This is in a reply to a twitter comment by @jwojchi about my compliments to Landor for their recent re-branding effort for DC Comics.

Great branding firms do not create for the past, they also just keep the present in mind when designing for the future.

Change is hard to give into, especially when it intrudes an era of historic connections with die-hard fans, but there is a larger chance that Landor’s work will in fact do what it promises to deliver, which is to turn DC Comics’ objectives into a lively, current and adjustable brand platform that is weathered for changes within DC Comics that outside spectators, like myself, can not be aware of. More »

Geyrhalter & Co. has an ideal location on Main Street in Santa Monica. It’s close to the ocean which makes for a perfect lunch hour. Walk two sunny blocks to the beach, take your shoes off, and eat your lunch. A true “sandwich,” as it were.

The lunch choices in our neighborhood are plentiful. Within a few-block radius we can choose omusubi or seitan and pico de gallo or pancakes. But with too many choices comes indecision. More »

9/11/11 is past us, and I am sure we are all a bit relieved as it is not a joyful day in any means, and it comes with many hurtful memories atop of fears of repeat attacks. When flipping through the great New York Times memorial issue, I paused to reflect on the way brands chose to walk the very delicate line of mixing honest sympathy with a hint of marketing message – all the way to a blunt in-your-face sales message hidden inside the memorial post. Here is a selection of the ones that grabbed my attention the most:

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(Guest post by Sara)

Google Docs snuck up on me like Rickey Henderson on speed skates. There was no getting-to-know-you period, it was like, “Pleased to make your acquaintance, now will you marry me?” I said “yes.”

Here are 3 reasons why Google Docs. makes my work day a breeze:

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In times where brands respond to customers within seconds via Twitter it makes sense that brands try to stay on top of the movement by providing a personalized experience to their customers. It is good to try, but if you try too hard, you die trying.

Some policy changed at Peet’s Coffee & Tea for example and all of a sudden a random ‘barista’ shouts ‘Good Morning’ to the crowd, which feels very awkward as everyone feels like they are being talked to, yet no one feels addressed. Another awkward new habit is to have employees at stores such as Nordstrom, and even Barneys, use their downtime to write strange postcards that look like they are written by a pre-teen, for a pre-teen, to their customers.

Brands, be careful out there. Unless you really understand who your customer is and how you can take advantage of a more unique outreach that is truly personal and honest, it is best not to try too hard and stick to the conventional ways you already mastered. It can only backfire.

Today’s great FastCoDesign post was titled ‘Some firms foster strong, team oriented cultures. Others just bribe their employees with free food.‘ When I checked the mail today, as our Office Manager who usually takes care of this for me left the office early because of a death in her family, I found below postcard amongst the usual mix of invoices and magazines. It is a postcard that our Office Manager, Sabrina, wrote to myself, with the single intent of making the CEO of the company smile. The smile carried over to the entire team, reminding us once again what a great office culture we have, receiving postcards from the people we work with across the hall. We hope this smile carries over to Sabrina as she deals with her loss today.

I have been buying a lot of used vinyl lately. Mostly for under $1 and a majority of it focused on establishing a collection of all the classics: The Carpenters, The Bee Gees, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Dave Brubeck, lots of Motown and Verve Records, and of course the occasional 80′s record that just brings back those childhood memories.

It is interesting when you listen to the 80′s pop genre. The music you know, you think of as ‘amazing’ and then once you hear B-sides or tracks on full lengths that you have not been exposed to, they sound, well, dated. Or shall we say ‘cheesy’, and often plain embarrassing.

The same holds true for the record sleeve designs, as you can see in the examples below:

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I just recently came back from a trip to see my parents in Austria. We are all big lovers of Austrian wines and have an affinty for great design. It seems to go hand in hand in many cases, no  pun intended. As I tasted a Grüner Veltliner from a vineyard I have not explored so far, something interesting happened. I did not take the bottle with me while having the first sips.

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…and so were the 17 million kids that have been treated in Childrens’ hospitals with the help of the Children’s Miracle Network, the amazing organization that saves the lives of children by raising funds and awareness for children’s hospitals and foundations throughout North America.

I spent 3 days in Orlando last week, at the annual celebration of ‘Champions’, a program that honors remarkable children who have triumphed despite severe medical challenges. G&Co client, CO-OP Financial Services, invited me to learn about the cause that CO-OP is so heavily backing through various generous programs (CO-OP donates almost $2 million annually), and to start the conversation of Geyrhalter & Co doing pro-bono work for this special cause.

Sam (2010 Texas Champion, Age 15) gave us an insight into his fight against Hereditary Dystonia during one of our Credit Unions For Kids meetings.

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Back in 1997 Fabian Geyrhalter, our President and Creative Director, a graphic design student at Art Center College Of Design at the time, was approached by his brother Nikolaus, to design the poster for his second documentary film.

13 years later, the talented designers at Geyrhalter & Co are busy working on two new film posters, two web sites and several collateral pieces for Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion in Vienna, Austria. Fabian’s brother has since emerged as one of Europe’s most successful and important documentarians and we want to use this moment to look back at the work we have created for Nikolaus’ important films over the past 13 years. If you are intrigued, which we hope you will be, you can view trailers of his films via this YouTube channel. More »