It’s every designer’s nightmare. Spell check didn’t catch it. Six people looked at it and STILL. We missed it. I call this overexposureitis. It can happen. I will spare you the details of the recent South Bend, Indiana billboard debacle advertising their public schools, but just know my heart ached for all parties involved. It was a reminder to all of us to check our work.

The truth is it happens to the best of us. In December I got an email promotion from Kohl’s advertising their “Doorbuster Memorial Day Sale.” And just last week I got the latest One Step Ahead catalog (every overprotective new mom’s favorite) only to see that they had misspelled “First Look: Sun Smtarties™ 2011″ right there on the cover. I am pretty sure that the higher ups at Sun Smarties were a little bitter about that one.

But still, I can totally see how it happens. We all get so caught up in meeting and exceeding deadlines that the finer details can sometimes slip through the cracks.

Here are some easy solutions for designers and clients keep from becoming their own cautionary tale:

1. Run spell check. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RUN SPELL CHECK.

2. Get a fresh set of eyes (or ten) on the project. Bother another designer for five minutes to look at your work. Pull Jim out of sales, Pam from reception and Ted from accounting to give it a look-see. Chances are that the two, too, to, your, you’re, who’s and whose that spell check didn’t catch, fresh human eyes will.

3. Read the copy aloud. It may seem tedious but you’d be amazed at what jumps out at you. Taking the time to do this has saved my hiney countless times.

4. Turn it upside down. Literally. Turning a layout upside down can make inconsistent leading, paragraph spacing and even kerning hop right off the page and smack you in the face.

5. Call the telephone numbers. Telephone numbers are some of the biggest pitfalls and spell check offers zero help in this department. So pick up the phone.

6. Email the email addresses. Click on the web addresses. At the risk of sounding like Captain Obvious, I am required to include this. People tend to check a web address but not the email. And if you’re worried about bothering your client, trust that that pesky email or telephone quality-control check is way less of an annoyance than 2,000 misprinted business cards.

7. Make sure June 6th is a Saturday. Take the two seconds and check that the days of the week coincide with the dates you reference in your project.

8. Put a process in place. Proof approval stickers work well. Include a checklist that more than one person has to bless… before the client sees what will be their final proof approval.

9. Involve the client. Design and the creative process is a partnership. We all have the same goal of producing the best possible solutions. Give the client a checklist to work through and sign off on themselves. Proof approval forms are an essential part.

11. Go team! It’s a team effort, this business of ours. Enlist the skills of your team to help ensure quality.

12. Sometimes screwing up royally serves a purpose. When we know better, we do better. I love this quote by John Powell: “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” I can say with certainty that I now know when June 6th is!

Is it here yet? I am anxiously waiting the release date for the new Adobe CS5. For those of you who don’t speak geek, Adobe Creative Suite (CS) is THE collection of graphic design, web development and video editing applications. This includes Photoshop (for amazing photo manipulation), Illustrator (vector-based tools for creating illustrations and logos), InDesign (super-duper page layout program), Flash (for beautiful motion), Dreamweaver (for web development) and Acrobat Pro (great for taking .pdf files to the next level).

I am most looking forward to InDesign in CS5. This new version has some really neat upgrades that will really help with productivity. One of the features that I think I will use the most is the different page sizes in one document. Great for working on concepts in a single file, business packages, binders, direct mail and pocket folders.

A few other features that I think will be helpful are paragraphs that span or split columns, no more separate text boxes to create this. I’m also loving the new gap tool in aligning and distributing, the enhanced layers panel and live corners to adjust the radius of an image frame on-the-fly. Oh, and I can’t forget, you can export pdfs in the background as you continue to work on a document. This will be so helpful, especially when you export those huge files that seem to take forever.

One last interesting thing I think printers and designers who share files can benefit from is the automatic font activation for fonts inside of a packaged (or ready for production) file. This could save a lot of headaches with corrupt or misplaced fonts.

The other programs seem to have some really great features as well. I think this will be a really great upgrade for Adobe. Our pre-ordered version should be here any day. Stay tuned for a review!

