Welcome to 2012. Thank goodness. 2011 was a horrible number to kern.

It’s easy to get caught up in the holiday hullabaloo and forget to reflect on what you accomplished. We’ve had the opportunity to work with some great clients in 2011 and 2012 is looking even better. Today we sat down and reviewed the logos we created for 10 companies in 2011. They include a wide range, from a civil engineering firm to a children’s app store resource for busy parents. Each is unique yet fits well into their respective marketplace.

So, take a gander through these works and then take a moment to reflect on what you accomplished last year.

client: 250OK // email deliverability

client: BEA Consulting // higher education resource

client: HWC Engineering // civil engineering firm

client: KinderTown // an app store resource for parents

client: Lappin 180 // consulting firm for sales teams

client: Pam’s Party to Beat ALZ // event to benefit Alzheimer’s

client: PureZen Dentistry

client: RFP Attorney // online resource for attorneys and clients

client: SMPS Heartland // regional professional services marketing event

client: Starla West International // image consultant

“We want people to know us as the best photography studio in town. We also want to build on the equity of being in business since 1964.”

…So said the fine folks at StudioThirteen.

Our job was to make it happen.

StudioThirteen is a big-time operation. Their shop features one on the biggest seamless backdrops in Midwest. That’s a must in Indianapolis, where top fuel dragsters and stock cars are regularly used in photo shoots for the racing industry. StudioThirteen also boasts a commercial grade kitchen, a daylight room with massive windows, and the capacity to handle multiple top-tier shoots at once.

The problem was very few people knew just how much the studio offered. That’s where we came in. Lesle E. Lane and the gang at StudioThirteen asked us to revamp their brand in a manner befitting their capabilities.

The client challenged us to meet a demanding set of objectives. To describe their ideal brand, they used phrases like: tactile, high fashion, cutting-edge, and rich-in-heritage.

Logo:

Naturally, the new mark features a numeric thirteen. But look closer. Notice how it also looks like a bit of film? (We hear ya. They don’t use film any longer—but it’s a tip of the hat to the studio’s longevity in the business.)

Stationery: (click image for a closer view)

We kept the design simple and clean and added the repeating stripes for texture.
With budget in mind, we created a package that utilized 2 spot colors on a recycled, off-white sheet.

The beauty of the logomark is that it’s the same mark flipped, mirrored or rotated 180-degrees. This allowed us to use a registered emboss on the business cards, letterhead and note cards. A flood of brown on the back allows the debossed mark to get noticed without overpowering.

Embossing die:

The business cards have a smaller height than a traditional card, which let them stand out without adding the cost of die-cutting or special materials. The fronts contain the logo and stripe pattern. This allows the logo to become the hero and helps it to stick in the minds of the recipient. The contact information is on the back in two columns that lead to the debossed mark. The size of the cards also makes it nearly impossible to not touch the embossed mark when you receive the card.

The letterhead is kept clean on the front with only the logo, web address, and stripe pattern on the front. The remaining contact information is contained on the back in a double-column block that leads your eye to the debossed logomark.

To save costs we did not convert the envelopes, but went with a square flap matching stock. The stripe pattern was added to the front to give it some texture. This pattern also gives it an antique, official mailing quality.

The website is being overhauled now, but you can get a glimpse of their work at studio13online.com.

Overall the client was very pleased.

“Seriously the mark itself is awesome. I think it’s just really clean and sharp and timeless.”

Check out the video of the business cards being embossed:

Bradford Systems Corporation came to Miles Design earlier this year. They had a strong reputation in Chicago for selling premium architectural storage products, often used for storing paper and files on shelving. Although their reputation was historically accurate, it was only telling part of their 42-year-old story. As an exclusive Spacesaver dealer, Bradford had grown to become leaders in premium, compact storage for anyone who had any kind of valuable items to store: museums, public safety agencies, medium to large businesses, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and government agencies. In addition, their electronic records and software divisions help clients digitize valuable files and keep exacting records of where physical artifacts are located.

Their existing identity felt more dated and industrial than what the Bradford brand had grown to represent. They needed something clean and high-tech, as well as something that would appeal to architects. As Bradford Systems grows in marketshare and reach outside of Chicago (across Illinois and Indiana), they need a brand that can grow with them.

Our goal in rebranding Bradford Systems was to create a clean identity that would leverage their expertise in consultative services and software offerings, as well as represent Bradford Systems as the architect’s choice for compact storage.

“After 42 years of working side-by-side with architects, designers, and clients of all kinds, we decided it was time to take on a very important renovation project–our own brand. For months, we’ve been working behind the scenes to craft an identity that better reflects our business and our commitment to you, our clients. Today, we’re proud to unveil our new logo, tagline, and website.” – Dave Bradford.

