Prepare for any marketing or promotion
opportunity with a customizable 'media kit'

In my recent HOW Design Conference presentation, Planning, packaging and promoting yourself as the product, I discussed one of my most useful and flexible marketing and promotion tools - what I refer to as my customizable media kit. When a potential identity design client contacts me I can quickly assemble a complete marketing packet to send off in the mail. If an editor, writer or reporter needs additional information about my business I can adapt the included materials to their specific needs, too.

I've made use of the marketing packet for over a decade now. The presentation folders used (in the photo above) are purchased in bulk through an office supply store. The vast majority of the marketing materials are then produced in-house as needed, making use of a color laser printer. Creating the promotion tools in my home studio also allows me to customize each included document if necessary.

A Jeff Fisher LogoMotives brand compatible label is printed on adhesive backed stock and adhered to the front of the folder. Prior to mailing, the packet is filled with the printed elements specific to the targeted recipient. The packet is then placed in a white catalog envelope, prepared with a custom mailing label, for sending off to the addressee.

Depending on who is to receive the promotion information, the presentation folder may include:

1. A personal biography sheet (below left): The information basically mirrors the current Engineer of Creative Identity description posted on the Jeff Fisher LogoMotives blogfolio.

2.) A listing of awards won with my design work: In a little over a decade my design efforts have been recognized with nearly 600 awards and honors.

3.) A list of books in which my work, or references to Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, appears: Over 100 books feature my work to date.

4.) A page of articles written about Jeff Fisher LogoMotives: Published pieces from newspapers, magazines, corporate blogs and webzines.

5.) A list of articles I've written: Magazine and Internet articles I've written about design, identity, marketing and the business of design - including excerpts from my books Identity Crisis! and The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success.

6.) Speaking engagement list: Upcoming and previous speaking engagements, presentations and workshops.

7.) My estimate sheet: Showing my hourly rates does "qualify" many possible clients.

8.) A copy of my project agreement: (above center) This seems to be another excellent project "qualifer" for potential clients who may just be "tire kickers."

9.) My two-page Identity Client Survey: - Two pages of identity design related questions customized to the specific client to whom it is sent. I also send the questionnaire to the individual in email from for ease in answering the questions.

10.) Examples of my logo design work: (above right) I have a variety of pages of logo design examples ready to be printed as needed. I collate them and add a cover sheet that is basically a representation of my website homepage

11.) Several "Toot! Toot!" press releases: (above center) Sharing a few press releases informs potential clients, editors, writers and others about the latest Jeff Fisher LogoMotives news.

12.) Specialized logo sample sheets: If there is a request for examples from a specific industry I will include a pre-prepared sheet of examples for that type of business. Just this past week I supplied several sheets showing logo re-designs (above right) to a potential client looking to have an update of their current identity.

13.) My business card: I always include 2-3 business cards. One for the person receiving the packet and one or two that they can give to others who may desire the services of an identity designer.

14.) A copy of an article I have written: (above left) I like to include an example of an article I have written about some aspect of logo design. It may be a piece explaining my logo design process for a potential client, an example of my writing for an editor considering contracting me to write for a publication, or an article with some historical perspective on my business as a logo designer for a writer/reporter preparing to write about my business.

15.) Book promotion materials: With the late 2007 release of my book, Identity Crisis!: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands, I have been including some book marketing pieces in the packet. I may include an information sheet about the book displaying some examples of the published case studies, a couple "Jeff Fisher is having an Identity Crisis!" postcards, or some other piece directly recipients to the Identity Crisis! blog.

I usually have four or five completed media kits ready to send out at any given time. That allows me to respond to any potential client of media request almost immediately. With content flexibility, all I may need to do is delete or add pages that are specific to the request for additional information about Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

Creating a "media kit" for your own work allows you to respond thoroughly and quickly to any request for more information about your business, in a customized manner. Producing it in-house keeps your cost be information packet to a minimum, allows for easy updating and gives you complete control over the contents you may want to distribute to a specific individual.

Note: My customizable media kit was featured in the June/July 2008 issue of Dynamic Graphics magazine.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

"Logo Talk" from Logo Design Love

Logo Design Love's creator David Airey just initiated a new "Talking about logo design" blog post series on the site. With the entries, he will be posting links to online articles and features he thinks might be of interest to logo lovers. I am honored to have "An Interview with Jeff Fisher" be among the first references.

