I give you Michigan Apples. Apples are Michigan’s largest and most valuable fruit crop, with an estimated economic impact of $700 million annually. Along with a website overhaul, we developed a new logo for the Apples folks to use in their promotional materials.

Check out the photo below and view the results in a local Meijer supermarket. Seeing our designs come to life is something special that never gets old!

Keating led a tutorial workshop for creating a tablet version of a publication, using as an example MUSES magazine (designed by BCP), the annual publication of the MSU College of Arts and Letters. Using a PDF of the magazine, he “cut it up” to enable him to reorganize the information in a tablet-friendly manner.

Unfortunately, a number of the laptops that were provided to participants had various software and access issues so many participants were not able to follow along. However, much was still learned from observing Keating at work and listening to his tips and techniques.

Keating emphasized the importance of designing a layout that is appropriate to the subject matter and readership. Some publications are best designed with an emphasis on images, with copy being available as a secondary “button,” while others may function better by giving priority to text.

He also emphasized the importance of providing a clear and well-designed how-to-use navigation section at the beginning of a publication.

Keating said that while tablet and other forms of electronic publications are most definitely on the rise, he believes it will be many years before we see the end of printed versions of most of them.

The Michigan Apple Committee has a website which we proudly designed.  Check it out here: http://www.michiganapples.com. As well as highlighting a sleek design and many informative sections on growers, news and where to buy Michigan apples, the top portion of the website has easy-to-view links to the organization’s social media, which include an RSS feed, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Here is a snapshot:

The ease with which a visitor can quickly find these links is something I want to stress to businesses and organizations when designing a site. And it is not just having links to a social network which is important; any widgets that I have seen for things like including a Twitter feed directly on your site can pay huge dividends. It aggregates more content in an effective manner making things easier for site traffickers.

Then, on your social media pages, include links back to the main website and your other social networks so everything is well connected and easy to maneuver between. Small things like this are components that should not be forgotten when considering effective web and social media strategies.

Dustin was recently “drafted” to Dribbble, a private beta internet community of designers created by Dan Cederholm and Rich Thornett. Dribbble “players”–who work in a variety of graphic design-related areas, but are mostly web and interface designers–post tiny screenshots of work in progress. Other players can then comment on the “shots” (are you sensing a theme here?). It’s a great way for designers to get high-quality feedback from top people in the industry. And we obviously agree that Dustin should be included in that group!

As Dustin puts it, “The cool thing is that they limit the number of drafted players, so the quality is ultra-high and the feedback is really good.”

It works like Twitter in that players can follow other players to keep up with their latest work. Players can also “like” individual posted pieces–basically like voting for their favorites–if they choose.

We all know that critiques from respected members of our industry sharpen our skills and make our work better. But in the end, clients benefit too–from work that is fresh, innovative, and reflective of some of the best creative thinking in the country.

(Note to clients: As important as feedback is, it’s trumped by client confidentiality. If you own the rights to a work in progress, we won’t post a “shot” of it without your permission.)

When we invited our clients and associates to submit ideas and get a shirt, the floodgates opened. Not only did more people respond than we expected, but most of those who did sent multiple ideas. Best of all, there were a lot of great ones....and a few of the "Why didn't WE think of that?" variety, too. (Personal fave: Buncha Crazy People!) Whether it was the chance to be immortalized in silk screen or just to get the free shirt, people unleashed their inner copywriter for this one.

Thanks to all of you for playing our game! The shirts have been delivered to everyone who joined in the fun...except those who submitted anonymously. If that was you (or if you can come up with a reasonably convincing sob story) we might have a couple extra shirts laying around that we can spare.

• big cuddly people
• brain cramp psychos
• bitter chocolate pimples
• belligerent cootie protectors
• bearing children prolifically
• bold contrarian practitioners
• benificent cowering popes
• boring Canadian provinces
• brilliant communications persuade
• baroque Chinese pagodas
• bouncing checks prodigiously
• bothersome cat puddles
• brassy country prostitutes
• berserk cartoon people
• big circumpolar pumpkins
• bubbly clown prodigies
• biodegradable cherry pies
• biodiversity calmly proceeding
• blondes coyly parading
• brilliant colorful poodles
• bimbo-coveting perverts
• bald capitalist pigs
• badly-coached players
• big challenges? perfect!
• baffling Czecholslovakian proverbs
• best cherry pie
• blue collar power
• bungled catastrophic policies
• buy colored pencils
• bioengineered corn products
• bees can’t pee
• bloated coughing porcupines
• brightly colored phlegm
• beware cunning psychologists!
• bring cash please
• Boston cream pie
• bold creative powerhouse
• brainiac customized program
• bright creative people
• best-in-show cute puppy
• better come prepared
• BAM! CRASH! POW!
• baffling creative perspective
• bistec con papas
• budget conscious peddlers
• bodacious cacophonous pandemonium
• beefy couch potatoes
• best campaign promised
• beer causes problems
• beautiful conscious perfection
• BigTen Champions PennState
• blasphemous calumnies plagiarized
• boosting clients’ profits
• bold creative progressive
• babies cry & poop
• black coffee please
• booty call person
• bodacious cat pirates
• big chocolate problem
• butt crack plumber
• banana cream pie
• buncha crazy people
• being crazy perfect!
• branding characteristic principles
• boys chew pens
• blohm creative partners