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Mood Boarding: What it is and How it Helps Build Design Concepts

Posted on by Chris Talbert

We do a lot of technical work here at Designsensory, but even the most logical, tangible part of what we do is driven by something completely intangible: emotion. Branding is all about emotion. It’s all about the pursuit of that magical, sometimes elusive gut feeling you get when the right words pair with the perfect image on an optimal platform.

Before we ever get to that end goal, there is a mountain of work revolving around emotion. What feeling are we going for? How do we evoke that? How do we communicate it to the client, other designers collaborating on the project and, ultimately, to the wider audience bearing witness to the final product?

Mood Boarding

Enter: the mood board. It’s a visual representation of the stylistic direction for the project. It allows both clients and designers to weigh in with a quicker, deeper understanding than words alone can bring. This organized collage of images, colors, fonts and phrases saves time in both production and explanation, and allows for easy initial feedback on what does and doesn’t work.

Mood boards bring about a meeting of the minds among clients, designers and internal project collaborators. Mood boards are not about rendering something specific, but about gathering consensus on direction.

How is it used?

Client-facing and internal mood boards serve the same purpose: they get us all on the same page. We use mood boards early, as a colorful invitation, but we can introduce them later to direct a new aspect of the project or narrow our focus. 

Mood boards work intuitively and quickly, so they allow us to present several stylistic directions to the client. We often create something safe for the brand, but we include something that might be uncharted territory as well. In this way, mood boards allow us to showcase our range of creativity, and sometimes the client might surprise us by loving the unconventional direction.

The mood board is helpful for branding options, too. For example, in creating the flex branding system for Roane Alliance, we created a mood board with examples from other companies for the branding system we envisioned. The mood board brought texture to how the interconnected logos could be used, and helped the client choose the final branding system.

Mood Board = Springboard.

Because mood boards are heavily built on imagery, they convey more in few moments of presentation than an entire written or spoken presentation. Cartoon imagery might convey a playful or even edgy tone, while saturated photographs draw in the viewer. These things do more than inspire the client to choose a branding direction; they provide a working guide for the design and content team. The mood board becomes the springboard for the design process.

Mood boards help us cross the finish line, too. Even when we present the final product to the client, we reference the mood board. It’s the common thread in our communication, showing how the spark of an idea transforms into a full-on presentation.


#TBT: 5 Brand Lessons from Destiny’s Child

Posted on by Chris Talbert

Let’s cut to the chase. The music industry knows a little something about branding, and here’s some of your favorite songs by Destiny’s Child to prove it.

“Say My Name”

What’s in a name? Shakespeare was onto something here. As much as we fight against arbitrary labels, they help guide us through the world in which we live. We read and hear names on a daily basis. People, places and things. For “brands,” in a very loose form of the word, nomenclature becomes a sense of iconography that lives in our minds forever. Simply adding or leaving out letters in your brand name can have a large impact on your uniqueness. Place a solitary “.” on your website or collateral, and watch the world enjoy your outright rebellion against letters. But, even then, what are you going to be called? Dot? Period? Point? Think about your brand name very carefully before deciding on a word or symbol. Your brand name will always be remembered by someone, even if you change it down the road. 

“I’m a Survivor”

Longevity is the secret sauce to your soup of success. Now that you have a great name, you need to make sure it becomes well-known and beloved. Let’s talk in Darwin terms, here—survival of the fittest. If your brand can’t eat the other brands for dinner, you have a problem. Seriously, you want to make sure that your product, service or company gives people that good “gut” feeling. We’ve seen many brands go down the drain—Oldsmobile, Pan Am, Circuit City, Kyocera, Compaq, Kmart, Aerópostale, Big Lots, Blackberry, Goody’s—and even though some of these still “exist,” they are mere shadows of their former selves. They have been overshadowed by bigger brands like Ford Motor Co., Wal-Mart, Apple, Belk, Dillard’s, Nike, Coca-Cola, Subway, McDonald’s and many others that are keeping their marketing tactics fresh. If you can’t be a front runner, dig your grave now.