The inclusion is in regards to Jacob Cass' recent Just Creative interview with me.

Thanks once again to David and Jacob for the mentions.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Inspired? Borrowed? Too close for comfort?

Just after I'd posted my "The unimaginative and not-so-bright 'designer'" bLog-oMotives entry I noticed a bit of Internet traffic coming my way from the Typophile forum.

A forum member had posted a student project logo design for some input in regards to color selections. Seeing the initial posting kind of stunned me, and as I read down the thread I came across a post from another forum member:

When I first saw it, I thought it reminded me of something... but I’ve just noticed that it looks like the Cat Adoption Team logo from Jeff Fisher.

Good - it wasn't my imagination. At least someone else saw a similarity. It seems that my own post on the Typofile thread kind of brought the discussion to an end.

So, in this particular case is the student design "inspired" by my own, created with a major element "borrowed" from my design, a "blatant rip-off" of the C.A.T. logo, or the result of two brilliant minds thinking alike? All I know is, that from my perspective, it seems a bit too close for comfort - but I haven't gotten my claws out yet.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

The unimaginative and not-so-bright "designer"

It bugs the hell out of me when a so-called "designer" claims as their own a design concept, or actual work, of a true design professional. I'm not writing about situations where existing work is used as "inspiration" for new work. I'm referring to blatant rip-offs.

Years ago a local Portland designer, when interviewing for jobs, actually included printed pieces of my work in the portfolio she was showing potential employers. Fortunately, in this pre-Internet case, she made the mistake of presenting the portfolio to a creative director who is still one of my best friends - and the "designer" was busted big time by my friend recognizing the work. In another situation, I almost drove off the road one day (here in Portland as well) when I saw signage for a building represented by a logo I had designed for a client in an unrelated business. The typeface hadn't even been changed on the sign. Yet another "designer" was caught red-handed due to their own stupidity.

Recently I was informed of a situation where a theatre company had "borrowed" a logo I designed for a play. The identity, now being licensed by the Theatre Logos Agency, had simply been copied from the TLA site and pasted into the theatre company web presence - complete with the "©" watermark of TLA. In other situations, I have been informed by eagle-eyed design professionals about examples of my work being included in the online portfolios of other "designers," or displayed as submissions on so-called "logo mill" or "logo contest" sites as the original work of someone else.

More and more often I am reading online forum posts about designers' identity creations, web designs, or code being blatantly stolen by others. The good thing is that a knowledgeable and vigilant online community of designers is often catching the rip-off "artists." I think my friend, designer and illustrator Von Glitschka, has got to be one of the most often ripped-off professionals around. Luckily, with his highly recognizable style, others in creative fields have discovered and reported the stealing of his work by individuals around the world. The Internet seems to have made it a bit easier to catch the unimaginative and not-so-bright "designers."

In reading the How Design Forum this morning I came across a thread about yet another so-called "logo contest" site, where "clients" post design requests, with ridiculously low possible payouts, for speculative logo design work from obviously not-so-bright individuals, in a quest for the ideal identity created by "the most talented designers in the world" (the site's claim - not my personal opinion). I'm not going to even bother including the site's name or URL in this bLog-oMotives entry. I don't need to do so all; Steve Douglas, HOW Forum member and Creative Director of The Logo Factory, did that for me in his own blog post "Why logo contests don't work" - documenting the fact that two of his own company's designs were ripped-off by two different "designers" making "logo contest" submissions.

Douglas' blog, and a HOW Forum mention that someone using the screenname "LogoMotives" was posting submisssions, piqued my curiosity enough to make a visit to the "logo contest" site myself. Sure enough, someone is posting "contest" entries as "LogoMotives" - which I assume is nothing more than an attempt to ride the coattails of my 30 year career as a logo designer.

Then I saw the unimaginative work of submitter uptowngirl92 - her rip-off of my award-winning Seacoast AIDS Walk identity (above). As I mentioned in a HOW Forum posting "I'm not sure what is worse, being ripped-off exactly, or having your original concept ripped-off and executed incredibly poorly (I think you can tell which design is mine)."

