How Non-Profits Can Leverage the Web

On Friday, we gave a presentation for United Way and Pace University Not-for-Profit Management Center, How Non-Profits Can Leverage the Web: Marketing Your Organization Using Online Tools. We had some help from our friend Howard Greenstein, Social Media Evangelist and President of The Harbrooke Group.

We wanted to post a few of the videos we presented, for anyone interested.

We received these fabulous video's from JohnHaydon.com







Social Networking in Plain English is done by the smart people at Common Craft.

Case Study : How Did We Do That?

Every Thanksgiving The Byne Group tries to have some fun putting together unusual cards for our clients. This year Ann Byne was inspired by the most amazing aprons her mother-in-law recently gave her (her mom's mom had made them in the 50s). Through the magic of Photoshop we happily gathered wearing the aprons in a 50s kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving meal with attitude!

So how was I able to do this you may ask. On Halloween we all dressed up as 50s house wives. We then all took photos of one another against a white wall. As you can see some of us really got into character.




After the photos were taken, I downloaded them onto my computer. Using Photoshop I cut away the background so just a silo of each person remained. Since we didn't have a turkey laying around I also had to add a photo of a turkey in my hands.




Once everyone was cut out, I added them into the kitchen photo I had found. I re-sized each appropriately, people in the front were larger and people in the back were smaller to give the illusion of depth.

All of us had a lot of fun with this year's Thanksgiving card. It's always great when each of us can bring an idea to the table and incorporate it all. We have gotten amazing feedback from those who have received the card. Look for our upcoming issue of Freshly Squeezed where we'll have a downloadable PDF of drink recipes of the top 6 mixed drinks from the 50s and favorites of the MadMen characters.


-Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer, The Byne Group

Have you submitted your website to all the top search engines?

At my recent presentation at Pace University on Social Media I was asked, "Why can't people find my website when they search online?" My answer, a bit flippant, was that it would take another three hour class for a decent response about search engine optimization (SEO).

On reflection, my answer should have been another question. Have you submitted your website to all the top search engines? Seems obvious, right, but often this first very simple step is overlooked. Search engines are the most used sites out there, and there is a much greater possibility that people will find you if you are registered in their database. The good news, you don't need to be a programmer or a website whiz or pay somebody loads of money and it's simple to do!

How To Do It
First: Visit the search engine that you are interested in submitting to and at the bottom of the page; there is usually a link that says something like, "submit your site." If you cannot find this link, try the site map or the "about" page.

Second: Make sure that you completely fill out each section of the submission form and submit your site only ONCE to each engine.

Another interesting fact is that after a website is indexed in Google, Bing and Yahoo then new content will automatically be picked up by the crawler each time it visits the site. And don't forget social media sites. After you have submitted your site to the big search engines, you can submit it toask.com and stumble.

Crossing An Imaginary Line In Order To Build A Career

Living the life and career we want means taking ownership and making our own luck.

If we pay attention, insight comes at us from all directions. In a recent special Chris Rock does a bit about jobs vs. careers, really nailing the difference on the head. And because he made me laugh hysterically while doing it, I still remember the message.

Chris’ skit talks about his former job as a shrimp scraper at Red Lobster and how he played the "I'm not going to look at my watch" game for hours (who of us can say we never played that game) only to give in after what seemed like an eternity and realize that only 10 minutes had past! Chris took risks; faced fears followed his dreams and built an amazing career.

Working at a Job vs. Having a Career

According to the book How Remarkable Women Lead, one step is just crossing the line “When you choose to cross that invisible line from being a person to whom things happen to, to becoming a person who makes things happen…choosing to act on opportunities that carry risk, and facing your deep-seated fears…there’s no going back.”

Once you’ve tasted the joy of autonomy, influence, and a sense of meaning it becomes a defining moment. Crossing that line has had a huge payoff for me, and I’m not referring to money. When you have a career that you have chosen, worked hard for, and love, it never feels like work. It's only when you have a JOB that time never passes fast enough.

