Change

I think it would be appropriate to apply the theme of Change to this week. Monday marked the last day that Former President Bush was in office, and was also the celebration of the achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. who aided in the changes needed for whites and blacks to live in harmony. Tuesday marked the day that President Obama was sworn in as our president, and was the day that miLogos adopted its new logo and Website 4.0. On Wednesday, Obama announced a policy of an open government that would collaborate with the American people, using technology, in a way it had never done before. Yesterday, Obama stated that the individuals at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base would be moved from this location, and put a policy into effect defining certain processes like water boarding as torture. With all these changes, I look forward to the future to see what else may be changed.

A man by the name of Benjamin Disraeli once said, “In a progressive country change is constant; change is inevitable.” I completely agree with this, and believe that it pertains to business as well.

I think that by adding the Department of Technology, and by creating a government that is going to be more open with the American public, the American Government is furthering its efficiency in accomplishing the goals set forth by our forefathers. I am really glad that President Obama has taken this stand.

I am also really excited for the changes taking place in miLogos. First of all, some restructuring is occurring, with some more people being added to the team. Without disposing of the synergy that should always be present, the Art Department, Design Department, and Photography Department will have products of their own. Certain products may require collaboration on the part of the departments; however this move is supposed to inspire productivity and measurements by specific departments.

The new logo, the fingerprint design is a better representation of the mission statement of miLogos. The mission statement, which is available on the new website under the “Company Info” link, and goal of miLogos, is to create products that the client can feel proud to call their own. It’s almost like their logo is their fingerprint, and they are happy to put that fingerprint on the designs that miLogos creates.

The new website, the desk has always been my dream for the website. Even the last website design, Website 3.0, was an attempt at file folders, but then morphed into what it did. I also like the way that it is set up, with a bunch of different mini-sites, instead of a bunch of pages under one humungous umbrella. This way, if one department or specialized product needs to be changed, or if the look needs to be altered, I don’t have to redesign the entire website, I can just redesign a certain mini-site. By the end of the weekend, the Spiritual Design mini-site will be up, and this new product will be a great way that miLogos can expand its audience. The miPrint Studio mini-site will also be added fairly soon, a new service that miLogos can offer. The miPrint Studio is a way that miLogos can offer very cheap printing services. To get a quote, simply email miprint@milogos.com or email me at mbeall@milogos.com.

I am so excited about all these changes, and I am also looking forward to the production of Romeo and Juliet by Poudre High School! (Pay attention to next week’s article for more information.)

A Special Day

I just want to congratulate President Obama on a great speech. What he is doing is really changing America, and I am looking forward to the next four years. We all need to put our opinions aside, pro or con, and see what Obama has to offer to our country before we judge. As Americans, we need to come together and unite in body, mind, and spirit.

On top of our new President, miLogos adopted its new logo today, and the Website Design 4.0. Check them both out at www.milogos.com.

I will speak more about these topics on Friday when I write my post on "Change."

Concept Behind A Name

I go to www.dexknows.com and click on Chicago, IL. I find several businesses with interesting names like, James Shoe Repair, Always Ready Repair Co, and Arts and Letters Ltd. Naming a business can be very important in determining a business' success. So why do so many businesses spend so little time on it? I really don't know.

There are many important things to consider when naming a business. First, one must take into account the purpose and the vision for the business, giving the customer or client a sense of identity. James Shoe Repair. Automatically, you know what the business does; it repairs shoes. A name like Arts and Letters Ltd, one would have to take a guess at what the business does, and people don't spend time researching that kind of thing. Even the biggest corporations take this into account: Coca-cola (it's a cola), Washington Mutual (mutual funds), Paramount Pictures (film).

The next thing is that your name needs to be something the business can work off of, and it needs to have an edge. Burger King is unique, creative, tells the consumer what to expect (burgers), and it gave them the opportunity to campaign with an "actual king." Every business needs to stand out, and the name can be very important to make this stand out. Another great example is that when you are going down the highway, and you see the famous golden arches and you start to get hungry. Even if you do not like McDonalds, you have given attention to them because they stand out. The golden arches come from the M, and if McDonalds was "Best Burgers," then the golden arches could not be used.

Another thing to take note from successful businesses is length. Starbucks, Target, Sears, Macy's, Barnes and Noble, Old Navy, etc etc. They are all short, and all give an immediate image in your mind. If Sears was actually named "Store Filled With Tools, Technology, and Clothes" then customer/client loyalty would be hindered by the simple fact that they couldn't remember the name. A name needs to be memorable, and the length of a name contributes a large portion to this.

When I named miLogos, I took into consideration all these aspects. I had a purpose (logo and graphic design) for this business, as well as a vision. I wanted the clients and customers of this business to feel like the designs they received were their own, and be proud about it. Almost as if they could put their stamp of approval on it, and call it theirs. When I came up with miLogos, this is exactly what I wanted to flow from this; its MY logo, its MI logo, we create MI logos...miLogos! It's creative, we have been able to create other products off of it (not to mention the newest, miPrint Studio), it fits the purpose of vision of the business, and it is memorable.

This coming Tuesday, miLogos is going to adopt its new logo, along with a new website, miLogos Website 4.0. I hope I am not giving too much away, but I will just say that the new design really reflects this concept of having a "stamp of approval" and the clients being able to call the designs their own. Lots of celebrations this coming week... Monday we are celebrating both Martin Luther King Jr's bravery and leadership in a social movement. Also on Monday we will be celebrating the past 8 years that President Bush has served our country, keeping the American people close to his heart in his decision-making, and leading our country the best way he knew how. On Tuesday, we will celebrate our new President Obama, and his ideas and plans that will go underway to help this country get out of a recession and global problems. I am looking forward to all these events, and hope that you will join me in these celebrations. Have an awesome week!

