HSBC Plans to Redesign Its Bank Cards

New unified design proposed for HSBC's bank cards across its 30 countries

HSBC could be onto something with their latest announcement. The multinational retail banking giant are going to redesign their bank cards. Across the thirty countries it serves, the Hong Kong based bank aim to standardise the graphic design of its ATM, credit, and debit cards. Its main aim is consistency, a must if you have a global brand like Apple or McDonalds.



HSBC's 30 countries will benefit from their new look. They will be based on the lion which sits at the entrance of HSBCs headquarters in Hong Kong. Created by Hong Kong-based design consultancy, Shift, the lion forms the centrepiece of its future ATM, credit, and debit cards. Each colour represents the kind of card that is issued to the customer. A red lion on a matt silver background, for example, is used for debit cards.

Shift's aim is to “cut through the complexity” of its retail banking products. The company has also designed digital equivalents for Android Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. By the end of this year, HSBC's new look cards will have been issued to new customers and existing customers, whose cards will expire this year.

>Other facts about HSBC’s new cards:

• The first recipients of the new look cards are holders of Premier Mastercard and VISA Platinum credit cards;


• From June 2017, existing customers with VISA Debit cards will get the new design;


• In July 2017, holders of VISA Gold and Classic credit cards will follow suit;


• Stephen Stitt, the customer name on the card design is shared with HSBC’s two lions, which are seen at the entrance of their Shanghai headquarters;


• The two lion statues, Stephen and Stitt, were cast in bronze by Henry Poole in 1921. They are named after chief managers Alexander Stephen and Gordon Stitt.

Dreamkatcha, 28 April 2017.

HSBC and Canary Wharf image by Aaabbbccc (via Shutterstock).

Typography: Stuck for Suitable Typefaces?

How to choose suitable typography for web and print based projects

[caption id="attachment_8987" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Image by Frazer (via Shutterstock).[/caption]

It takes a bit of nous to choose a different typeface to the first one you see. By default, we set our standard body text to Times New Roman, Calibri or (gulp!) Comic Sans MS. After a bit of soul searching, you find there’s a world of typographical options on your computer or cloud computing account: Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, Verdana, and so on. Sometimes you can never have enough typefaces. For typography options, you might need to look elsewhere.



On the internet, there are oodles of typography sources. Not only websites advertising free fonts, but also those of type foundries. Plus you’ve also got Google Fonts, which offers a wealth of open source typography options.

If you’re looking for free typefaces...

There may be some limitations. Some typefaces may be licensed for non-commercial use, which is fine for coursework, though not corporate brochures. In some cases, you might see ‘pirated’ versions of paid-for typefaces. Any typography could be suitable for web projects; with desktop publishing software, the transition from web fonts to print could be fussy and lost in translation.

If you’re on a strict budget and looking for a free typeface, go to the Google Fonts website. As well as being able to download each font family onto your PC, embedding Google Fonts into web based projects are straightforward.

If quality matters...

Go to the websites of well known font foundries such as ITC Linotype. MyFonts.com has a wide variety of paid-for typefaces. Depending on whether you download one typeface or the entire font family, you can use them on any project. The typeface is yours for keeps. For commercial projects, this by far is the best option. Moreover, they will work well on print projects as well as online.

If you wish to follow the trends...

Typography addicts should go to Typewolf. This website has several Top 10s of typographical leanings. It also features alternative typefaces to, for example, Helvetica, Arial, and Gotham. It is well worth a read for catching up on the latest font fashions.

Dreamkatcha, 26 April 2017.

DIY Web Design - A Costly Mistake | Dreamkatcha Web Design

What is a DIY Website?

We've all seen the adverts and the posts "Create your website here - it's FREE!". I'm referring to automated web design services where you pick a generic template and add you own text. Then choose from a limited number of boring, uninspiring images that just leave your website flat and boring. "We'll have you up and running in minutes" - a bold claim and absolutely false. The "website builder" is often offered to you as you purchase a new domain name, these are confusing and a poor choice in al respects. Costs seem low to begin with, but this all changes in time and we'll discuss this a little later.

What are my options?

As a start up business owner or if you are looking to redesign/revamp your existing  website, there are a few option to choose from...

1. DIY web design
   A very limited option with little room for expansion, with a very generic and lifeless feel to it.


2. Bespoke web design
   The most expensive option by far. Coded 100% from the ground up using raw code and various design languages. If you want your website to be all singing all dancing, with seriously complex functionality and programmed by an experienced web developer and then assembled by a professional web designer. This is largely unnecessary in today's world of CMS platforms and advanced frameworks such as Wordpress and Joomla, and carries an astronomical price compared to the below option.


3. Hybrid web design
   This option is by far the most common and value for money option. Over the last decade, CMS platforms such as Wordpress and Joomla have taken up the market share of all website designs currently online. With almost the exact same opportunity to expand and update as the bespoke option, many add-ons and plugins can achieve what you would usually pay hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds for. Templates can be selected if required, but this isn't required, or even benefitial most of the time.

At Dreamkatcha, we believe the Hybrid web design is the best option for 95% of all start up business. Why do we suggest this option...read on!

The limitations of DIY Websites

As a start up business, it is very tempting to scrimp and save as much as possible. Sometimes this is done in completely the wrong areas and this is simply down to inexperience and shooting from the hip, without proper research and planning. We see the same thing all the time - new businesses breezing over the importance of having a professional web designer construct their online presence. They feel that a DIY site builder is the best option for them in the beginning, but this decision soon comes with deep regret. A quick solution implemented at this stage immediately limits your future in more ways than realise. We will discuss these limitation below.

1. Confusion
   Many people assume that these DIY site builders are easy - they heard a friend of a friend has done it, so hard can it be? Confusing, if you aren't computer savvy and used to online computer interfaces. Many people try to save time and money with these online options, but soon realise that there is much more to it than just typing some text and selecting a few pictures. Often they abandon the race and come to their senses, other end up spending a horrendous amount of time before they eventually quit. Then there are some who refuse to let it beat them and post the site live for all to see. They then wonder why their business is crumbling before their eyes.
   

   98% of all DIY (Do-It-Yourselfers) fail to even complete their website design

   
   


2. Design
   All DIY websites come from a very limited range of templates. Most of which are unsightly and plain, but these make up the bulk of the "Thousands of templates to choose from" Leaving just a handful of designs that you would even dare to use as your online representation. Unfortunately, you are not the only one looking through these templates, so the best of the bunch will have been chosen by thousands of other customers. Leaving your website the same as everybody else's and just as uninspiring. You are massively limit as to what you can change - while many vendors offer expansion packs for money, they are still very basic compared to what is available with a CMS system. If your website is an important part of your business, I would look elsewhere just on this basis.


