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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Our Holiday Card 2009

Happy Holidays from all of us at Meade Design Group!

It was another successful year for our annual holiday card, we gave ourselves high expectations after all of the positive feedback we received from last years card - this year we even included a little gift as a token of our appreciation to everyone who made this a great year for us including our colleagues, trades, retailers, friends, family and of course, our clients!

We wanted everyone to embrace their inner child and enjoy the holidays spending time with those important to them.This has been the year that we have all realized what is really important to us and we wanted a card that would reflect that. We also wanted to encourage everyone to get a little creative during their holiday!

We chose a simple retro-modern theme in a crisp red and white colour scheme (to match our holiday decor), with whimsical fonts and imagery. We also included a gingerbread man cookie cutter (secured with a white, linear textured ribbon) and a delicious recipe for everyone to try:

Ingredients

Makes 36

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
Decorating sugar or sprinkles (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses and egg. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients; mix just until a dough forms. Place dough on floured plastic wrap; pat into an 8-inch square. Wrap well; chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time (rewrap and refrigerate other half), place dough on floured parchment or waxed paper; roll out 1/8 inch thick, turning, lifting, and flouring dough (and rolling pin) as needed. Freeze dough (on paper) until firm, about 20 minutes.
Loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes, and transfer to baking sheets.
Bake until firm and edges just begin to darken, 10 to 18 minutes, depending on size. Cool completely on baking sheets. Decorate with sugar or sprinkles, as desired.

We also included the message:

“Embrace your inner child, have fun, and get creative with your loved ones this holiday season by making some tasty treats for everyone to enjoy.

We wish you all a safe, happy and healthy holiday season carrying into 2010 and beyond.

Cheers!

ivan, echo and jeff”

And finished it all off with a red wax bird-shaped seal.

We hope you enjoyed our holiday card this year – thank you so much to everyone, including our blog readers for making this such a special year for us!

PS – If you didn’t receive your card from us this year – we blame Canada Post!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Examining the Value of a Solid Graphic Identity and Marketing Strategy During a Recession

There is such a difference between cost and value that people are not always willing to acknowledge during trying economic times. I think this is a perfect time to examine the value of a solid graphic identity and marketing strategy with my readers. Not only as promotion for my own business - I would prefer it if this post can be a resource to help businesses in difficult times - but as a quick lesson that shows the general public the significance of what a graphic designer can do for their business.

Graphic Identity for Meade Design Group

It is very common for businesses to reduce their marketing and graphic work to cut costs and overhead when income is not being produced as steadily. However this can greatly affect your business in negative ways; your graphic image is how others recognize you and look at you in a professional manner. If your image begins to slip, others may view this as a weakness in the company's professionalism and that you may not be as productive or resilient as you once were.

Graphic Identity for The Design District

Furthermore, while other businesses around you are cutting these costs this is the perfect time to make your business stand out from the crowd and to elevate your image and professional package above the competition. It is important for your customers to know that they can trust in you and your business in the years to come, remember: it's not always just getting the clients attention with your graphic image, it's keeping their attention, trust and interest.

Advert for Luxe Interiors

This is also the perfect time to approach a designer or public relations representative as many of them are being cut from your competitor's budgets. They may have special rates or packages available while trying to gain a larger client base, this is the case particularly for return clients.

Graphic Identity for Sprouts

Graphic Identity for Queenswood

In situations like these it is also those companies that expand and try things that are outside of the box that will succeed; your graphic designer or marketing team may be able to come up with unique ways to help possible clientele find you. Often times there are various inexpensive advertising methods that are grossly overlooked although proven very successful for those who are willing to try. They may also be able to help you brainstorm limited time offer packaged services that may get you clients that never thought they could afford you. These clients will be very excited to have their opportunity and will most likely return once this offer is gone.

Labels and Ribbon for Finn & Izzy

Ad for Finn & Izzy

This is also a very important time to make sure your website is current, accurate and easy to navigate. Technology is always on the rise and you may be surprised to find out how much business is now generated over the world-wide-web.

Business Card Design for Tafe Measure

If you are a retailer you may want to consider upgrading your website to accommodate online purchases (e-commerce). Your customers are busier than ever and often turn to the internet to save gas, time and money - help them find you with a website that is easily found by search engines and makes it easy to shop from the comfort of their own home. This is also helpful to you - business is much more cost-effective when done on-line; there is no staff to pay but you can remain open for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are available to possible customers around the globe rather than being restrained to your own town.

