The Dangers Of The Internet

June 30th, 2014

When you own a small business, your advertising/marketing budget might not be very important, but this is a mistake. Just like any business you should make a reasonable investment in your image, which means safely buying facebook likes from a trusted provider, having a good-looking website and innovative logo among other things. There are more and more sites available for you to create fast, cheap visual identity materials: logos, business cards, postcards, flyers, you name it… Notice how I used the word “cheap”? I didn’t mean it as “inexpensive…” I really meant it as low quality, lacking the research and creativity your business or product deserves.

Not too long ago, I went to a street fair where two of the artisans were making furniture out of recycled wine barrels. They were selling quite similar products but both had unique characteristics to their work. I quickly grabbed their business cards and thought I would check their websites later. A few days later, I pulled the cards from my wallet and this is what I saw…

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Did I take two of the same artisan’s cards by mistake? No, the names and numbers were definitely different, but which one was which? I had been so impressed by both of their work and now, looking at their business cards, I thought: “This is a joke…” I never called them, I never checked their websites. I was confused and disappointed.

So, how do you make yourself stand out from your neighbor who does the exact same thing you do? Well, you start with a unique logo. It gives your business more credibility and helps potential customers remember you. Don’t go online to create your logo. Sure, you will get it fast and cheap, but so will your competitor.
When you come to Migrate Design for your logo design, there’s a lot of communication involved, we talk, we ask questions. I spend quite some time brainstorming before I even grab my pencil… Pencil, yes! You heard right, the old fashioned pencil and paper.
Your logo starts in my brain, grows on paper and eventually makes it to my computer. I give you options and then I listen to you. It’s YOUR logo, not mine. YOU tell me if I’ve achieved what you were looking for. If you don’t know, that’s okay… I’ve been doing this for 20 years and I’m here to guide you and make sure MY creation fits YOUR needs.

Now you are ready for your business card. Don’t go online! YOUR logo deserves better than being pasted on a stock photography background. I will design and print your business card for you. We can discuss your paper preferences and make sure your card is as unique as your logo.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have two calls to make. I need to help these two artisans set themselves appart from each other, with two unique visual identities even if they’re doing the same craft! It’s possible!

Contact Migrate Design for all your graphic design needs, you won’t be disappointed!

Ongoing work for Look Magazine

March 24th, 2014

I’ve been working with Look Magazine for over 3 years now! What started with only designing a few ads, has now developed into Migrate Design being in charge of all the ads’ creation as well as the magazine layout!

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The main purpose of this magazine is to promote local business in various Southern California cities from Orange County to the Santa Clarita Valley.

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Make sure to Look for the next issue in your mailbox and take advantage of the many offers inside to support small businesses!

You own a small business and wonder how you can boost your foot traffic and improve your sales? Contact Migrate Design to discuss the advertising options available to you.

Infographic Design For The Hass Avocado Board

March 11th, 2014

I’m happy to announce Migrate Design’s new collaboration with Fusion Marketing.

Fusion Marketing is a leading “data to design” full service marketing agency specializing in retail intelligence for perishable and packaged goods.

One of my first projects was the creation of infographics for the Hass Avocado Board.

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“A good infographic is worth a thousand words”

Letterhead Is Not Dead!

March 5th, 2014

With the explosion of the internet, most of our communication is made through email, text and social media. Regular mail seem like a slow, inefficient thing of the past… However, I think every business should have corporate identity elements like a letterhead and business card to maintain its image. These elements show that your business is established and serious. They help provide trust and credibility.

Your letterhead should of course include your logo, which is the most important element of your visual identity and be consistent with your other branding elements. (You don’t have a logo? Contact Migrate Design as this is where you need to start… )

Your letterhead should be printed professionally and include all your contact information: address, phone, email and website address.

Website, email and social media are crucial in today’s world, but a professionally printed corporate letterhead is just one more element that will define your brand and image to your clients.

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Here’s a peak at my latest letterhead and business card design for Gallery Kara.

Fitness Photos

May 1st, 2013

If you’ve browsed through Migrate Photos, you probably noticed that there weren’t many “people” pictures… Since I have a predilection for macro photography, I usually choose objects, flowers and insects as my subjects. I turned down quite a few requests from people wanting me to take family portraits because I just don’t feel comfortable with that kind of photography. I would end up with slanted close ups of hands, eyes and noses… and I don’t know if people would appreciate my perspective since most of them are very traditional when it comes to family pictures.

When my friend Sonia asked me to take fitness photos of her, I warned her: “I usually don’t photograph people, this is not my thing… and fitness photography is an art in itself that I know nothing about…”, but we decided to do it anyway. Just the two of us and a few pieces of equipment. No make up, no professional lighting, very basic.

Sonia’s body is a piece of art in itself, like a sculpture carefully defined, her muscles create lines and shapes that really inspired me. Here’s a little glimpse at the result.

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Sonia Martin, “Fit is The New Sexy”™, is an athlete and fitness instructor.

 

#photo#emotions#sharing

April 15th, 2013

Those annoying Instagram filters that make all of our pictures have a similar feel, sometimes help you create that one image that’s truly unique and beautiful. This is mine.

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Look Magazine – Santa Clarita Edition

March 18th, 2013

Check out your mailbox, a new issue of Look Magazine is out, containing more than 80 ads by Migrate Design!

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The Importance of Advertising for Local Businesses

March 6th, 2013

“A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.” ~ Henry Ford

Can you imagine what would happen if you stopped your clock just to give you more time? You might get the illusion of accomplishing more but ultimately, you would get left behind, especially in a world and era as fast paced as ours.