3. Mobile friendly
   The majority of DIY site builders do not display well at all on mobile devices such as tablets and phones. They are also not updated regularly, so as soon as a browser is updated, your site may now be unreadable..and unfixable!


4. Little, or no support
   What most people don't realise with web design, is that it takes many hours and lots of experience to render a website on multiple devices and browsers. When a new business owner signs up for a DIY website builder, they only expact the fun creative (although very limited) part and not the hours of trouble shooting to edit the code for each display. Most online solutions don't offer any support for these common issues and even if they do, it comes at a cost.


5. SEO
   If SEO if a vital ingredient to your website's success then a DIY site builder isn't they way forward. Many are built with Flash (a technology that isn't compatible with the majority of mobile devices) and is any empty page as far as search engines are concerned. As above, once a search engine changes its algorithm, the website may also drop dramatically in rankings.


6. Content Management
   Being able to update and add to your website is an integral part to owning a website in 2016. Many website builders are without options for blogs and limit the amount of pages you can add to your website. This will hinder and attempts to promote and expand your site further down the road. This may not seem like a big deal now, but Dreamkatcha (and most other web design companies) cant do anything with your website if it has been created but one of these online web builders. We will need to start from scratch every time.


7. Your own Domain
   Not having your own personal and unique domain name screams that you are not a serious business. This will instantly deter any prospective clients who are looking at your website. It could be enough for them to loose faith and simply move on tot he next company in the search results. Yet another opportunity (if you are lucky) for the software company to charge you more money for this privilege...it's all starting to add up isn't it.


8. Extending Functionality
   Adding extra features to your bog standard website is again a tough pill to swallow. Whereas CMS platforms such as Wordpress and Joomla have many thousands of plug-ins offering all kinds of updates and expansions little or no cost. With the "quick & easy" DIY site builder, you are now at the mercy of a specialist developer within th company, who will now charge you astronomical prices to create these modifications.


9. Advertising
   Most of these DIY websites won't let you use external advertising on your site - a viable option if you decide to promote with this feature. They will however place their own annoying adverts all over your website, in order to recoup some income from their free or low cost website option. Again this feature can sometimes be removed, but guess what...at a price. I assure you, it wont be long before you decide these ads are completely ruining your already boring and bog standard low cost website.


10. A sitting duck!
    Not only is the code unprocessable to any external developers or web designers, the site cant be transferred away from the company. So if you wanted to change hosting providers or change your domain name, you have no option but to start again from scratch. You are also not protected from an attack from a hacker, so once your site has been destroyed, you wont have the expertise on hand to rectify the situation.

The Cost of Saving Money

A recurring theme has been rearing it's ugly head right the way through this article...extra charges. What first seemed like a quick, painless and low cost option, is now becoming expensive and unrewarding at best. With the simple addition of a blog, a few extra pages and a personal domain name, his "free" website has now cost you £350 for the year, including hosting. Now lets look at the cost of this site, should you decide to keep it (your business will be well and truly burred buy now) for 5, maybe 10 years. You are now paying more than you would for a professionally designed hybrid website, with 10% of the adaptability and 1% of the class.

If you are serious about creating a website for your business and want it to be taken seriously, hire a professional and be proud of your online presence. Your time should be spent on much more important things, such as building stock, accounts, promotion...and your family or loved ones.

Graphics Tablets: This is How We Did It

In our nostalgic look, we take a trip back to a time before Wacom graphic tablets became the norm

[caption id="attachment_8965" align="aligncenter" width="640"]British Micros' Grafpad III, one of the earliest graphics tablets designed for home and business users. Image by 488405 Sespo (Creative Commons License: Share Alike-Attribution).[/caption]

Among the tools we take for granted in our studio is the trusty Wacom tablet. We find it a boom for illustration, especially for web design, brochures, and image manipulation. Being able to negotiate the tablet like a pen is second nature compared with a mouse. Graphics tablets have been in existence for the last forty years.



The most seminal creation was the Quantel Paintbox. Launched in 1981, it became the ‘must-have’ tool for television graphics. The system included a VDU, keyboard, a ‘digital paintbox’, and a giant graphics tablet. The original model had 160 MB of hard drive space. This was back when 10 MB was a big deal on the original IBM PC (a chunky 8086 processor-based machine released the very same year).

To say it revolutionised television graphics was an understatement as it led to the creation of similar, more advanced systems in its wake. Back in 1981, some of the smaller ITV franchises and independent production companies may have struggled to buy a Quantel Paintbox - let alone home users. In 1983, British Micro launched the Grafpad. This was a graphics tablet that plugged into the back of a Sinclair Spectrum computer, which came with a light pen and utility software.

One of the most successful graphics tablets of the 8 bit era of computing was KoalaPad. Originally released for the Commodore 64, it was hailed as one of the best graphics packages for the time. It came with a small touch sensitive pad with two buttons, a cordless pen, and utility software (Koala Painter). It didn’t only became a ‘must have’ tool for graphic designers with a C64: other machines like the Apple ][ and the Tandy TRS-80 were supported.

Without KoalaPad, we wouldn’t have got the venerable Wacom tablet. The Wacom uses similar design principles (wireless pen, small pad) but (most importantly), it doesn’t tie you to one utility package.

Today, the graphics tablets see a new threat: the Microsoft Surface Studio PCs could take their place. Microsoft’s cutting edge design sees the monitor turning into an electronic drawing board. Instead of a pen, a control dial is used to choose colours and other settings. This could be a game changer in design studios around the world.

Dreamkatcha, 04 April 2017.

Did Typographical Fails Ruin The Oscars?

Reddit post mulls over possibility that the Oscars fiasco was caused by typographical failings

It could have been worse, at least The Oscars nomination sheets didn’t use Comic Sans MS.  Here’s our reconstruction of how it would have looked if Comic Sans MS was the chosen typeface.

“The Winner for the Best Use of Typography in an Internationally Recognised Awards Ceremony...” oh, forget it.  Forget it!  This year’s Oscars was memorable for all the wrong reasons.  Memorable in the 1989 Brit Awards sense (don’t get us started on that one either).  Firstly for the La La Land cock-up.  Coming a close second was a failing in the typographical department.

In the original image (seen in this Reddit link), we see a few graphic design fails.  Firstly, The Oscars logo should be relegated to a bit part, possibly at the bottom right of the slip (as a product placement image).  The logo is positioned in the spot where the Best Picture category should be placed.  Instead, Best Picture is relegated to footer text in italicised Times New Roman form.

The rest of the text is in Futura Medium.  Capitalised no less (leave that bit to the keyboard warriors on social networking sites, please).  The choice of typeface isn’t too bad, but shouldn’t the film title be set to a heavier weight than that of the directors’ names?  If you did a City and Guilds NVQ in Desk Top Publishing, the difference between bold and normal type is next up from writing your name in terms of difficulty.

