PUBLISHERS NOTE: HURTS SO GOOD
One of the dark little secrets that everyone who writes about design knows is that graphic designers tend to be pessimistic by temperment, and to downplay their successes and prospects in business. But the conventional wisdom is turned on its head by the upbeat findings of a Winter 2006-2007 survey by The Industry Measure (www.theindustrymeasure.com). Specifically: 78% of all creative professionals reported that business conditions are as good as or better than in the past 12 months. And the number who said business was poor or very bad fell a few percent. Solid and positive all around, even a bit sunny. Not to worry, though. This was all before the recent stock market slide so, hey, relax; you can still find something to fret about if that makes you feel comfortable.
— Gordon Kaye
LATE BREAKING NEWS
New York: For their sustained contributions to design excellence and the development of the profession, AIGA names Edward Fella, Ellen Lupton, Bruce Mau and Georg Olden as 2007 recipients of the AIGA Medal. Awarded annually, the AIGA Medal recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the field of design and visual communication. It will be presented on September 19 at a Design Legends Gala; a complete list of past recipients can be seen at www.aiga.org.
New Orleans: Forever New Orleans is an aggressive branding campaign to attract visitors back to the city. It high stepped off with Mardi Gras, and represents the first time the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau has advertised the city as a tourist destination post-katrina. The graphic materials, developed by Trumpet Advertising, walks a fine line between promoting a great party atmosphere and acknowledging the impact of the storm. www.foreverneworleans.com
Denver CO: Meth kills teens, even in bucolic Wyoming. That's the chilling message of a new advertising campaign by Sukle Advertising that resembles scenes from horror movies. Ideas for the ads were formed after talking wth high school counselors and rehab workers. "The horror film genre is very popular with the age group that is most at risk, and this seemed like an appropriate way of telling the horrors of meth," says Mike Sukle. Tv, print, posters and internet are included. Wyoming Department of Health is the client. www.methkillswyoming.org
San Francisco CA: San Francisco Design Week is set for June 11-17. Spearheaded by the AIGA San Francisco Chapter, events will be held in a variety of locations and a special exhibit will be featured in the gallery space in AIGA San Francisco's offices. As a citywide promotion, advertisements and promotions are being prepared to convey the importance of design in everyone's lives. www.SFDesignWeek.org or 415.626.6008.
Boston: Brand designer and strategist Michael McPherson is the keynote speak for Graph_Comm 2007. McPherson will address how print design and buying must adapt in an era that has seen the biggest revolution in communications since Gutenberg. The popular annual event is an intensive one day of symposium for media and print specifiers and buyers, sponsored by the Printing Industries of New England and taking place at the Boston Marriott Copley. www.pine.org
North kingston RI: The Los Angeles Times and its magazine won the most number of awards in the World's Best-Designed Newspapers competition sponsored by the Society of News Design, while The New York Times and its magazine netted the second highest total. Other big multiple winners included The Excelsior of Mexico City, the Hartford (CT) Courant; San Jose (CA) Mercury News; The Boston Globe; and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The actual "Best-Designed" honor went to four European papers: Aripaev, Tallinn, Estonia; El Economista, Madrid; Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Frankfurt; and Politiken, Copenhagen. www.snd.org
Sewickly PA: PIA/GATF, the largest printing and graphic arts trade association, is reaching out to graphic designers by taking its popular Mission: Possible—A Mutual Strategy for Creatives and Printers on the road. The eight city tour starts May 22 in Charlotte and continues to Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, New York and Atlanta. Content tackles the hotspots that designers and printers face in dealing with each other. Says PIA/GATF art director Tracey Ryan: "This event brings the two groups together and helps open the lines of communication." GDUSA is the design publication sponsor; Adobe, Apple, kodak, Sun Chemical, Quark and ICS are corporate sponsors. www.missionpossible07.com
Alpharetta GA: In a big deal for paper specifiers, Neenah Paper has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Fox River Paper Company, whose designer brands include Starwhite, Sundance, Esse and Oxford. At this writing, closing is expected sometime in the first quarter of the year. Comments Neenah Paper's ceo and chairman Sean Erwin: "The purchase of Fox River provides a unique opportunity to strengthen our existing Fine Papers business with added scale in the marketplace, better prospects for growth, and the ability to offer a broader array of premium branded products and better service to our customers."
 TAKE FIVE! CAREER TIPS FROM THE CREATIVE GROUP
When entering a salary negotiation with a prospective employer, information is your best ally. Along with gathering data showing the average pay rates for someone with your skills in that city, it's also wise to ask questions that can help you gain a better idea of the overall compensation structure within the firm. Following are five useful ones to ask:
1. How frequently are salaries reviewed?
2. When was the last salary review?
3. What factors are considered when determining raises?
4. Are bonuses offered? If so, what is the bonus structure?
5. Are equity incentives offered (e.g., stock options)?
Finally, seek out detailed information about the benefits and perks provided by the company, including health care coverage, 401(k) programs, paid time off, etc. A handsome benefits package may compensate for a less-than-ideal salary. For a free copy of the The Creative Group's 2007 Salary Guide, which provides average starting salaries for a range of creative, advertising, marketing and web positions, please call 888.846.1668.