Running with Scissors Promotional Items

Running with Scissors E-Commerce Site

Website for Kimberly Williams

Website for Eva Campbell

If you are a service based company, ask your web developer to check on the efficiency of your website: how well the search engines find you, how many people come to your site versus how many contact you from it and what pages they visit. This is very valuable information as to what is working for you and your business. Also be sure to maintain a current portfolio and if possible, change your welcome page often to keep visitors coming back to see what is new and exciting with your business.

Letterhead design for Kimberly Williams

All in all, please be sure never to underestimate value over cost, if you invest and trust in a solid graphic identity and marketing strategy you are sure to reap an abundance of rewards.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Bienvenue Milène!

The designers at Meade Design Group are pleased to introduce a new member of our team: Milène Vallin

Mademoiselle Milène Vallin

Milène is a graphic design student from Lyon, France. She is going to be working with us during the month of June as an intern in order to get the necessary credits for her graduation from ESDRA.

Echito, Mademoiselle Milène, Miz Bobbie

We are very excited and honoured that she has come from so far to work with us. She is very talented and very sweet, it s a pleasure to have her in the studio and we are sure you will all welcome her as a part of our team while she is here!

Iván, Mademoiselle Milène and Miz Bobbie

The first task we gave her was to create a new banner to go on the news section of the website. Take a look at the cool design she created for us. She is going to bring a very French eye to graphic design in Victoria, BC while she is here.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Our Holiday Card

Our Holiday Cards have been sent and from what we have heard they have been very well received. This year we tried to create a Holiday Card that was different, fun and also environmentally friendly.

In July 2008 we had our Open House with a modern baroque theme to celebrate the completion of our studio. The invitations and signage were inspired by elements of our own studio. The background damask is the same custom pattern that is found in vinyl on our meeting room wall and the royal portrait is a black and white photograph of Salma Hayek (yes that's really her) that is framed in our work area.

After a very successful party we still had several cards left over from printing. We decided to do a more eco-friendly holiday card this year and recycle these in a fun way.

We created custom stamps of the Meade Design Group team as a prelude to what would be found inside. The same concept was applied to the regal Salma and on our home page. By adding a shiny red nose and velveteen antlers to the elegant art work from our Open House Party invitations.

We selected Mohawk Via paper for the inserts. We chose this paper not only for its lovely texture, but also because it's made from 30% recycled fiber and is manufactured with certified renewable wind-generated electricity.

All in all we feel as though we had eco-concious fun with our holiday cards and thought it would be a great story to share with our readers.

REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE - RETHINK - REDESIGN

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Introducing our new design studio

I believe that for every designer the best project you can have is your own. This way you are your own client and you know exactly what you want and nobody has a veto power that will repress your creative ideas. In this case the project was our New studio now located in 1316 B Government Street in the heart of Downtown Victoria and just steps away from the new Design District.

When I was hunting for a new space to conceive our next studio I had some clear ideas in mind. I wanted a great location - you know what they say location, location, location... high ceilings, lots of character preferably an older building with my own entrance, east orientation (I myself love the morning light and I believe it is the best light to work with colour), hardwood flooring, a deck would be nice (who doesnt like to have lunch outside in the summer), a real storage room, a really nice little kitchenette, a space that reads classic but yet was contemporary, and a place where I could get my creative juices flowing in a laboratory of my own. I have always loved the word alchemy so why not to have a laboratory where I could create my own alchemy.

Just to keep the entry short and not boring, the hunt started in August and I have to say I just consider myself really lucky that the third place I visited had all of my wish list and even more. This place had excellent bones and a great history behind it. The place I found used to be the Pacific Opera Victoria (POV) home - it had already some talent of its own. I am not really fan of before and after photos but here is what the space looked like when I found it.

Echo and Tiffany checking out the new space

When Jeff saw the space he said "Are you sure this place will work? It is in a very rough shape." I answered YES! Its perfect.

I have this theory that a change its always good. I needed a space that I could make my own, a space where I could manage my own environment. And from there the journey of the new studio started. We had some bumps along the road, delays and some disappointments but also lots of good laughs, new ideas and the hope of having everything done as I envisioned it. Overall though, there was lots and lots of support from the people I have been working with for the last 6 years. I have to say that this entry is an homage to my trades people, my suppliers, my team and everybody who was involved in this project. Their time and their attention to detail is absolutely everywhere and I have to say that this has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. Thank you to all involved in the project !

Now, let me introduce our new studio...