In marketing and promoting your design work, you need to put it "out there" for potential clients to see. My work is on numerous portfolio sites, in profiles on other online presences, published in over 100 books, and featured on the Jeff Fisher LogoMotives blogfolio. Such Internet promotion brings a great many clients my way and the benefits far outweigh the negatives. I also appreciate the many kind comments received from students and professionals who see my work as inspiring in regards to their own efforts. However, I'm far from a fan of the unimaginative and not-so-bright so-called "designer" who feels they have the right to use and abuse the work of others, and then claim it as their own. In fact, it really pisses me off.

I'm thankful that the design community does such a good job of finding these rip-off "artists" and calling them on their unprofessional and unethical activities.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Creative Freelancer Conference site goes live

This past week the web presence promoting the new and upcoming Creative Freelancer Conference went live. The creative industries activity will be held August 27-29 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.

The event, co-sponsored by HOW Magazine and Marketing Mentor, will provide independent designers, illustrators, copywriters, photographers and others with pricing strategies, marketing techniques and the best business practices for running a one-person business.

Speakers for the conference include Ilise Benun and Peleg Top of Marketing Mentor; cartoonist, artist and writer Lloyd Dangle; and PR and issues management specialist Joan Gladstone of Gladstone International. Author, speaker, trainer and entrepreneur Lee Silber and Dyana Valentine, founder and principal of Creative Consultancy, will also be making presentations. Closing speaker for the event will designer and author Jeff Fisher of Jeff Fisher LogoMotives with his session, "Reaping the Rewards of Creative Independence."

Those interested in the new event may learn more on a regular basis on the Creative Freelancer Conference Blog, hosted by blogmistress Colleen Wainwright of communicatrix. Additional information, and registration, is available on the Creative Freelancer Conference website. An "early bird" registration discount of $60 is in effect until July 15th.

(Psst! - I still have personal issues with the word "freelance".)

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Jeff Fisher on Masters of Graphic Design interview list

Noupe, a web developer's online resource, has posted Masters of Graphic Design: 25+ Interviews on their blog. The piece is made up of links to interviews with designers and illustrators from online resources around the world.

The interview link that features myself is the recent Just Creative article Logo Design Tips & A Not-So-Ordinary Interview with Famous Celebrity Logo Designer, Jeff Fisher, from Jacob Cass.

Noupe defines itself as a site that "passionately delivers stylish and dynamic news for designers and web-developers on all subjects of design, ranging from; CSS, Ajax, Javascript, web design, graphics, typography, advertising & much more. Our goal is to help you communicate effectively on the web with an engaging website or functional interface."

Thanks for the flattering mention Noupe.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Thanks HOW Design Conference session attendees!

There was great attendance at my 2008 HOW Design Conference session Planning, packaging and promoting yourself as the product. I enjoyed seeing a lot of familiar faces and meeting so many new people. I appreciate those who asked questions and the many who took the time to visit with me afterwards (in fact, I was a half hour late to my Identity Crisis! book signing at the HOW Conference Bookstore!).

In the past, I had not taken photos of the audience at my HOW Conference appearances and I'd always regretted it. So, it was fun asking attendees to squeeze together and say "smart-ass" for the camera.

As mentioned to a few of those attending, here are links to the blog entries covering the portfolio, social networking and social media sites discussed in my presentation:

Marketing design through online portfolios

Marketing through social networking and social media

This bLog-oMotives post is about my media kit:

Prepare for any marketing or promotion opportunity with a customizable 'media kit'

Some asked for information about my project agreement, or contract. Here's a link for you:

Signing on the dotted line...

For those who requested information about pricing considerations, here's another link:

How much should I charge?

For those who had questions about pro bono design work, here's a link to an article on the topic:

Designing pro bono projects for "win-win" results

Additional thanks to those stopping me in the halls of the conference, sending emails and posting on forums to express their thoughts on my presentation and books. It means a great deal to learn that what I am putting "out there" makes a difference in your business efforts and careers.

