Schock Design

In•spire

2010-09-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

To fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence.
When I started SchockDesign, I knew that my new environment (the guest bedroom/storage/new SchockDesign headquarters) was going to be a bit secluded. I inherited the "social" genes from my mother's side of the family, so this was going to be a challenge removing myself from a social work environment. But I didn't think I would have to worry. The benefits of working from home far outweighed the routine of going into an office every day. I could get up whenever I wanted, work in my pajamas until 2pm, exercise when I felt like it and get the laundry done all in the hours of a regular work day. Sounds perfect, right?

The longer I stayed in this "work when I want" mindset, I realized that I became less and less inspired. I no longer felt that creative high where once you get going on a project, you don't want to stop because you're too involved...you need to get those creative juices out on the page (or the art board) in front of you before it goes away! I missed it. I am no longer surrounded by brainstorming and creative people and creative things. I was left with no choice but to seek out my creative inspiration.

Googling a decent creative blog or website could be nearly impossible. To find one that is all-encompassing creative, informative, intelligent about the design industry and will actually teach you something is a challenge. Interestingly enough, I had joined creative groups on LinkedIn and found the discussion boards incredibly helpful. There were all kinds of posts from credible and intelligent designers and blogs. I just had to click on discussions I found interesting in relation to design or the advertising industry and was catapulted off to a new website with all sorts of inspiring design and articles on the subject.

A few of the websites and blogs that I found inspiring and encouraging are:

Abduzeedo.com
Started by a Brazilian designer, it now is a collaboration of many brilliant designers' thoughts and tips. It's good for all kinds of tutorials, especially for Photoshop.

Speckyboy.com
Features thoughtful articles about the design business, tutorials, and they also deliver free resources like fonts or fun social media icons.

dzineblog.com
Similar to speckyboy, but a little less on the technical side and more for the designers. Also has lots of free stuff!

EscapeFromIllustrationIsland.com
This website is definitely geared more towards freelance illustrators, and is fantastic for freelancing business advice. They have several articles on what clients to watch out for, basic ideals to keep in your contracts with clients and most importantly how to fairly price yourself for your work.

There are, of course, many undiscovered jewels for inspiration out there, so go forth and find some for yourself! LinkedIn helped me, but another great site is www.stumbleupon.com. As you click through the topics of your choice, you're literally "stumbling" across tons of designers' websites...a treasure trove of inspiration and advice.

Once you find important resources and websites, don't forget to save them all on www.delicious.com, so you always have them wherever you go!

Finding inspiration to better yourself in design is of utmost importance. What is great about the design industry is that it constantly changes. Be a part of this evolution and keep learning to keep your design exciting and to keep you inspired.

Twitter as a Marketing Tool? Maybe.

2010-08-20T16:39:00.001-07:00

I am so sick of corporations trying to "get in on that social media thing". They were so silent when it came to blogging, then MySpace and Facebook and Flikr and now that Twitter has come along, they decide that now is the time to get involved. So every time I am watching tv, flipping through a magazine or browsing online, I see about 50 social media icons so you can follow, friend, like, message, etc. They have littered every form of media with "See! We're cool, we use social media too!" But is it really working for them? Sometimes, for some. According to an article on mashable.com, advertisers in the US alone plan to spend about $1.7 billion on social media next year.

Is it worth it for every company to involve themselves in this booming media trend? Probably not. U-Haul's "U Car-Share" Twitter page has thirty followers. They employ not one, but TWO people to man this page as a large part of their daily tasks. Tempur-Pedic has a twitter page, with a whopping five followers. Has it been worth paying the person updating that page? Definitely not.