As our reconstruction shows, the stationery design for the Oscars could have been set to Comic Sans MS.  Even the Best Picture footer text stands out better with Comic Sans than the faint italicised Times New Roman.  Whilst we were in La La Land frothing at the mouth over this cock-up, the fellow who posted the screen grab had a point.  Some of the subsequent comments are pure gold.

Ten Web Design and Development Fails

Or: how not to attract customers to your website thanks to shoddy web design and development

Since Dreamkatcha was formed, our aim from the start was to raise standards in web design. We are strong advocates of accessibility, clear design, and aim to raise the bar a little higher each time. In our time, we have seen some websites that were acceptable in the 1990s and should have stayed there. This has inspired our latest posting on the ten deadly sins of web design and development.

10. Neglecting Cross Browser Compatibility

Most of our web browsing is done on mobile devices - iPhones, iPads, Android tablets and so on. More than ever, websites need to be designed for all browsers and all users, and this means using responsive web design techniques. From traditional PCs to the most modest of smartphones.

9. Automated Music

Just don’t bother. Having automated music on your website is a one-way ticket to higher bounce rates. The embedded audio file may be charming for 10 seconds but hearing the same muzak each time you load the site is irritating at the very least.

8. Ignoring White Space

A balance between content and whitespace is an essential ingredient of any website. The browser, irrespective of their device or PC does not want to be bombarded with an overkill of text, graphics, audio and video files. Potential customers may take their business elsewhere.

7. Too Many Stock Images

Sometimes you can tell from a great distance if the web designer has plumped for stock images. For example: the clichéd pictures of women with white teeth and call centre headsets. Go for original images featuring your own work. Hire a photographer or teach yourself, and invest in some high quality photographic equipment. A well focused original image with a DSLR or a film camera adds more value to your site than a stock image.

6. Images Of Text

Images of text are a major accessibility issue. If s/he is unable to view images on your website, imagine if textual content was saved as an image file? Furthermore, your website won’t be properly indexed by search engines if text is used in this way. Thanks to CSS techniques, this method is wholly obsolete.

5. Too Many Big Images

Big images can either take forever to load or be a pain to navigate on a mobile phone. If you’re designing for mobile devices as well as desktop PCs, ensuring the scalability of images is important. With loading time another issue, image sizes should strike a balance between clarity and file sizes.

4. No Clickable Logo

With responsive web design in its ascendency, the use of a clickable logo is more important than ever. Today’s web designers and visitors to your website associate the clickable logo as the back to Home link.

3. Confusing Navigation

In cyberspace, there is nothing worse than getting lost on a website due to arcane navigation systems. It is imperative that your website has the same navigation on all of its pages, with primary links given pride of place. Pull down menus from primary links could be used to direct users to secondary pages.

2. Inconsistent Style

What’s worse than inconsistent navigation? An inconsistent style throughout your website. This was why CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) was invented in the first place. It also allows for wasteful coding, slowing down your website and its ability to be seen by search engine directories. A consistent house style throughout your website allows for continuity from the Home page to the Sitemap.

1. Splash Pages

For our final web design peeve, we look at something that was acceptable for a while though truly awful in 2017. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you… the Splash Page. The idea of a splash page was to ‘greet’ visitors to the client’s website, usually with a self-indulgent Flash or Shockwave movie clip. But, in the dial-up era, they were slow and added little value to the site. Which is why they were - and still remain today - discredited as a web design technique. This form of ego massaging is also bad for rankings.

Finally…

We strongly advise refraining from using the ten techniques detailed above. Unless you’re the creative genius behind the Lings Cars website which breaks every design and style rule going. A poorly designed website is usually bad for business, but Ling Valentine bucks the trend. With the way it is designed, it actually satirises ‘90s websites in a fun way and pricks the pomposity of its rivals.

9 Tips for Working With Your Web Designer

 

SO you have managed to navigate the minefield of selecting rt good web designer (see previous blog) and now yo need to know how to work with them. In this article we will discuss how to make the most of your new business relationship and what to expect further down the road.

It's imperative that you start the project on the right foot, after all, first impressions last a lifetime. The complex venture with your web designer can be a rewarding and enriching experience, providing you put in some effort and time. Making sure you are both on the same page throughout your project will ensure compatibility and productivity.

Here are some of the major pointers to help you make the very most of your working experience together:

1. Do your homework

Don't simply click on the first web design company on google. Just because they are at the top of google, doesn't mean that they are the best, oreven the right one for your project. Web design companies often pay to be at the top of google, some don't even speak English as their first language and this can lead to an unmanageable breakdown in communication. You may also select a large design agency, charging astronomical amounts for designers, account handlers and other overheads. This is largely unnecessary as you will quickly find a smaller company with just as much experience and skills for less than a quarter of the price.

2. Don't assume that creating a website is an "easy job".

As a web designer I can tell you this raises a communication barrier from the outset. The process may seem simple in your eyes, but that may be down to the fact that your web designer has spared you the technicalities and endless troubleshooting in previous projects. Stating that "you would do it yourself but don't have time" or "it wont take long" are both very demeaning and are also not going to bring the price down. If I told you I could do your job as well as you without years of training and experience, how would you feel about that?

You may have had some experience with online site builders and DIY options (see this blog to explain why this is more than likely, the worst idea you ever had), but the fact that you are now hiring a website designer shows you that things aren't as simple as they seem. The amount of work that goes on behind the scenes on these builders is 90% of what you are paying a web designer to do, only they are doing it properly for you.
Leave it to your designer to explain the difficulty or how long the job will take, don't rush them into providing a less than perfect service. It should be clear from their online portfolio examples that they are capable of competing your project to an adequate standard.

What may seem like a simple change to your website could equal hours of troubleshooting and support tickets for your web designer.

3. Keep Your End of the Bargain

You will be required to supply the web designer with content for your website. Bear in mind that if the designer doesn't have what they need when they need it, your project will come to a halt. They will then move on to another project and yours will be shelved until you supply the information discussed in your original brief or meeting. To avoid any delays to your project's completion date, it would be best practice to supply everything your designer needs up front. This would include and text, images, co tact information and design options. If your pictures need to be purchased, this would also be completed at an early stage.

If your web designer has provided an initial web design project questionnaire (ours is linked here) then this will help to start the project n the right foot. This should inform the web designer as to everything that you have envisioned for the project. The more information you provide, them more scope the designer will have to full fill your expectations.

At Dreamkatcha we offer a project discount if you can provide everything required for the project upfront.