"The End" photo by ksavage

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

I'll be coming back to Boston

Having never been to Boston, it's been tough having my schedule tied up so much with the HOW Design Conference where I am a Tuesday speaker. (I haven't had much of an opportunity to blog either.) Boston is an absolutely beautiful city - and the weather is certainly cooperating. I thought I'd post some photos of the incredible views from my room, and the club room, on the 29th floor of the Sheraton Hotel. Another trip to Boston will be a must for me, especially since most of my excursions have been limited to after dark adventures for dinner or drinks with other conference goers and speakers. I'll post more about my conference experiences later.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Marketing through social networks and social media

The other night I was a member of a panel discussing "Harnessing the Power of Online Social Networks," hosted by Self-Employed Creative Professionals (SECP) in Portland. Others on the panel discussing the business advantages of social networking included writer Susan Rich of RichWriting Creative Services, Working Artists LLC founderAdrienne Fritze, and eMarketing Strategist Elgé Premeau. Christian Messer, of Whiplash Design, was the moderator for the evening.

I was asked to approach the subject of using online social sites from my perspective as the author of Identity Crisis!: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands. Panel members wanted me to showcase how I had used social networking and related media to market and promote my book. In doing so, I prepared a handout for attendees with the following examples:

MySpace - MySpace drives more traffic to my web presence and blogs than any other social networking site I've used. It allows a detailed profile, image storage, blogs - which I use to post my blog headlines with links back to my own blog sites - forums and actual social networking. MySpace is much more than simply social networking for teenagers. I have eliminated most interaction not directly related to my book and my work with the posted statement: The primary purpose of this MySpace page is to discuss and promote various aspects of graphic design.

FaceBook: Facebook is probably my favorite social networking site. For me it's actually fun, in addition to providing a great opportunity for posting a detailed profile - with links back to whatever sites you wish to post, networking, image galleries, article posting capabilities, blog auto-feeds, and much more. Again, it's very effective in driving web traffic my way. A design industry editor once asked, "Isn't Facebook just for college kids?. My response was: "Have you visited Facebook lately?" It's amazing who in the design industry is making use of the resource as a marketing and promotion tool.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn comes across as primarily a technical information resource for job seekers and those seeking specialized employees. The specialized questions and answers, along with the recent addition of "groups." does make it a bit more interactive. I wish the navigation wasn't so "clunky." Still, making use of the detailed profile has been a great self-promotion tool. The more information provided the more successful LinkedIn will be for the user.

biznik: biznik - Business networking that doesn't suck - is one of the most user-friendly social networking/media sites. It's easy to connect with other members and to create an actual dialog with them. The detailed profile, ability to post articles and other aspects make it a value resource for the independent business person. Local "real world" networking events are an added benefit. As in many of the examples, there are additional benefits with paid memberships.

naymz: I'm relatively new to this site. Months ago I was invited by someone I know and I did little to complete the profile until a discussion with my fellow panel members. Less than one hour of work and a great deal of traffic was coming my way - primarily due to the blogs feeds to my personal profile.

Flickr: Referring to this resource as social networking may not be the first thing that comes to a individual's mind when visiting the site. The storage and sharing of images is it's main attribute. However, the creation of personal communities, groups and the image feeds to other social sites all become part of the online networking experience.

JumpUp: This site, from the Intuit folks, is an example of another aspect of social networking - the corporate-sponsored networking resource. JumpUp creates an avenue for a detailed business profile, interacting with other business professionals, creating a blog and more. My participation online also resulted in my work and book being featured in a traveling exhibit for the company. An online radio program is in the works.

StartupNation: I've been a participant on this site for some time. My primary reason for joining was that a designer shouldn't be networking only with other designers - one needs to be interacting with business people who may become potential clients. StartupNation provides an opportunity to mingle with business people through forum participation, forum postings, a detailed profile, blogs, articles and podcasts.

Adholes: This online networking resource is primarily for the advertising professional. It's a great vehicle for networking through forum participation, posting blogs and articles, and scheduling local meetups through groups. Besides, I like the name of the group, and their tagline: "Ad industry schmoozing without the expensive restaurant tabs."

Fast Pitch: I initially made use of this site for the press release distribution capabilities. Fast Pitch now includes greater networking opportunities, blog feeds and more.

Fast Company: This is the social networking and social media presence of my favorite business magazine, Fast Company. You can network, join groups, post articles and more.

GOOD Magazine: I'm fairly new to GOOD. It's another publication that allows its readers and members to socially interact. My profile, with pertinent information posted, has drawn traffic to mt site and blogs.

