every day. Have you noticed that you always look at the front and usually flip them over, too? Postcards are incredibly hard to resist because there's something compelling about that small, stiff card stock. Postcards are experiencing a revival as business owners and marketers are rediscovering the powerful impact postcards can deliver. What's so great about postcards? Postcards have several advantages over many other marketing channels. Postcards are less expensive to print. They don't require envelopes or other inserts. Postcards provide an instant visual connection with the recipient. The limited space for copy and graphics forces you to get to the point quickly. Recipients don't set them aside to read later, leading to instant reaction. Postage is often lower than with other forms of direct mail. Postcards are great for personalization (with variable data printing - VDP). Postcards work very ...

Poster Design Tips

At its best, poster design is the territory of the truly creative, and it has been used in the past as a public display of individual talent. When you are designing in this graphic form, the poster's purpose and application should be your first considerations. The poster will normally be on display in a public area, where it will have to compete both with its surroundings and with other posters. Poster Design Checklist: Establish the information to be conveyed. Decide on the size, proportion, and shape. Research the locations for your poster. Simplify the information to be communicated. Produce scaled-down versions of the design. Consider the space and its effects very carefully. Select the typefaces that work for your design. Make sure the message is conveyed clearly and dynamically. Present a number of alternative designs. When you are designing a poster, the first decision to make is the size and shape of the design area. This may be governed by the displa...

Solid Impressions

Search This Blog