In today’s economy, business owners are sometimes reluctant to spend money on advertising, not realizing that it is the key to making their business move forward and increase sales. Worse yet, they are even not aware of the new openings for marketing that internet creates. One of the most overlooked promotional methods would be social media marketing, that is hiring a professional company like pistachioconsulting.com, who can greatly boost your popularity on social media and thus increase your sales.
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Here are a few reasons why you should advertise.

– Not everyone knows who you are: Your business might have been established for years or just a few months, but chances are, people don’t know you yet. Families are moving in and out of cities and you need ways to let them know about you.

– Let them know you’re still in business: Just as people move in and out of cities, businesses open and close, especially in today’s economy. Regular advertising will let your customers know that you’re still here to serve them.

– Competition is fierceYou might see competition only as other businesses or products of your type, but really, competition is anything consumers are spending money on. Advertising will help you stand out from the crowd.

– Generate trafficSteady traffic is the first step towards increasing sales and expanding customer base. Make your potential customers curious about a new product or service and offer them a discount. The more customers through the door, the better chance of a sale and a referral.

– Turn wants into needsConvince people that they need your service or your product by creating catchy advertising and having a consistent presence, either in local magazines, mailers, billboards…

– Save your customers time and energyEspecially in today’s economy, you need to be there when consumers are ready to purchase. If they have been repeatedly exposed to your message, they won’t have to spend time researching, they will come to you when they need you.

– Keep your image strongYour business is more likely to be chosen if you have provided a strong, reliable image that sticks in people’s head.  As I mentioned in a previous post, visual identity is key, make sure your advertising follows the trends of the moment.

– Move forwardAdvertising is the perfect tool to make you stand out and help you move forward by getting recognition and increasing sales. Don’t see it as a cost but as an investment in your business.

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There are many more reasons I could mention, but the bottom line is: advertising is important. It’s like an invitation for your potential customers to come see who you are and what you have to offer.

Contact Migrate Design to discuss the many advertising options available to you and your business.

Absolut Collection

February 20th, 2013

In the early 90’s, I fell in love with the simplicity and cleverness of the Absolut Vodka ad campaign. I became Absolutely obsessed and started my “Absolut Collection”.

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Did you know that Absolut vodka has been running essentially the same print advertising campaign for 25 years? All 1,500 of the ads in the campaign feature or make sly reference to Absolut’s distinctive bottle, with the stubby neck and see-through label. All also use variations on the two-word tagline used in the original ad, which shows the bottle with a halo above the words Absolut Perfection.

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Over the years, the bottle’s profile has been used to mimic, for example, a ski slope, a polygraph’s printout and the rotund frame of Alfred Hitchcock. There have also been regional variations, including a bottle-shaped swimming pool for the Los Angeles market and a bottle in the shape of New York’s Central Park. In Philadelphia, Absolut ads offered a likeness of Ben Franklin wearing bottle-shaped spectacles.

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Contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol and Keith Haring have done ads for Absolut and the company has run ads painted in the style of Rubens and other old masters. Fashion designers Gianni Versace, Helmut Lang, Manolo Blahnik and Anna Molinari have created clothing for ads and promotions; celebrity photographers Herb Ritts and Annie Liebowitz also have taken part. Ads have incorporated album covers from David Bowie, Miles Davis and the Velvet Underground.

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Even though this original campaign came to an end in 2006, I’m still eager to grow my collection – a little over 200 prints so far. So if you come across an Absolut ad, think about me !

If you’d like to see more, don’t forget to visit the “Absolut Gallery

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Your Logo, Your Identity.

February 5th, 2013

Why is having a logo so important?

A logo is a symbol or small design used to identify an organization, a business or even an individual, product or service. A logo is what gives you a visual identity and we all know how important it is in today’s world. Take a look at the logo of our friends at Fully-Verified for an example. The circular arrows stand for the transition from the unknown party to the known, while the saturation with green gradient invokes connotations of smooth traffic and safety – exactly what their services stand for.

Relevant: Wether you want it very obvious or more subtile, your logo needs to relate to your company’s services, products or its name, one way or another.

Representation: Your logo is your image, so whatever you want your potential customers to know about your company, your logo should represent it. Make it look professional, stylish and smart – or fun, grungy and smart.

Memorable: A smart logo is a memorable logo, and by smart I mean simple yet able to deliver a message. It needs to grab people’s attention quickly and stay anchored in their minds.

Color: Choosing the right color is important but once again, less is more and a logo should work in black and white as well as in color.

Identity: So you have the perfect logo… Now what? Use it as your visual identity and spread it. Business cards, flyers, brochures, ads… you name it! The more present your logo is in your community, the more chances people will hire you or buy your products!

So, are logos important? YES! The moment you try to reach people and you want them to remember you or your business, you need a logo. Every business, as small as it might be, should have one.

What if you already have a logo but you’re not happy with it? Even though you shouldn’t change your visual identity too much – just like you wouldn’t change your name – it’s never too late to give it a small makeover. Visual trends change over the years and once your logo is established, it’s okay to change it to make it fit the times better. Pepsi is a good example for this type of design evolution.

Migrate Design can help you create something unique and memorable. Don’t be shy, get your visual identity out there!

Water Works Plumbing is the perfect example of logo makeover! From complicated and outdated, to simple and modern, Migrate Design gave this logo, a fresh new start.

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