April 25th, 2010
Doug Jasinski
Skunkworks Creative Group
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Skunkworks has developed a new website and brand called LawStartBC on behalf of our client Courthouse Libraries BC. LawStartBC provides an easy-to-remember gateway to the many services Courthouse Libraries BC provides to the general public and stakeholder community organizations.
Courthouse Libraries BC has developed several important initiatives over the last two years focused on the needs of the general public. These include:
- ClickLaw (a web portal drawing from 24 different BC organizations who provide legal information and help);
- LawMatters (a program that places key legal texts and information in public libraries); and
- HelpMap (a unique tool integrated with google maps to help users locate legal resources near them).
For the public, however, knowing where to tap into the different resources available to them could initially be confusing. Now LawStartBC serves as a unified a starting point. CLBC’s Community Outreach Team officially launched the new brand during LawWeek events as shown here.
Tags: Clients, Google
Posted in Agency News, Client News, Law | Add a Comment »
April 16th, 2010
Doug Jasinski
Skunkworks Creative Group
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Skunkworks has launched a new identity and website for The Scientist in Residence Program, a BC-based non-profit whose mission is to excite, inspire and support elementary school children and teachers to discover the world through hands-on science. This program is based on the partnerships that develop between teachers and scientists, and their sharing of knowledge and passion for both teaching and science. Two teachers and a scientist in residence work together at local schools to develop and deliver science units comprised of hands-on lessons on specific themes. There is a major focus on the experimental process of science. The lesson plans fit the BC Ministry of Education guidelines for Science K to 7.
We were inspired by the great cause and partnered with the Scientist in Residence Program executive to redesign the brand and corporate identity (business-cards, letterheads, PowerPoint templates, labels) and create a new WordPress-based website.
The key element of the new site is a series of 176 (and counting) science lesson plans and worksheets freely available for use by other educators.
We are proud to be a sponsor for the Scientist in Residence Program and look forward to seeing this unique educational initiative continue to grow in the future.
Tags: Education, Sustainability, Vancouver
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February 16th, 2010
Chris Botting
Skunkworks Creative Group
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A long time ago (early 2000′s) before Google was a powerhouse and Apple was a mass market media darling there were two major players in smartphones – Microsoft and Blackberry (Ok, maybe Palm to a certain degree as well). They had the marketplace covered and produced solid smartphones which had quite a few of the features of the modern day devices (cameras, calendars, apps, contacts, instant messaging) although the experience was a little mundane and uninspiring (and non-touch).
Fast forward to the year 2007 when Apple crashed the party and upended all that was peaceful in the staid smartphone market with their touch-enabled device, the iPhone. Now, Apple weren’t the first to the smartphone party, nor were they the first to introduce touch, but they did meld their usual user-friendliness and marketing savvy to upend the entire market and introduce a more consumer-friendly device. The iPhone, and the whole touch phenomenon changed the landscape for smartphones. Out with the old and in with the new!
Fast forward once more to 2009 when Google bust down the door of the smartphone party with their introduction of an touch-enabled open-source OS called Android. Not the sexiest interface, nor was it the most user-friendly but what it lacked in pizazz it made up for with the promise if being open to the people and having Google’s backing, which would ensure it would become bigger and better as time went on. So far, the flagship android device seems to be Google’s Nexus One.
Also in 2009 Palm came back fighting by introducing the much-hyped Pre smartphone. Unfortunately for palm it’s quite a bit smaller than any of the other companies and it’ll be tough to move the numbers that the other big players can. Have to give Palm props though as they’ve developed a beautiful phone with a very slick interface utilizing touch capabilities and a slide-out keyboard.
Since the introduction of the iPhone and all the other touch devices the Blackberry brand has held it’s own, even introducing it’s own touch device which never really caught on with the mass market. Microsoft, however has taken a severe beating in market share and as of yesterday has essentially pulled the plug on it’s old smartphone operating system. Microsoft haven’t given up however, the new Windows Mobile 7 series looks to be a complete departure from anything they’ve ever introduced before and my hunch is it’ll be a gamble that will pay off.
It seems every few months someone introduces a phone/OS combo that makes me really want to trade in my trusty Blackberry. What stops me? Well, I know that in another 3 or 4 months there will be another phone that will make me glad I waited. And now, with the unveiling of the new Microsoft mobile OS I think I’ll hold off a bit longer just to see how things play out. The battle for our mobile dollars is heating up and there’s never been the amount of competition we have today.
My blackberry does all that I need for now, but the grass is always greener on the other side in tech land.
Posted in Apple, BlackBerry, Google, Mobile, Technology, microsoft | 1 Comment »
February 10th, 2010
Marni MacLeod
Skunkworks Creative Group
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One element of your brand (whether you are a law firm or a country…like Canada) is colour and its consistent use throughout your marketing mix. The idea is to provide consistent visual cues so that your target audience associates the visual cue with an emotion (hopefully positive) about your brand. If you continuously change up your colours or use them inconsistently it can create confusion and dilute the clarity of your messaging. Instead of a clear association between visual cue and concept you get people wondering if you are trying to say something else entirely…and what that might be exactly.
Case in point…Canada has great brand colours. Red and white: high contrast, vibrant, energetic, bold, fun and so forth. So, for the life of me I cannot figure out the thinking that went into the god awful building wrap that is currently displayed on the federal building (also Canada Post HQ) located at the corner of Georgia and Homer here in Vancouver.
Corner of Georgia & Homer, Vancouver BC 2010
If there is one time when you’d think brand colours might be crucial…it’s during a major international event…you know…like the Olympics. In addition to the absence of any significant amount of white (one of our two brand colours) we have a colour combo of black, yellow and red within the banner placed in stacked stripes no less, ok they are in slightly the wrong order but doesn’t it remind you of….
… the German flag. (no offense to our German friends it’s just that it’s supposed to be OUR banner)…add in several different colours of blue and the Cheerios brand and you have the dog’s breakfast. Terrible. Bad design and a huge missed opportunity. We have some of the best brand colours of any country and boy did we blow it – in my opinion. The cool swag is all Red, White and Black…as sported by Brian McKeever and the golden boy himself, Alexandre Bilodeau (they are honestly the only good things about the piece) and at least gets some of the colours right…but the country name is…cut off. Granted everyone knows the name Alexandre Bilodeau…now. But a couple weeks ago that was more of a “might” know his name and where he hails from.
So…what happened? Somebody dropped the ball – that’s what. Wonder if it was the same people who forgot we might need a Canada Pavilion and stuck us with a tent? Hmmmmm.
Tags: brand colours, brand consistency, the Olympics
Posted in Advertising + Design, Things we don't like, We are amused | Add a Comment »
January 16th, 2010
Doug Jasinski
Skunkworks Creative Group
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Skunkworks welcomes well-known Victoria, British Columbia immigration and business lawyer Robert (“Robbie”) Sheffman to our client roster. Robbie recently launched his own firm and tapped Skunkworks to develop his new logo, business collateral and website. Starting with his logo we opted for a modern colour scheme and visual cues reminiscent of international visa documents. From there we designed a clean, straightforward website that would be user friendly for English speakers and ESL clients alike. The result is www.immigrationlawbc.com.
Tags: Clients, Law firm websites
Posted in Agency News, Client News, Law, Law firm websites | Add a Comment »
