Recent Flash Animation Project

We recently created a Flash animation for Congressman Mike Rogers to showcase his Energy Independence Plan. The 4 minute animation is divided into 6 sections, which provides a creative tour of the Congressman's strategy and provides users an opportunity to learn more about the issue. The project was on a tight schedule -- a 7 business day turnaround to develop storyboards, illustrations and animated sequences -- to meet the Congressman's launch. You can view the animation on the Congressman's website:

http://www.mikerogers.house.gov/EnergyIndependence/index.html

Online Printing vs. Traditional Printing: In Search of a Fast, Good and Cheap Model

"Fast, Good and Cheap" represents three facets of every project -- schedule, quality and budget. Generally, the option of applying all three is considered impractical. Instead, the "Tyranny of OR" is applied: Fast and Good, OR Good and Cheap, OR Fast and Cheap. A company that wants something "Fast and Good" is going to pay a lot of money for it, OR "Good and Cheap" is going to wait longer for production, OR "Fast and Cheap" is going to lack a quality product.

Regardless of how impractical it may be to apply all three aspects, companies will always try, which leads vendors/contractors to figure out the questions of "How?"

The printing industry -- traditionally considered to be neither fast nor cheap -- is beginning to make strides to improve in areas of speed and cost, while also maintaining quality. Many traditional offset printers have made significant technological improvements while others have moved to an online model to accommodate their customers.

Before I outline the benefits of online printing, let me first share with you the pros of traditional printing -- as my friends in the printing industry will likely string me up for steering you in new directions.

Traditional Printing
The advantages of traditional printing include:

• Customization. With traditional printers can you choose the paper stock, special die cuts, pms colors, etc. that your project will have. Most online printers have a set number of stocks, sizes and colors that you can apply to your project.
• Quality Control. When you submit your project online, you put more of the quality control efforts into the hands of your designer, who in most cases, is not a trained prepress manager. This means that your project is less likely to have mistakes when you use a traditional printer.
• Relationships. Having a relationship with a printer is extremely important. Your account representatives are going to work hard to make sure your projects turn out correctly and are going to take responsibility to set things right, if they don't. They are going to work with you to make sure your materials are properly sized, the correct weight for mailing, etc. Most importantly, they are going to give you peace of mind. Once the project is in their hands, you can relax, and let them do the rest. You aren't likely to get that with an online printer.

If cost and time are concerns (and they usually are), then consider the following questions, if you are looking for a traditional printer:

• What services do they provide in-house? Services such as perfect binding, die cutting, foil stamping, mailing and distribution, etc. are often outsourced, which adds cost and time to your project. If your printer has these services in house, you can save significantly.
• What types of printing machines do they offer? Depending on the type of project, you can save money based on what type of machine you use. For example, if you have a four-color process project that needs to be coated, you will save money by having a 6-color press with a built-in aqueous coater. Digital presses may also provide cheaper 4-color process options. Make sure to ask your printer about the types of machines they have and how they can save you money.
• How do they manage prepress? Many printers are beginning to implement computer-to-plate technology, which takes the digital file and records it directly to the plate rather than creating film to make the plate. This process can save considerable costs, especially if there are changes that need to be made to the project during prepress. Other printers are setting up online management tools (e.g., InSite) to help with prepress (similar to online printers)

There are numerous other reasons to use traditional printers over online printers. In the end, it depends on your comfort level and, of course, your commitment to the Fast, Good and Cheap model.

Online Printing
Online printing is beginning to pick up speed. Again, in most cases, online printers are traditional printers that changed their company model. Online printing provides the following benefits:

• Lower Costs: In most cases you can save 30%-60% more on the cost of printing. Occasionally, you can save a great deal more. For example, you can get 500 four color process business cards (2-sided with full bleeds) on 14pt coated or uncoated cover stock for $23. For a 3-day turnaround, you can get them for $25. For the same specifications, it can cost you $130-$200+ for business cards at a traditional printer, and it will take you a week longer to receive them.
• Faster Turnaround: Many online printers provide standard turnarounds of 5-7 business days (just like traditional offset printers). However, they typically can provide as quick as a 1-day turnaround for a slight rush fee.
• Quick Approval Process: Most traditional offset printers do not like to use PDFs for approval. Because their technology isn't updated, there's a risk that errors might occur between the PDF and plate creation. Online printers have put technology in place that takes care of this problem, which means that you can review and send your artwork to press within minutes of uploading your files. For those of you who need a more tangible proof, many online printers do provide hard proof alternatives for a small cost.
• Large Variety of Products: While online printers will never be able to provide the customization that traditional printers provide, they still offer a wide variety of products, as well as templates to support layout needs. They provide templates and services for: booklets, catalogs, brochures, bookmarks, CDs/DVDs, calendars, business cards, stationery, flyers, posters, greeting cards, menus, notepads, folders, binders, and much more. In some cases, online printers do provide customization for an additional cost.
• Quick Estimating: Because online printers provide a very rigid model (specific stocks, colors, etc.), they typically have "Instant Pricing" tools on their websites that provide exact costs on production, tax and shipping. This is a tremendous tool for projects/proposals that require quick pricing.
• File Storage: Many online printers keep your files stored on their servers, so if you need to reprint your letterhead or business cards, you can just login and send them to production. (Traditional printers keep these files on hand, too.)

