Why don’t they make commercials more like this?

Orchestrated a complete overhaul of the natural lighting manufacturer’s website, from look and feel to content structure and database. The intent was to encourage customers to do what they love to do, but do it better with lighting designed specifically for their hobby. These pages used flash to talk to each type of customer with emotional appeal.

So how many of you have a blog? What is it about? If not, do you read blogs with any kind of frequency? I’d love to hear your feedback.

Good design is relative. Think about fashion. Or interior design. Or automotive design. Rarely does anyone have the same taste in design as their neighbor. You might have the capacity to appreciate it, but you just KNOW when you try on a sweater and it was meant to be yours. Well at least I do. As a designer, I work with all types of tastes, and the biggest part of my work is to listen to each client and merge what they inherently “like” with what delivers, and let me tell you, sometimes that isn’t very easy!

So.. here I am. I’ve made the decision to market myself. Write an ad. Get the word out a little bit in the neighborhood where I live. Reach out to a new audience. Now, I get it, I’m really really difficult to please. I could design a new business card for myself every week because I see something inspiring and mentally apply the thought process to my own work. Bingo! New plan. My favorites always change, and I think it helps me grow and offer more inspiration to my clients, but sometimes it just makes things difficult for myself.

Now the million dollar (actually in my case, about $300.) question – Which way do I go? All of my clients have different core markets. I have to gear this ad to each one, at the same time. If I go one direction, will I turn off another? Lots to think about. But, that’s me I guess, overthinking everything. Not unlike my website makeover. I loved the flash site and how slick it was, but it was also limiting. My SEO was crap. I’ve already exploded up the Google rankings since I changed to a blog, and that’s great news. It’s such an intricate balance between art and work. This teetering right on that edge. I’ll keep you posted with what I do.

Working with good friends and event planner Angie Whitmore and editor and cameraman Tom Niedenfuer, we directed a short film for the grand entrance of the guest of honor at his milestone birthday party. Guests were led to believe that they were attending a surprise birthday party until this video started to play on giant projector screens and the guest of honor arrived by helicopter right as the video closes. All done in one weekend, with one camera, and as many “free” extras we could get.

Akko Fastener

Blaskovich Design was recruited to rebrand not only several lines of products for Akko Fastener, but the corporate identity as well. In a world of engineering and technical specifications, the “retail” feel of the pocket folder with stitched pages completely sets Akko apart from the competition.

I came across Eleanor’s site while looking for some inspiration for a project that needs an illustration of an egret. Here vector work is so simple and so cool! What got me was that her work is more than just “Hey, if I put these geometric shapes together it looks kinda like a fish” but you can feel a personality in the illustrations. I personally love this one of a golden retriever, but she has so many more, and some interesting photos from her many travels around the world too. Nice work Eleanor!

Golden Retriever

InStyle Magazine has a very impressive printed binder that had all sorts of information that was sent out to any advertiser that inquired about rates. They also had someone on staff that put these binders together. All day. Every day. It was a lot of money spent on printing and compiling and mailing. Blaskovich Design was brought in to conceptualize on online media kit that would have the same information, without the hassle. To whomever that employee was that hole-punched for eight hours a day – our apologies, and you will land on your feet I’m sure.