There is always a downside. A career may not mean stability, and for me the fear of failure doesn’t ever go away completely, but I've learned how to stay ahead of it and have people to call for that extra shot of positive thinking when I need it!

Any thoughts on the subject, would love to hear from you.

Web Tips 101 : The Importance of a Little Analysis

If you’ve attended any of The Byne Group’s seminars, you’ve probably seen
the following formula:

Promise + Experience = Your Brand

An often neglected, yet supremely important, way that clients experience
your brand? Your website.

For all of you whose websites look and function like they were created by your nephew Ned… that’s because they WERE created by your nephew Ned! Sure, Ned’s got mad skill and probably created a super fab flash intro, but are your users able to find what they need, and does the caliber of your website match the caliber of your organization?

Here at The Byne Group, we believe using a website should be easy and pleasant. It should accomplish the user’s goals (They need to find what they are looking for quickly), and your goals (communicating your key message to them).

What’s the most crucial step in your website’s development? A little strategic analysis. Not only does it save time and money in the long run, but you’ll end up with something that looks great and meets your needs.

Here are a few of the things we look at:

1). Your functional requirements. Do you need to manage your own content? Does it have to conform to your corporate style guide? What accessibility laws must it obey?

2). Don’t forget your stakeholders. What does the CEO expect to see? What features does the fundraising committee need?

3). What tone and personality should the site have? What “voice”?

4). Who is your target audience? Who is using your website now and what information are they looking for?

5). If you build it, how will they come? Look at search engine optimization, social networking, and other ways to drive traffic to your site.

-Jennifer Zapf, Art Director

IKEA'S Big Change

A couple of weeks ago I received the new IKEA catalog in the mail and promptly cuddled up and enjoyed some moments of fantasy about the beautiful clutter free Swedish mod apartment I could have one day. As I was perusing the home decor bible, I noticed that the headline type and some other elements did not feel as streamlined and clean. In the past IKEA was one of the fore-runners of the streamlined and clean Bauhaus style.

Well, it turns out I was right ... IKEA has changed their catalog and store signage typeface from Futura to Verdana. To the dismay of MANY of their design-minded clientele. Actually dismay seems too subtle of a word, it’s more like outrage! There is currently a petition online to get rid of Verdana with over 6,000 signatures. Not to mention 100's of blog postings and online articles including Time, New York Times, and Business Week.

For those of you that don't know the history of the two typefaces I will explain things a little.

FUTURA
A classic modern typeface following the Bauhaus design philosophy designed by Paul Renner between 1924 and 1926. He followed the Bauhaus esthetic in that he avoided creating any non-essential elements making use of geometric proportions with no serifs** or frills. It has a crisp, clean form and gives the feeling of efficiency and forwardness.

VERDANA
Designed in 1994 by Microsoft with the intent to create a new typeface that had exceptional readability online at small sizes. Because it was designed for small on-screen text some design elements were overlooked ... and the outcome was a clunky and awkward type when it was displayed large.

For someone who hasn't studied typography or worked with it extensively it’s hard to understand how important small typographic details can be in marketing design. The space between individual letters and the way shapes of letters move our eyes can determine how long people will look at an advertisement or how captivating it will be. The feeling of the type treatment can make or break the feeling of an entire Marketing piece!

Anyway, so Ikea's rebuttal to the outrage was this statement, "Verdana is a simple, cost-effective font which works well in all media & languages." Basically they choose Verdana for functionality over aesthetic. I think it’s hard for many of us to look at things from IKEA’s perspective. I mean, their catalog is the third most printed publication in the entire world after the Bible and Harry Potter! Most of us are not generating marketing pieces on such a global scale. One of the most important things Verdana and Microsoft's design has helped is to quickly and easily translate languages. If this helps them to keep their production costs down and therefore maintain their fantastic price deals ... then I suppose I can be at peace with Verdana too.

