Working for free is 100% bad. We all know it. But wait. There’s one reason I’m happy to throw this rule in the proverbial bin.
Working for free
Did you know that, in print, black isn’t really black?
That’s right. When specifying black, experienced designers actually use something we call ‘Rich black’.
How long does it take to crack a Logo Design brief?
Sometimes, it takes forever, like you’re trying to pull blood from a stone. Occasionally, the process feels easy.
Why creativity is a fickle, fragile thing
How can creative agencies foster more ideas? I share how agencies can encourage creativity, based on my observations of brainstorming in 2 different PR agencies. Plus, I talk about the fragile nature of creativity.
Why is a logo like a love affair?
Why is a logo like a love affair? In the beginning, it’s all sunshine and roses and possibilities, ie. the ‘research’ or ‘ideas’ phase of designing a logo.
How To Brief Your Graphic Designer
You’ve got ideas in mind, but how do you share them with your designer? Will they be offended? How to brief your designer to explain what you want.
How business cards can make a big impact
We love designing business cards – for such a small thing, they can make a big impact
Brand By Name’s business cards are a tad spendy – they cost $4 each, and include 3 different printing processes. We’ve never handed one out without getting an “Ooo these are nice” response.
We hope they convey the message that we pay attention to every detail in my business cards, and we’ll do the same for you.
Yesterday, when a Carpenter friend showed us this card, we didn’t say, “that’s a rubbish card”.
We asked what type of client this business was aiming for. The answer was “Builders”.
We think this card will work hard for Possum’s Plastering (after all, not every business can legitimately include a drunken word pun). It’s certainly memorable enough for my carpenter friend to keep in his wallet. Whereas an expensive-looking business card might do the total opposite.
The moral of the post? Design with your target market in mind.
You may also like
A peek into Brand By Name’s business cards
November 28, 2020
How business cards can make a big impact
September 12, 2020
Graphic Design in the films American Psycho and The Grand Budapest Hotel
February 26, 2019
Recent posts
Design is boring: the power of unexciting project
October 9, 2026
A brand experience needs more than good design. It is a commitment to reducing every friction point between customer and client.
When Brand By Name made branding irons
July 22, 2026
Way back in 2010, Brand By Name made branding irons. In Oregon USA, a (different) Brand By Name sold personalised irons for your favourite barbecued meal.
Lort Smith Animal Hospital 90th Birthday Event Collateral
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Lort Smith is the busiest animal hospital in Australia, seeing more than 25,000 animals each year for services ranging from vaccinations to orthopaedic surgery.
Event branding for the 2025 Keith Murdoch Oration at State Library Victoria
May 7, 2026
In corporate event branding, you’re often working with a company’s brand guidelines.
The 10% Myth
March 10, 2026
Have you ever heard ‘Change a logo by 10% and then you can legally use it’? We take a look at 2 examples involving Taylor Swift and Tabasco and explain why this is a myth.
What’s a simple way to stand out in a crowded marketplace?
February 9, 2026
Whatever the brief is, it’s exactly the same. Every project. Every time. Every design. It‘s just one word.
Event branding for the 2019 Keith Murdoch Oration at State Library Victoria
Brand By Name worked with the amazing team at State Library Victoria, designing event collateral for the 2019 Keith Murdoch Oration.
Vale, Milton Glaser
You almost certainly know his work. He’s the designer of the ‘I love NY’ logo. His 2001 essay ‘Ten Things I have Learned’ always struck a cord.
Why do many great logos look oh-so-simple?
Next time you say ‘that’s so simple, I could have done that in 5 minutes’ … think about the time it took you to read this post, let alone how long the designer took to ensure the shapes, line work and dots were EXACTLY the right size.