4. Be patient with your web designer

From a clients point of view, you will want your project completed yesterday. You wont be the first and you wont be the last. But putting the pressure on your designer to finish the website sooner than they are used to could result in a substandard project...and you will be they cause. If you really need your project completed in a short amount of time then get it under the nose of your designer as soon as you can. This will give them the best chance of completing on time. If you can get everything ready as soon as you decide to initiate the project, then you will help the process exponentially. Quality work doen't come overnight, it takes time to design, develop and test each section of your website.

5. Get involved from beginning to end.

Now let me be clear...I don't mean help design your website, I mean stay close to the project and respond to emails as soon as you can. Also provide your comments as an when they are required.

A good practice is to discuss each stage of the process so that you are both on the same page throughout the project. This will speed up productivity and also help you keep any deadlines discussed, on time. If one of you isn't regularly contacting the the other with feedback, the project can go off the rails and getting it back to where it should be will take extra time.
You will get out, what you put in when it comes to graphic and web design projects. After all it is a collaboration between you and the designer, you want to see something special at the end of the day.

6. Don’t Ask Family & Friends what they think of the designs if they have no reference

Throughout the project, your web designer should send you samples and examples if the work he is performing for you. From image selection to layouts, fonts and pretty much every design suggestion. It will be tempting to then show your friends, family and colleagues and get their opinions. After all, more views will always equal a better analysis right? Wrong! Unless the people you are showing the designs to is your specific target audience, or they have experience if fields such as marketing (or something relevant), then this can usually strain  your client-web designer relationship. There is often no objective criteria to support the opinions you receive from friends and family and can end up confusing not only your designer, but you as well!

7. Don’t Overcomplicate things

Don't become a web designer or graphic designer, thinking this will help the project. Remember you have employed a designer because you lack the skills or expertise to carry out the project yourself. Everybody want to see some of their suggestions in the final project, but make sure they are only suggestions. Your designer will decide if these suggestions are going to work or not, many factors may b at hand that yo don't understand. Only your designer will understand the entire implications of your suggestions and this is just down to  experience. Bear in mind that what you had in mind at the beginning of the project either may not work due to unknown contributing factors, or their is simply a better idea that your designer will know.

8. Don’t Micromanage Your Web Designer

To ensure a productive and enjoyable experience for both the web designer and the client, it is important that each of you stick to your respective roles.

As a new business owner or entrepreneur, it is your job to communicate your requirements clearly to your website designer. It's the job of the web designer to come up with a complete solution that satisfies your initial brief. An example where clients regularly overstep the mark would be where they think the colour pallet is too bland for their particular brand. This is actually a good and constructive contribution, however when they start to offer specific design modifications without the assistance f a trained eye, this can leave the entire design floored. The problem with this level of interaction leaves your designer in the dark as to what the bigger picture is and may interfere with the overall picture envisioned by the designer. Asking for a solution draws on their skill set and experience, where they will probably be able to suggest a better solution.

9. Be decisive

When you receive a set of designs to look over, be strict and decide upfront what you like and don't like. Being wishey-washey at this point can be costly and waste voluble time. What may seem like a simple cold change to you down the road could spell disaster for your web designer, taking hours or even days of unnecessary work. Don't keep asking for multiple designs as this will lead to a stained working relationship. After the first couple of designs you should be able to give your designer clear instructions where to go next so that any modifications after this will be minimal. Bear in mind I am referring to logo designs of info graphics, not websites! You should only expect one website design based on your brief, extending this process has been prven to be confusing and unnecessary.

Conclusion:

After you have decided on the right web designer, work hard to establish a good working relationship from the outset. Make sure you are clear and informative, provide all information in a timely manor and stey in touch at every stage of the project

You have picked this designer from a long list of others, o have faith that they can provide you with a first class service. You will have seen from their online portfolio that they are fully capable, so give them some space for creativity and don't rush them. Buy responding to emails and phone calls as soon as possible and providing feedback and any necessary files will go a long way to a successful process and achieving your deadline.

What makes branding so crucial to a successful business?

Your brand represents you as a company and your promise to your customers. Good branding starts with a well designed logo, but can extend to many other important areas. In this article we will discuss the importance of having a well designed, strong brand for your new company.

Over the last 20 years I have seen many companies rise and fall, largely down to not making the revenue they expected when starting out. Many new businesses overlook critical points when starting up and one of these is design. If your product of service is so amazing and well recognised from the minute you start trading, then perhaps it wont make a difference whether you fail or succeed. But for most of us, a strong brand is what's going to get us recognised, remembered and possibly stay one step ahead of the competition.

Great branding equals recognition

When a company has a professionally designed logo and strong advertising, people's perception is usually of good customer service and a solid product or service. We all know of large successful companies who have taken the time and effort to hire a graphic designer and produced some memorable artwork to represent them. But how many large successful companies who haven't...not many spring to mind. This should be evidence enough for you to get this in position when you are trying to create a successful future.

Your logo is your world.

The one central component for your successful brand is your logo. Think how we instantly recognise the apple with a bite taken out of it, or the simple "tick" that is associated with all Nike products. Spending time and hiring a professional logo designer is imperative at this stage, as it will be on every piece of media, advertising, or product that you manufacture. A cleverly designed logo should be simple enough to be memorable, yet powerful enough to represent your core values and target audience.

Creating trust with your audience

Imagine you have two companies, selling exactly the same products, yet one has a beautiful logo, and all of their literature ties in with the basic design. The other company had either no logo, or a poorly designed one - which comany will you be drawn to. Obviously the well branded company, as emotional reactions are very powerful and are hardwired into all of us.

Good branding is conducive to good advertising

Advertising again, is vital to keeping ahead of your competition. You must choose your focus and media wisely. To narrow a window can leave you "pigeon holed" and restricted with future expansion. Too wide and you loose the potency of your message to your desired target audience.

Stand out from the crowd

You are not only competing on a local stage - in today's global marketplace you are up against hundreds, if not thousands of similar companies worldwide. If your brand fails to inspire, you will be brushed aside in seconds and your would be customer will simply hop over to the next company o the search engine. The opportunity to retain they customer was wasted due to a lack of trust and recognition. Set yourself apart from the rest of the bunch, with a creative and intuitive corporate Identity.

Branding & value are synergistic

When companies trade publicly on the stock exchange, they are valued many times over what their actual assets are worth. This is largely due to their strong branding and likelihood to be successful with repeat business. The perception of being this valuble in the eyes of prospective clients and other companies alike, will always be advantages to the owner. The bigger and better that brand of the company becomes, the more revenue it creates from this platform.

Branding inspires employees

At an employee level, a well recognised brand can help everyone look in the same direction. If you logo is regarding in high esteem from the general public, then a sense of pride can be felt throughout the workforce. This can also strengthen the entire company to work towards the same goals and direction. All successful brands spend time and effort promoting their brand internally. After all, everyone knows it's easier to sell something when you believe in it yourself.

