Miss Turkey and the community college system

After years of listening to my wife complain about the simple fact that her online community college students do not believe in reading their textbooks nor wish to take advantage of the online study tools that will make it easy to pass, it seems to me that a little bit of marketing might just speak to the minds (and stomachs) of her students.

It is really quite basic. She needs some corporate sponsors. Monster.com is a thought. But then again, Carl's Jr. hits her demographic so well that it is a much better match.

Textbook study questions should feature a small banner advertisement announcing they are proudly sponsored by the Carl's Jr. fast food chain. The recommended promo tagline would be "Read this, eat that" with a big picture of a Carl's Jr. turkey burger. Any student who completes a chapter in their textbook just has to answer a few simple study questions. Once they get the answers correct they would be sent a coupon for a steep discount on their Turkey Burger. Of course they would have to register in advance to take advantage of this "read to eat" program.

Surely if the concern over failing the class doesn't motivate them, perhaps free food and a chance to see the big cardboard cutout of Miss Turkey standing in the lobby of most Carl's Jr. restaurants will get them to read.

Always thinking...

Let’s face it, creativity is not a 9 to 5 thing. Brilliant ideas don’t necessarily track with one’s social calendar. I learned this lesson many years ago, and so did my clients.

I don’t know how they figured out that I was thinking about their projects even when not connected to my Mac. And I’m thankful they did. For some strange reason when I get a new assignment my brain starts exploring solutions, no matter whether I’m on the tennis court, wandering through South Coast Plaza or sitting at my desk. Perhaps it’s like the musician who hears the melody of their next song in the clicking of the windshield wipers.

One never knows where inspiration will hit.

I guess I’ve just realized that the sooner I can let my mind start working on projects, the faster solutions will come to me. And that has been the way I’ve run James Klein Creative.

In many ways, we are always thinking. Midnight epiphanies aside, this does not mean that we are staring at our Macs around the clock, however we are constantly looking at the issues from different angles. “What’s the right visual metaphor? The best twist of phrase? Is this just another me-too approach, or have we made things memorable and easy to understand without sounding like everyone else?” This even carries down to the best approach to produce a specific project or assembling the best team of consultants.

So when you ask us to work on a project, you know that you aren’t just getting some time slot on our schedule, rather you’re getting a share of our brain, and the desire to find a unique solution that works…and something that makes us proud.

Using transit to market transit assistance!

It made perfect sense to the OCTA marketing team.  Why not use buses to promote and support the regional rollout of 511 service.  After all, anybody who needs to navigate their way across Orange County can now receive real-time traffic and bus transit information by simply dialing 511 or going online at go511.com. 

James Klein Creative worked with OCTA to developed a series of bus wrap options that built upon the branding efforts and primary message developed for the regional campaign.  Our goal was to address transit riders and those in cars who want to avoid traffic.  To accomplish this, we used all four sides of the bus to address the multiple audiences.

The street side reaches out to people in cars.  Those who would use 511 to plan a trip or re-route their travels because of road closures or an accident.  Street side messaging focused on outsmarting traffic by receiving free real-time traffic updates.

The curb side of the bus targets transit riders.  It is the ideal way to direct those using the bus or Metrolink to 511’s free transit planner.

The tail of the bus is prime real estate and offers longer exposure to the message.  While ideal for those traveling behind in a car, the message was designed to address both audiences.  Again we used the outsmart traffic message while promoting the free traffic updates and transit planning features of 511.

In the end, all the messaging and 511 branding needed to be easily readable while negotiating all the windows, doors, flanges, signal lights and exhaust grates on a 40 foot LNG bus.

All five buses are now on the streets and fitting nicely into the marketing mix of billboards, online advertising, bus shelter posters and radio spots.

You can find more views of the 511 bus, and some of our other bus wraps on the James Klein Creative website.

Enamel Pin Design: Graphic design for those collectable lapel pins.