**Serif definition: any of the short lines stemming from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the strokes of a letter. Usually horizontal lines for example the feet of the letter "h" in Times New Roman.

http://www.idsgn.org/posts/ikea-says-goodbye-to-futura/
http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/verdanagate.php

Fundraising for Arts Organizations in a Down Economy

At a recent seminar I gave about marketing and social media, someone from the audience wanted to know how to raise money during this economy when your organization is in the arts. (hers focused specifically on African dance, culture and music). Interestingly, I had watched children from their troupe perform at an outdoor festival the prior summer. It had made a real impression on me, they were really amazing.

It's a tough question. We all know non-profits in general are hurting, so how do arts organizations compete with non-profits who help people with basic needs of life? First, can we please begin to eliminate the word compete and competition from our vocabulary, instead lets come from a sense of abundance!

I feel very strongly that now more than ever we all need to have our spirits lifted and dance certainly meets the bill! It seems like a given that all arts should be an important component of our lives and especially our children. Here are some thoughts and ideas I gave her to consider:

Find Ways To Connect With Your Donor

• Remember when you openly talk about challenges that we all face in a difficult economy, it creates a sense of community. Convey your understanding of and empathize with the challenges they may be facing. At the same time, be clear and honest about the challenges your nonprofit is facing.
• No matter what your organization does, be it dance or caring for the sick, be sure to share a specific story about one child or adult that your program has helped. Give enough details to make them care, but not so much that they lose interest. Use it everywhere, on your website, in your letters, in conversations.

Think Outside Of The Box, Be Creative

• According to John Munger, research director for the National Service Organization Dance/USA, "You no longer market a performance that you sit and look at. What you offer is a complete experience that begins before the performance even starts and may continue afterward." Meals and discussions beforehand, maybe dance lessons after”.
• Find ways to partner with other non-profits to create new and more interesting events. You’ll introduce new audiences to each other and hopefully grow your fan and mail list. Brainstorming ideas is more powerful when there are different points of view. The best part, as a team you share the expenses, the work and the money raised.
• Take advantage of social media, it should be all non-profits best friend. Create a Facebook page for your organization and invite fans but also create a cause page where people can donate directly.

Never Give Up

• Last but not least don’t be discouraged, positive thinking is a powerful tool, just fake it until you make it! My grandmother used to say that worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair, you might be moving but you’re not getting anywhere.
• Remember why your organization began and how many lives you have changed through your work. Try to write down each success, and remember to pat yourself on the back once in awhile.
• I think we are in a time of resurgence for the arts, our leadership has an understanding of its vital role in humanity and especially for our children. Hey, a President who even writes poetry can’t be bad!

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on this subject. Has your organization come up with some creative ways to raise awareness and funds. I would love to hear them, you never know who you could inspire to continue to fight the good fight!

-Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal of The Byne Group

Feeling the Love

If social media was the soul mate of any type of organization, it would be the not-for-profit.

On June 19th, Ann Byne, President of The Byne Group, along with Howard Greenstein, social media strategist and President of The Harbrooke Group, presented at the Cornel Cooperative Institute for Not-For-Profits to an impressive group of not-for-profit executives who wanted to find out more about using Facebook and other social media tools to add significant value to their advocacy, fundraising, member retention and marketing efforts.

The group learned about how social media was a perfect fit for building community, publicizing events, increasing involvement, and fundraising to a wider audience. They were also facilitated in a discussion of the concerns and challenges they face in implementing a social media marketing program.

Groups vs. Pages on Facebook

So what's the difference between a "Group" and a "Page" on Facebook? This question has been swirling around our office lately and I have gotten to the bottom of it. First of all, a Group and a Page look different but there is much more to it then that.