Branding generates business

With brand development, we aim to create an identity that resonates with our target audience and essentially build on the emotional relationship on a personal level. These implied messages go a long way to convince someone that your company is the right one to do business with.

A little goes a long way

Your corporate identity will become the foundation of your entire marketing plan. It will be central to your website, printed literature, video production and all other media. Building your brand as strong and robust as you can will pay off ten fold in years to come. Rebranding can spell dissaster for an already strggling business, so make sure you hire a professional to get it right first time.

Ultimately, your brand isn't defined by you - it is defined by your audience.

Conclusion

As you can see, no matter the nature of your business and no matter how large or small your company is, branding is essential to everyone. A well branded company has already put their best foot forward and are likely to stand out from their competitors.
I you are interested in creating a winning brand for your company, why not contact Dreamkatcha for a free consultation. We'd love to set you off on the right foot towards success.

9 Tips for Working With Your Web Designer

 

SO you have managed to navigate the minefield of selecting rt good web designer (see previous blog) and now yo need to know how to work with them. In this article we will discuss how to make the most of your new business relationship and what to expect further down the road.

It's imperative that you start the project on the right foot, after all, first impressions last a lifetime. The complex venture with your web designer can be a rewarding and enriching experience, providing you put in some effort and time. Making sure you are both on the same page throughout your project will ensure compatibility and productivity.

Here are some of the major pointers to help you make the very most of your working experience together:

1. Do your homework

Don't simply click on the first web design company on google. Just because they are at the top of google, doesn't mean that they are the best, oreven the right one for your project. Web design companies often pay to be at the top of google, some don't even speak English as their first language and this can lead to an unmanageable breakdown in communication. You may also select a large design agency, charging astronomical amounts for designers, account handlers and other overheads. This is largely unnecessary as you will quickly find a smaller company with just as much experience and skills for less than a quarter of the price.

2. Don't assume that creating a website is an "easy job".

As a web designer I can tell you this raises a communication barrier from the outset. The process may seem simple in your eyes, but that may be down to the fact that your web designer has spared you the technicalities and endless troubleshooting in previous projects. Stating that "you would do it yourself but don't have time" or "it wont take long" are both very demeaning and are also not going to bring the price down. If I told you I could do your job as well as you without years of training and experience, how would you feel about that?

You may have had some experience with online site builders and DIY options (see this blog to explain why this is more than likely, the worst idea you ever had), but the fact that you are now hiring a website designer shows you that things aren't as simple as they seem. The amount of work that goes on behind the scenes on these builders is 90% of what you are paying a web designer to do, only they are doing it properly for you.
Leave it to your designer to explain the difficulty or how long the job will take, don't rush them into providing a less than perfect service. It should be clear from their online portfolio examples that they are capable of competing your project to an adequate standard.

What may seem like a simple change to your website could equal hours of troubleshooting and support tickets for your web designer.

3. Keep Your End of the Bargain

You will be required to supply the web designer with content for your website. Bear in mind that if the designer doesn't have what they need when they need it, your project will come to a halt. They will then move on to another project and yours will be shelved until you supply the information discussed in your original brief or meeting. To avoid any delays to your project's completion date, it would be best practice to supply everything your designer needs up front. This would include and text, images, co tact information and design options. If your pictures need to be purchased, this would also be completed at an early stage.

If your web designer has provided an initial web design project questionnaire (ours is linked here) then this will help to start the project n the right foot. This should inform the web designer as to everything that you have envisioned for the project. The more information you provide, them more scope the designer will have to full fill your expectations.

At Dreamkatcha we offer a project discount if you can provide everything required for the project upfront.

4. Be patient with your web designer

From a clients point of view, you will want your project completed yesterday. You wont be the first and you wont be the last. But putting the pressure on your designer to finish the website sooner than they are used to could result in a substandard project...and you will be they cause. If you really need your project completed in a short amount of time then get it under the nose of your designer as soon as you can. This will give them the best chance of completing on time. If you can get everything ready as soon as you decide to initiate the project, then you will help the process exponentially. Quality work doen't come overnight, it takes time to design, develop and test each section of your website.

5. Get involved from beginning to end.

Now let me be clear...I don't mean help design your website, I mean stay close to the project and respond to emails as soon as you can. Also provide your comments as an when they are required.

A good practice is to discuss each stage of the process so that you are both on the same page throughout the project. This will speed up productivity and also help you keep any deadlines discussed, on time. If one of you isn't regularly contacting the the other with feedback, the project can go off the rails and getting it back to where it should be will take extra time.
You will get out, what you put in when it comes to graphic and web design projects. After all it is a collaboration between you and the designer, you want to see something special at the end of the day.

6. Don’t Ask Family & Friends what they think of the designs if they have no reference

Throughout the project, your web designer should send you samples and examples if the work he is performing for you. From image selection to layouts, fonts and pretty much every design suggestion. It will be tempting to then show your friends, family and colleagues and get their opinions. After all, more views will always equal a better analysis right? Wrong! Unless the people you are showing the designs to is your specific target audience, or they have experience if fields such as marketing (or something relevant), then this can usually strain  your client-web designer relationship. There is often no objective criteria to support the opinions you receive from friends and family and can end up confusing not only your designer, but you as well!

7. Don’t Overcomplicate things

Don't become a web designer or graphic designer, thinking this will help the project. Remember you have employed a designer because you lack the skills or expertise to carry out the project yourself. Everybody want to see some of their suggestions in the final project, but make sure they are only suggestions. Your designer will decide if these suggestions are going to work or not, many factors may b at hand that yo don't understand. Only your designer will understand the entire implications of your suggestions and this is just down to  experience. Bear in mind that what you had in mind at the beginning of the project either may not work due to unknown contributing factors, or their is simply a better idea that your designer will know.

8. Don’t Micromanage Your Web Designer

To ensure a productive and enjoyable experience for both the web designer and the client, it is important that each of you stick to your respective roles.

As a new business owner or entrepreneur, it is your job to communicate your requirements clearly to your website designer. It's the job of the web designer to come up with a complete solution that satisfies your initial brief. An example where clients regularly overstep the mark would be where they think the colour pallet is too bland for their particular brand. This is actually a good and constructive contribution, however when they start to offer specific design modifications without the assistance f a trained eye, this can leave the entire design floored. The problem with this level of interaction leaves your designer in the dark as to what the bigger picture is and may interfere with the overall picture envisioned by the designer. Asking for a solution draws on their skill set and experience, where they will probably be able to suggest a better solution.

