A Brand Wake-Up Call

After a long weekend of Canada Day celebrations and graduation parties, it was a little slow-going for me this morning. A cup of coffee, a birthday cupcake, and a few news articles later and I am feeling recharged. Was it the caffeine? The sugar? Probably, but for the sake of this post, I’m going to say that it was all this talk about revamping and re-energizing brands that I came across this morning.

In this article featured on Entrepreneur.com, John Williams shows us how to “spring clean” (i.e. update) our brands without losing the original appeal. While it mostly focuses on logos and marketing collateral, he makes some important points about customer expectations and consistency that apply to retail design as well.

The retail industry is far from static. It’s said that, on average, retailers update their looks every 5 to 7 years. The challenge lies in updating your look enough to remain relevant without completely abandoning the characteristics that your customers have come to appreciate and love. One of the first things F.C. Dadson will do when assisting in a redesign is observe how customers and employees interact with the current design and ask questions to find out what they like and don’t like, what’s working and what’s not. We use this insight to establish guidelines for the design process, telling us what needs to be rethought and what only needs a slight tweaking to bring it up-to-date and be consistent with the new look.

Wal-Mart is a recognizable example of a retailer undergoing a brand revamp. Advertising slogans, store interiors and facades, and now its iconic logo are being changed up in an effort to re-energize consumer and public interest in the company. Know of any other revamped retailers? Have a favorite redesign? Thought of a retailer that needs a makeover? We’d love to hear it!

MOO-ve Over Boring Business Cards

So, I’ve come to the realization that I am not an innovator. I was having this conversation about vacuum cleaners with a friend of mine and we got to talking about how cool a guy like James Dyson is. I mean, he basically re-invented the vacuum. He took something that he wasn’t 100% impressed with and made it better. It took him hundreds of tries, but he got it.

My mind just doesn’t think like that. When it comes to everyday things like vacuum cleaners, I accept them for what they are. Take business cards, for example. The stack I have in my desk drawer is full of different colors and different fonts. Some are glossy, others are printed on recycled paper. But they are all the same size. I’ve come to accept that this is the acceptable size for business cards. I’ve also come to accept each person’s card order comes with just one design. But another innovator, a man by the name of Richard Moross, has me second-guessing.

Checking out Enterpreneur.com like I do every Thursday morning, I stumbled across this article about Moo, a printing company that is breaking the stereotype with every business card it prints. Working off the premise that traditional business cards weren’t giving people a proper platform for promoting personal websites and blogs, he came up with the idea of the MiniCard, a pint-sized card that allowed people to promote their online identities. To make the idea even sweeter, each card in the 100-card set could feature a different photo from the card creator’s personal collection.

I thought the MiniCard was pretty cool, but Moo’s capabilities don’t stop there. You can personalize stickers, notecards, greeting cards, post cards, even gift certificates. And for those traditionalists, the company recently announced that it is going to start printing standard-sized business cards.

Looking for a way to make your company stand out? This could be just the thing to get you noticed.

Circuit City Slims Down, Gets Fresh New Design

The market hasn’t been smiling on Circuit City as of late, but the company’s forecast might have just gotten sunnier with the introduction of its new “The City” store concept. According to an article on VMSD.com, the new concept is smaller in size (about two-thirds the size of its other stores) and features a sales floor that is “easily adaptable to changing consumer patterns.” Despite its smaller size, the store still packs a big punch with large format promotion graphics on the perimeter walls and “experience zones” highlighted by vibrant red carpet circles and overhead canopies.

Circuit City is just one of many large-format retailers that are abandoning the “warehouse-style” store format for more intimate, interactive, and visually-interesting store concepts. Tall racks of metal shelving have given way to lower-profile floor displays. Linear rows are being broken up by “selling zones” that have their distinct appearance but still tie into the overall design aesthetic.

Is this the future for big box retail? It seems most signs are pointing to yes. Retail designers and fixture manufacturers will have to keep on top of their game to keep up with this new demand. From where I stand, it looks like things just got a little more interesting.

A Change for the Better?

I’ll be honest. When it comes to album release dates, I don’t really pay much attention. Generally, I don’t find out an artist or band has a new CD until I stumble across it at the store. But I knew Coldplay’s new album, Viva la Vida, came out this past Tuesday and it wasn’t because of the massive media push leading up to its release. Nope. It’s because my best friend is an uber fan of the band from across the pond and her excitement for the new CD led her to talk about it all the time.

So, when Tuesday came around, I thought, for sure, she would be raving about the new disc. Instead I was surprised to find her looking a little miffed. For as much as she loved the previous releases, she wasn’t turned on by the latest and the disappointment was clear in her expression.

The reason my friend didn’t like the album is the same reason the band loves it – it’s different from what they’ve done before.

So, how does this all relate to retail design or business or anything even remotely close to this blog? I have a point, I promise, and here it comes: who should be the main driver of change?

In the case of Coldplay, millions of fans embraced the band and its first 4 albums. The critics, on the other hand, rained all over them and the band itself was eager to try something different. Now they have this new album with a new direction and a new sound and some fans who liked the band because of their first 4 albums -like my friend- are left thinking, “What happened?”

From the articles and interviews that I have read, I get the impression that Chris Martin and the boys are quite pleased with the new album. For them it was about breaking free from the past and growing as musicians and a band. It wasn’t about getting bigger, but getting better.

Growth requires change, but can you afford to leave behind those characteristics that loyal customers have grown to appreciate to pursue something new because you think it will make you better? Viva la Vida is still projected to sell millions of copies, so I guess that Coldplay can. A small business, on the other hand, might not be able to.

Customer or company? Or maybe it’s both. Just something I’ve been thinking about. What do you think? Spill it in our comments section.

Starving Artist? Maybe Not

When I think of artists, I don’t generally think “economic powerhouses.” Sure there are the A-list Hollywood actors and the New York Times bestsellers, but those come few and far between, right? This article on the New York Times website has me reconsidering. After reading it, one thing is clear: this creative group has as big a financial impact as they do a cultural one.

The National Endowment for the Arts has put together a “nationwide profile of professional artists in the 21^st century,” using figures from the most recent U.S. census to do so. There were more than a few surprising stats for this group of professionals that is often thought of as “mostly marginal and unemployed.” Here were some of my faves:

• The census includes architects, interior designers, and window dressers as “artists’ occupations”
• Nearly 2 million Americans were employed in artist occupations in 2005
• The median income of this group for 2005 was $34,800 (which, incidentally, is $4,700 more than the national median income ($30,100))
• Architects laid claim to the highest median income of all artists, coming in at $58,000

Where I went wrong in my original line of thinking was that I always considered the profession of “artist” as encompassing only the fine arts. It’s actually much broader than that and I am glad to be proven wrong. Since starting my job at F.C. Dadson, I’ve seen many retail interiors and displays that I would consider art. Some I would consider as breathtaking and mesmerizing as any Van Gogh or Monet. It takes a great amount of creativity and skill to be a successful retail designer or architect. It’s nice to see that that fact is officially recognized.

Fun Fact:
Artists flock to California and New York, but if you’re an architect or designer, chances are you live in Massachusetts. Turns out, the state is home to the most in each category. Looking to get away from the competition or can’t afford the high cost of living in these locales? Check out Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New Mexico. These states are experiencing growing artist populations and offer more affordable accommodations.

Burp! It's Carbon Belch Day

Carbon Belch Day? Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Rude body functions aside, Carbon Belch Day is the brainchild of Grassfire.org, a conservative grassroots organization. There’s no burping involved –at least not in the traditional sense. Grassfire.org’s president Steve Elliot explains, “It’s time for Americans to purge ourselves of the false guilt that Al Gore and the Climate Alarmists have placed on us.” They are hoping that America will join them June 12 for a day of unapologetically leaving the lights on and shamelessly cruising around in gas-guzzling SUVs.

Some other suggestions to celebrate the impromptu holiday:

• Host a barbeque
• Light a campfire
• Drink beer and bottled water
• Eat meat for at least two meals
• Leave your computer on for 24 hours
• Watch television
• Smoke cigars

According to Grassfire’s website, over “110 million pounds of CO2 have been set to be released,” with the average American weighing in with 41 pounds. (Calculate your Carbon Belch here.)

Whether or not I believe that global warming is as severe as An Inconvenient Truth makes it out to be, it comes down to economics for me. I can’t afford to release as much gas as Grassfire.org would probably like me to. InformationWeek’s article on the topic probably sums it up the best: “…whether or not global warming is real is beside the point. Skyrocketing fuel costs are forcing businesses to cut down on energy consumption in as many ways as possible. As a result, it's unlikely many will decide to ‘belch’ away hard-earned dollars on June 12.”