The Creative Group is a specialized staffing service providing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals on a project basis.
TRENDSPOTTING
User Generated Brands:
Brandchannel.com, in its latest brand impact survey, reports that Apple and Google continue to fight it out for the number one brand ranking. But perhaps more interesting is the finding that respondents launched YouTube and Wikipedia into the top five global and North American rankings. "The dramatic debut of these newcomers... is an indication of a larger trend, the growing impact of online brands built on user-generated content," comments editor Anthony Zumpano, "particularly in North America where MySpace debuts in 15th and craigslist jumps to seventh from 39th, where it first appeared in 2003."
Cash It In:
Cash is no longer king. Indeed, it is under siege from the electronic revolution, which is to say the credit cards, transit cards, phone cards, paypasses, et. al. But defenders of the paper note and coin have long pointed out that the thousands of small, everyday purchases are still most easily handled in the old fashion way. That rationale may now also be short-lived: Cadbury Schweppes and MasterCard are testing 750 vending machines in the Dallas area, New York and Chicago to answer a key question: Will people use plastic for this purpose and will they spend more if they can use plastic? The early answer is, yes. Some of the machines were installed in January and have seen sales increases of 5% to 35% without any change in prices, reports a Cadbury vice president. So, soon, it may come down to this: cash will only matter to individuals who still care about privacy and do not want their purchases to be trackable.
The Tim Factor:
My close friend, Tim, is as cosmopolitan as they come, a writer and thinker, a consumer of plays, concerts and the arts, and a fan of action movies where things blow up and dialog is kept to a minimum. But, these days, he is rarely willing to go to a movie theater because he no longer finds it a compelling experience. While we sometimes tease Tim about his vehemence on this point, it turns out he is hardly alone. A new Zogby poll reveals that a years-long box office plunge is accelerating. Among the reasons: weak movie selections, high ticket prices and a dislike of the crowds in the theater, not to mention the plethora of entertainment alternatives at home. More than a third of respondents said they go to the movies fewer than six times per year, 21% say they attend may once a year, and overall 10% never go at all. The survey, which focuses on the entertainment habits of Americans, is featured in the February issue of Zogby's American Consumer newsletter. GK
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Now-April 28: The Society of Illustrator 49th Annual exhibition, showing winners of the juried competition, at the organization's Manhattan digs. www.societyillustators.org.
March 9-11: Schools of Thoughts 3, an AIGA education event at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena that looks at the power of Southern California design and media, and explores what belongs in a graphic design curriculum. www.aiga.org
March 10: The 40th anniversary of the Graphic Design Department at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia is celebrated with a daylong series of terrific speeches and events. www.uartsgd.com/GD40
March 15-17: The Dallas Society of Visual Comunications hosts a National Student Show and Conference each year, and expects more than 500 educators, students and sponsor attendees. www.dsvcstudentshow.org
March 15: AIGA Raleigh presents Jakob Trollbäck to discuss cutting through the clutter and make room for the individual to take in the message in an intelligent and personal way. www.raleigh.aiga.org
March 16: The AIGA Atlanta Chapter sponsors this casual Friday even stroll and drinks event themed Art & About: Castleberry Arts District with a 7:30 kickoff at Slice. www.aiga-atl.org
March 20. Join AIGA Baltimore for an informative panel discussion on the Business of Design. Topics include: working capital, taxes, the pending creative tax bill, estimating, spec work. At the University of Baltimore Business Center Atrium/Auditorium. 410-832-AIGA or www.baltimore.aiga.org
March 23: Advertising Club of Buffalo hosts the 6th annual ADDYs, the premier awards competition for Western New York advertising. Dress is creative black tie, and tickets include open bar, awards show presentation and a light supper at the Statler Towers Ball Room. or www.brainstormbuffalo.com
March 24: Body/Language: Fashion Meets Graphic Design is the subject of this "seamless Saturday" event sponsored by the AIGA NY, opening with a welcome by chapter head Carin Goldberg and a chat between Isaac Mizrahi and Debbie Millman. www.aigany.org
March 27: The Paper Industry Division of the National Conference for Community and Justice sponsors its 38th Annual Humanitarian Award Dinner at Intercontinental-The Barclay in Manhattan. (This is the former National Conference of Christians and Jews.) Paper people have been contributing for years to help fight bias, bigotry and racism; co-chairs are Tim Needham of Smart Papers and Bill Frohlich of NPTA Alliance. dbeaudre@nccjgnyr.org
March 28: 8th Annual Student Portfolio Review by 60+ creative professionals at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, sponsored by AIGA Salt Lake City. www.aigasaltlake.com
