The first web site I worked on was for Bose in 1994.  That’s when I learned that cookies weren’t just dessert and wonder kids from MIT can make one feel instantly old and rather dumb.  15 years later, the web is a different place.  Clients no longer have to entrust technical people to every aspect of a site.  The new Smarter Life site was built using Joomla in conjunction with Elehost in Toronto.  The site is void of Flash animations (at least for now)… but functionally, it will be easy to keep up-to-date.  The soon-to-be-added blog module will allow the client to post new products, interact with customers and serve up green news.  As I type this article using WordPress, I know how nice it is to be in control.  I can post something anytime, however small.  I can fix a typo or move something to a different place. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty great. 

You’ve reached the portfolio for the The Better Idea Inc. Rather than using fancy flash pages, or boring case studies, we’ve opted feature our work by blog. This allows us to showcase the finished work, but also allows us to tell you the background story. You see, it is rare that an ad agency or marketing firm can simply take sole credit for work. Great work is a collaboration with the client. Sometimes a tough collaboration! But a team effort – since after all, you are the client!

Select from the top menu, or click the link below to see work and get a brief look at how the work came about.

After last year’s very successful McGregor Plant Sales catalog project, we were thrilled to be asked to evolve the concept further this year.  Keeping the original illustrative flowers as icons for major categories of products, the client asked for a new emphasis on “Choice”.  Wholesale customers are very pleased to work with McGregor Plant Sales with their huge selection of plants that provides for a one-stop-shopping experience.

To showcase choice, we went literal!  Using over 800 photos from the catalog, we created a mosaic cover that was carried through for each section page.  The section pages used simplified color treatments, whereas the cover featured the rainbow of color underscoring the vast selections seen inside the beefy 100 page plus book.

The green business is trying hard to break into the consumer’s everyday stream of consciousness.  Recent studies are showing that during these economic times, people are less likely to pay more to be green.  As the economies of scale improve for green products, perhaps the interim period will mean that green product companies will need to ensure that their products can save money – or pay for themselves – should they be priced at a premium.  A new company, Smarter Life uses this approach.  Their products are good for the environment, but they are also money savers because they save you energy or water.  And yes, you can feel better about your purchase decision when you buy a Smarter Life product.  It’s all good.

We are providing general marketing consulting services for this new brand, including the name, logo and messaging.  The web site will be launching soon, stay tuned.

I had never read a comic book in my life.  But I did read Alan Moore’s graphic novel WATCHMEN a few months ago.  It really is an incredible piece of work (as is Dave Gibbon’s illustration) that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The movie premieres March 6.  A memorable 03.06.09 if you follow the American date system.

One of our clients, Myvu has partnered with Warner Brothers for some exciting promotions including a contest to win advance screening tickets in select cities.  There’s been a great deal of buzz on this movie already – with a huge fan base for the story.

We designed emails, a banner campaign and landing pages to support the promotion.  You can also download Watchmen trailers and save on the Myvu Crystal Personal Media viewer if you find the secret word in the Watchmen trailer posted on the Myvu site.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when clients send me information and photos of campaigns in action that we helped develop.  Maybe it’s akin to the dental hygenist who is so impressed when she sees that I have been flossing since my last visit.  Or when you send a picture of your fully grown dog to the breeder so they can see that the tiny puppy you took is happy and healthy.  You want to see the future results.

This week I received photos from 2 clients. Thanks, Bob at mimio for sending me photos from a recent trade show.  The mimio logo we revised is front and center here.  But the first thing I noticed in this photo was how busy the booth was – how fantastic!

Chris at McGregor Plant Sales sent me a photo from a show as well.  We developed the look and feel for their catalog last year, which they then applied to many communications including this show.  They had a terrific year with lots of industry buzz.  This shot was taken BEFORE the booth was opened to the public.

When I buy a new electronic device, for myself or the family, I’m not particularly patient about going through all the ineluctable chores such as getting the darn thing open to figuring out how to work it right away.

When we started collaborating with Myvu, we looked at the guidebook that came with their product. It was a booklet with several languages.  When I see booklets with many languages, I think that it’s sort of nice – this company is thinking about other people besides just English-speaking customers.  But that feeling quickly vanishes when all these pages are now in between me and my enjoyment or utility of the product.  That’s why I’m a huge fan of the wordless quick start guide.  Oh, like many people, I’m also a visual thinker.

The secrets to wordless (or almost wordless) communication are:

A very logical process must be detailed out in a very logical order.  If you’ve ever seen MASH where Radar reads “how to dismantle a bomb” you know that the order of events is very important.

You must have a very good illustrator who can make things simple, yet accurate.

Once you think you have it, give the draft to the least technical people you know (you might not want to tell them why they have been honored) and ask them to set up the product in question. Adjust as needed.

In the end, a wordless quick start should:

• Reduce the amount of paper and printing you use
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Make you a better communicator
• Help you identify ways to improve your product design

Running right now – for the month of November – in Herald Square station in New York City is this campaign for Myvu.  The installation is comprised of huge wallscapes, column wraps, banners and also a life-sized interactive demo.  Our company developed concepts and created the art for the campaign.  We also worked with Monster Media to create the in-station interactive demo.  The campaign is augmented with telephone kiosks in the city as well.

There are perhaps fewer and fewer reasons to own a Windows computer and the new CardScan Executive for Mac product just added more layers of dust to my PC.  Having worked with CardScan for over four years, we were thrilled when teamed up with them to launch their long-awaited made-for-Mac version.  Capture all your contact information – from business cards – but also from email, web and other e files.   I have a confession, I did not have my contact information organized until now. See all the things you can do with a CardScan for Mac system at their web site.

We provided the graphic design for the new packaging which includes a peek-inside window for the card scanner and features less overall packaging for a greener result.

We also directed new photography and provided advertising concepts, pr consulting and copywriting services.

We helped mimio –  makers of innovative interactive whiteboard technology – evolve their brand to focus on educational customers and reflect the benefits of their product to this audience.  Our work included new colors for their logo to reflect the product’s metaphor of adding color and fun to a class lesson. We also provided a new tagline, “make it interesting”.   We provided a library of new photography, sales collateral, public relations support and materials, ads and trade show graphics.