On the other hand, celebrities and television personalities have proved it works and take up the top 20 Tweeters list with 1 million to over 4 million followers. Why are they so successful and businesses aren't? Because they are individuals. Untouchable individuals that we have, as a society, placed them on their pedestals and via Twitter and Facebook we can become more involved in their lives. It makes celebrities seem more like real people and their followers feel more connected and can relate to them. Is this why companies are reaping the benefits? The Ellen Show has over 4 million followers, #2 on the top Tweeters list, but is it because people like the Warner Brothers Company (they produce The Ellen Show)? No. It's because they like Ellen. Companies without a strong, charismatic leader or brand personality might just be out of luck when it comes to social media success.

But is signing up for Twitter really the way to go? Studies have shown that it might not be the most effective way to converse with consumers. According to a study on Mashable.com, Twitter only reaches about 10% of internet users, of which most have a 30-day expiration date. Yup, that's right! Most people who sign up for Twitter quit using it after one month. Another graph from Mashable shows about 47% of the conversations happening on Twitter are useless babble. Is it worth starting a Twitter account if most of your followers are inactive? HELLO? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE? Another aspect of starting a business Twitter account is whether or not the person Tweeting is taking on the voice of the company. Are they displaying your company in a professional but young light? What IS the voice of your company? If the voice isn't universally interesting and friendly, it might actually turn consumers off.

Click Here to see more Twitter stats from Mashable.com.

So what is the solution for businesses dying to tie themselves into the social media wave? Do your research to figure out which media best fits your brand...it doesn't have to be all of it. Most businesses have been very successful with their Facebook accounts. This is probably because they can have more than a 140 character conversation with their consumers, and can expose more brand personality and get their fans to engage more with the brand. Twitter should be used by celebrities and news media outlets (or teenagers) only. Since it's now public to search Twitter posts, stand back and welcome all the free uninhibited feedback from consumers, without the risk of setting up a potentially risky branding situation. Take U Car-Share for example. They would know immediately if a vehicle wasn't up to par, and would be able to catch on to customer feedback before they expand their market. This could save them millions in the long run just by listening to the pulse social media provides, without engaging themselves.

In summation, companies should tread carefully before they engage in this media platform. They should start by asking themselves some basic marketing questions: What is our voice? What do we want to accomplish? How do we get our consumers engaged and keep them interested? And stick to their plan. They might actually find it's not for them, and that's ok.

To learn more about the mistakes businesses make while Tweeting, Click Here.

To Hate or Not To Hate: Nike's Latest Tiger Commercial

2010-04-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

We all know that Tiger Woods has ruined his personal reputation with his recent infidelity scandal. We have all passed judgement and have raised the question: Is it even worth talking about? He is a great athlete after all, and his personal life shouldn't be any of our business.

THEN WHY IS NIKE MAKING IT OUR BUSINESS?

I get that Nike felt the need to try and recover the reputation of it's most famed celebrity spokesperson, but at the expense of their own branding? Who thought it would be a good idea to now tie Nike into Tiger's scandal? Don't try and justify keeping him as a spokesperson by creating an ad like this. It's pathetic and transparent. Besides the fact that this decision was made, it was the taste level in which the commercial was executed that is questionable. Tiger should be the only one uncomfortable with what he has done, so why subject the audience to his "scolding" session? They tried to let us in to see that Tiger is just a human being, but someone forgot that it's uncomfortable to watch someone get scolded in every day life too. Then to top the whole thing off, he's being scolded by his deceased father...just poor taste.

So what has this done for Nike? I hope they didn't pay Tiger to stand there looking remorseful on screen. According to AdWeek, a poll done by a focus group firm verified that this ad is terrible. It has scored the lowest for Nike since Serena Williams' outburst at the U.S. Open last September, with an overall 365 points out of a possible 950. Nice job Wieden + Kennedy. Take a look at the AdWeek article to see more detailed information on this flop.

Nike, please stop trying to sell Tiger to us. Isn't that prostitution anyway? Not good for a "sex addict".

