Archive for the ‘Graphic Design’ Category

Are all web sites different

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Since ADD Creatives inception, we have learnt an awful lot about the subtle changes in client requirements. It seems that over the years, the industry changed shape and people have more choice and demand when it comes to web design. That might be why bespoke web site design is the best way forward.

Each business is different in many ways. Sometimes you have two companies in the same industry but they want to target two different sets of clients. Occasionally even the companie’s approach to their clients differs and this makes our job just that little bit harder when it comes to getting the web site right.

We do not create two web sites that are the same, we do not believe in templates and cutting corners. Research shows that tailor made sites produce much better results in the short and long term, mainly because the web site represents the company in extra depth and in a finely tuned way.

Some companies require an online store, others just want to take orders over the phone, some do not need an online store, but just a simple online presence, possibilities and avenues with business web sites are vast.

When we first started, most of our sites were simple static sites but as time has gone, content management has become very popular and now is a mainstay on most of our sites.

How would a CMS (Content Management System) work for you?

If you feel your site requires content being changed on a regular basis, or if you like to have control on changing your text and images then a CMS is likely to be for you. ADD Creative can modify content for you at a really competitive price, but of course over time it would be more cost effective for you to have a content management system installed.

A CMS will not give you a advanced design tool, you won’t be able to drag and drop elements on your site like you would be able to do in a desktop publishing program such as publisher or word. It will just give you access to text, pictures and database driven content (price lists, menus, gallerys). Changing graphical content and layouts will require expert interference from ADD Creative.

I have something really unique i need to display on my web site?

A web site can be a powerful tool these days, there is not much we cannot do in terms of design and functionality. To create custom functions does take longer in development time than normal static web sites, so expect the cost to be higher. We try to keep our prices as competitive as possible especially when it comes to quoting for unique programming code. The more in depth the specification the more accurate we can quote, it could be that your project might be easier then when first briefed.

What should i think about when doing a brief for my web site?

• Try to think of how many pages you think you will have on the site
• Do I have images I can use and do I own the rights to these images
• Will I need anything unique such as a database or anything special
• Will I need to update my content on a regular basis
• What kind of colour scheme do I have in mind

The more details we have the better understanding we have of your project, this means we can produce the best possible result for you and your business.

Looking for that special image

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Just lately we have been using www.istockphoto.com as a really good resource for sourcing images for clients. Some people begrudge paying for a photo, but some of the sites we are currently working on really come alive with good imagery.

For web you do not need high resolution images, so istockphoto can be a affordable resource, 1 credit per image is a good price.

We find that images with people in always seem to work well, it must be because as humans we are curious creatures and relate to faces and people more so than objects. This is why big advertising campaigns always use a face. Even for your brochure web site, a face popping up here and there is not such a bad thing, engaging your visitors is always reccomended.

Why not have a look at istockphoto and see if there are any ‘killer’ images that reflect your business and what you are trying to portray?

Why Good Design is Important!

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Its a tough world out there!

In the current climate of tough competition, your companies brand has to be at its strongest. I have realised from years in the design industry that when marketing say “brand is everything” they really do mean it.

Of course most small businesses will not have the budget to get their brand out there but on a small scale brand is still important. It helps public perception and when you have a particular style, use certain guidelines, your customers will start to feel at home.

A good brand will work from the bottom up, a customer of yours might be searching for your details through a wad of paper and when they come across your headed paper/previous invoice, you are instantly recognizable. This helps communication, improves relations and eventually leads to sales.

Public perception of brand is more important than ever, in nature we apply ourselves to groups and are judged them, even if we like it or not, and in some respects design serves a purpose to categorize your business. Are you cool? or are you….. not so cool?

Simple little things can transform your business into something with a bit more bite, a bit more leverage when it comes to winning that all important contract.

Whats in a logo?

If your logo contains fonts such as Comic Sans and other cartoony fonts, are some of your new customers going to take you less seriously? You might think its crazy but research has shown in the past that font type on company logos does have an impact on how people perceive your company. Take Comic Sans for example, it is a free font usually used for home poster design, as its not as conventional as something like Arial its often used for fluffy letters and other un-professional documents. A customer seeing Comic Sans on your website or even worse on your logo might have those connotations, but perhaps they wont, after all everybody is different.

The bottom line is, try to think how your brand is communicating with your customers, is it saying what you want it to say, do you look like a low budget operation?

ADD Creative are experts in branding and brand awareness, we can look at your current brand and give you options to improve and communicate in a far more lucrative way.