Sometimes the designs that bring out the most “buzz” are those tiny enamel lapel pins developed for special events.  James Klein + Associates has worked with a number of companies such as the Orange County Transportation Authority and the Registrar of Voters to create collectable pins that are produced in limited quantities and handed out to dignitaries and poll workers.  The trick is fitting all the required information such as dates, logos and event names in a very small area while working under restrictive manufacturing constraints, being creative and making sure it is easily readable.

 

Each pin we create typically begins its life as an icon that we’ve design for use in print and electronic marketing material.  During the creative process, we plan ahead for the potential use of the icon as an enamel pin and develop design options that allow for a thin metal separation that serves as a barrier for the different colored enamel.  At times the gold or silver metal is used as a large patch of color, or texture is applied to the metal.

 

Our goal is to develop a cool-looking pin that is a visual extension of the marketing material developed for the campaign.  If it becomes collectable, that’s an added bonus.

Not all winning proposals weigh this much!

I guess when you're asked to bid on a $5 million plus contract for a new high-tech transportation project in the state of Washington, it's not the weight of the proposal that counts, rather the content. Although there were page limits and tight specifications for the proposal, the DKS Associates bid was pound-for-pound the better submittal.  We helped the project team put a visual face on a hefty (and sophisticated) proposal using infographics and other additional organizational visuals to demonstrate solutions to complex problems.  More information can be found on our website.  No backs where thrown out in the preparation of the proposal.  Although we went through a can of midnight oil.

Christopher Roddy. Concierge–Guardian Building, Detroit

Sure, you can walk into the Guardian Building in Downtown Detroit and realize that you've just entered a impeccably preserved example of Art Deco architecture, but what you really need, if you want the inside scoop, is a personal tour from the building's concierge that most of the tenants know by name—Christopher Roddy.  For years he has been manning the revolving doors at the entrance to this "cathedral to finance" on the corner of Congress and Woodrow, and passing along his knowledge of the building.  

I had the opportunity to spend 30 minutes with Christopher on my recent trip to Detroit and was given a basement to rooftop tour that included the massive basement vault that once held most of Detroit's fortunes, the impressive original 1929 board room, and a skyline view from one of the vacated offices on one of the highest floors.  But if you only make it to the lobby, you'll stand there, like I did, in stunned silence as one of the most spectacular examples of Art Deco architecture surrounded me.  And if that didn't fill your need to experience Detroit's finest buildings, there is the Fischer Building and the Penobscot as well.  

Thanks Christopher for a great tour!

Seriously good food in the Fun Zone!

It happened early in the morning hours on Labor Day weekend.  While Shannon was preparing for another wonderful weekend of burgers, fries, caesar salads and minestrone soup, her new website was being uploaded to the server.  The launch of her new site was done in conjunction with James Klein + Associates, Clever Marketing and Ben May of Fresh Interactive.  The Bay Front Café promises "Seriously good food in the Fun Zone," and Shannon is taking her digital relationship to the community seriously as well.  Along with getting more information on the Bay Front Café website, you can also follow her on twitter, and join the restaurant's Facebook fan page.  In designing the site, we wanted to provide key information for this newly opened café while connecting people to the Fun Zone vibe in a playful way.  This was the first phase of a site that will continue to grow.

Here's another survey...

Marketing experts tell us we live in a service economy. Today, major corporations continue to hone their service skills just to make sure they will surprise and delight customers at every turn. Their aim is to make us brand-loyal while the maddening crowd of competition lurks just a mouse-click away. And what's the quickest way to gauge how they're doing?...customer satisfaction surveys!

After working for years in the marketing field as a writer and designer, I applaud companies who want feedback from their customers, and use it to improve their products and services. But when those surveys become barometers for bonuses and salary compensation, the customer loses. Especially when they feel harassed into filling out the survey with glowing scores. I always bristle when I pick up my car after servicing at the dealership and receive a sales pitch to complete my customer satisfaction survey when it arrives in the mail...along some not so subtle encouragement to give them a high rating.

