One more reason to love the Northwest Washington Fair… Monster Trucks

Continuing the “Reasons to love the Northwest Washington Fair” marketing campaign we initiated last year for Lynden’s annual fair, here’s the newest design we’ve created for the NWF. This year’s poster design incorporated some of the Lynden Fair’s actual buildings and attractions to catch the eye and stir up past memories for all who happen to see the poster.

We created this campaign last year to build anticipation for the NWF’s 100-year anniversary celebration (97 Reasons to love the NWF, 98 Reasons, 99…), as well as to showcase the many different aspects of the NWF that attract visitors of all ages.

So what’s this year’s newest reason to love the Northwest Washington Fair, reason number 98? Monster Trucks. [Insert best monster truck announcer voice here] Ohhhhhh yeaahhhhhhhh!

Keep your eyes out in the next couple of months leading up to the fair for this design to pop up around our community, be it on a billboard in Lynden or on your TV at home.

Creating Achilles Inflatable Boats’ new Web presence

We recently wrapped up a new Web site for Achilles Inflatable Boats, manufacturer of some of the highest-quality inflatable rafts in the world (no exaggeration; you can read more about the company here).

The goal of this project was to create a new Web site that properly showcased Achilles’ commitment to delivering exceptional watercrafts, one that would put the company on par with other leading inflatable watercraft manufacturers. Rather than just repurpose the Achilles catalog content, though, we sought to create a very dynamic user experience for site visitors.

It takes a careful balance when it comes to designing product-based Web sites for companies such as Achilles: a site that’s too simplistic can leave people looking elsewhere for more info on your products, while too many details can overwhelm site visitors, create an eyesore and blemish the company’s image in the process. When it works out, though, when you’ve found just the right balance using an innovative, user-friendly product presentation, the result is an attractive and helpful Web presence. That’s exactly what we set out to accomplish with this project.

Here are some pics of the new Achilles site:

Another version of the Achilles homepage…

…and here’s an example of the Achilles Products page.

Check out the rest of the Achilles site and let us know what you think.

For anyone even remotely interested in great design: Yves Behar on TED.com

Design genius Yves Behar (pronounced “eev”) of FuseProject recently spoke on TED.com about the various influences that shaped his interest in design, as well as some of the projects he’s worked on.

For those not immediately familiar with Behar, you’ve likely seen or at least heard of his work. Yves is responsible for designing the innovative, yet low-cost $100 laptop as part of the “One Laptop Per Child” project, the intriguing Leaf Lamp, and the sleek Jawbone Bluetooth headset.

Lot’s of other good stuff in this clip. Check it out for yourself here.

Good Photos, Bad Photos: The value of a quality photographer

Finding a photographer in Bellingham is like finding a cup of coffee, there’s one every 15 feet or so. Finding a good one, though, that comes with experience…

We just wrapped up a couple ads for longtime Baron & Co client Chmelik Sitkin & Davis. The downtown law firm has been around for a while (since the early ’80s) and have a very well-established clientèle. Our most recent work consisted of announcing their most recently appointed principal, Michelle Losie, as well as the recognition of Frank Chmelik and Jon Sitkin by the Super Lawyer program (a group made up of only 5% of all Washington State attorneys).

Creating ads for the firm is always a pleasure and a great opportunity to show that a law firm ad can actually be created without the use of Olan Mills-style photos, stock photography or the photo the lawyer’s secretary snapped with her personal camera. There are far too many examples of low-cost photography being used to represent what should be perceived as a very professional, respectable business. Case in point:

Or this…

To present the Chmelik Sitkin & Davis firm on the same level of professionalism they’ve become known for, we needed some very high quality photos. Thankfully, we’ve done enough work to know some great photographers. For this shoot, we went with local photographer Gabe Rodriguez.

The end result? A happy client and an updated look and feel for the firm’s ads. Here’s the final product…

Paying for Talent.

Occasionally, I am asked simple questions that take me back to the fundamentals of this business and managing a business in general. I love when this happens because it usually sets my feet in the puddles of common sense that are all too easy to skip across when the going gets going too fast.

“Why do you cost more?” was the question I received today.