Zoodango: This site recently went through a major update. I haven't yet checked out all of the features.

Ziki: The site allows you to network with others, post links, and revieve auto-feeds from blogs and Flickr. The blog feeds are especially effective in bring me a great deal of traffic.

Small Business Online Community: This offering, from Bank of America, is somewhat new and evolving. A forum allows for customer interaction, articles are posted by experts and more is offered on a regular basis.

This is far from a complete list of the sources available for social networking and social media. As mentioned earlier, these are just the resources I put into play in marketing and promoting my book, Identity Crisis!. As you can see, from each page example, I have taken the opportunity to establish a somewhat consistent look in the content and imagery used in each profile. The photo of me is the same in many, my logo is an identifying mark for most, the same book cover image is featured, mentions of the book are always included, and website, or blog, addresses are used with consistency.

Still, it the examples presented should give many people ideas of where they might look for added marketing opportunities.

For a look at portfolio sites check out my earlier piece Marketing logo design efforts with online resources.

© 2008 Jeff fisher LogoMotives

Jeff Fisher identity article featured on
B of A Small Business Online Community

A couple of weeks ago a writer contacted me in regards to being interviewed for a future article on the Bank of America Small Business Online Community site. To be honest, I had no idea such a resource even existed. He found me through an Internet search in regards to identities for small businesses, which led him to an article I had written and posted on another online resource.

In checking out the Small Business Online Community, I found articles posted on a variety of business-related subjects, a forum of member discussions and the ability for site members to post pieces covering business topics. I've participated in a number of forum discussions and recently posted one of my articles for consideration.

Today I received an email informing me that my article, "The high cost of saving money on a business image," is the current featured article on the site homepage. The piece has already resulted in a lot of traffic to bLog-oMotives and my blogfolio.

In marketing and promoting your own business, put articles out there on appropriate sites and establish your authority as an "expert" in your profession. The added result may be increased traffic to your site, potential new clients, and future requests for interviews from writers looking for qualified sources.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.

A half century of presidential campaign logo design

The folks at Logoblink have posted an incredible archive of U.S. presidential campaign logos going back to 1960. Coming from a politically active family - with one parent a life-long Republican; the other always a Democrat - I do remember many of the images from myself or other family members participating in various campaigns over the years. The Logoblink gallery is a visual salute to the red, white and blue - and green, orange, yellow, black, brown, gray...

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Barnes & Noble Studio interviews book cover
designer John Gall in new online series

In the the premier of the new Barnes & Noble Studio series Cover Story, John Gall, Art Director for Vintage/Random House, talks about the design process and shares his five secrets for creating a successful book cover. The series will explore the world of book cover designers through stories and anecdotes.

Book cover design has always fascinated me and this is a great five-minute look at the process through the examples and tips presented by Gall.

Toot! Toot!*: Industry expert Jeff Fisher cited in
The Designer's Guide to Marketing and Pricing

Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based identity design firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, is quoted and referenced in The Designer's Guide to Marketing and Pricing: How to win clients and what to charge them from HOW Books. The volume, by industry experts Ilise Benun and Peleg Top of Marketing-Mentor.com, provides designers with examples, case studies and worksheets for creating business plans, establishing a marketing strategy, and the successful day-to-day operation of an independent design business.

Designer and author Jeff Fisher is quoted in the book in regards to the need to "have passion for the cause" when doing pro bono work for nonprofit organizations. His first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success, is also listed as recommended reading in the newly released book from Benun and Top.

Jeff Fisher has received nearly 600 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts. His work is featured in over 100 books on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, and small business marketing.

Fisher is a member of the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council and the UCDA Designer Magazine Editorial Advisory Board. His book, Identity Crisis!: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands, was recently released by HOW Books. His first volume, The Savvy Designer’s Guide to Success, appeared on bookstore shelves in late 2004.

(* If I don’t "toot!" my own horn, no one else will.)

Note: In the near future a complete review of the new book will be posted on bLog-oMotives.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Dynamic Graphics takes a look at 2007 logo designs

In the article "Logo Designs: Year in Review," the industry publication Dynamic Graphics invites readers to "look and learn from some of the best identities from the year 2007." Writer Jonathan Selikoff takes a look at redesigns, and new designs, that were unveiled last year in an piece illustrated with examples from around the world.