9. Be decisive

When you receive a set of designs to look over, be strict and decide upfront what you like and don't like. Being wishey-washey at this point can be costly and waste voluble time. What may seem like a simple cold change to you down the road could spell disaster for your web designer, taking hours or even days of unnecessary work. Don't keep asking for multiple designs as this will lead to a stained working relationship. After the first couple of designs you should be able to give your designer clear instructions where to go next so that any modifications after this will be minimal. Bear in mind I am referring to logo designs of info graphics, not websites! You should only expect one website design based on your brief, extending this process has been prven to be confusing and unnecessary.

Conclusion:

After you have decided on the right web designer, work hard to establish a good working relationship from the outset. Make sure you are clear and informative, provide all information in a timely manor and stey in touch at every stage of the project

You have picked this designer from a long list of others, o have faith that they can provide you with a first class service. You will have seen from their online portfolio that they are fully capable, so give them some space for creativity and don't rush them. Buy responding to emails and phone calls as soon as possible and providing feedback and any necessary files will go a long way to a successful process and achieving your deadline.

Hot Web Design Trends for 2017

This year’s hottest web design trends

We at Dreamkatcha have looked this year’s must-have features of any website.  Holding its own for the last five years is responsive web design, closely followed by parallax scrolling.  This year’s highest climber is the use of video for hero graphics.  Our ‘new entries’ in web design trends are the use of high end photography and bold colours.

1. Cinematography

Hero graphics using video footage is pretty big this year.  Adding a video to your website does wonders for conversion rates and customer engagement.

2. Card Based User Interfaces

With mobile devices usurping desktop PCs for web browsing, card based user interfaces transfer well to tablets and smartphones.

3. Fluid Design

Fluid web design has been with us for 20 years but improved browser standards and widespread use of mobile devices have made this technique more feasible.

4. Bold Colours

Before bold colours get you thinking of the web safe palette (and 1996-style tiled backgrounds), the improved picture quality of today’s monitors have encouraged designers to experiment a bit more.

5. High End Photography

Forget the fuzzy lo-res digital images, invest in a high end digital camera or hire a professional photographer.  We at Dreamkatcha can also help you in this respect.

6. Virtual Reality and 360° Video

If you have, for example, a bricks and mortar boutique or a hotel, this is a useful addition to your website.  Customers could ‘browse’ in your shop without leaving the house, or have a look inside hotel rooms prior to booking.

7. Original Imagery

Stock imagery is good when used sparingly but original imagery is even better, whether your tool of choice is Adobe Creative Suite or a high-end medium format camera.

8. Parallax Scrolling

Good old parallax scrolling: this takes us back to the C64 and Amiga era.  With websites, they can used to create immersive backgrounds.  Especially when complemented with high-quality original images.

9. Dynamic Storytelling

Parallax scrolling is a useful ally with dynamic storytelling.  This creates the impression of a shared experience between the customer and your brand.

10. Greater Use of Content Management Systems

With commercial pressures and the fast moving nature of the internet, some businesses need to change their website as often as Premier League sides change their strip.  A CMS like WordPress or Drupal enables a quick transition from one look to another.

It is worth noting that some of this year’s web design trends are similar to those five years earlier.  The most noticeable exception is the use of virtual reality.  Investing in high quality - and original - imagery, should be standard practice.  With broadband internet access in most homes and businesses, and mobile browsing, this matters even more.

The Return of Film Photography

Is there a place for film photography in the digital darkroom?

In 2007, we may have been mourning the loss of film photography as a mass media and accepting its inevitable demise, thanks to digital imagery. Adding a roll of Ilford XP2 or Kodachrome to your trusty SLR was to go the way of the dinosaurs. Even so, this didn’t deter a group of Austrian mavericks who formed Lomography in 1991. Taking pride in the imperfections of toy cameras like the Diana and Holga (then charging handsome prices for new models), it was an underground cult that thrived on serendipitous photography. This is epitomised by their ‘don’t think, just shoot’ philosophy.

Ten years on, digital photography has played a part in the revival of film photography. Hipstamatic and Instagram would be gateway drugs to the real deal. A real deal which has seen a revival of fortunes for instant photography, with Polaroid and Fuji cameras being ‘must have’ items. Also a stable aftermarket where Mamiyas, Hasselblads, Leicas, and Rolleis attract wallet pummelling prices even now.

What draws us to film photography? At one end, nostalgia; a hankering for simple times where your holiday snaps were processed in the chemist. Another is the character of film: for example, Fuji’s film has slightly subdued colours compared with the bold shades of Kodak’s Ektra 100. The kind of glass is another: for example, the obvious differences in quality with a Tesser lens compared with a plastic meniscus lens on a Kodak Brownie 127.

The limitations of film photography enables us to slow down. To think more. To go for quality over quantity. To make every picture matter.

Where digital meets analogue

After you have sorted your darkroom out (and once your negatives have dried), use a dedicated film scanner or the film scanning tray of your flatbed scanner to convert your negatives to digital files. Go for at least 300 dpi resolution (suitable for print media). One advantage with 35mm or medium format film is the fact your negatives could outlast digital files if stored properly.

Today, it is possible to have the best of both worlds. Whereas digital photography offers the Subway option of consistency and convenience, film photography is akin to a Cumberland sausage sandwich at a farmers’ market. What’s better is the fact you can use a 70-year-old camera (so long as it takes 35mm or 120 medium format film) and still get great results, often equal to younger digital whippersnappers. Charity shops may be a good source for used cameras and, if you look carefully, some branches of Poundland sell 35mm film.

PRESS RELEASE | Graphic Designer & Website Designer.

Are you looking for a Graphic and Website Designer that is dependable, timely and an expert in many different fields? Creative Director Lee Ault of Dreamkatcha has over 20 years experience in the desktop publishing, graphic design and website design fields. From small start up companies to multi national corporations, Lee has worked with hundreds of satisfied customers over the last two decades. Enabling them to improve their market reach, to add that “WOW” factor to their printed and online media and enabling them dominate their prospective markets.

If it’s a brand new website you require, an attractive brochure or promotional media such as posters and flyers, then speak to Lee at Dreamkatcha. Whatever your project, no matter how large or how small – chances are Lee has done something similar before. Having worked with so many clients over the years, Lee has learnt that a good relationship with his customers is imperative to a productive working ethic. Communication is a must for any successful design project. If a client can’t talk familiarly with their designer, then the creative process becomes disjointed and unproductive. Lee believes that his friendly, no nonsense approach to each project and his clients, enables the creative juices to flow from both ends. This allows both client and designer to bounce off each other and to really get an understanding of the final goal.

Because of this approach to a working relationship, the majority of Lee’s clients continue to work with him on current and further projects. This includes completely new projects requiring completely new skills, or simply alterations and maintenance of a current design or website.