Pages can only be created to represent a real public figure, artist, brand or organization. Groups can be created by any user and about any topic, as a space for users to share their opinions and interest in that subject. Pages can have photos, videos, event listings and interactive applications to engage Page visitors. Applications can't be added to Groups.

Pages are designed to allow Page admins to maintain a personal/professional distinction on Facebook (there's that word again, "branding") while Groups are a part of your personal Facebook experience. If you're a Group admin, your name will appear on that group, while Pages will never display their admins' names. When you take actions on your Group, such as posting on your Group's wall, these actions will appear to come from you as an individual. However, if you post or take other actions on a Page you own, it will appear to come from the Page.

Here is a list of other key differences:















The bottom line... Groups are better for hosting a quick active discussion while Pages are better for long-term relationships.

-Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer, The Byne Group

Search Engine Journal: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/facebook-group-vs-facebook-fan-page-whats-better/7761/

Get over your fear of social media already!

You hear it all the time— "You NEED to use social media in your marketing mix," but it's just one more thing to do in your already overwhelmed task list, right? Well my question is, what are you really afraid of?

We all say we are too busy, we say we don't understand it, but in truth, we are terrified of the responsibility and commitment. I mean, how can we stay interesting... forever?

Here are a few reasons to get into the game, without feeling like you're giving birth to a child who will live at home, and talk back to you, forever.

1) You can't beat free.
We are all feeling the pinch of the economy... Many of our clients must cut costs, and your marketing budget has taken a serious hit, if not obliterated completely. While it can't be argued that face-to-face isn't best (after all, cornering that donor with your winning smile is a proven tool), many potential donors and corporations have cut out attendance at these events completely.

2) If it's a disaster, delete it!
Launch a blog or Facebook page with a time limit. Think of it as a campaign: do it for 6 months and then take it down. If it's a disaster, delete it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

3) Use it as an ad.
Who would ever refuse a free ad? Think of it purely as a tool to drive to your website. Block all the commenting features you can and use it as an ad. People will stumble across it in their online research and go to your website.

4) Stop worrying about comments already!
The #1 fear is that someone will say something bad. Are you really that horrible? I doubt it. Ignorance of what people are saying about you may make your job easier but it doesn't help your company. There are tons of controls built in, and people don't really comment anyways. Take it from us, plenty of people read our blog and barely anyone comments. And again, if it's a
disaster, delete it.

5) Its a GREAT opportunity for good PR.
Enough of the long press releases that no one reads. Get your PR people to work on creating exciting content. When in doubt, link to someone else's interesting article. People are online doing research. They will like you because you help them solve their problems, not because of how amazing you say you are.

6) Get used to imperfection.
Not everyone can see everything all the time. Computers are different. That's just the way it is. Cousin Larry will call you (and isn't it always cousin Larry?) and complain that the video didn't play for him. Distract him with a funny story about your granddaughter.

7) Interns interns interns.
No time to set it all up? Just grab an 18 year old and in 3 days they will have you fully functioning.

–Jennifer Zapf, Art Director

Be connected. Be discovered. Be on Facebook.

Since my last post on, “How to Create a Facebook Page…” back in January, many of our clients, both for profit and non-profit, have come to us with many questions about how they can have more of a presence on Facebook. So I’m back with more helpful hints, suggestions and an updated way of how to create your “Page.” Remember, Facebook Pages are a distinct presence that represent an organization and are separate from your personal profile.

How to Create a Page:
Step 1: Go to Facebook.com. Right on the homepage there is a link to create a page.



Step 2: Choose which category you fall under. For example if you are a non-profit, select “Brand, Product, or Organization.”



There are numerous ways for brands to leverage Facebook. Pages are enhanced with applications to help any organization communicate with and engage with their fans. Some applications you can use are:
:: RSS Feed
:: Discussion Boards
:: Events
:: Photos
:: Video
:: And many more!

Keep the conversation going! Every time someone comments on your new status, photo, video, or discussion thread, you need to comment on it. You should be talking with your clients. It may take extra effort to engage with your fans but it will keep them coming back. This is one way to promote an exceptional brand.