I especially enjoyed Selikoff closing the article with the statement: "The logos featured here are all the result of long hours at the sketch pad and in meetings, deep discussions, possible crying jags and a few drinks. It’s hard and serious work, but when the forces are properly brought to bear, the result is a beautiful mark, a happy client and a true measure of the power of design for business."

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Imaginary friend on GDUSA Magazine cover

In my home studio I am surrounded by a couple hundred of my best "imaginary friends." No, these are not my graphic design forum pals - throughout my studio are the numerous advertising character collectibles that I have been amassing over the past two decades.

It was great to recently receive the April 2008 issue of Graphic Design: USA magazine and have my friend Speedy, of Alka Seltzer fame, as the cover boy. He's actually been in the news lately. At the age of 57, Speedy is making a comeback as a working advertising spokesperson in a new campaign from BBDO New York. The "plop, plop, fizz, fizz" guy has even got his own interactive "Where's Speedy?" game.

You can learn a bit more about Speedy, and the friends he hangs out with in my office, at the site of the future Advertising Icon Museum.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Calls for entries:
Upcoming design competition deadlines

All of the following competitions deadlines present great opportunities to showcase your design efforts, market your work on an international scale through the published books, and "toot!" your own horn to clients, peers and the media:

Tempus Fugit - World's Best Calendar Design
(Index Book - Spain)
Deadline: No deadline published
No entry fees charged

2008 Design and Design Book of the Year
(DesignAndDesign.com - France)
Deadline: Ongoing at this point
No entry fees charged

Market Smart Design
(Crescent Hill Books - USA)
Deadline Extended: 9 May 2008
No entry fees charged

Annual Reports 2009
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline Extended: 19 May 2008
Entry fees charged

New Talent Annual 2009
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline: 26 May 2008
Entry fees charged

Worldwide Logo Design Annual 2008
(Wolda - Italy)
Final Deadline: 28 May 2008
Entry fees charged

International Wine Label Competition
(SF International Wine Competition - USA)
Deadline: 23 May 2008
Entry fees charged

Recharge Your Design Batteries
(RotoVision - UK)
Deadline extended: 30 May 2008
No entry fees charged

Sappi Ideas that Matter 2008
(Sappi Fine Paper North America - USA)
Deadline: 30 May 2008

Behind The Design
(Crescent Hill Books - USA)
Deadline Extended: 1 June 2008
No entry fees charged

Growing Graphics - Graphics for Kids
(Index Book - Spain)
Deadline: 2 June 2008
No entry fees charged

Corporate Identity 5
(Graphis - USA)
Deadline: 2 June 2008
Entry fees charged

Communication Arts Advertising Competition
(Communication Arts - USA)
Deadline: 2 June 2008
Entry fees charged

Communication Arts Design Competition
(Communication Arts - USA)
Deadline: 2 June 2008
Entry fees charged

American Graphic Design Awards
(Graphic Design USA - USA)
Deadline: 6 June 2008
Entry fees charged

HOW Interactive Design Awards 2008
(HOW Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 15 June 2008
Entry fees charged

LogoPond Awards
(LogoPond - USA)
Deadline: 15 June 2008
Entry fees charged

Really Good Packaging, Explained
(Crescent Hill Books - USA)
Deadline: 16 June 2008
No entry fees charged

The BEST Ads You've Never Seen
(Crescent Hill Books - USA)
Deadline: 30 June 2008
No entry fees charged

LogoLounge 5
(LogoLounge - USA)
Deadline: 30 June 2008
LogoLounge paid membership required

The Create Awards 2008
(Create Magazine - USA)
Extended Deadline (with late fees): 7 July 2008
Entry fees charged

No Rules! Logos
(RotoVision - UK)
Deadline: 7 July 2008
No entry fees charged

2008 UCDA Design Competition
(UCDA - USA)
Deadline: 11 July 2008
Entry fees charged

Creativity Annual Awards
(Creativity Annual Awards - USA)
Deadline: 15 July 2008
Entry fees charged

2008 Re:Design Competition
(Dynamic Graphics - USA)
Deadline: 15 August 2008
Entry fees charged

HOW International Design Awards 2008
(HOW Magazine - USA)
Deadline: 1 September 2008
Entry fees charged

For a Good Cause: Solidarity Design
(Index Book - Spain)
Deadline: 15 September 2008
No entry fees charged

A Homeage to Typography
(Index Book - Spain)
Deadline: 30 September 2008
No entry fees charged

Toilets - PictoSigns
(Index Book - Spain)
Deadline: 30 September 2008
No entry fees charged

(To make sure you are reading the latest bLog-oMotives design competition update click here.)