Having just one designer take care of all your creative needs is beneficial in many ways. Not only have you already established a level of trust and understanding of one another, but you also understand how each other work. If it’s deadlines that are crucial to you, or maybe it’s attention to detail such as colours, measurements or a certain design style you are fond of, all of this information is already stored in the mind of your designer. This allows more time to be spent on the project at hand without the need to run through all of this again. Moreover, he will always have copies of your previous work backed up that you can refer back to at a moments notice, and any stock media of files that you have been using in previous projects can be called back in to play in an instant.

Another reason to keep hold of your designer is that he will be able to gage how long most of your projects to work, and also how you work with him. This will enable him to factor in your work immediately to his monthly routine, possibly leap frogging your work to the top of the pile of projects to be completed.

Lee Ault at Dreamkatcha provides the creative solution you've been searching for and is looking forward to working with you in the future.

7 Reasons why you need to update your business website. (Publish 2nd to last - Delete this)

Design trends and online technology change so frequently these days, that it's hard to keep up for most companies. Although staying current with trends may not be top of your marketing list, staying up to date with online technology is essential. Most people think they can have a website designed once and that it's now good for the next 10 years..or even forever. Sadly this is not the case, but how do you know when it's time for an overhaul? It's not like websites (and corporate/promotional media) has an expiry date like stale food in a supermarket. To make sure you capitalise on all of the new online opportunities and maximise your incoming traffic, a stale website could be the one thing holding you back.

Most companies that shun the thought of further outlay for their website are really shooting themselves in the foot. It many not have been in your initial budget, but spending some extra cash on a new website could render a high return on your investment. Every company should consider revamping their website at leaset every 2-3 years.

What does a stale website say about your company?

Having an old, uninspiring company website can be almost as damaging as not having one at all. If your site still looks like it did 10 years ago, the chances are it's not doing you any favours. Moreover, if your site was designed in Adobe Flash (as so many were in this time period) then your site also isn't displaying on half of the worlds devices. Below we will discuss the reasons for creating a brand new website and also some more obvious pointers that your old site is now obsolete.1. Your Website Isn't responsive (mobile-friendly)
With 40% of websites being viewed on mobile devices and growing fast, if your website isn't responsive it's time for a new one. This is probably one of the most important and most common reasons to start looking for a web designer. Mobile viewers want fast loading, intuitive websites that are easy to navigate and easy to read. Features such as one click phone dialling and other new "intelligent" features are only available to the user if they have been specially programmed. You simply wont find these on an older website.

2. An outdated and stale design
The second most common reason for a website being redesigned is age. Your website may have looked passable 10 years ago when web design was largely still in it's infancy, but today's websites are a whole new story. First impressions count if you are trying to entice a new customer or client. A website that is too basic or looks like it was designed with old technologies will send your target audience running a mile. If you take into account that your website's appearance is a direct reflection of your business image, then it makes sense to make sure it's polished.

3. Online web builders are a waste of time and money
The third reason that most companies hunt for a professional web designer, is that they have tried to use an online web builder. At Dreamkatcha we constantly have requests from new customers, asking if we can take their attempt at creating a company website for free and turn it into a fully functioning website. Unfortunately, the answer is always NO! Due to the way that these online web builders are rigged, the site is truly stuck with the originating company. The website cant be migrated like a usual website and the code is hidden from all other web developers. This is completely intentional and locks you in to the ever rising hosting charges and optional (yet really essential) extras. We have written a whole article on this common mistake here.

4. The technology is out of date
Even if your website was created with the latest technology 5 years ago, if it hasn't been updated on a regular basis, it's dangerously out of date. I say dangerous because hackers and viruses evolve at the same rate as technology does, sometimes even quicker. Whatever security your website had in place 5 years ago, won't be effective in today's minefield of risks and threats. This is especially true if your site was created with a CMS platform such as Wordpress or Joomla. This software is open source and is freely available to the public and unfortunately, hackers. This means once a liability is found in the code, it is freely available to everyone. This leaves your website open for attack from even the most novice of trouble makers. If you want to larn more about website security, read this article.

5. Ever evolving browsers and operating systems
There seems to be a new IOS or new website browser created every month these days! Thankfully, most people stick the main players such as Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Although these browsers all use similar structures, they all display your site slightly differently. Due to the endless variations of themes and base platforms this can leave your site displaying irregularly on some browsers. This is usually ironed out once your web designer has finished on the creative side and began to troubleshoot across browsers. If they haven't then you need to find a new designer. Read this article to help you find a good web designer.
But what happens when you software company releases a major update to their browser? These updates are usually minor and nothing to worry about, but over time there will be some fairly large reprogramming. This can leave your website almost unreadable with elements displaying all over the shop. What's worse is that functionality will also halt, leaving contact forms and other essential elements completely useless.

6. Products or features are out of date
Businesses change and grow over the years. luckily your online marketing can be changed without having to spend your entire budget on printing new media. You may have a range of products that you no longer sell, or perhaps have a whole new section to add. You may also have services that you no longer provide, or the focus of you business has now changed and you want to promote something new. If your web designer hasn't included a CMS (Content Management System) then you are most likely going to need a professional to make these changes for you.

7. Your website is underperforming
If you aren’t getting the results You expected from your website, then maybe you just cant see how bad it is. Not everybody is web design savvy and it's easy to be convinced by others that your website is great...even by your web designer! You may believe your site is functioning as it should be, yet most viewers are simply put off and jump ship. This could be down to a number of reasons, such as dull and uninspiring design, or poor user interface making it near impossible to navigate.

Many of these problems can be down to not hiring the right web designer. If you have tried to hire someone on the cheap such as a friend or amateur from freelance websites or abroad, then unfortunately you get what you paid for! Save yourself a lot of time, money and stress - hire a professional web designer from the start!

If you want to know what changes you should make? Read our next article coming soon....

If you would like to know what Dreamkatcha could do for your business website, to help increase traffic and revenue, contact us today via our website.

7 Changes to make to your website right now! Publish last

So you've decided to take the plunge and redesign/revamp your website. If you are still deciding if a new website is a good idea, read this article to help you make up your mind. But what exactly needs to change, other than the obvious errors such as being unresponsive or a security risk? In this article we will point out a few things that should be considered when talking to your new web designer.

1. Security
What platform was your website created on? What security is in place to protect you? What plug-ins are fighting the hackers off every day? Unless you have a very good web designer, (look no further than Dreamkatcha!) the chances are you don't really know a lot about these very important features. If you want to learn more about online security, read here
Has your website been updated on a regular basis, by this we mean weekly! Most plug-ins, themes and operating systems are updated as regularly as every week, anything not updated immediately is a huge security risk to your website. Make sure the latest security plug-ins such as Ithemes Security is not only in-place but updated as soon as a new version is released.