Keep it current! Spark conversation, post questions, or new topics for a discussion forum. Update your status with calls to action, recent news or upcoming events.

The connection! Support strong relationships with people who care about your organization. Did you know that more than 3 million users become fans of Facebook Pages every day?

For all you non-profits, don’t forget about Causes Pages! Any U.S. registered 501(c)(3) non-profit or Canadian registered charity can sign-up. Facebook processes the donations automatically via credit card, they tally the results, and report the donation activity via a public "scorecard" on the Cause Page. This allows you the ability to reward the people who donated. Our client, La Casa de Don Pedro, recently created a Cause Page. [click here to check it out]

Check out The Byne Group’s Facebook Page to see how we have utilized the photo, video, and RSS feed applications. Or give us a call and we can discuss how The Byne Group can help you create your own Facebook Page. See how we have helped some of our clients create Facebook Pages:
:: Rockland Parent-Child Center
:: General Patent Corporation

–Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer

A Guest Post : Summer Safety

This guest post is provided by our friend (and our client) Amy Massimo, Director of Public Affairs at Nyack Hospital — Exceptional Skill, Extraordinary Care.

So, summer has finally arrived, and with it comes a deluge of information about staying safe in the sun, while picnicking, at the beach and a host of other outdoor family activities. I'm sure all of us can relate an unfortunate story about when we skipped the sunscreen, ate something at a picnic that should have been on ice, or were bitten by a bee. Not to rain on anybody's parade, but everyone should know a few safety tips before heading outside.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics:
• Young children should apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays.
• For older children, the first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 am and 4 pm
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.
• Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.
• Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
• Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.
• Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.

If you have any questions about summer safety, check with your healthcare provider! And remember the old chestnut "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Me? I'm fair-skinned with a face full of freckles. You'll find me in the shade, slapping on the sunscreen, and drinking something cold. Have a great summer everyone! For more information about these and other tips, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics aap.org.

For more information about Nyack Hospital go to nyackhospital.org.

Benefits of Daydreaming for Creativity as well as Calm

I love daydreaming but I feel a little guilty doing it.

According to wikipedia while daydreaming has long been derided as a lazy, non-productive pastime, daydreaming can be constructive in some contexts. There are numerous examples of people in creative or artistic careers, such as composers, novelists and filmmakers, developing new ideas through daydreaming. Similarly, research scientists, mathematicians and physicists have developed new ideas by daydreaming about their subject areas.

As a kid I was always lost in my dreams, ok I'll admit that when I was 13 it was mostly about how Paul from the Beatles would fall in love with me some day! And there are times when I've been caught not paying full attention when my husband is telling me something for the third time. But professionally I get some of my most creative, imaginative thoughts while daydreaming, and I see it as a valuable tool for coming up with fresh marketing ideas for my clients.

And as it turns out, there is some interesting research to back that up.

“Daydreaming is important, neuroscientists have found, because it allows the brain to make novel associations and connections between unrelated ideas; and the freedom to drift allows our brains to imagine abstract, highly imaginative things. As any creative person knows, these are exactly the kinds of states of mind that lead to sessions of brilliant creativity, where ideas can come as fast as you can write them down.” - Jonah Lehrer, The Boston Globe

Not a natural daydreamer and want to know how to start, here are some tips from Rick Goodfriend a corporate certified speaker on communication strategies.

1: Imagine what need or value you would enjoy having satisfied today. (Example: I need more time to complete my project.)

2: Daydream for a few seconds or longer on a strategy that may meet this need. Example: ( I daydream that I will ask my coworker for assistance. He says yes and the job is complete in half the time.) Already I can feel a calm. Now I can decide if I want to use the solution or imagine a different one. Your creativity may flow bigger and faster with ideas..

In Summary: Take a minute or two and enjoy your daydreaming. You will feel more relaxed when you have finished.