The event was held at The Cobb County Safety Village. The Safety Village, built on an eight-acre site, is the most comprehensive safety training environment in the region where our residents and business community gain knowledge through hands-on experiences. It is a place where the walls come alive with knowledge while instructors share the most advanced techniques and ideas for making our community safer. These life-like streets include sidewalks, traffic signals and a variety of structures that represent our community. These structures will become an integral part of the learning experience.

The “Stop, Drop, Rock & Roll” gala event was a huge success with over 300 attendees who enjoyed live music, toured interactive venues and bid on one-of-a-kind experiences. The proceeds will help the continued growth and awareness of the Safety Village.

Mopdog worked closely with the Safety Village Foundation to plan this event. With Cheryl serving as Co-chair for the Gala, Mopdog was an integral part of the planning and promotion. We provided support – designing and producing save-the-date postcards, invites and other signage, as well as assisting with the event logistics. We are proud to be able to lend our time and talents to such an important cause.

See some of our work below. To learn more about the Cobb County Safety Village, click here.

safety village gala collateral

This “pick two” theory of the quality triangle is something we joke about but continually aim to challenge and achieve. The premise is simple. We all strive to produce quickly, with exceptional quality and at a reasonable cost. But is this really possible without sacrificing one of these vital cornerstones?

I hate saying that having all three is impossible. Improbable is more like it.

Here are some scenarios:

“Make it ‘pop’. Jazz it up. Include artificial intelligence. Budget is $50. I need it tomorrow.”

“This is a rush due EOD. Use lots of stock photography. Don’t spend too much time on it. I’ll know what I want when I see it.”

“Pull out ‘all the stops’. Sure…die cuts and varnishes are great! Keep the budget of $500 in mind since I only need to print 20 for our tradeshow next week.”

These types of interactions are destined for disappointment for both parties.

So, can we have it all? I’m not certain about that but what I do know is that we can come closer to achieving all three if we do our homework and have an accurate scope going into a project. This helps manage realistic expectations and adds structure to a project or relationship. Sadly, it’s the step that often gets neglected in the hustle and bustle of our industry. Communication is key, especially up front. As designers, so much of our job includes educating. We need to teach our clients what is realistic in terms of resources, timing and technology.

This got me thinking… and Googling. This theory transcends more than just our industry. Here are some entertaining “pick two” examples:

College: Work, Sleep, Play – Pick two.

Men: Handsome, High-Earner, Faithful – Pick two.

Girls: Single, Sane, Smart – Pick two.

Operating Systems: Fast, Efficient, Stable – Pick two.

Bicycle Parts: Strong, Light, Cheap – Pick any two.

“Pick two” may sound like some sort of Three Stooges mantra but the truth is it can leave us wanting to poke our eyes out if we don’t do our part to educate, communicate and manage expectations. Come to think of it, the true Quality Triangle should be comprised of these three elements which are completely attainable.

• Digital Media – website, eBlasts, SEO
• Networking – phone calls, seminars, referrals
• Print Media – advertisements, newsletters, yellow pages, signage

Survey Results

Interestingly, while social media came in fourth in our survey, it was the number one topic of discussion. Social media, including blogs, Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter is on the rise among business leaders and people were eager to learn more. The challenges primarily surround how to best include social media into their current marketing efforts and the strategies for using it.

Tricks of the Trade
The survey also pointed to a diversity of current marketing mediums, which is a key component of a good marketing strategy. Diversification expands your reach, connecting with your customers and prospects more often. Some other tips include:

• Use free social media channels, including Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter.
• Keep your website up-to-date and pertinent. A mouse click is all that separates your prospects from either learning more or moving on.
• Communicate your company’s brand image consistently across all channels.
• Use digital media such as email campaigns and blogs. They are cost-effective and trackable!
• Use analytics from web and eCommunications to measure ROI and help improve your messaging and strategy.

The pack during the 2009 Cobb Chamber B2B Expo. Pictured left to right: Jay, Susanna, Tricia, Cheryl, Bill, Amy and Barbara