Commercial Construction Show Followed-Up

Oh, Commercial Construction Show. Bringing the best suppliers and end users in the retail, healthcare, and hospitality industries to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando for 3 days of educational seminars, exhibits, and cocktail receptions. Giving yours truly the opportunity to get out the office, enjoy some sunshine, and get some valuable industry event experience. Thank you.

As promised, here are some of my impressions of 2008’s Commercial Construction Show (my very first trade show):

No, I’m Not With Microsoft
Turns out the Orange County Convention Center is ENORMOUS. There are 3 different concourses that are large enough to be their own convention centers. CCS was in the West Concourse. Microsoft was hosting a shindig in one of the other two. We were asked quite a few times if we were with Microsoft. Regrettably, no. It did make me feel good to know that I looked smart enough to be a part of Microsoft though.

Working the Floor
They say that you should put together a :30 rundown of who you are and what your company does. From there, you can shorten it up into a calling card of sorts. I had a few good lines going into the show, but I found out fast that you don’t really get to use them at the booth. People stopping by have questions. It’s best to answer them.

The exhibit floor did not fail to impress as exhibitors pulled out all the stops to impress passers-by. From the Ladderless light demonstration to the countless water features that were Bluworld of Water’s exhibit, there was plenty to experience. My favorite was hard to miss as it was smack dab in the center of the show floor and the largest exhibit by far. It was a showcase of sorts, combining exhibitor’s green building products into an expansive, zen-like oasis that offered a glimpse of sustainable building’s future.

Playing the Name Game
Keeping everyone’s name straight is more than a little difficult when you’re meeting so many people at once, but here’s a situation that is too funny not to share. A few trade shows ago, our sales team met Joe Montana –not Joe Montana of 49ers football fame, but a floor rep who happens to have the same name as him. Joe happened to be at this show and he introduced one of our sales guys to Mark Brunell, another sales rep who shares his name with a different pro quarterback. Then a few minutes later, Dorothy Hammell (I know it’s spelled differently, but it sounds the same) stops by our booth and introduces herself. This is too much, right? Well, Dorothy’s partner lets me know that there is a guy just down the way that looks like Rod Stewart. I didn’t think CCS would have much pull with the celebs, but turns out they were all over –or at least their names were!

So yes, I survived my very first trade show, and I would like to say thanks to Patrick, Rachel, Renata, and Bemmie at Interplan, Donna and Josh from Gallant, Steve at Panda Express, Andrew with Baker Hostetler, Jim from Office Depot, the booth staff at Core States Engineering and Suddath Companies, and –last but not least- the FCD sales team for helping me get through it. It was a little nerve wracking at times and overwhelming at others, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Did you go to the Commercial Construction Show? We'd love to hear what you thought about it.

F.C. Dadson's New Brochure

I'm still out promoting F.C. Dadson at the Commercial Construction Show, so I'm going to make this post a little shorter than normal. (I'll make it up to you with a more robust entry on Monday, I promise.)

Not sure if you've been to the F.C. Dadson website lately, but we have something new and exciting to share with our visitors. Our new print brochure is FINALLY complete and looking great. Not wanting our online guests to miss out, we've added a link to the electronic version to the About Us page on our site. Check it out here!

Designer Restaurants

When I think of Vegas, I think “entertainment.” The buzz of the casinos. The elaborate stage shows. The fabulous shopping. Everything is so over-the-top that it’s hard to believe that the dining scene was once considered a “culinary wasteland of standardized steak joints, dark rooms, and sloppy buffets.” Standard? In Vegas? You can’t be serious.

Luckily for the millions of visitors that travel to this desert oasis each year, the ordinary is giving way to the extraordinary as restaurant design is becoming more entertaining and even adventurous. In an article for Forbes Traveler (as posted on the WRCB website), Steve Friess highlights this changing trend and one thing’s for sure: diners and designers alike are excited. Spacious real estate, outrageous budgets, and an “anything is possible” attitude? What’s not to be excited about?

Not every designer will have the opportunity to work in Vegas, nor will every restaurant or retail store have a location there, but I think we can all appreciate what’s going on and be inspired by it. The idea of “décor as entertainment” or even as a marketing angle isn’t anything new. This is just proof that it can (and does) work.