Non Profits who understand the value of a story

With fewer donations and declining investments, nonprofits have to be re-think how they raise revenue.

I recently read a great article in the Wall Street Journal By Shelly Banjo in which she gave some successful fund raising case studies.

One of the most interesting to me was about Covenant House in NYC. Why? They understood the power of their clients stories. Anyone who knows about my philosophy on marketing knows that I am a big believer in story-telling as a means to capture attention. And the way they approached the ask was true and authentic.

They had the youths who had been helped, who had lived the organizations tag line “Changing Lives, Creating Futures” reach out to the people who had given in the past and had created hope for them. Done right, what can be more powerful. According to Jerome Kilbane, Covenant House's executive director “The people receiving a nonprofit's services are the best spokespeople for the organization. After receiving a call, "the size of the donor's gift increased by 50% from the year before" on average.

Their website also supports the idea of telling individual stories. A link titled “WHERE ARE THEY NOW?” looks at past youth who have been able to accomplish their goals of living independently. A great way for donors to feel they have made a difference no matter how large their gift.

Are you resting on your brand?

Like most in the marketing and advertising world, I do a lot of reading about what’s going on in all different types of companies. 2009 has brought many a story of the failures of businesses of all kinds, sizes and ages, for-profit and not-for-profit alike. Not so much about success. Maybe it’s not as big a draw as failure but if you’re like me, I want to learn how businesses are succeeding in what has been termed ‘the worst time since the Great Depression'.

So, why are some businesses doing well (notice I’m not saying great) and others are just plain out of business? There is no one answer however I do think success relies on vision, ingenuity and optimism, along with an evolving business plan.

Remember the , “As General Motors goes, so goes the nation”. Phew! Glad that’s no longer the case, or is it? I will give GM the benefit of the doubt that they make a decent car (I’m not a GM owner). However, their recent failure had as much to do with their lack of vision and ingenuity than everything else.

AND, quite frankly, they rested on their Brand! They assumed the GM name and all it has stood for since 1906 would continue by rote. If we build it they will come! Instead of keeping up with trends and the competition, they rested on what the GM Brand used to stand for and not what was needed to evolve into for today’s economic and consumer environment. Even the bigger than life Brands must keep up or be left behind.

A few companies, off the top of my head have been extremely proactive, including Apple, Walmart, Martha Stewart and FaceBook.

Locally, the United Way of Westchester and Putnum County (UWWP) is being extremely proactive, as is the national headquarters. Recognizing that United Way is a very recognizable Brand but must always keep up with the times and changing demographics. What to do? First, they formed a marketing group made up of community members, of which I am a proud member, and asked them dissect what UWWP is doing and then recommend what they should be doing to achieve their new objectives, i.e. reach a younger demographic. While I am not going to divulge any secrets, by having non-associated eyes and minds participating, wonderful, heretofore unheard of, ideas were offered up and will be acted upon.

Is your organization resting on its Brand? What are you doing to keep up to stay ahead? We love to hear success stories!

Deanna Gould, New Business Development Manager, The Byne Group

Marketing to Women

Why Women Don't Give Second Chances, and what can you learn
from it!

Does your firm market to women? Think not, well think again! It’s a proven fact, women make the majority of buying decisions for their families. They decide which non profit to support, which health care provider the family chooses and which restaurant to dine at. Wow, hopefully we choose to use our power for good!

In a blog article written by Liz Ryan she says “Women want assurance - they want difficult problems taken off their plates, and they need their service providers to go the extra mile to make sure they are well served. Women consumers want to be treated as valued customers, even before they've reached that stage - that's the very way that they'll become valued clients, in fact.”

We all remember a time when we didn’t feel valued as a customer. The rude secretary who answers the phone at the insurance company, the doctors office where you wait ten minutes to be acknowledged and when finally asked why you’re there you are told (with no apology) you were in the wrong office. Who of us can say we have always respond perfectly to our own clients. Sometimes mistakes happen, and unfortunately bad service travels fast.