A Company's Image

All businesses have an image of their company, something that guides their progress, and is how they are seen in the community. A business does not need a logo to establish this image; it can be there without ever having a marketing scheme.

Large corporations are great examples of how businesses have images. Remember, however, that an image can be altered and changed, but it is also not necessarily malleable by the CEO. It’s the first thing that pops in your head when you think of the company.

Microsoft. Immediately, I think of Windows Vista, and its problems. That has reshaped the way that people feel about Microsoft. First description that jumps in my head is “flawed.”

Apple. Quality.

McDonalds. Cheap, Greasy.

Disney. Fantastical.

The list could go on and on. The thing to remember about an image of a company, is that it is how the general public sees the company. Out of the values and goals that the company has, the image is what the public notices. Although sometimes the public image may be negative, or positive; most of the time, it is neutral in nature, and the buyer still has to decide if the image is good or bad for himself.

A logo can help establish the basis of this image. Think of Disney, for example. Disney has many movies that are very realistic, and don’t involve any magic at all. However, their logo clip is a castle with a pixie enchanting it. This is what Disney wants you to think of when you think of Disney. And that is why although an image is determined by the public, it has a lot to do with the decisions of the company. One major decision is how the company markets itself.

miLogos has an image as well. A simple case study could be taken across Poudre High School, across Fort Collins, etc., to find what its image is. However, right now miLogos has not been exposed to a large population, and therefore still has a fair amount of room to create marketing slants and concepts to help shape this image. So, for the rest of this post, when I refer to miLogos’ image, I am referring to my goals for what it should be, not necessarily what it is.

As I said before, the logo and the way that a company markets itself helps mold this image. The logo that miLogos had this past year held one main concept behind miLogos; the logo had an edge of creativity, and was colorful. If you needed creative designs, miLogos was a great place to go. However, this didn’t fit the whole concept behind what miLogos’ image really is.
miLogos’ image is one of professionalism, creativity, cost-effectiveness, and ultimately creating something that the client can feel proud to call their own. miLogos is a professional company; when it comes to business, we do not just fool around. If something is promised to a client, it will get done, will be of superior quality, and will be done on time. miLogos wants the designs to be reflective of the client, not of miLogos; something that the client feels fits their needs, as well as something they can accept as their own. miLogos also wants to have the lowest price in town, without compromising the quality or any other elements of the company’s relationship with its clients.

The miLogos website is always changing, always being updated. This is to create this sense of creativity, and not being outdated. miLogos Website 4.0 is going to be an office desk, and then certain pages are zoomed in on different parts of the desk. This is to create a sense of professionalism, and show that miLogos values the workplace. The new logo goes hand-in-hand with the goal of creating something that the client can feel proud to call their own.

If you would like advice or guidance in establishing an image for your company, please email me at mbeall@milogos.com. If you have any questions, or would like to receive any of our services, please visit www.milogos.com or email me your question as well.

Don’t forget that on January 20, 2009, miLogos will release its new logo and miLogos Website 4.0. Don’t miss it!

miLogos in 2009

For those of you who are interested, here is an update on miLogos, as well as some of its goals for next year.

Two-thousand eight turned out to be a milestone for miLogos. The first year, and a whole list of things were accomplished. The miLogos team, trademarked as the miTeam, grew tremendously. A friend of mine, Josh Carrol joined the team as Sales Executive in June, as well as Krystal Kappeler joining at about the same time to be the Senior Graphic Artist. The Sales Executive position turned out to be a stressful and very difficult position for a new business, and Josh resigned later this past year. James Rogers was added to the team as a Design Consultant and an Editor. Ryan Barney was added in the beginning of December as an Intern to help in the Arts Department. Rachel Brinks was added to the team just a couple days ago as a photographer, and there are more to come in the days to come.

Our first client came before the registration process with the city had even been completed. Several other clients came to miLogos to use our services, and miLogos was able to get out its name to the city of Fort Collins. That being said, there is always room for growth, and that is why I see a lot ahead of us in 2009.

First of all, miLogos is going to extend its community service by doing the Romeo and Juliet poster for the Poudre High School production, as well as marketing the show. Krystal Kappeler is working on the art that will be featured in the poster, and Rachel will most likely be doing the photography that will be featured in the poster. I am really looking forward to this production, as well as designing the poster. It will be fun marketing to both a Hispanic population as well as the white population.

Another huge undertaking of miLogos is Spiritual Design, a new product that really is still in the brainstorming stage. This product is going to feature simple services like Bulletin Design, Logo Design, and Worship Backgrounds at a discounted cost to non-profit organizations. This will be a great opportunity for miLogos to reach out to a different market, and will hopefully help expand miLogos' capabilities. That being said, in order for this to work properly, there will need to be a couple more additions to the miTeam.

On top of these two huge projects, miLogos is also going to have a new logo design, and a new streamline design to go along with it. At 12:01am, January 20, 2009, miLogos will unveil its new logo design. The website (www.miLogos.com) will be drastically changed to accommodate the new design, the new look. miLogos is a graphic design company, and needs to show its diversity. So although it is important to keep the same image for a company, the actual logo may need to change due to different markets that we are reaching out to, and different missions that the company chooses to take on. This is why I feel it is important that we adopt this new logo on January 20, but at the same time, I am not going to throw away the old logo design. Ryan Barney is largely responsible for this design, and I commend him for his creativity. Without me even telling him the mission of miLogos, he was able to encompass that mission in his logo design. I look forward to this event.

If you would like to be part of the miTeam, would like to know more information about miLogos, or would like to comment or make a suggestion, feel free to reply to this post or email mbeall@milogos.com.

Happy New Year!