Kim Landrum's Plexus Blog

Sign of the Times

Kim Landrum — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:08:49 GMT

Last night my barely 4-year-old son disappeared from the bathtub. I found him in our office – naked and soapy – at the computer. When I asked him what he was doing he said he wanted to "get online and look for mermaids." Surprised by his response I asked if he knew what "online" meant. "Yes. It's when you go get on the computer and look for stuff."

I haven't fully processed the enormity of his actions. I don't mean that in a my-kid-is-the-next-Steve-Jobs sort of way...I mean it in a times-have-really-changed kind of way. He sees photos and watches movies of himself on Flickr and Vimeo. For all he knows he's as famous as J-Lo. I'll take his picture or make a movie and he immediately wants to see it. There's no waiting to shoot the entire roll then forgetting about it until 6 months later when you finally get around to processing the film. Life is very immediate for him. He and his friends won't grow up with any real understanding of delayed gratification. It's not bad, just different.

I was a junior in college when I first got my hands on a computer in AutoCAD class. The following year I typed my senior thesis on a Mac Classic and saved it to a 2.25" floppy disc. Design basics were taught with a pencil and straight edge. That was then. Now I go days without writing anything. I pay my bills online because writing a check is too time consuming.

I dare to imagine the kind of world my son will know. It might be filled with things I don't care to think about but it will be surely be filled with magic and invention as well. How will technology evolve in 20 years? How will he get around? How will he communicate with us and with his friends? It is beyond my capacity to envision but I'm glad to be a part of such an ever changing world. Here's to keeping up!

Plexus Design "Takes Off!"

Kim Landrum — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:35:00 GMT

Plexus recently designed a series of materials for Georgia's Aerospace Center of Innovation celebrating 100 years of flight in Georgia - pictured above (L to R) Governor Sonny Perdue, Aerospace Innovation Center Director Nick Fuhrman, and Pat Epps read the Plexus-designed Aviation Gazette in front of the 50-foot Plexus-designed display created for the National Business Aviation Association Convention held at the Georgia World Congress Center September 25-27 in Atlanta.

The Aerospace Innovation Center and the Georgia Department of Economic Development have partnered with NBAA to celebrate Georgia’s Centennial of Flight at the 60th Annual Convention of NBAA. NBAA attracts over 30,000 industry registrants and exhibitors and this year’s convention in Atlanta will be especially exciting. Static displays will be at Fulton County Airport with a number of special events scheduled at Peachtree Dekalb Airport. It’s also Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace’s 40th Anniversary since delivering its first G-I business jet in 1967.

For more information, visit Aerospace Innovation Center

"Visual Communication Realized" or "Snakes Got Nothin' on The Big Chill"

Kim Landrum — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 19:03:27 GMT

Remember the 1983 movie The Big Chill? The story of eight old friends searching for something they lost, and finding that all they needed was each other? There's a scene in which Jeff Goldblum (Michael) pontificates about the importance of rationalization. It helps if you are familiar with his character – a self-obsessed celebrity type journalist who would register as obnoxious if he didn't play the part so well. If you don't remember the scene -- or worse, never saw the movie -- it plays out like this...

Michael: I don't know anyone who could get through the day without two or three juicy rationalizations. They're more important than sex.

Sam Weber: Ah, come on. Nothing's more important than sex.

Michael: Oh yeah? Ever gone a week without a rationalization?

This is one of many notable quotes from the movie...for more go to imdb.com (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085244/quotes)! Far cry from "Snakes", right Steph? This exchange might seem void of any relevance to visual communication but it parallels the dialog I often have with clients. Minus the reference to sex. The reference? When is the last time you went a week without a visual clue?

As Creative Director at Plexus, I spend my days (as well as the occasional sleepless night) finding ways to help clients visually communicate with their audience. This process might take the form of a logo, business card & letterhead, newspaper or magazine ad, billboard, brochure or Web site – and sometimes all of them. I know The Big Chill is over 20 years old, but I've been studying visual design almost that long. Now that I think about it, 2006 marks my 20th year as a "designer" of some sort. Twenty years is a long time to learn about shapes, color, scale, balance -- all the elements you learn in basic composition. You'd think I would know all there is to know. That is hardly the case. The visual landscape changes so quickly it seems impossible to keep up. Our tolerance for visuals stimulation is so high, and the amount of poorly designed messages we are forced to process so great, it's easy to understand how your efforts can get lost in the shuffle.

As a designer, I am not immune to the negative effects of an overly saturated visual landscape. The only difference is that I can easily distinguish the difference between good and bad. I believe everyone has the ability to make this distinction but often have difficulty articulating their response. I'm not sure I can fully deconstruct what makes something good (balanced, effective, memorable, inspiring) or bad (unbalanced, common, fleeting or vague) but I can feel it when I see it. I know certain shapes evoke feelings of stability, and certain colors elicit specific emotional responses. The same is true of a typeface or the placement of a headline within the context of an ad. For me, placement and juxtaposition of elements within a common space (be they photos, illustrations, type, etc.) is as second nature as putting one foot in front of the other. The solution isn't always apparent (that's where the sleepless nights come in) and often requires several missteps or wrong turns before moving in the right direction. And there have definitely been times when the right direction alluded me altogether.

I'll be the first to admit graphic design isn't rocket science or brain surgery. A well-designed logo, ad or Web site won't get anyone to the moon and probably won't save your life...but it could help your business. Don't discount the importance of your place in the visual landscape. Are you being seen? Or being seen but in a way your hadn't anticipated? Do people understand your message? Are you lost in a sea of sameness?

If you want to effectively communicate with clients or potential clients but are unsure where to start, here are some tips:

Know your audience. Understanding your audience will help narrow the field you are trying to reach with your marketing efforts.
Stay current in your industry. Who are your competitors and how do you stand out in the crowd?
Consult a professional. Many people think hiring a professional is too costly but in fact, a professional can save you money by relying on past experience. They can often tell you which methods work best for your industry.
Take your visual identity seriously, particularly if you are a new business. A well-designed logo, ad or Web site will go a long way in communicating your message. Even an existing business can benefit from reworking ads or refining a logo.
Be consistent. Marketing takes time and patience. Results are rarely immediate so be prepared to go small and go long if you have to. Spot marketing can be a huge waste of money.

The Value Proposition*

Kim Landrum — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 19:03:36 GMT

Design—good design—is not cheap. You would be better served to spend your money on something else if you don't place a high value on what it can achieve.

There's a view in Buddhism that there's no "good" karma and no "bad" karma, there's just karma. The same can't be said for design. Karma is a universal condition. Design is a human act (which often affects conditions) and, therefore, subject to many variables. When the word design is used here, it is always in the context of good design.

A lot of famous people have written many famous books on the importance of design and creativity. The subject matter ranges from using design and creativity to gain a strategic advantage or make the world a more livable place—and more. Much more. The focus here is on how to make the process of design work in the business environment so that the end product lives up to its potential.

We live in a time of sensory assault. Competing for "eyeballs"—which is to say, customers—is more than just an Internet phenomenon. The challenge for companies everywhere is to attract consumers to their products and services and keep them in the face of fickle markets.

The answer to this challenge starts with each company's people, products and services, but it doesn't end there. How companies communicate to their markets and constituencies is becoming the primary means of differentiation today. Never, in fact, has effective communication been more important in business. And it has increased the pressure within companies to establish environments and attitudes that support the success of creative endeavors, internally and externally. More often than not, companies that value design lead the pack.

*Taken from the AIGA's "Client Guide to Design"