2. Add a CMS (Content Management System)
In todays fast paced and ever changing online market, it is essential that you can edit or expand your website yourself. With the addition of a CMS such as Wordpress or Joomla, you are largely free to work on your own site for no extra cost, saving you lots of money for those little edits here and there. With a platform such as Wordpress you can instantly improve the overal security of your website. It may be the most commonly hacked type of website, but this is largely due to the sheer number of Wordpress installations out there. As long as it is setup correctly and kept up to date, you will have access to a great number of free plug-ins. Utilising these products can enable you to have valuable security measures in place that would otherwise cost a small fortune.

3. Flexible contact solutions
Does you website have a contact form? The chances are your answer is yes, but is it performing to the bast of it's ability? Simply having a name, telephone, email and message field will be taking the essentials, but it could be doing a lot more. Talk to your designer about other possibilities such as expanding your form criteria to things like area placement, company details, client budget and even more specific project requirements. This can help you build a better picture of the project at hand, before you make that initial phone call or email.

4. Email catchment and call to action
Two of the most common additions that we are asked for are opt-in email catchment forms and a call to action. These features have blown up over the last few years and everyone is using them. If you want to get someone's email address for various reasons, such as newsletters or promtional work, then having a simple opt-in form is an easy way to facilitate this. A call to action on specific pages or in a focus area can give the viewer that extra nudge they need to make that all important first contact.

5. Speed up your website
If a website is taking an overly long time to load on a mobile device or computer, the chances are the viewer will simpy skip to the next website on the search engine. Most websites that were created a few years ago will have outdated code. This may cause the website to run more slowly or even display completely wrong on some devices. If the site was created by an amateur then they may have used the wrong types of images that are not optimised for web use. There could also be plugins that are unnecessary, incompatible or to bulky for your website. The list is almost endless, so make sure your designer understands that a fast website is crucial in these days of mobile website viewing.

6. User interface isn't everything
Although surveys show that the number one thing viewers want from a website is good usability, don't overlook aesthetics. Your website may be intuitive and easy to navigate, but a high bounce rate could point to a plain and lifeless design. Many web developers online will claim to also be a web designer. This is largely uncommon and the results will always be visible in the final website when posted online. The code may be of high quality and the site may operate perfectly to your needs, but if there isn't the magic injection of creativity there, audiences will give it a miss. Think about when you are surfing the web - when you reach a page that has that WOW factor you instantly take an interested in the contact of the site. Make sure your site has good functionality, but don't overlook the importance of creative web design.

7. Hosting and updates
Make sure that your designer (or you) is keeping your website updated. This will keep your site protected from hackers and malware. It will also ensure that your website is compatible with any plug-ins or external Apps that you are running. Also ensure that your web designer is using a reputable hosting provider such as Siteground. This will always leave you in the most capable hands when it comes to site speed, security and many other optional features that are largely unavailable or expensive with other providers.

If you really care about the success of your business, then looking into these few areas of your website will help gain high returns for minimal outlay. If you are interested in having your website redesigned or revamped, contact Dreamkatcha via our website

Who Remembers Cow Gum? This is How We Did It

Image Source: http://www.forgottenartsupplies.com/?what=artifacts&image_id=272

At one time, Cow gum was part of many drawing offices for paste-up work

In our previous article on classic album covers using Comic Sans, there was a passing reference to Windows ‘95.  Well before then, cutting and pasting images from a clipboard meant just that to the average computer user.  In the drawing office, no graphic artist till the 1980s or thereabouts was without this product: 
Cow gum.

Contrary to popular belief, Cow gum has nothing to do with the bovine creature.  It was a liquid petroleum rubber based glue (similar to the stuff used in Vaseline).  This was used for mounting and sticking paper onto paper or card.  It came in a red and white tin and took a long time to dry.  Sometimes, a residue of Cow gum may be present on the sheet.  This was rectified by means of a special eraser.

Why Cow gum?  It is named after F.P. Cow, the manufacturers of the product.  With the arrival of the Apple Macintosh and desktop publishing software, it became obsolete as creating page layouts and artwork moved into the digital age.  The fixative also gave off fumes which gave creatives a bit of a high.

Today, you can get a substitute to Cow gum.  Ivy’s equivalent is known as Studio Gum, which is basically the same stuff.  There is also another version manufactured by Toucan.  Its packaging style pays homage to F.P. Cow’s rubber-based fixative.

How to Ruin an Album Cover: Use Comic Sans

How classic album covers are being spoiled with the Comic Sans typeface - and clip art

Vinyl is big business.  Over the last year, vinyl restored its position as Britain’s biggest selling physical music format.  Even with a limited number of releases, mainly reissues of classic albums.  In some cases, LPs have been purchased as wall art instead of its intended use: the mutual enjoyment of a seminal album or single.  Funnily enough, most of the classic LPs and 45s were released before the arrival of the bete noire of typefaces.  Ladies and gentlemen, you have guessed right if you thought the typeface was Comic Sans.

Comic Sans is a typeface associated with Microsoft Windows.  It was first used as a friendly alternative to the sans-serif typefaces on Microsoft Bob.  Though Bob flopped, its epiphany came in September 1995 when The Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up was used to advertise Windows ‘95.  It became a friendly go-to typeface for community group posters, word processing, and the butt of all typographical jokes.

As well as its intended purpose, it appeared on shop signs - even for funeral directors’ units.  Also in serious correspondence.  Its notoriety was so great that some wags decided to ‘pay tribute’ to classic albums, by replacing the original typeface with Comic Sans.  There are several websites dedicated to the cause.  The NME has picked up on this phenomenon.

Never Mind The Typefaces…

The NME’s article from last month shows twelve classic albums with the Comic Sans treatment.  Though the effect isn’t too pervasive on The Beatles’ Yellow Submarine album, it is incongruous as hell on The Velvet Underground’s and Nico’s Andy Warhol album.  As for The Sex Pistols’ classic LP from 1977, oh dear.

...Here’s the Clip Art

Besides the NME’s article, the Clip Art Covers Tumblr blog goes a step further.  Popular posters and album covers are overhauled with clip art as well as the dreaded Comic Sans typeface.  If you thought the efforts on the NME’s pieces were bad, Clip Art Covers’ show how unspeakably bad they could be (with clipart and Comic Sans).

Try it yourself

Sorry, but we at Dreamkatcha couldn’t resist the Art Attack reference.  All you need to do is pick an album from your collection.  Then, open up your copy of Microsoft Word, use the Comic Sans typeface and plunder the clipart library of your hard drive (or server space if on Microsoft’s cloud hosted version of MS Office).  Once you’ve finished, print or share on social networking sites.