March 29: A celebration of Los Angeles design at The Edison, a power-plant turned nightclub, with a special ceremony presenting the 2006 Fellow Award to Sean Adams, Noreen Morioka and Doyald Young. www.aigalosangeles.org
March 29-30: In Boston, a DMI seminar by Dr. Leonard Glick on Managing Creative Staff, including motivation, giving useful feedback, developing employees and more. www.dmi.org
March 30-31: The 4th Thinking Creatively Conference is a two-day boutique event presented by the Art Directors Club of New Jersey to bring together the best and brightest art directors and designers and other innovative thinkers. At kean University in Union, NJ. www.adcnj.com
April 12: Picturehouse, which brings together buyers and sellers of stock visuals in an intimate setting, returns to the Chicago Cultural Center for a day of images, food and fun. www.picturehouse.org
April 12-May 25: Shopping in Tokyo reflects some of the major trends that are impacting the Japanese market, and the world. A must see exhibit at the AIGA National Design Gallery on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. www.aiga.org
April 26: The AIGA San Francisco Design Lecture Series, Uncommon Thread, debuts with Davy Rothbart, creator and editor of FOUND Magazine; in May, Bonnie Siegler, Emily Oberman and karim Rashid appear. don@aigasf.org
May 17-20: The Association of Professional Design Firms hosts its annual exchange in Las Vegas at the Wynn. This year's theme: For Love or Money. www.apdf.org
PRODUCT AND SERVICE NEWS
Corel Painter X is the newest version of the legendary painting and illustration software for designers that features unique digital brushes, art materials and textures which mirror the look and feel of their traditional counterparts. GDUSA readers can get a terrific look at great art and artists profiles at www.corel.com/gdusa
Jam Paper & Envelope, a 50 year old family-owned source for designer papers, folders, porfolios and more, has completely revamped its website. Notable for design professionals: an easy to use interface for ordering stationery and paper goods. www.jampaper.com
xpedx has received both Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) chain-of-custody certifications. It is the first North American paper distributor certified in both standards. "U.S. printers and designers can now be assured they have a dependable supply of certified papers to meet growing demand," said Jeff Higgins, corporate Director of Marketing Services for xpedx. www.xpedx.com
Masterfile is accelerating its global growth with the signing of a multi-year licensing agreement with amana images in Japan. This makes amana the exclusive distributor of the Masterfile rights managed images in Japan. www.masterfile.com
Photography industry veteran and former Corbis president Leslie Hughes launches Equity Images. The company focuses on creating visual equity™ by producing strong visually consistent imagery for corporations that enhances brand communications across media platforms. www.equidyneventures.com
Stora Enso joins worldwide leaders to endorse The Path to Climate Sustainability: A Joint Statement by the Global Roundtable on Climate Change. This post-kyoto framework lays out a strategy for action in meeting the challenges of climate change, with a focus on creating sustainable energy systems. www.storaenso.com/sustainability.
As a sponsor of Lesley Schiff's Legend Portrait Series: Interpretations of Bob Dylan, International Paper rewards customers when they purchase a carton of Hammermill Color Copy Papers before April 30 with prints that Lesley designed exclusively for Hammermill. www.hammermill.com.
 LOGOLOUNGE 2007 CALL FOR ENTRIES
Take your place among the most influential logo designers of our time by entering the competition.
The competition: Enter unlimited logos for only $100, which includes a full year's membership to LogoLounge. A prestigious panel of top identity designers from around the world will be selecting this year's winners.
The deadline: March 31, 2007
The link: http://www.logolounge.com/bk4_call.asp
The buzz:
Miles Newlyn, juror, LogoLounge Vol. 3
"LogoLounge is the only up to date resource for one of the most significant contemporary art forms—the logo. It's like a gallery where you get to see all the hottest shows on their opening night. If only I could find the bar."
The site: An indispensable tool at your fingertips:
• Comprehensive searches of more than 40,000 logos, with new logos added daily.
• A real-time look at the trends that are shaping our industry.
• Weekly identity news updates, guest columns and articles on featured designers.
The book: Winners of this year's competition will be showcased in LogoLounge Vol. 4, featuring 2000 international identities from leading designers.
HOUSEKEEPING
Graphic Design USA, the magazine, is so much in demand that we will no longer be able to send it to people who have not renewed/updated their subscription within the past 12 months. If that sounds like you, please click the link below and take a moment to fill out the online form. A helpful hint: when you pull down the menu bars to confirm your Job and your Business Type, do not overthink this. Simply choose the selection that best describes you and your company in general. http://www.gdusa.com/subscriptions/renewsub.php
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