Marketing to women as well as men means paying attention to each customer's specific needs and providing respect to everyone who interacts with your business. Women are very flexible, but we're not flexible enough to suffer insults or indignities without complaint. And, come to that, why should we be?” And if you realize that last phone call didn't go well, try to rectify it quickly. Admitting mistakes is appreciated.

As Liz Ryan says in her blog “Women are great, loyal customers - if you show them you've got their best interests in mind, from the start.”

Tropicana: A Lesson in Branding

It seems that Tropicana’s new identity is causing a lot of uproar. The common opinion is that it looks like a discount brand because of the generic photo and overly simplified design. Yet, the product and price seem to be the same as before! This has caused a lot of confusion. People are angry when they browse the juice section with all its options and brands popping out … they can’t locate their old-time favorite … because its incognito! Not to mention hard to read for many.



When I first laid eyes on the new Tropicana carton, I instantly thought of The Byne Group. Then I thought about Pepsi Cola and their new simplified design. I’m always in favor of a cleaner design (we all are at The Byne Group!) … with Target and Apple being the prime examples of big corps. that have done it well. Turns out that Pepsi Corp. has decided to update several of their key products due to decreased sales. This includes Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade and Tropicana.

The new design was just released in January 2009 and it certainly didn’t last long because Tropicana made a statement this week citing that they will be reverting to the old design.

Even though this seemed to be a crash and burn scenario for Pepsi … I look at it in another way, they got a lot of press coverage and attention over this issue. People were reminded of how much they are connected to Tropicana. And I also applaud them for being brave and trying to do something very different for the industry they are in. Bravo!

New York Times, www,nytimes.com,
“Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging,” Feb. 23, 2009.

Brand New blog, underconsideration.com/brandnew,
“Pepsi Takes the Tropic out of Tropicana,” Feb. 23, 2009.

A Glimpse Inside The Mind of a Graphic Designer

Why I Love Paper

The name paper derives from papyrus, the material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. For thousands of years, hand-made methods dominated and then, during the 19th century, paper production became industrialized.

I remember the first time I found myself lost in the tactile experience of “feeling” paper. As a junior in High School I attended a summer program at Parsons School of Art and Design, one of our trips was touring the Mohawk Paper Mills, I had no idea how involved the paper making process was, I was in awe. Later as a graphic design student at Pratt I spent countless hours at the local art store Jake's choosing the paper my next assignment would be created on, considering the texture and color to reflect my ideas.

When I began in this field designers’ tools were the visual ideas in our heads both waking and dreaming. The skill was using the tools you had at your disposal to make the concept come to life. I owned hundreds of colored markers in ultra fine to bold tipped, the smell of which gave anyone within a 500-foot vicinity a nice little high. And my studio shelves was filled with paper stock sample books.

Even today whenever I pass a great paper store in Manhattan I feel giddy and have to check it out. I promise my husband I will just be 5 minutes and somehow an hour later I’m still mesmerized feeling the paper stock and inspired by all the papermaking and printing techniques, both old and new.

And now, we stare at a computer we think inside a box, we have no tactile experience that comes with our concepts. I’m the first to admit that my apple is an amazing and invaluable tool and no I wouldn’t go back, but what have we all lost! According to an article from Mohawk Paper titled Print as Urban Legend “Print gives us what all too often electronic media lacks – that feeling of the human spirit, permanence, honesty and quality”

Now more than ever a beautifully designed and professionally printed piece, with its tactile characteristics makes a positive impact on whoever receives it.

So what do you think?

Ann Byne, Principal/Creative Director

The Magic of Powerful Branding:

What we can all learn from Walt Disney

In this economy we could all use a little bit of magic. And who better to teach us than the master of successful branding, Walt Disney.