I have spent many years working with traditional and online printers and have found both to be very useful. I could also tell you which printers are the most efficient, have the best online tools, lowest costs, highest quality and best customer service, but I won't give away all my secrets. Those insights come with an hourly rate. :)

 

 

Grassroots Marketing: Marching to A Different Beat

Grassroots Marketing continues to find new meaning in today’s market. Erik Lokkesmoe, founder of Different Drummer, specializes in global media and grassroots marketing for social good entertainment. His team of marketers, strategists and designers (myself included) continues to seek new ways to tap audiences through progressive methods. Below is an excerpt from A Different Drummer’s marketing package:

 

10 THINGS NO ONE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT GRASSROOTS MARKETING
(AND WHY YOU SHOULD CONTACT DIFFERENT DRUMMER FOR YOUR NEXT CAMPAIGN)

1. GRASSROOTS MARKETING IS LONG-LEAD and LOW-COST, HIGH-TECH and HIGH-TOUCH. It takes hard work and some time to build, but grassroots marketing is an inexpensive way to reach audiences.
2. FAITH MARKETING IS DEAD. There, we said it. The old ways of reaching faith audiences are not working. Just ask pastors and regular attenders. Film fatigue is wide-spread. Different Drummer has the new model that will deliver faith-based audiences time and time again.
3. ALL GRASSROOTS MARKETING IS RELATIONAL. A lot of firms will give you a strategy. But only Different Drummer has the relationships with global influencers to make it happen. Usually within one call, one email, or one meeting – we can deliver.
4. STUDIOS SHOULD SPEND AT LEAST THE SAME ON GRASSROOTS MARKETING AS THEY DO ON BILLBOARD CAMPAIGNS. Billboards create impressions. Different Drummer creates impact.
5. OPENING WEEKEND IS ELECTION DAY. THE BOX OFFICE IS THE BALLOT BOX. Different Drummer has decades of political campaign experience,  mobilizing millions of people to do one thing on a single day: vote. We are using the same tactics and strategies to mobilize millions of people to do one thing on a single weekend: go to the theater.
6. AWARENESS IS MEANINGLESS – unless it moves people to action and then attendance. That is the model created by Different Drummer.
7. ASPIRATIONAL CONTENT IS THE FUTURE. Audiences are looking for aspirational content – feel-good and do-good content – that connects them to a larger theme or cause.
8. THERE ARE MORE THAN 20,000 ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS, REPRESENTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE,  WILLING TO HELP MARKET YOUR FILM. Different Drummer can identify and then leverage the marketing power of large membership organizations for your production.
9. GRASSROOTS MARKETING IS THE FUTURE. Spending $35 million on television ads made sense in a broadcast world. In a narrow-cast world with niche audiences, spending 10% of that amount is smart – and will make your campaign that much more effective.
10. DIFFERENT DRUMMER MAKES IT EASY. We know how movie marketing works. We understand the pressure, the pace, and the budget constraints. We make it easy. We compliment your existing campaign, integrating seamlessly into your existing plan. We keep you in-the-loop. We measure our effectiveness so you know exactly the value we brought to the campaign. We are one email or one phone call away.

If you’re interested in finding new ways to pitch your product, visit www.differentdrummer.com to learn more.

Grassroots Video Marketing

As You Tube and other video sharing websites continue to explode, advertisers are scrambling to connect to these web users where traditional advertising methods have failed.

L'oeral Paris is sponsoring a "You Make the Commercial Contest" to connect to teens. Converse shoes is soliciting amateur videos and Mastercard is inviting people to enter their own "Priceless" commercials. TV networks have gotten on the bandwagon as well. USA Networks is asking web users to upload personal videos to inspire new story lines for shows.

More and more companies are creating "Handycam" commercials as entertaining viral videos to brand and promote products. My own sister (shameless plug) stars in a Biore mini series to promote its products in an attempt to appeal to a broader market. Check out the video series at: http://www.condenet.com/promo/biore

So if you're looking for creative ways to expand your brand and find new audiences for your product, you might just grab your digital camcorder and save yourself big bucks on an advertising firm.

Need Inspiration?!

I’m often asked by my clients and colleagues where I get my inspiration for projects. You can usually see a look of excited anticipation in their faces – like I’m about to unveil a profound secret that they can apply in their own lives. I wish I was that guy. You know the guy who seems as if he’s prepared his whole life for that question and drops names and obscure quotes to support every thought on the subject. The guy who eventually shrugs you off as culturally deficient because you don’t get any of the references he makes to independent films. But I digress.

We often find the greatest sources of inspiration through our experiences and connections with other people, things, and places. I find creative inspiration in a number of ways, including: surfing the Internet, viewing work from other artists, people watching, doodling, experiencing textures (i.e., fabrics, paper stock, etc.). Because I spend an abnormal amount of time in front of my computer, I force myself to get away from my office during the day to find moments of stillness and reflection where I can experience my surroundings in rich three dimensional ways. It’s in those moments when I slow my mind down that I’m able to open it to creative possibilities. Zen enough for you?

Recent Website Project

Lately, we’ve been doing a lot of work for real-estate development companies. This screenshot features a recent project for Compass Homes. The company builds high-end vacation homes in Colorado and asked Cistern Media to develop marketing collateral and a website. The hybrid site includes a Flash portfolio on the homepage that features a tour of the homes. Check it out at www.compasshomesco.com.

Welcome

It's coming up on 1am -- the time of the night when graphic artists stock up on Jolt and rev up their creative. While others are curling up with their pillows, I decided to start a blog. It seems as though the overwhelming majority of blogs are endless rants and raves. I promise that this one will have practical purposes -- chiefly, to promote Cistern Media's services, but also to give non-designers some helpful tips and tools for navigating the design industry and managing the bottom line. If this interests you, then feel free to join my e-newsletter or RSS feed to get information sent directly to your email.