The new Bradford Systems tagline “Smart. Storage. Solutions.” speaks to the breadth of their offerings and their approach beyond selling shelving and hardware. The elegant lines of the new identity echo rows of shelving and imply a “bridging” of data and organization. The convenient number of spaces in-between the letters of “Bradford” allow each vertical rule to line up with the letters of “Systems.” In some of the collateral pieces, the rules continue below the mark creating a pinstripe texture seen both on the website and print collateral.

As part of the rebranding process, we also overhauled BradfordSystems.com to create a cleaner, more simplified look that would appeal to architects as well as the end users of their products and services. Shown below is a before and after of the website design:

You can visit BradfordSystems.com for more examples of their product and service offerings.

Our copies of the Logo Lounge Master Series books arrived this week. We were surprised to see that we actually had four logos selected for this edition, as originally we were only told there would be three of our recent brand identity designs included in their inaugural Master Library Series book.

The official title of the book is Master Library – 3000 INITIAL & CREST LOGOS.

The book itself is really well done, complete with silver gilded page edges – it almost looks like a bible. Check it out at your local bookstore.

I took a course my senior year in college titled ‘Making Meaning and The Design of Everyday Objects’. A typical session consisted of about 20 students of various majors working through the form and functionality of objects.

The first thing we would do is arrange our desks in a circle and place an object in the center. For 90 minutes we would work through a process that required us to remove all previous perception in order to observe it from an objective point of view — relying on form to explain function. By recognizing the affordances as a whole and as individual parts, the object began communicating — and quite often the intended function wasn’t the only message it was communicating.

What would happen If we placed your brand in the center of the circle?

What are your affordances? You, your co-workers, the product, the service, mission-vision-values, visual identity, etc. (No, your brand is not just your logo)

What do these affordances communicate effectively?
What do they communicate intentionally? Unintentionally?
Do certain affordances distract rather than support the function?

By the time our 90 minutes were up, we had suggested a dozen possible uses for the object other than its intended function. Sure, spending ninety minutes with a neti pot can be tedious – but I’ll never look at one without seeing its potential. Your brand may not be as limited as you think. It might take some additional time recognizing your brand’s affordances to discover its full potential.

I recently had the privilege of presenting an activity at a local networking event for the Keystone at the Crossing Rainmakers meeting. The activity revolved around the concept of identity and how taking time to learn more about someone at a networking event could positively impact your business. And while my presentation at Rainmakers was specific to that event, here’s a slightly edited version of my presentation for this context:

The top grossing movie of 2008 is all about identity. The Dark Knight. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s the latest installment in the Batman series. One of my favorite scenes finds Batman’s true identity, Bruce Wayne, off to dinner at a swanky restaurant. He’s been rejected by his longtime girlfriend, Rachel, who is one of the few people in the world who knows his secret identity is Batman. Of course, it just so happens that Rachel is out at that same swanky restaurant with her new boyfriend—the City’s District Attorney, Harvey Dent.

As Bruce Wayne walks into the room with his Russian Ballet girlfriend on his arm, he pretends at first not to see them, but then he’s “surprised” and feigns a smile to greet the new couple. Rachel is annoyed at first but responds as cordially as possible. “Bruce… this is Harvey Dent.” Harvey doesn’t seem to feel the tension and smiles back at Bruce, “Rachel has told me everything about you.” To which Bruce replies, “I certainly hope not.”

Identity can be a complex thing. Like yours, there are many elements to my identity. I’m a business owner. I’m a father. A husband. A brother. A son. An artist. A writer. And some things I don’t care to share in public. Some people know me very well… others don’t know me at all.

What about your identity? What makes you who you are? Are you more than a sales person? More than a business owner? Who is it that most people think you are? And who are you REALLY?

I don’t know for sure, but I’m willing to bet you’re somewhat like me… you want your public identity to be more than your life roles. More than “just a salesperson.” More than “that tall guy who wears jeans.” There are some things that you want to be known for, and there are other things that you would just as soon keep to yourself.

Now what if I flipped that and asked, “What is the true identity of your company?” Your brand identity is one of the most valuable assets that your business owns. Is your “true identity” crystal clear to your customers? Most importantly, has the public perception of your brand kept pace with how your company has grown? Do we see your brand like you do? Our company specializes in positioning high-end services and premium products. We help companies clearly define who they are, what they do, and why consumers should care.

Our goal is clarity in how the public perceives your brand. When your brand “walks” into a swanky restaurant and encounters your next potential customer, what is it they will say about you?