So when it was my turn recently to write a similar script for a home builder (who will remain nameless to protect my cash flow) I felt compelled to create a more honest version. Although it never saw the light of day, it was good therapy!

Dear New Homeowner:

As you probably know from other major purchases you have made, the sales and production team's compensation package relies heavily on the answers to the customer survey you will soon receive. Please don't take this letter as our way of begging for great marks so that we can keep our jobs, but in fact we're screwed if you don't give us a passing grade. So please take a moment to fill out the survey when it does arrive and make sure you give us the highest marks available on the survey. Remember, we know where you live...because we built your house.

Open wide and say ahhh...

Here's a first for James Klein + Associates, a corporate identity program for a dental office.  We worked with Clever Marketing to develop a fun approach to this Newport Beach dental office.  Although settling on just the right mark was like pulling teeth (sorry...), the results were surprisingly very Tommy Bahama.  The pineapple, the Hawaiian symbol for friendship, hospitality and welcome, was added to provide a different twist to a place that for most people is not high on their list to visit.  We used an existing font, then customized it to give the dentist's name a unique and recognizable look.  Our ultimate goal was to make sure that Dr. McKinley's corporate image focused on how a welcoming environment can make one's visit to the dentist a more comfortable and pleasant experience.  Next up on the Dr's to-do list are business cards, name tags, forms and a website.

Here's something Clever.

I always thought of Jann Rowe as a marketing person who was always up to something clever.  Little did I know that would eventually be the inspiration for her new marketing company.  Clever Marketing, based in Tustin, California, is a metaphor for how I have always thought of Jann, a person who looks for solutions that tickle people's imagination.  And that is why I am excited about developing her new corporate identity.  Instead of looking stuffy, we took her love of the mid-century modern aesthetic and ran with it.   The result is this circular logo, a color palette plucked from the pages of Atomic Ranch Magazine and a font based on the whimsical style of Alexander Girard.

When a place feels right, even your toes know.

Driving north from Los Angeles my car started to beg for some sea air at the point where Highway 101 meets the coast in Pismo Beach.  The sand was smooth and peppered with sand dollars.  It was the perfect place to let my mind wander, and the sand tickle my toes.

A company focused on your back-end

Finally a company that is worried about your back end.  I'm referring, of course, to the back-end programming for sophisticated websites and business enterprise software platforms.  James Klein + Associates, a corporate communications firm located in Irvine, California just finished the copywriting for Taigle's new website.  Taigle not only provides cutting edge expertise on the tools that work behind the scenes for financial and e-commerce sites, they deal in the world of mission critical software solutions that are the backbone of a company's operations.  You know, the kind of software systems that make grown adults cry if they ever fail.  Taigle's primary focus is on the healthcare, financial services and entertainment media sectors, but they promised to deal with my low-tech site if I ever get a break to redesign things.

OCTA Annual Report hits the streets, freeways, Express Lanes, rail lines...

After months of hard work, design revisions, chasing bus and Metrolink passengers during the rush hour commute, and countless copy revisions, James Klein + Associates is proud to announce that the 2008 Annual Report for the Orange County Transportation Authority has finally hit the streets.  The theme, Concrete Results, speaks to the achievements the transportation agency made in 2008, including moving forward with important freeway projects during trying economic times.  In an effort to be economically, and environmentally sensitive the report was scaled down in size, and printed on an uncoated and recycled paper. A cool interactive version of the report (complete with animated page flips) is available online. 

Chihuly Glass exhibit in Scottsdale, a visual feast for your creative soul

In Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, she suggests that to rejuvenate your creative soul, you should take yourself on an "artist date" as much as possible.  I find myself sadly forgetting this treat most of the time.  However, on a recent trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, I discovered a wonderful art exhibit by the renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly in the heart of town at the Desert Botanical Garden.  The exhibit is called Chihuly: The Nature of Glass, and it weaves his breathtaking glass sculptures around some of the areas most dramatic desert scenery.  You'll find art imitating nature and towering saguaro cactus interacting playfully with the vibrant glass.  There are three, four-hour sessions each day to choose from.  If you want the most visual bang for your $15 admission fee, I recommend that you select the 4 p.m to 8 p.m. time slot so you can see the works of art in the dramatic late afternoon sun, and then at night when they are beautifully illuminated.  The exhibit will be at the Desert Botanical Garden through May 31st, and if you are craving a really cool "artist date," I highly recommend escaping to Scottsdale and enjoying this show.