3 Ways For New Design Grads to Make a Successful Start to Their Careers

2010-01-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on getting the interview and what you should consider when it happens.
So all designers have been there at some point in time; sitting in the waiting room of a potential employer with our heavy, awkward presentation box next to us, palms sweating while holding exactly three copies of our stark resume. Babies in a world that will eat you alive if you're not careful, a fast-paced world full of catch-22's. It's so important to remember this point at the beginning of your future career because it will keep you grounded. But before you can look back, you have to get moving. I have compiled a few ways to make an impression on an employer and some things to avoid.

1. Don't just sit behind your computer emailing your resume.

True story: I got dressed up one day and drove to the agency I was the most interested in working for. I walked in and asked for the owner/creative director so I could give them my resume directly. When he came out, I shook his hand, introduced myself and handed him my resume. I told him to take a look at my stuff and get back to me with any questions or critiques he may have. Then I left. Simple as that. The agency called the next day requesting an interview.

Now I know this doesn't always happen (I have proved this as well) but the point is to become a face to a potential employer. Make them identify you and want to see you work, just by having the courage to walk in and talk to them. Find a way to stand out from the hundreds of other resumes submitted to an employer looking to hire.

2. Idle minds are the designer's demise.

So you're fresh out of school and love the work in your portfolio. Good for you. But instead of just sitting around waiting for employers to call you, put yourself to work! There is always an aunt/community group/former employer that needs a brochure or logo and you need the experience! Do it for free or a really low rate. You need to get your feet wet and put more experience on that resume than just school and your high school job. Biggest catch 22 you'll run into in your career: employers want to interview designers with experience, but how can you get experience if no one will hire you? Keep designing even though you don't have a formal job yet. It will keep your skills sharp and you can answer proudly that you've been designing (self-motivation!) for the past nine months when your interviewer asks what you've been doing since you graduated school.

3. Never Give Up

In the game of job-hunting, it is all about being persistent. Not only persistent with a potential employer (more on this later, don't be annoying), but persistent in your own self-motivation. No one is going to take as much interest in your career's future as you will, and you are only going to get as much as you put into your job hunt as you put into it. Even if you get an interview, don't put all your hopes in one basket, keep on the hunt until you get an offer you're comfortable with! If an employer hasn't called you back, it could be just because they are still interviewing candidates and if you show continued interest, it might bump you up the approval list.

The three things I just discussed are just the tip of the iceburg, and a lot of breaking into the design industry is just trial and error. You'll find your own style of job hunting and interviewing that you feel works for you. Most of all, GET CREATIVE! It is why you're industry in the first place, so go out there and define yourself! Good Luck!

#1: Welcome to the "Blogosphere"

2010-01-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Hi All, I am Jessica and this is my first blog. I have resisted this for so long because who wants to listen to the rantings of a young graphic designer? I'm still not convinced anyone does, but I just started my company's website and want to drive traffic. So here I am...blogging. Hello world! I am originally from Ohio, but moved to Connecticut and got my start in advertising there. Recently I moved to sunny Scottsdale, Arizona where I started my new design business. I didn't want to go back to a nervous and flaky (currently) advertising world, so I thought it best to be the decider of my own fate.

SchockDesign is based on the idea of good, solid design for those businesses that might not be able to afford an agency. Everyone deserves to see their business dreams come to fruition and with style! Take a look around my site: http://www.schock-design.com You'll find the pricing to be very straightforward and honest. The process is detailed out so clients know exactly what they are getting for their money. In an area of design that has always been riddled with "smoke in mirror" policies, I felt it would be refreshing to be completely transparent. Please take a look, I would love feedback!

Really I want this blog to be interesting insight into the world of design and advertising. It seems to be a vast fraternity and only those who are in the field understand each other. So welcome to all you non-creatives out there. You should be able to come visit and learn some of the hurdles and accomplishments designers come to every day. Some of my future posts will cover such content as: the affect fashion has on the design world, the things I wish I would have learned in design school, how to break into the industry and other design topics that pique my interest...and hopefully yours!

I hope you enjoy the content I bring to the table. If you ever think of content you would like me to cover, I am open to ideas!

There...it's finished, Blog #1.