I often talk about the importance of finding and then telling one story from many in order to inspire and engage clients. Walt Disney intuitively understood this. He was a master story teller who touched old and young and knew how to coordinate the Disney brand across all mediums; tv, movies, books, and ultimately theme parks.

I remember the first time our family visited Disneyworld over 30 years ago. Our son was 5 and it was our first real family vacation. All you have to know about a powerful brand was revealed as we first walked into the park and saw “The Castle” ahead of us. It was a transforming experience that become a happy obsession for our son. He now shares it with his 22 month old daughter who points to a picture on her sippy cup and gleefully and loudly announces “Mick Mou” as if she is seeing a favorite friend.

In an article in Harvard Business publishing, John Sviokla writes “As companies try to get their voice "out" in the overcrowded, fragmented, 24x7, blog-filled, multi-dialog, Mad Money Cramer kind of world of 2009, executives need to think carefully about their core stories to customers…..We can draw wisdom from Walt Disney, who understood the multi-media, multi-channel, multi-experience world four score years before the rest of us”

Some of the core branding principles John shares in his article:
1. Know the story is king.
Humans like to read about humans and whether you are selling CAT scanners, or auto insurance, every message must have a story that resonates with the human condition at its core.
2. Coordinate the message across the media.
In today's fragmented world, executives must reinforce key messages by having multiple, consistent, coordinated touch points for the same idea.
3. Have the courage to innovate.
Walt Disney initially funded portions of Disneyland out of his own pocket, and then sold them back to the corporation because they did not want to take the first risks. Be braver.
4. Stay on message.
With Disney, you only had to see the Castle to conjure up the entire set of thoughts and dreams.

Ann Byne, Creative Director/Principal
The Byne Group

How to Create a Facebook Page For Your Company or Non-Profit

I might be one of the "under 30 crowd," but that doesn't mean I was born with a social media chip implanted in my skull. When I was given the task of getting The Byne Group onto Facebook, I too had to learn and overcome my fears of the unknown. So in this entry, my mission is to help you through something I spent a few hours, and yes, a few anxious moments, figuring out.

Now if you cant figure out how to turn on your computer, it might be time to call over that sprightly intern or your offspring to help you out (I think maybe the "tweens" do come with a chip)!

Are you familiar with Facebook? [ if not, click here and get familiar ] If so, I’m sure you’ve seen friends of yours become fans of famous (or infamous) people, companies — like California Closets, or a non-profit like the American Red Cross. Well, in any case, you too can create a page for your company or non-profit with a few simple tips to make your experience a little less painful.

1: Get a Facebook Account. The person who creates this page needs to be an actual "real person." They wont let you join as a company entity. (Here at The Byne Group we tried to create an "imaginary person" so as to keep professional life and personal life separate on Facebook, (not allowed apparently). So for us, it's all through Ann Byne.

Now at this point you will be consumed with finding old college buddies, but bear with us here...

2: So once you are signed in, click "create a page." You will be prompted to fill out info about your company/non-profit. Keep in mind that all the info you fill out in the beginning is your ONLY chance to get it right, otherwise you have to start from scratch (I think it took us 3 times to get it right!)

3: Once you have filled out all the info they request you can customize your page’s look. Remember to keep the look consistent with your current branding.

4: Now you're ready to accessorize. Add components, such as an RSS feed, to pull in content from your blog or your website's news feeds to ensure that current content about your company is on your page. You can add videos, photos and upcoming events.

5: Once you’ve added all these elements you just need to publish it. Of course you can continue to update or take down items as you go along.

Now that you are "live" its all about getting the word out about your page. Have your employees join as fans of your page. Invite fans from your friend list. Or you can do word-of-mouth advertising through a Facebook ad or by adding a Facebook widget to your website.

Last bit of advice, keep up with your page and keep it current.

[ click here to view our page and become a fan ]

–Melissa Behrens, Senior Graphic Designer