August 2010 Archives
Sneak Preview: interactive signage
MAMUS Disapproves: Smirnoff
On any given day, the majority of communications I see are garbage. They are poorly designed and sometimes make a fantastic product or service look cheap. Or, they try too hard to look "cool" and fail miserably. I try not to ponder these too much as it would take every waking moment of my life to make sense of it. But sometimes, something is so horribly wrong, and something is so terribly positioned that I must call it out. I had to do it with my Tropicana redesign critique - which led to about 100,000 visitors in a week, a New York Times article on the subject and finally, Tropicana pulling the new packaging.
Usually, I just turn the page or look away - but when I saw this Smirnoff ad on CNN.com I could not be silent.
To wit:
The copy sounds like a mistake. The font choice and design is competing with itself. And to make it worse, the design looks really cheap and tawdry. Smirnoff is desperately trying to position itself as premium vodka - it will never happen with a piece like this.
I did some work for Ogilvy some years ago for a Smirnoff pitch. Had they won (and if Ogilvy had decided to use the work!) the brand would be well on it's way to being a premium positioned brand. The work below is a sample of the web branding I did years ago. For more - visit bright colors 2008-2009 section.
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MAMUS Approved: Le Club Chasse et Pêche, Montréal, QC
Amazing food. Amazing service. You must visit. Start here. ___________________________________________________________________________________
New book. New website. New newsletter.
We finally finished our book ACTA NON VERBA volume II. It is now 310 pages of work and case studies. The new website is live with 3 new client works on main site (one more coming soon) and 22 new client works on our supra-portfolio - bright colors.
Also, sign up for our periodic newsletter TRANSFORMATIONS that show dramatic before and after of brands, as well as new brands developed from strategy.
Also, sign up for our periodic newsletter TRANSFORMATIONS that show dramatic before and after of brands, as well as new brands developed from strategy.
- G2 visualization and web design. New section of www.g2.com
Global - USTA playtennis.com brand development, postioning.
New York - SAM-NYC.com updates. New print collateral and redesign website
New York - Branding and packaging for accessory startup.
New York, Boston - 2012 advertising and book design for ICON.
Los Angeles - Titleist. Brand book/apparel identity system/tagging.
Boston - MAdAthlete. Brand development, print, identity, web design, broadcast.
Boston - Repositioning for VIVOX.
Boston - Brand development,visual positioning, web design for C3.A groundbreaking new VoIP for gamers.
New York - Repositioning for Drync. An amazing wine-centric startup.
Boston - Brand development, naming, positioning, web design for new ceramic knife company.
New York - Brand development, positioning, interface for groundbreaking technology startup.
New York - New advertising and positioning for Cancer Center of Sarasota for Dr. Mamus.
Sarasota - Web design and development for new e-commerce startup.
Salt Lake City - Rebrand and web design for one of NY's top literary agencies.
New York - Our book now available: ACTA NON VERBA. 310 pages, hardcover.
- Ongoing proposals. Amazing brands in New York, Toronto, Paris, Montréal, Tokyo, Miami and Los Angeles. Look for us in LE BOOK FALL 2011