Auto Zone Gets Girly

Can car care products be marketed directly to women, or at the very least be gender-neutral? Check out this branding exercise by design student Vinh Pho, which makes AutoZone products seem as if they were being sold out of Bath & Body Works.


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Oscars pushing its envelope

Previously just dressed-up office supply issue, this year's Academy Awards' winners' envelopes are now custom-designed by Marc Friedland Couture Communications.

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jcpenny Boxes It Up

J. C. Penney Company is now jcpenney, and it has a new logo to match, the first redesign in its 40-year-history.

The letters "jcp" are emphasized in the new design. The Helvetica letters are placed off-center in a red box; the remainder of the name is shown breaking free of the box, symbolic of the company breaking out into new retail areas. The box and initial letters are also used alone, such as in the company's avatar. (At this writing, the old logo was still in use on the jcp website, and predictions are that the new design will be rolled out formally in advertising shown during the Academy Awards on February 27.)

The redesign comes on the heels of a recent redesign of the Sears logo—which was also set in a high x-height sans serif. Some say the redesign was in response to burgeoning sales at more contemporary competitors such as Macy's and Kohl's.

Who designed the new mark? From the company's web site: "To choose a new logo design, jcpenney sought submissions that reflect a wide range of perspectives. Participants included the Company's associates, several design agencies, and two art schools – University of Cincinnati and Rhode Island School of Design – that collectively submitted over 200 designs for consideration. The winning design was provided by Luke Langhus, a third-year graphic design student at the University of Cincinnati, who chose to reintroduce jcpenney's iconic red box – a symbol he has long associated with the national retailer. Langhus developed a versatile logo that preserves the company's namesake but can be modified to showcase the 'jcp' independently, given his intent to ensure it would resonate with constantly connected digital consumers who often use abbreviations."

jcpenney.net


Graphic Designer Portfolio, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
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Graphic Designer Rolls

Mayor Villaraigosa, in partnership with Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, has declared graphic designer and cyclist Geoff McFetridge winner of the Bike Awareness and Safety slogan contest. The "Give Me 3" bus shelter posters will be seen on 1,000 ads, and refers to support of 3 Foot Passing legislation that would give bikers more room to ride. The winning slogan was submitted by Danny Gamboa of Long Beach CA. Other sponsors of the effort to make the City of Angels a more bike friendly place include LADOT, LAPD and Midnight Ridazz. read more


Beyond The Cup
Nestlé is the latest major corporation to invest substantially to become more sustainable, in this instance expanding its reach into sustainable coffee farming, making its factories more efficient and reducing its packaging. Beyond the Cup: The Nescafe Plan aims to double the amount of Nescafé, the instant coffee, that it buys directly from farmers. They also intend to increase its number of agronomists and field technicians. To reduce its direct impacts, Nestlé is investing funds into its own factories to reduce energy and waste, and to use spent coffee grounds as fuel in all factories. see more

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Nordstrom Gets Real

Director Andrew Walton of production company IDENTITY has helmed a series of intimate documentary-style vignettes for Nordstrom. The campaign, titled “Career Mode,” sits on Nordstrom website and real Nordstrom customers sharing thoughts on their style and how what they wear to work defines them personally and professionally. Says Pia Hunter is Creative Director, Nordstrom and she notes that she “wanted real stories from real people and of course, to capture our customers in their best possible light.” One of the four films features a marketing freelancer…
 read more

Graphic Designer Portfolio, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
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Spartan Story

To celebrate the grand opening of the Michigan State University Medical School campus in downtown Grand Rapids MI, advertising agency Extra Credit Projects developed a print and outdoor campaign that’s turning heads. Featuring the familiar Spartan football helmet, the ads are intended to inform the public about the new location as well as enhance the brand in the region. “It’s a really big deal for the city to be able to officially be a part of the Big Ten,” said agency principal Rob Jackson.

Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
Email Me: tasha@tashaleedesign.com

Green Award for Green Challenge

Stan Gellman Graphic Design concepted, designed and produced the three dimensional award given by the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association to winners of its annual Green Business Challenge. Awards were given to 58 companies across the metropolitan region who successfully completed the challenge. These participants compiled a scorecard of requirements to form green teams, reduce waste, conserve water and energy, improve indoor air quality, and provide clean transportation options. The Stan Gellman firm made sure the award itself was as close as possible to 100% green; for example, printing was done on 100% rapidly renewable bamboo which is FSC certified.

Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
Email Me: tasha@tashaleedesign.com

Green Patriot Posters

Edited by Edward Morris, Dmitri Siegel, this book brings together posters and design promoting sustainability and the fight against climate change as well as essays by Michael Bierut, Steven Heller, Edward Morris and Dmitri Siegel about the history and the state of the poster as a vehicle for political messages and propanda. The publisher is Metropolis Books.

Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
Email Me: tasha@tashaleedesign.com

First Ecoimagination iAd

GE’s first ever iAd is called “Simple Harmony.” It is part of the Ecomagination campaign promotes helping people, nature and industry coexist in harmony. The iAd experience has been described as “funky” and “quirky” but the app is fundamentally educational as visitors use the app to learn to see various GE innovations. The campaign by BBDO New York is on YouTube, with an interactive video demo of the iAd.

Watch the First Ecoimagination Ad

Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
Email Me: tasha@tashaleedesign.com

Don’t Spill

Saatchi & Saatchi has been honored alongside Toyota with a Green Award for a “Glass of Water” iPhone application campaign. The award for “Best Green Mixed Media” was announced at a gala ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London. The campaign was commended by judges for its innovative use of technology: “the creative approach was simple, fun and extremely intuitive for drivers to use.” Based on the theory that if all drivers drove with a glass of water on their dashboard and completed their trip without spilling it, their driving would be more economical and lower carbon emissions, the ad agency developed an app designed to look and act like a glass of water, registering the volume spilled during the trip, to act as a visual challenge for the driver to avoid spillage and reduce emissions.

Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
Email Me: tasha@tashaleedesign.com

Obsession By Wieden+Kennedy

The crazy Christmas shopping lady in Target’s holiday campaign has been named one of 2010’s freakiest characters. This courtesy of Adweek’s AdFreak blog. The all-in-red obsessed shopper is the work of Wieden+Kennedy, and is described as the wierdest character ever to represent a major marketer. You can see all 30 of the blog’s choices for Freakiest Ads of 2010 here


Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
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Nascar Adds Ethanol

American Ethanol is a new partnership formed by the ethanol industry, corn growers across the country and NASCAR. The partnership, announced this Fall in Las Vegas by NASCAR, comes after NASCAR said in October it would take its environmental commitment to the next level by fueling all races in its three racing series with E15, a 15 percent corn ethanol blend, beginning with the 2011 racing season. “Since NASCAR is one of the most effective marketing and advertising organizations in the world, partnering with it will raise the visibility of ethanol...” said Kelly Brunkhorst, director of research for the Nebraska Corn Board, one of the key players in the partnership. America Ethanol will be highlighted on every vehicle, be prominent on NASCAR’s Green Flag, sponsor a new award for every race, and be featured at onsite race day events.

full article Nascar Adds Ethanol

Tasha Lee Design, Chicagoland Graphic Designer
Email Me: tasha@tashaleedesign.com