I love that question because it gives me the chance to talk about our team and if there is one thing I love, its talking about our team.

In web development I am confident that we are not the cheapest firm around. I don’t want to be the cheapest. Cheapest and “blow your mind” rarely go out together to talk about how compatible they are.

Creating web sites, brilliant design, advertising, film, etc. are all beholden to the potential of the people creating in those spaces. Talent comes in all shapes and sizes but usually comes with a common quality - the ability to repeat a brilliant performance when called on to do so. Average workers get lucky sometimes and find it difficult to replicate their success - because they don’t know what their success was based upon. But talent comes at a price commensurate with quality.

We invest very heavily in talent and do so ahead of when the balance sheet says it is safe. It is scary at times to reach DEEP in the pockets to pay for talent but you have to trust that winners win. Time after time. Google and Apple are both famous for paying VERY well for the best and brightest. If Apple bought average talent in the area of industrial design or not paid for the triumphant return of Steve Jobs in the 90s would the iPod ever have seen the light of day? What would they have “saved”? They would have foregone billions - with a “b”.

In small businesses, the impact is even more severe. Great ideas in small companies have the potential to radically transform those companies and the people who work there. You can rely on average talent for a long time. You’ll maybe keep the doors open and offer the same level of quality that you always have. Or you can get moving in a direction to be exceptional. And it will happen on the back of the people you employ.

Its a lot more fun to go to work and be surrounded by exceptional.

Mardi Gras in Downtown Bellingham

Anyone who’s been in downtown Bellingham recently knows how much the area’s been cleaned up. With several new businesses coming on board and new housing being introduced, the area has received a major face-lift in recent years.

One group who’s been involved in this effort, and who’s driving promotion for business in downtown, is the Downtown Renaissance Network. We’ve been involved with the group for a little while now, developing the downtown Bellingham identity, designing print materials and producing several TV spots.

Most recently, we’ve been working with DTR to promote an upcoming party - Downtown Mardi Gras 2008. The network is putting on a Mardi Gras celebration on Feb 9, a benefit to raise money for DTR complete with costumes, dancing and live Zydeco music (come on, when’s the last time you danced to live Zydeco music? And in Bellingham, for that matter.), some tasty food, an auction and other festivities. You can find out more about the event and secure your space at their Web site.

It should be a great event, and it will be bringing in $ to support downtown too.

So come on, get out there. Celebrate Mardi Gras. And support your downtown Bellingham.

Skagit Transit and Toys For Tots: Partnering up to bring smiles to even more children this Christmas

We’ve enjoyed working with Skagit Transit on a wide variety of projects for a number of years now. Over the years, we’ve designed an updated Skagit Transit logo, created a TV ad showcasing several Skagit Transit riders sharing why they enjoy the “Everett Express,” Skagit Transit’s daily commuter service between Skagit County and Everett, and we regularly produce the Skagit Transit Times, the agency’s quarterly newsletter, among other things.

But this quarter has brought a different project to the table. This winter, Skagit Transit is partnering with Toys for Tots in Skagit County to challenge the community to help collect even more toys this year for local families in need.

As a way to help motivate local community members to get involved in this year’s toy drive, Skagit Transit has parked one of their Vanpool vans inside the Cascade Mall in Burlington (thanks Cascade Mall!), smack dab in the middle of one of the mall’s courtyards. By December 25, the hope is that the van will be packed to the brim with new, unwrapped donated toys for youth aged 18 years and younger.

If you’re in the area, or just driving through Skagit County, swing in and check it out (and drop off a toy or two). We’ll be there this Saturday and Sunday, from 11:00 to 2:00, in front of the mall’s eastern entrance (on the opposite side of the mall from I-5). In order to make it even easier to swing in and drop off donations, volunteers will be on hand to collect donations from cars as they pull up and drop off donations. Skagit Transit will have one of their 29 foot long buses parked near the mall’s entrance where this will be taking place, just to make sure no one misses us.

It’s been great to see Skagit Transit align itself with an organization that shares so many of the agency’s core values. This partnership truly reflects the goodwill Skagit Transit offers to local residents. With any luck, this year will start a tradition between Skagit Transit and Toys For Tots for many years to come.