Perhaps the most fun brand book ever

We are cranking on a very cool project for our Bozeman, Montana client, RightNow. It’s a brand book. Perhaps the most fun brand book we’ve ever done. Smart, sassy, inspiring, all that stuff. We’re also working on a new made-for-youtube video for them that’s way fun as well.

Great product, great mission, a great company that actually makes the world less painful for all of us. At least for those of us who ever buy anything.

– Doug

Read Full Post »

Boy are we happy to have our fly fishing client

Just saying.

– Doug

Read Full Post »

Social responsibility matters – duh!

Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs

A Landor study, as reported in AdWeek, shows that 70% of people are willing to pay a premium for products from brands that are socially responsible.

This is what we’ve been saying about Brand Culture and the role of values in the world of today’s consumers. People are voting with their pocketbooks. People care about doing the right thing, and not supporting the wrong thing. People want corporations and brands to stand for something larger than the profit motive.

Hear that, business schools? Hear that, Goldman Sachs? The pure profit motive days are over. You’re just the last to know.

Are you listening, brands? Are you listening, C-suite? The way to sell more whatever it is you sell is not to try to manipulate people with advertising. The way to sell more is to be a values-driven organization. To stand for something important. The opportunities for doing so are vast and exciting. The rewards are many.

Thank you, Landor, for quantifying this.

– Doug

Read Full Post »

Crossing the Line: Free D-Crit Conference

The School of Visual Arts MFA Design Criticism Department presents “Crossing the Line: The 2010 D-Crit Conference,” organized by D-Crit students. Moderated by D-Crit faculty member and “Studio 360” host Kurt Andersen, this inaugural event will feature thesis presentations by all 15 graduating students alongside keynote lectures by Doors of Perception founder John Thackara and author and educator Peter Hall. The fast-paced, daylong forum will be held at the SVA Theatre in New York City on Friday, April 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. See the schedule below for details and check the conference Web site for student bios, talk descriptions, directions and to see who else is coming. RSVP today and reserve your spot.

Friday, April 30, 2010
SVA Theater, 333 West 23rd Street, New York City
The event is free and open to the public.
RSVP to dcrit@sva.edu or 212.592.2228
More information can be found at www.dcrit.sva.edu/conference2010

Read Full Post »

Wow, Adbase is still a hot topic

I wrote this post on Adbase, a service that blasts emails to agencies on behalf of photographers, back in February 2009. And it has engendered more comments (22) than any other post to our blog. I just got another one today. Here it is, along with my reply:

Kimbrely

Hi Doug,

I came across your blog and I must say that I appreciate your honesty. It can be a very tricky business, the art of marketing to creative people who are extremely busy. My question is, Do you have a tendency to notice promos more than just postcards? And by promos, I mean a postcard with a keepsake such as a notepad with the artist’s work.

Thanks
Kimbrely

douglaslowell

Kimbrely,

You know, I only notice really interesting photography when it comes to a photographer’s promo. There are so many photographers out there doing so much similar stuff, what it really takes is something that looks different. That’s all it is. If more photographers put more effort into creating an unusual vision they could put less into their self-promotion, because every promo piece would work harder.

That’s the simple truth. It’s your unique, or at least unusual, vision that will get me to do the single best thing you could hope for out of a promotion: and that’s to not throw it away. To keep it. The really good ones go up on creatives’ walls. And they stay there sometimes for years. And all the while that creative is looking for an opportunity to work with you.

On the wall, in a highly-valued file of photographer’s samples (no one keeps a sample from someone they don’t really want to work with), it doesn’t matter. Keeping it is what leads to the phone call.

Good luck. Have fun.

Read Full Post »

Ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb – tonight in Portland

Tonight there is a great benefit event for a great cause, one of our pro-bono clients, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls. Check it out:

The Runaways Portland Premiere & Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girl’s Benefit featuring Cherie Currie

Monday, April 5^th, 2010, 7:00pm

Hollywood Theatre 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR 97212

Tickets $15 (all sales benefit the RnRC4G)

Limited seating, tickets available at Hollywood Theatre website and box office

Join, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, KGON and Hollywood theatre for a special fundraiser and the Portland Premiere of Hollywood’s hottest Rock Movie – The Runaways!

Get your tickets at www.girlsrockcamp.org

– Q&A with Cherie Currie

– Raffle prizes to include movie swag, autographed items from The Runaway, tickets to Joan Jett’s upcoming concert at Chinook Winds and more.

Following the premiere will be an Over 21 after party at the Ambassador Lounge, 47^th & NE Sandy. Come sing some karaoke — 10% of sales will benefit The Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls.

A word from RnRC4G

This movie is rated R and contains mature content including violence and drug use. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls regrets that this prevents many of our Campers from attending the event. This is a story of women who broke barriers and struggled to find their own voice in a male dominated industry – paving the way for future generations of female rockers.

Read Full Post »