You may want to read my article about participating in design industry competitions: A Winning Strategy. It has appeared on the Creative Latitude and NO!SPEC web sites.

Design competition calendars are also available at Icograda and Workbook. Lürzer's ARCHIVE also has an impressive online list of competitions sponsored by international magazines and organizations. DesignTaxi and Dexinger post competitions of great value to industry professionals - however designers need to be aware that some of the listings are for "spec" work as a requirement for submission. Requests for new, or speculative, work as a condition of entering a "contest" are much different than legitimate design competition "calls for entries," in which previously created works are judged for possible awards, exhibition, or publication in an annual or other book.

My own work appears in nearly 100 graphic design books. Many of those inclusions are the result of design competitions, or requests for submissions, like those listed above.

For the perspective from the other side of design competitions, I wrote a bLog-oMotives entry about judging the 2007 Summit Creative Awards.

Good luck!

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

It's in the cards...

Five years ago I was preparing to speak at the HOW Design Conference in New Orleans and realized that I needed to change my ways. Until that time Jeff Fisher LogoMotives did not have a business card. In fact, in the Portland design market I was commonly referred to as "that designer who doesn't have a business card" and had not made use of a card for over a decade. Heading off to my first major design conference, I knew that I needed to have an identifying card to share with others in the profession.

I'd had the concept for my cards (stored away in my tiny little brain) for many years. It was just one of those "the cobbler's kids have no shoes" kind of things - I've always been horrible about getting design projects completed for myself. So, I finally created the business card I wanted; one modeled after the railroad cards in the board game Monopoly. The wonderful folks at Oblation Papers & Press produced my beautiful letterpress cards. I don't remember the quantity produced. I do remember that the final product ended up costing me just over 70 cents per card. Still, it was a very worthy investment in making a great first impression - and it even ended up in The Big Book of Business Cards.

A couple of weeks ago I was looking at my schedule of upcoming speaking engagements, and networking events, and realized I should check my inventory of cards. I was a bit stunned to determine that I only had about 40 of the letterpress cards left in my stationery cabinet. With a Portland biznik networking event less than a week away, I decided I'd better update the mission statement on my card, add needed information and reorganize some content. I uploaded the file to the site of NitroPrint (the company who had done a great job for me on an Identity Crisis! postcard last fall) and in a couple days I had my new card - at less than 3 cents a piece! I'm very happy with the end result and I've been passing the things around like crazy in both Portland and Seattle in the last week.

Today I noticed a timely post on Designers Who Blog about the business cards of those who blog. Check out "Business Cards of Bloggers" and add yours to the growing collection.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Jeff Fisher to be on social networking panel
for Self-Employed Creative Professionals

Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the design firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, will be a member of the panel discussing Harnessing the Power of Online Social Networks to be hosted by Self-Employed Creative Professionals (SECP) in Portland, OR on May 15, 2008. The event, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, will be held at The Oregon Stamp Society, 4828 NE 33rd Avenue in Portland. The activity fee is $10.

Online forums and newsgroups are major source of marketing and promotion for Fisher. Clients from around the globe have found their way to his one-man design firm. His efforts have been highlighted in books, magazines and websites. His social networking has also resulted in requests to speak to design students, business organizations and major design conferences, including the annual HOW Design Conference.

Others to be on the panel discussing the business advantages of social networking are writer Susan Rich of RichWriting Creative Services, Working Artists LLC founder Adrienne Fritze, and eMarketing Strategist Elgé Premeau. Christian Messer, of Whiplash Design, is scheduled to be the moderator for the evening.

SECP strives to be a hub for creative talent — a resource for both creative independents and the business community they serve - in the Portland metropolitan area. Self-Employed Creative Professionals are the strategic planners, writers, photographers and designers who create advertising and marketing buzz, plan and design websites, and develop content and images for effective communications. Members range from recent graduates to seasoned professionals who have built a successful business around the creative work they love. The organization currently has nearly 600 members.