“Cater 2 U”

Listen, you better write a love song for your customers. To a degree, catering to your audience is exactly what keeps them coming back for more. Does Apple sell fried food? No. They give users what they want—yearly updated iPhones, Macs, iPods, watches and accessories. However, note that they’re taking smart risks by changing up features that users love—e.g., they gave headphone jacks the boot and unveiled the AirPods. Apple can manage risk because they are a veteran brand, and they provide new products and solutions for every concern their users have. With every new change they present, they are setting a standard for other brands. They are the standard. They don’t change to fit their customers only, they also make their customers change to fit them as a brand. It works both ways once you’re that influential. 

“Emotion”

Connecting with your audience is the best brand move you can make—you won’t get far without an emotional appeal. Creating a brand atmosphere that’s engaging will help you connect with multiple audiences. Brand reveals, debut parties, online forums and thought leadership are a few things that are helpful in building that personal connection. Think about Disney; nearly everyone globally knows the brand. As a parent or child, we fall in love with this brand over and over again. Walt Disney had a tough start, but once he solidified his role as the premier animation house, the brand skyrocketed. He changed up the movie-making process. He let his emotion become the brand driving force, and it became something that millions of people all over the world love and cherish, and copy, today. And emotion is so largely impactful that Disney has made a movie about it called “Inside Out.” Live and learn.

“Bills, Bills, Bills”

Let’s talk money. You’re in the business of selling, regardless of what you do with the money. You have to sell to survive financially. Invest in extensive research before pricing your product or service to make sure it’s viable. Look to competitor markets. Consumers, myself included, often overpay for products we like because brand appeal can sway the buyer’s wallet. But in general, if the price of your product or service doesn’t match the quality, you’ll lose big. Beware of market segmentation. For example, if you’re looking to enter a luxury market, be prepared to provide a higher quality product and customer service; and look into a public relations plan that will help you reach the world’s elite.

With that, I hope you have some advice in your head and a song in your heart. Brands take time to nurture and grow, so have a little faith in the beginning of your adventures. If you’re struggling to get yourself out there, or if you’ve hit a lull in your branding efforts, reevaluate your brand in terms of visualization and content strategy. Make sure everything is working together and not causing dissonance. And, if you need, Designsensory is always here to help harmonize your brand. Contact us today!

7 Tips for Curating a Great Instagram Feed

Posted on by Chris Talbert

A picture is worth a thousand words. For marketers, Instagram brings your brand to life and showcases it from unique perspectives. Instagram is all about posting great photos, but you don’t need to be a professional photographer to curate a great Instagram account. All you need is your smartphone, the Instagram app and a few tips and tricks.

Remember the rule of thirds

Ever wonder what those grid lines are that appear when using your camera phone? These are to help you frame your pictures using the rule of thirds, meaning you shouldn’t center your subject in the frame. Instead, divide your photograph into thirds, vertically and horizontally, and place your subject at one of the intersecting points.

 


Give photos context

Even though a picture is worth a thousand words, you still need to give it context. Keep it short and sweet (just a sentence or two), making sure to explain what’s happening in the photo. Also, take advantage of Instagram’s location feature to add more context to your photo. For example, if you’re snapping photos at the local farmer’s market, make sure you tag your location, use a relevant hashtag and provide the user with relevant information such as the hours of operation. If you’re photographing a historical landmark, consider using the official history sign as an element in the image.



Don’t get “photobombed”

It’s easy to forget to check what’s going on in the background when you’re focused on capturing the moment. Remember, the background can make or break your photo. Before you hit “capture,” take a moment to examine all parts of the frame for distracting elements—like a telephone pole coming out of a subject’s head. If you’re taking photos in an area where lots of people are around, avoid the infamous photobomb by taking several photos and choosing the one with the least distracting background. 

Consider the composition

Make your photos stand out by considering elements that could give your photo better composition. This could mean using a doorway to frame your subject, lying on the ground and shooting up, experimenting with depths of field or using the natural lines in the environment to appeal to the eye. Check out the photos below that exemplify certain aspects of composition.

Perspectives: Above and Below

 

A photo posted by Your Take (@yourtake) onApr 18, 2016 at 7:04pm PDT

 

 

A photo posted by Las Vegas (@vegas) onApr 26, 2016 at 9:25pm PDT

 

Depths of field: Large and Small 

 

 

A photo posted by Your Take (@yourtake) onMay 26, 2016 at 1:29pm PDT

 

Framing 

 

 

Leading lines 

 


Capture people—and emotion

Make sure you aren’t focusing on large groups of people (or, even worse, the backs of their head). Try capturing small groups or individuals, because your goal is to showcase people having a good time! This is what’s called the “decisive moment”—when all the above elements come together to create a powerful photograph.


Of course, capturing emotion isn’t just limited to humans. 
 


Involve others

Though it’s focused on photos, Instagram is still a place to create community, just like other social media platforms. Create a community on Instagram by:

    • Tagging People and Businesses: Be sure to always tag relevant people or businesses in the photo, or mention them in the caption. Don’t forget to tag your location as well.
    • Using Hashtags: Develop a hashtag that represents your brand. Use it consistently and encourage others to use it. This way, you can easily find photos others are posting.
    • Sharing User-Generated Content: Download a third-party application that allows you to share photos when appropriate.

Editing

Instagram filters are awesome because they can sometimes hide the shortcomings of mobile cameras, but don’t go overboard. Choose a filter that accents your photo. And, remember, filters aren’t required! Sometimes the natural beauty of a photo is the only filter you need. #nofilter 

 

A photo posted by USA TODAY (@usatoday) onMay 31, 2016 at 8:35pm PDT

 

Elements of a User-Friendly Website

Posted on by Chris Talbert

According to Intechnic, if content is king, then usability is queen. It doesn’t matter if you have fantastic content on your website if users cannot find what they’re looking for. On the blog today, we’ve got five tips for creating a user-friendly website.

Concise, “Scannable” Content

Most people tend to skim web content rather than read it word for word, so it’s important to make sure your web content is “scannable.” Do this by keeping paragraphs short, breaking information up with headers/images and keeping the language simple. As a rule of thumb, keep the writing on your website at a 5th-grade reading level.

Speed

If your page takes four seconds to load, 25 percent of users will abandon the page. That number jumps to nearly 50 percent at the 10 second mark. Why is that? Well, simply put, people are impatient. To speed up your website, make sure your images aren’t oversized, and the site is free of flash players and excess coding. Test your website’s usability with Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool.

Good Design

Contrasting colors, good use of white space and a clear font are all things to consider when designing your website. Looks count when it comes to website design; users are likely to leave your website if it appears to be straight out of 1999. It’s also important that your website is intuitive so users don’t become frustrated. That brings us to the next tip…

Logical Navigation

The key to organizing large amounts of information is simplicity, and, to do that, you need a good navigation. Every page on your site should be within two clicks from the homepage, and the best way to make this happen is with a simple navigation. Aside from strategic placement on all pages, your navigation should include all main pages, follow your sitemap and include a search bar.

Pro tip: Help users navigate your site, and find the information they’re looking, for by linking to relevant pages within your site as well as external resources. Plus, it is good for your SEO ranking.

Mobile Optimization

Just do it. It’s almost 2017.

Interested in investing in a new website for your brand? Contact us today!


8 Tips to Reach Millennials in Marketing From Ron Burgundy

Posted on by Chris Talbert

Millennials: Born between 1981 and 2000. One of the most targeted audiences in modern marketing, we are an enigma to the many companies trying to reach us—and why do companies want to reach us? Because there are 75 million of us … trailing just behind the Baby Boomers. 

The issue is that millennials are a diverse and difficult group to engage, and there are many unspoken rules that millennials follow when determining where to place their investments. So, if you’re one of those brands with a sugar tooth for millennial marketing, here are a couple of things to consider with the help of my good friend, Ron Burgundy.

We hate being targeted.

That’s right. We know what you’re stepping in, and we don’t like it. Targeting millennials needs to feel effortless. It needs to feel like you’re NOT trying too hard. To that end, your marketing should come down to the efficacy of your product or service. Ensure what you’re selling is really interesting, and you’ll have no problem selling it. A catchy tagline won’t fix a terrible product. 

Have a meaningful goal or purpose. 

Millennials don’t want a monopoly running the show … unless we’re talking about the board game, in which case I’ll gladly take over Boardwalk and Park Place before you. Brands that stand for something are the most appealing to us. With our generation, there’s sure to be a following no matter what that mission may be for you—as long as it’s genuine. Saving the forest is your mantra? Great. You’re an animal lover? Excellent. Within any target marketing scenario, you want to build a connection with the audience.

Be cutting-edge, but in moderation. 

Maybe this goes back to effortlessness, but don’t create something that creeps people out. No one wants to scan their retina to pay for their burger. We want something that is different yet viable. Cut through the clutter of competing products and their corresponding marketing efforts. We want a product that is useful and speaks to who we are and what we believe.

Don’t name drop.

Do not play this card. I am over seeing you parade celebrities around on your ads and in your magazines. Put them up. You want to know what we want to see? For the love of all things holy, we want to watch Angela Lansbury sing “Tale As Old As Time” while we cry and dance around in our living rooms that we can barely afford. Can we do that in peace, please?

Just be you.

If your product is great, word will spread. If you need help creating a plan to increase product sales, partner with an experienced agency that believes in your product enough to know how to accommodate your needs. Authenticity is the best way to attract millennials, so convey who you are and where you’re going to a talented designer. Then, watch your product come to life.

Don’t put us on hold.

This isn’t really a marketing tip, I just wanted to throw it in the mix for good reference. I’m talking to you, telemarketers. This actually speaks to a growing need for modern convenience. Millennials are just like everyone else—we will support brands that we know have better accessibility. Whether online or in a brick and mortar establishment, provide a great customer experience. In The Busy World of Richard Scarry (don’t sue me, DHX Media / Nickelodeon), efficiency is key. 

Testing, testing …

The key to effective marketing is to, first, test it. Conduct a focus group or online forum, and tailor your marketing around those results. Get help from a research professional. Without good research, you’ll be like every other company in the world hashtagging, tweeting and “hipstering” your way to embarrassment—to no avail.

Oh, yeah. One more thing.

Stay classy. That’s it!

If you want to better reach millennials, consult with someone like, oh, Designsensory, about the products or services you offer, and learn about research, design and marketing methods that would work for someone in your specific industry. Remember, millennials are not against you … just your bad marketing.

The How and Why of Facebook Live

Posted on by Chris Talbert

You’ve likely noticed an increase in the number of videos populating your Facebook feed. Facebook has aided in the dramatic rise in the consumption of video content on social over the past few years. Anyone with a smartphone can easily create videos—no additional equipment or editing required. Now, the question is, should you?

Should I Use Facebook Live For My Business?

Many businesses hesitate to adopt new social platforms or practices into their marketing plans. However, the case to use Facebook Live is a strong one, even more so considering your business likely already has a page.

Facebook still reigns supreme over other social networks with the most monthly users, and visitors spend an average of 50 minutes a day across its suite of apps. All those videos in your feed? They are a small part of the eight billion video views Facebook saw each day by the close of 2015. Live video is also more successful in certain metrics—people comment 10 times more on, and spend three times longer watching, Facebook Live videos compared to regular videos.

What Do I Do on Facebook Live?

Highlight your product or service with an attention-grabbing demonstration. Facebook Live can also be a good way to both break news and, if you’re an experienced professional, comment on breaking industry news. Go behind the scenes. For example, the first Facebook Live was a broadcast from Mark Zuckerberg showing off the Facebook offices. If you build a sizable following, interviews and Q&As give you excellent opportunities to engage your audience in a unique way. Showcase your expertise with how-to videos, and make them about 10 minutes in length. Even without explanation, just showing someone’s skills can be interesting to viewers.

How Do I Broadcast on Facebook Live?

Six easy steps for broadcasting live on Facebook:

  1. From a mobile device, go to your Facebook page and choose “Publish.”

  2. Choose the “Live Video” option.

  3. Provide an engaging and informative description of the broadcast.

  4. Hit the blue “Go Live” button.

  5. You are now broadcasting a live video directly to your Facebook page. A flashing red “Live” button at the top of your video will confirm this and tell you how long you’ve been streaming.

  6. Once you are done with the broadcast, click “Finish” in the bottom right corner. After the broadcast has ended, you will have the chance to review it, upload it to your Facebook page and download the video to your phone.

A few other important notes: By clicking the edit button in the top left corner while in portrait mode, you can apply filters and draw on the screen. You can also shoot in landscape mode but will lose the ability to draw and apply filters. In the top right corner, you can change between the rear- and forward-facing camera. 

What Do I Do After I’ve Gone Live?

You can make a number of easy edits to improve the post of your broadcast, or share it elsewhere. From your page, choose Videos > Video Library > Edit Video to change the title, thumbnail, upload captions and more. When choosing a thumbnail, Facebook generates 10 image options, or you can upload your own thumbnail. You can also choose to tag the video with relevant keywords and choose a video category. From a desktop computer, you can download the video in this section as well.

If you’d like to further promote your video, you can embed it on your blog or upload portions of the full video to other social platforms, such as YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. To embed the video, click the dropdown menu in the top right corner of the post and copy the code to post on your website. To upload the video to other platforms, simply download the video to either your phone or your computer.

How Do I Make Better Facebook Live Videos?

In addition to following best practices, you can always make an effort to improve the quality through various production solutions. Don’t worry, it’s not supposed to be perfect. However,  no one likes shaky video or muffled words.

Keep it lean by picking up a few cheap tools like a smartphone tripod, an external microphone or a wider lens. Kick it up a notch by using a rig or an iPhone gimbal. We recently used the DJI Osmo Mobile for a Live event. The DJI Osmo, a tier up from the Mobile, is a completely separate camera with a number of capabilities and live streaming options built in. If you need to switch between a couple different cameras, use software such as Switcher Studio, which allows users to link multiple iDevices to create a high-quality video production using multiple camera feeds.

Need Some Help?

We’d love to chat about how your brand can integrate video and Facebook Live into its marketing efforts. Drop us a line if you have any questions or want to know more about our process, services or work.

Is Your Website ADA Compliant?

Posted on by Chris Talbert

How many times a day do you access a website? To check your bank account balance, fill out medical forms or apply for a car loan? These simple tasks we perform on a daily basis become much more difficult if your vision or hearing is impaired and a website is inaccessible. 

Enter, the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA was passed in the early 90s, but in 2010, the Justice Department released the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, and it’s been determined that “design of the physical space” includes websites.

Though official guidelines for web compliance aren’t projected to be released until 2018, there are things you can do now to ensure users with impairments can still easily use your website and meet the guidelines of the 2010 update.

What does the ADA say?

The ADA’s guidelines for accessible websites are projected to look like the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA (WCAG 2.0), which the Justice Department has used in several lawsuits. WebAIM developed a checklist to assist businesses in meeting the guidelines, but here are the basics, straight from the WCAG 2.0 guidelines.

Perceivable:

  • Provide text alternatives for non-text content (exceptions apply).

  • Provide alternatives for time-based media.

  • Create content that can be presented in different ways without losing information or structure.

  • Make it easier for users to to see and hear content.

Operable:

  • Make all functionality available from a keyboard.

  • Provide users enough time to read and use content.

  • Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.

  • Provide ways to help users navigate, find content and determine where they are.

Understandable:

  • Make text content readable and understandable.

  • Make web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.

  • Input assistance: Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

Robust:

  • Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

So … Where do I go from here?

Quite simply, make sure your website complies with these guidelines! Most of these items can be taken care of during website development, so simply ensuring your developers are aware of the requirements will go a long way. Plus, the WCAG 2.0 provides developers with handy dandy instructions on how to meet the guidelines.

But if your website doesn’t meet all of these requirements, don’t worry; the changes don’t have to happen overnight, and you don’t need to hire a lawyer to plead your case. Like with a physical space, the law allows for transition plans, exemptions, etc.

If you’re considering redesigning your website, make sure the agency you choose is aware of the guidelines and will ensure your website is compliant. Contact us today to learn more. 


How to Write Headlines That Engage Your Audience and Raise Your SEO Ranking

Posted on by Chris Talbert

David Ogilvy once said, “On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.” Some even say headlines are worth 90 percent of the advertising dollar. Those statistics don’t even take into account all the people who can’t find your article because it isn’t ranked highly in search results. With those compelling numbers in mind, we compiled some of the most important tips to help you write better headlines.

Know Your Audience (and Their Lingo)

Who is your target audience and what resonates with them? Surely you know this already because you’ve put in the research to write the article in the first place. But take a moment to really think about your audience, and look at them from two different angles:

  • What kinds of words would attract them to read the article? Should the headline be playful, serious, funny or somber?

  • What kinds of words, phrases or keywords is your audience using to search for an article like yours? Make sure you include a focus keyword in your headline. Try to optimize for your audience, search ranking and social (make sure headline is tweetable).

Tell It Like It Is

Nail down the specifics of your article, and be sure your headline clearly communicates the main point. Use the five W’s to help you do this—who, what, when, where and why. Consider adding a bracketed clarification—blogs with them perform 38 percent better than those without. For example, “[Infographic] How to Sell Real Estate in 5 Easy Steps.”

Show Them The Money

Your headline should communicate the value, benefits and/or urgency of reading your article. Use numbers in your headlines to grab readers’ attention. Show how your article will educate readers by using words like “how to.” Also, indicate your article is a list for those interested in a quick read.

Keep It Short

About 60 characters is a pretty safe number for your headline—it ensures your headline won’t get cut off in search engine results. Eight to 12 words is also a safe bet.

Make It Sexy

As you know, your article will likely have a lot of competition. Why would someone want to read yours, and does your headline communicate that? Entice them. Show urgency. Be a little weird. Elicit controversy.Alliteration is awesome if it aligns with the above advice.

Be careful, though; don’t be clever for clever’s sake. Be sure every word in your headline has validity. Make sure to stay away from puns, as web headlines should be able to stand on their own without any additional context needed.

Ask For Someone Else’s Help

Lastly, ask for someone else’s opinion about your headline. Does the headline make them want to read your article?

We know all this can be overwhelming. We’re here to help. Contact us to learn more about optimizing your web writing.

6 Ways to be a Rockstar Employee

Posted on by Chris Talbert

Got a new job? Congratulations! Now that you have won the job, it’s time to be the best employee you can be. Whether it’s your first internship or your fifth job, here are six steps everyone should follow to become a rockstar employee.

1: Make a Great First Impression

Whether you are fresh out of college or a seasoned veteran of the industry, the first day is always nerve-wracking! A sure way to take the edge off those first day jitters is by being prepared—and it’s better to be over prepared than underprepared. Get up early, make yourself a nice breakfast, dress nicely (even in a casual office, it’s best to save your jeans for day two, just in case), bring a notebook and any information requested by human resources.

2: Take Notes

A lot of information will be coming your way your first few weeks on the job, so make sure you write it all down in a format you can reference later. Also, make note of any questions that pop into your head during onboarding meetings that you need to ask later.

Pro tip: Avoid laptop note-taking at first so there’s no question that you’re engaged.

3: Be Positive

Every great employee has a positive attitude, even when the going gets tough or they’re feeling lost. Remember to always keep a positive attitude about your work, your coworkers and your employer. You’d be surprised what a difference a smile and saying good morning to your coworkers will make.

4: Get to Know Your Coworkers

Odds are someone will want to take you to lunch during your first few days on the job, so don’t make lunch plans! Always accept lunch invitations when you’re new to the company and make an effort to engage in conversations and get to know your coworkers. Even better, work up the courage to invite your new coworkers to lunch.

5: Fake It ‘Til You Make It

When you’re drowning in new information, sometimes you’ve just gotta fake it until you make it… to a point. You’ll probably be able to figure out most things if given some time to think and go over your notes. But, if you’re really stuck, don’t be afraid to ask for help! There’s no such thing as a silly question, particularly when you’re new to the job or company.

6: Deliver Awesome Results

In the middle of onboarding and training, you’ll probably receive assignments from your boss. You might be feeling a little overwhelmed. Remember to slow down, take your time and create an awesome product. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself or you might find yourself battling a bout of imposter syndrome. Remember, you were hired because you proved you were the best candidate for the job. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities, because your employer does!

If you’re looking for a new opportunity, Designsensory is hiring! Currently, we are seeking a Public Relations Director and Digital Media Planner/Buyer. Check out our other job openings on our careers page.