How to give a damn about the election without getting in your car!

For the 2008 Presidential election the Orange County Registrar of Voters is anticipating a 75% turnout and a lengthy ballot. That's not good news for those who don't have a lot of time but want their vote to count. To bypass all that, we helped develop a multi-lingual brochure display designed to help encourage voters to set up permanent vote by mail status and avoid the frustrations. Point of purchase displays, such as the one shown above, have been placed at post offices throughout Orange County, along with many Wells Fargo Bank branches. If you can't make it to any of these locations, you can visit the Registrar of Voters' web site and download an application there. So whatever you do, get out there and make your voice heard!

How do you wrap a 40 foot bus anyhow?

With all the fleet graphics we produce, there are bound to be questions by colleagues and clients on how the wrap is actually applied to the bus. To answer that, I placed a call to Glen Deltondo at Applications Unlimited International, Inc. to get more details. Here's the inside story.

Think of a bus wrap graphic as a giant crack and peel sticker carefully applied on all four sides of a 40-foot bus. These decals are printed on a unique 3M material that is slightly thicker than a credit card and output in 52² inch wide sections, then painstakingly seamed together so they match perfectly. The back is coated with a strong adhesive that will endure the harsh southern California sun, as well as the nightly run through the bus wash.

Application of a bus wrap takes place in one of OCTA's three bus yards and normally requires 24 to 30 man hours to complete. A crew of three is typically used to adhere these huge stickers onto the bus. It requires a good eye and great Exacto knife skills. The most time-consuming part is all the careful cutting around the doors, ventilation ducts and windows.

So how long will they last once you get them on the bus? Manufacturers will guarantee the product used on OCTA's buses up to 4 years against fading, peeling and cracking.

Oh the joy of removing the wrap!
It takes up to 4 man-hours to remove a bus wrap and a lot of brute strength. Most 3M adhesives are temperature sensitive and will peel off easier when heated. Due to the flammability of the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) stored at OCTA's bus yards, no open flame can be used to heat up the bus wrap. Instead the buses are parked outside to soak up the sun and "loosen up." Then comes the tug-a-war to pull off the wrap. Luckily the windows stickers contain only half the adhesive and peel off quickly.

The secret torment of an overzealous art director

My visual torment is nothing new to those in the creative field. We are the ones who find ourselves art directing everything in our lives. Righting the crooked picture on the wall. Wanting to re-kern poorly spaced type on the restaurant menu. Making sure magazines tossed on the coffee table are displayed correctly. While some might see this as being mildly anal retentive, I view it as keeping my world in some sort of visual balance. And I don't understand how others can't see the same visual discord.

But when art direction becomes a dangerous game of braving traffic to adjust a manhole cover that doesn't quite line up, that's where the line (pardon the pun) must be drawn. Maybe the saying should be "visual ignorance is bliss."

Knot Caslon

Where do type designers get their inspiration? Perhaps the answer can be found in the hidden hieroglyphics of the trees surrounding my office, where letterforms can be found in the remnants of old branches and peeling bark. I think as designers, it is somehow part of our inner being to be acutely aware of everything visual that surrounds us each day. Color. Texture. Even patterns in nature. To that end, I find myself continuing to stockpile mental snapshots that have formed a massive data base that I draw on for different projects. So it makes one wonder if William Caslon, in 1725, during a walk to his London type foundry, was inspired by a similar tree to design one of the classic fonts of our time. And yes, thanks to Emigre, there now is a font named Not Caslon!