Additional information about "Harnessing the Power of Online Social Networks" may be found on the SECP website.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Where do you do what you do?

I'm working from the desk of Seattle hotel suite, with an incredible view of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains, at this very moment - and I'm always working from wherever I may be with my PowerBook at the time. It might be from a villa in Italy, in beachfront home in St. Croix, on a picnic table at a campground on the Oregon Coast, from an uncomfortable chair in some noisy airport waiting area, from the kitchen table of a friend's home in another city, in our camping van along Eagle Creek while gold mining in the Wallowa Mountains, or elsewhere. Still, my favorite place to be at work is from my own home garden - with WiFi! Check out the workspaces of others, and add photos of your own, at the new site WHEREWEDOWHATWEDO (that's Where We Do What We Do).

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Jeff Fisher interviewed by Just Creative

Thanks to Jacob Cass for posting Logo Design Tips & A Not-So-Ordinary Interview with Famous Celebrity Logo Designer Jeff Fisher on his design industry blog Just Creative. In a relatively short period of time, the blog has become a great resource for designers and I'm thrilled to be featured.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Marketing logo design services with online resources

At speaking engagements, while participating in online forums, and via email I am always being asked for suggestions on how to market identity design services online. I've covered a variety of methods I use in a previous bLog-oMotives entry. In this post I am specifically addressing online resources I have used to give exposure to my own logo design efforts. Each of the Internet portfolio, or gallery, options has resulted in potential logo design clients coming my way.

Logopond: My favorite web presence for showcasing, and viewing, logo design work is Logopond. Access to the site is free, as is participation. Participant contributions and advertising support the site. Design professionals and students can establish a profile, create a portfolio of work, comment on the work of others, participate in a site forum and more. Those seeking logo designers are free to peruse the site for potential designers. In addition, the first Logopond Awards competition is currently being conducted. A "sister" site has recently been launched to feature the work of illustrators.

LogoLounge: Many in the design industry are probably familiar with LogoLounge due to the four books being marketed under the same name (Volumes 1- 4). This membership-based site allows identity designers the opportunity to upload a portfolio of images that, for the $100 annual fee, are then also considered for upcoming volumes in the book series. Some identity-related content is available to anyone visiting the site. However, membership does have its privileges. The site is currently taking submissions, through June 30, 2008, that will be considered for LogoLounge, Volume 5.

The Identity Archives Project: The IADP is an interesting project that has the potential to be a great resource with additional participation from the design community. It is another free logo-specific resource that provides an searchable archive of identity designs uploaded by designers. I have only posted a few images myself. However, a client did find me through the site last year.

designerID: Social networking comes to the design community with the designerID site. Design professionals may create an online portfolio, post a detailed online profile, submit news, and connect with others in the industry on this advertising-supported website. The resource is not identity design specific.

design:related: This site is another making use of a social networking model. With registration, designers may create a profile, publish a portfolio of work, connect with other creative types, indicate inspirations, post news and more.

Facebook: My Facebook profile and photo galleries have been an excellent method of showcasing my identity design work. The exposure has even been greater since participating in Facebook groups related to logo design. An international community of identity designers has been established.

flickr: The flickr site isn't just for photo images. The creation of a set of my logo design images brought my work to the attention of numerous potential clients.

Graphics.com: Portfolios have been in place, in a wide variety of categories, for quite some time on Graphics.com. My logo design portfolio has been a valuable marketing resource for several years now.

DesignHide: My DesignHide profile is the newest addition to my online marketing. The site, still in beta, defines itself as the "place for creative media producers, including web designers, graphic artists, videographers, print media producers, photographers, artists, and ad managers, to display their work with the end goal of attracting new business opportunities. We want to put the best creative professionals in touch with those seeking the best."

Coroflot: Coroflot is really the only more traditional online portfolio site on which I have identity design work posted. The website offers a job board and industry-related blog in addition to portfolios.

There are many other online resources for posting and promoting one's design work. As mentioned earlier in this piece, those listed above are just the online options I am currently using to give my own identity design work an international presence beyond my website, blogs, and books and magazines in which my work may appear.

© 2008 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives.