https://www.davesopp.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-08-27 https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-animation-a-viable-option monthly 0.5 2022-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/8f4e21f9-12d0-4cd2-8d89-abda951e51b3/book_pass.gif Blog - HOW TO MAKE FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION A VIABLE OPTION. - Make it stand out Once animations were done, they were easily converted to animated gifs. Like this endless sharing of Hey, I Love You… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/08d023dd-e556-4d16-9ea3-8ff2e8757faf/talk.gif Blog - HOW TO MAKE FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION A VIABLE OPTION. - Make it stand out This concept for this animation was pretty simple so it had to get juiced up with some slightly difficult renderings of the word bubbles and the chair bounce on the refresh. Not hard, but nice thinking, I think. haha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/0f9e4452-b849-4680-9c83-1e865aaa480c/d_blog_images_hily_an_01.jpg Blog - HOW TO MAKE FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION A VIABLE OPTION. - Make it stand out Frame-by-frame, onion skinning, multiple layers, Procreate, and my left hand – all in one photo. But this is what goes into every sequence on this page (and more on the Hey, I Love You… Vimeo channel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/b43607a1-a936-40a5-a474-8ade88b702be/lighthouse.gif Blog - HOW TO MAKE FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION A VIABLE OPTION. - Make it stand out Simple, yes. Pain the ass, also yes. But I do love this tedious-to-execute animated gif of the endless search for love. This was a part of the puck to fill Giphy with our cute little animations. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - HOW TO MAKE FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION A VIABLE OPTION. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/26f12599-3334-43f1-8b0a-91dc3bbb0c8e/Animated_digital_clock.gif Blog - HOW TO MAKE FRAME-BY-FRAME ANIMATION A VIABLE OPTION. - Make it stand out SImple, yes. Pain in the ass, not really. What I love about conceptual animation is that your can do a lot with little when you put a little thought into it beforehand. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-fill-a-warehouse-with-story monthly 0.5 2021-07-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624890274937-T0KFN3UKSZKM8ZDHNSNL/d_blog_skipper_05.jpg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. - Make it stand out Remember, it’s a town built by dogs for dogs. So the entrance is the town’s Tourist Center. You just walk your dog up that ramp to check you both in (you’re his/her guest, after all).. Once you’re checked in, you’re in the town square (complete with a stature of the founding pooch). From here you have a commanding view of the town. Hungry, visit the indoor-outdoor market where you’ll find snacks for dogs and humans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624889153693-AV955HPEEFCCPK7JL520/d_blog_skipper_02.jpg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. - Make it stand out Meet the competition. Yes, this is a dog bar in the same town. You can almost smell the urine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624888468085-0BSUFUZRZZL4IKYTBA6P/d_blog_skipper_01.jpg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. - Make it stand out The bar would be the focal point of this enormous space. And once we nailed the concept, the bar almost designed itself. A pub-like structure (faux brick below, dark green wood up top), tall and open but visually complete thanks to the hanging windows. The bar served beer for dogs, as well, so of course the bar’s logo would be a water dish with a mug handle full of suds. Customers would order on an app and be notified when to FETCH their drinks. How fun is that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624890034334-O5CZQ8J234BNZXJ4JN79/d_blog_skipper_04.jpg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. - Make it stand out The whole place would be filled with gags and little surprises. I especially like how the Firehouse is siren-free. Those clouds up there? I thought it’d be nice to do some sound baffling in a way that helped the story. :-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624889723878-V3AUTTE1HWXT9CBLAWX0/d_blog_skipper_06.jpg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. - Make it stand out In our brainstorming workshop I taped up a handful of “starter themes” that we could riff around. I also posted up sheets to keep up on task – areas we’d need to consider, amenities and services offered, company mission, etc. It’s funny, but we sort of sputtered and stumbled around until we got to what was originally the Dog Hotel theme (remember, it was a kennel, too, so it made sense). Once we turned it into a town, it came to life in front of our eyes. It’s was really exciting! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624889248392-HC2MCF8G7DJ7D1Y6Z9YU/d_blog_skipper_03.jpg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. - Make it stand out Now this. This is how you fill a space. I visited a LOT of big spaces when I was doing the advance thinking for our workshop. Lowe’s Foods not only filled their giant space, they did it with style and story and without a lot of expense. That structure to the right is in the wine section. You can pour a beer and sit in this little container fort and pretend you’re not hanging out in a grocery store. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Fill a Warehouse with Story. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-the-most-of-an-hour monthly 0.5 2021-07-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624397915178-ATW77H0WV8ZIWLY0DYPF/d_blog_hour_02.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Hour. - Make it stand out Another thing done in just a handful of hours. The designer knew he wanted a lawn chair and a cooler to represent a Day Off for Fall River Brewing. I threw some his way, he chose one, we refined it together (had to replace that angry lady in the background with an abandoned lawn mower), and a beautiful beer can was born! Go buy some! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624394863824-35J7J22DMFQWSUIQEQ0X/d_blog_hour.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Hour. - Make it stand out This is that dog bar thing I’m going to tell you about. The brainstorming workshop was so fun. We were just throwing out ideas and I was sketching them out like mad on a giant pad. At the end of a couple of hours the walls were FULL of these sheets and it was clear which one was the “winner”. A town for dogs, built by dogs. That’s why everything is spelled adorably wrong. On the right are my drawings for the architects and investors showing what “buildings” would occupy the enormous space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1624398176091-K8VOLN2CL9L1LO8CWVZY/d_blog_hour_03.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Hour. - Make it stand out Hey, look! More dog stuff! Same dog bar client, different thing. They wanted a new name and had a list of contenders but didn’t know how to proceed. Their budget didn’t allow for the process I apply to projects like this, so they bought a few hours to see what was possible. I sketched out a ton of possibilities that matched the nature of their business and offered some ideas they hadn’t thought of. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Hour. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-know-im-the-right-person-to-work-with monthly 0.5 2021-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Know I'm the Right Person to Work With. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1623691967510-NN19V5YTU1YCQ5D7W4KL/d_blog_process_01.jpg Blog - How to Know I'm the Right Person to Work With. - Make it stand out This is a really simple exercise I sometimes share in presentations. Which place would you go for fresh eggs? How about skydiving lessons? This, in a shell, is why my portfolio is so full of vastly different visual and verbal communication. I’m always working toward the perfect solution to every individual challenge. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-design-a-book-hily monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620664626880-E88E4ZJBTP8H0S6B85SX/d_blog_design_hily_04.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out This isn’t just a book to instigate cuddles. It’s got everything you’ll need during your decades together. Seriously. It can even help you tackle some pretty serious stuff. My article on doing the book illustration goes more into the challenges that posed to the tone of the book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620681817669-KVK9GP3Z2UF5LTYT3YNF/d_blog_design_hily_06.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out All this is from the initial pitch to our publisher (Running Press). Pretty similar to what was published, no? Hahaha. It’s because we presented such a detailed, thought out vision of what this book could be. But there were some changes. (Clockwise) At first we thought it’d be really nice if the hardcover was cloth covered (instead of a book jacket). But that turned out to be too expensive (and in the end it was fine ‘cause it’d probably get really dirty with use. This is a photo of the book I ‘shopped up for the pitch. The books visual language was thought out at the beginning, too. We even included a series of patterns to use and that was just for the endpapers. The HEY logo as so important that I did a ton of versions before landing on what we chose, here on that bookmark. And finally a ‘shopped image of the book where one might find a spicy sentiment waiting for them! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620663786551-AQC768535KIJ22PKETHJ/d_blog_design_hily_02.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out SO MANY WORDS! It was actually fun managing the typography. I hadn’t dealt with having control over this much copy for a while and it was so fun. Of course there more to this than this one spread, silly. Oh, and tabs. I was able to include finger tabs for each of the 5 chapters so you could find what you wanted to “say” really fast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620683291571-OP6HZF4MWZ1X1M9MMUJL/d_blog_design_hily_07.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out Alternate covers! So many covers. I mentioned we looked at over 30 subtle and not so subtle variations, but that didn’t even include versions of what shape the cover sticker was or what would be on the bookmark or what if the cover was cloth with an acetate jacket!? I don’t know if this is how much thinking goes into every published book, but it’s what goes into the ones I design. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620664484162-6PMNLH4QK0XDX6KT94SC/d_blog_design_hily_03.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out Most of the book is like this. And this is how it works: “Oh, something is bookmarked for me!” (top right). “Awwwww!” (left) “AWWWW! (bottom right) Do I really need to tell you what happens next? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620663038655-02CKV0NE8NY1JK31DX1U/d_blog_design_hily_01.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out The final cover of Hey, I Love You…: Bookmark your way to a Remarkable Marriage by Kelly Sopp. We did over 30 covers for this, can you believe it? And they were all this simple and they were all in white, black, and this charming yellow. That byline on the front on white? That’s a removable sticker. The book is meant to be personal and we didn’t want people looking at marketing stuff every time they wanted to use it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620664859173-86CMD960MO278KPHZVKK/d_blog_design_hily_05.jpg Blog - HOW TO DESIGN A BOOK TO NEVER SIT ON A SHELF. - Make it stand out This is where to keep this book. Everywhere. The best design aspect is the concept itself. That the couple who owns the book uses it as a fun communication device, passing it back and forth as desired or needed. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/hey-i-love-you-book-illustrations monthly 0.5 2022-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620501423511-L9ABOZNE5Q0KNVBBQRFB/d_blog_hily_illust_01.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. Hey, I Love You… by Kelly Sopp. Illustrations (so many illustrations) by me, Dave Sopp. This is an early drawing I made for the Hey, I Love You… website because we didn’t have an actual copy of the book to show off. Hey, we still don’t! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620502334366-059K0JAQNYQ6TVJ6WAC8/d_blog_hily_illust_03.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. I tried to keep everything as simple as possible at every level. I use three brushes: Rough Crayon, Tight Crayon (for any type), and Messy Dotted. There are only three colors: White, Yellow, and Black. Even conceptually I tried to be super simple without being lazy. I mention that the Life Preserver was an easy out, but I tried to at least make it look really interesting. And it turned out to be one of my favs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620502491357-0WTCEXUIODJ2DXXSAHCR/d_blog_hily_illust_07.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620501824559-B3P84UZ5E6FNEX4FW0CU/d_blog_hily_illust_02.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. Didn’t I just say that I don’t have a sample of the book? I don’t. So I did that Illustration to use while I made my own dummy! I’m like that. Anyhoo, now you get to see what the book design looks like. Super airy and light. That yellow is so bright and happy and positive (just like the writing.). Below are some illustrations of how the book works – “it puts the bookmark in the book.” (Sorry, Silence of the Lambs joke). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620502372337-KF2ELNEYQ9PW35ZLKXG8/d_blog_hily_illust_05.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. I’ve collected my favorites (but not all my favorites) to share. The book is so light and bright and airy, so the illustrations really needed to just be seasoning for the words Kelly wrote. I chose a loose style using the colors we already established in designing the book together. The drawings are cute and happy, but still rough around the edges and almost sketchy, just like my marriage. Kidding! Just seeing if you’re paying attention. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620502427455-LYQ4Y3OZGL8ITDBXEZVP/d_blog_hily_illust_04.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620502456230-9LKUW9ZBAY9IKY24HUFH/d_blog_hily_illust_06.jpg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - HOW TO DRAW OVER 300 ILLUSTRATIONS FOR A 258 PAGE BOOK THAT'S NOT EVEN A PICTURE BOOK. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-go-big-in-iceland monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620410619431-Q80462Z1O2TP17GKUYM0/d_blog_murals_02.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. This is what I presented in the first round - four different themes. I wasn’t sure what level of whimsy they wanted to bring in so I kept the spread pretty broad. 1. This was the one they’d eventually pick to bring the buses and their riders into the building. 2. This was based on something that my client had told me when I was working up the Riding Tips. He said people leave some crazy shit on the bus. So that’s what I had represented for the cafeteria. All the stuff left on buses. Yes, even a prosthetic arm! 3. I don’t even know where this came from. I’m glad they didn’t choose this because it looks like a pediatricians waiting room. 4. This was my second favorite theme - buses running the bus company! Every wall would represent the work going on there, only by buses! Hilarious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620411786053-1I6I1F9IU870B58JKDBV/d_blog_murals_05.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. Final - Tire Center (top) The tall skinny gray boxes are support beams we had to work around. The other two boxes? This is the best - they’re bathroom doors!!! The men’s room is on the right, where the dudes are hanging out and the women’s restroom is at the front of the bus. Hilarious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620409203691-NU741JSGY5NSEW57FW50/d_blog_murals_01.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. This is the cafeteria and, in a nutshell, the whole process of the project. My client sent me multiple photos of each wall, which I turned into panoramas (top). Then I turned those into a digital canvas and used those to make measurement guides. This wall was fairly easy with only those few vents. Wait until you see the dispatch room and tire center. I drew everything in pieces in Procreate, then put them all together in Illustrator. Then I popped the whole thing into my panoramas for client approval (bottom). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620412337575-2ZUVDLLY7WXGW5TX4I7Y/d_blog_murals_07.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. Afterwards I noticed that all murals are signed and I didn’t sign any of these! But in the cafeteria mural, if you look hard enough, you can spot me gazing out the window at the beautiful Icelandic countryside. I can’t wait to go and see these in person! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620411642339-4TXDNN1CZ4J151ZORARN/d_blog_murals_04.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. Final - Dispatch Room (top) Oh, man. So many windows! And a giant beam that divided the wall right in the middle. But we cleverly designed worked around it all by incorporating it into the drawing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620411348956-8QI9KQI5LTVLXQKYMZ90/d_blog_murals_03.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. Final - Marketing/PR Office (top) My client told me that there are these really aggressive geese that are all over the place bullying people for handouts. They even get on the buses sometimes! So of course we had to add that in. As well as other feathered sights you’d see at a bus stop. That blank spot on the bus? That’s where a whiteboard is glued to the wall. I had to work around a ton of stuff in the dispatch office. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620411937291-2N6H9A57WHGH5CPQQCOW/d_blog_murals_06.jpg Blog - How to Go Big in Iceland. Final - Cafeteria (top) This is my favorite wall. I mentioned hiding little bus-life details before. One of those is a nod to weird giant things people try and bring on the bus. And I love the guys going to a soccer game in the front. See those two lost in their books? Notice how similar they look? The girl’s book is titled, “How to Find Your Perfect Match”. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-not-hire-an-ad-agency monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Not Hire an Ad Agency. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1593267934511-WZOBPCKQ5PO51JB4MDN5/d_blog_agency_01.jpg Blog - How to Not Hire an Ad Agency. Peter Graves, Mission: Impossible, Season 3, Episode 1: “The Heir Apparent”, Original airdate: September 29, 1968 https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-first monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590180803925-4OYB6YCR8VJECP0FASVX/design_super_snapsuits_04.jpg Blog - How To Be First. How fun is that puffy ink!? I made it so only some parts were puffy. Like on Super Cute, only the type outline and starts were puffy so the design didn’t get to heavy. Who wants a sweaty baby? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590180598047-5WUBZ8U1BV1OHWQQBSB9/design_super_snapsuits_03.jpg Blog - How To Be First. The idea for a Super Onesie actually came from the baby journal we wrote for Running Press, The New Parent’s Fun Book (left). You can see where we incorporated the cape into the shoulder seams. And although a baby’s going to do nothing but lay on it, we even did the extra credit of embroidering a star on the cape! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590180146498-41PWWCT34MXA10P5GO97/design_super_snapsuits_06.jpg Blog - How To Be First. Our concepts and designs up top, and below is how Target ripped us off. I appreciate that they doubled the cost of a “Photo with Baby” while undercutting the cost of our original onesie by 75%. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590183645528-11S2KMTF8VUX04RS5NSP/design_super_snapsuits_07.jpg Blog - How To Be First. We did so well with those first two styles, we decided to add a villain to the mix. Initially these came locked away in little window box packaging, which in hindsight was kind of dumb because you couldn’t see the cape right away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590183497220-TR8P3VGYM83TJDWI4P73/design_super_snapsuits_05.jpg Blog - How To Be First. NPH!!!!!!! I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to have even the smallest guest appearance in his awesome life. The Super Snapsuits were SUPER well received (sorry, I’ll stop doing that now). For a while they were, at least. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590180016745-8NB3BOAJ4KKXCDK1H35X/design_super_snapsuits_02.jpg Blog - How To Be First. Meet Valencia. She’s rocking the world’s first Super Snapsuit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590183841624-RGJGNX7YPKJL0Q702653/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How To Be First. We also made everything so bigger kids could be super, too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590180385493-BY9N0TCAALXQ0DBL84EY/design_super_snapsuits_09.jpg Blog - How To Be First. Aside from the darn thing being SUPER safe to wear, there were so many other minut details that we poured over to make this garment from scratch. From fit to color to a cape that wouldn’t end up a wrinkled mess. What a pain! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How To Be First. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-get-good-creative monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590177287764-6FM4AFN205TAE44HKTML/strategy_spaten_04.jpg Blog - How to Get Good Creative. 2. Some Things You Just Can’t Translate - Well, this is just silly. And admittedly sexually suggestive. But still a fun, viable way to get people’s attention and to make a connection. These were bus shelters, and you can be sure the bar coasters and table tents followed suit. We also had Spaten restroom signs in this campaign that’d we’d give to bars (Damen and Herren). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590177374182-HPYDKW4W43CTKPQEW3VX/strategy_spaten_05.jpg Blog - How to Get Good Creative. 3. Spaten. The Real Germany. - The third direction brought some sexy sophistication to the party, along with some education regarding what the REAL Germany was all about. The script caption would call out the people, the bar or the city the photo captured. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590176701670-0RH54JC9HSEMTZ7XL9GJ/strategy_spaten_02.jpg Blog - How to Get Good Creative. 1. Still Fresh After 600 Years - Old German woodcuts surrounding pithy, funny lines about how unapologetically old and authentic Spaten is. These were to be ads in SFWeekly, the Guardian and the like. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Get Good Creative. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590176947587-WR63WV7JWAJM87USCGW5/strategy_spaten_03.jpg Blog - How to Get Good Creative. Spaten didn’t have a lot of money. Our executions wouldn’t cost a lot to make, we wanted to put all the money into putting it all out in the world. So what work they could afford to place had to work REALLY HARD. On the left is a bus shelter poster, upper right a fun coaster idea, and finally my favorite piece of the whole thing, the table tent that would be on every bar and table in the Bay Area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1590177652826-FO6G4LLKNYZH6NFVSX7W/strategy_spaten_06.jpg Blog - How to Get Good Creative. May favorite part of this campaign was, again, the drink coaster (bottom right) that was shaped like Spaten’s shield logo. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-survive-being-hated-internationally monthly 0.5 2022-03-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589395048977-1WPEHKSYC8DZ0VY7P7L5/strategy_wrybaby_thighs_06.jpg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. This was our giant home page graphic announcing our Ms. Magazine challenge. A lot of articles, like this quote from Redbook, claimed that this was all some kind of PR stunt that we orchestrated. Which says a lot to validate our response. Once it was on the Today Show, publications everywhere started holding their own polls to see which onesie people preferred. My favorite was on PopSugar’s website where you checked a box to vote and there was only one reply under it that said, “Where’s the box marked, “Who Cares?” My sentiment exactly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589396137675-BGMUEMG8CF0JLZ4ZUV1J/strategy_wrybaby_thighs_07.jpg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. In regards to Step 6, I’m sure the author never thought she’d be defending herself to her own shitpost comments section. Hahaha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589388802300-OMJNSJJ09GI3CANC1XI8/strategy_wrybaby_thighs_01.jpg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. Welp, this is it. This is the funny onesie that brought an international troll army to our door. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589389800561-QNATKWOJOB674F22G5VH/strategy_wrybaby_thighs_02.jpg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. So’s you have an idea of the kind of stuff wrybaby makes, here are some of 2015’s best-selling funny onesies. Heck, a few are STILL best-sellers. We also had some adorable plush and kid’s backpacks in addition to the world’s first Super Hero onesies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589396830341-7ZDCBNPOCM5VW601L4G4/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. Our last word on the subject was somehow both positive and full of bile. The senior editor later responded with a seething checklist of “facts” about how we misrepresented her shitty article but by that time no one was really paying attention anymore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589391910279-V74HYPU028MGMUTFRGO8/strategy_wrybaby_thighs_04.jpg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. On the left, the Ms. Magazine article. Upper right, the Senior Editor’s Facebook post promoting it to her troll army. Bottom right, our response and her request to divert our donation to her magazine rather than the non-profit created by Ms. Magazine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1589390615558-XL19GUNT8W9HUQIUJLNB/strategy_wrybaby_thighs_03.jpg Blog - How to Survive Being Hated Internationally. Not to brag, but this is just a tiny sampling of the kind of press we were used to getting over the last 15 years. People who found our stuff, liked our stuff. It was that simple. That InStyle Magazine page? That’s our Wheel of Responsibility in Christina Aguilera’s kitchen. I can’t even remember how we found out about that. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-the-most-of-an-important-opportunity monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584986276346-MS7FF1JJSYBDCMP0XQ97/illust_wilbur_01.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. Look, these get inappropriate real fast. But keep in mind who starts it. I draw the first panel, my then 14-year old boy writes it’s copy. Then I draw the next panel for him to fill the words into. Two dudes messing around trying to throw each other off balance and CRYING LAUGHING for hours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584988416911-ZRVJO7J2ET9JWNPQWZHD/illust_wilbur_06.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. A little before and after for ‘ya. I kept the original drawings and, when I got home from that trade show, cleaned them up in Photoshop. The boy asked me to re-type his hand writing, but I kept it in places (like the sign on Baxter’s Happy Place and below when Wilbur attacks). This one is still on of my favorites and we still use the final punchline together. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584989482861-EYZPQIDDFW6RZR6EE529/illust_wilbur_07.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. Yes. I made Moo cards with links to the complete Wilbur & Milimur collection on Tumblr. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584986415268-4DRO22DMWTEF5WDJBVT6/illust_wilbur_03.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. I grouped the most depressing one with the most inappropriate one so you could be twice as appalled at our bored juvenility. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584986508217-X0G79HY7GJNKSHYWNVDB/illust_wilbur_05.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. The one on the left doesn’t have much copy because it was near the end of the day and the boy was getting bored with the game. We did try and keep the comic going when we got home from that trade show, but it didn’t have the magic of our initial bored spontaneity. We finished a three-part series of Wilbur and Milimur entering something in their county fair. And, for some reason, we brought them to ancient Rome in a time machine. I think the boy was studying Roman history or something and it was my last chance to try and keep him engaged. Hahaha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584986326921-AT363WM00SBUISVCN7GI/illust_wilbur_02.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. Note: Wilbur and Milimur both die frequently in these. And I hate to be that guy, but remember it’s a 14-year old who wrote all these. At this writing he’s 19, a college student at a respected institution, and not in jail or an asylum. The square gag was a joke we shared about playing Grand Theft Auto on Playstation. I think you can figure it out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584986449045-E20IJ9MBV5SIZ2C41KZO/illust_wilbur_04.jpg Blog - How to Make the Most of an Important Opportunity. The fun was in the fact that neither of us knew where each story would go. These two ended with my favorite copy and art twists. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-celebrate-your-crazy-ass-fans monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584906089662-COP1V9Q0FZ2L3SAM9JK8/raiders_adv_01.jpg Blog - How to Celebrate Your Crazy-Ass Fans. Left: Full-page newspaper ad. Right: Detail from that ad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584906141045-5N95G7F12ZENHYLDFFG9/raiders_adv_02.jpg Blog - How to Celebrate Your Crazy-Ass Fans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Celebrate Your Crazy-Ass Fans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584906211164-FNPEHVO1GDNF40OWCP6K/raiders_adv_03.jpg Blog - How to Celebrate Your Crazy-Ass Fans. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-compete-with-nike monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584465435320-9U7GY72UY1ZZ8L829RGK/mizuno_adv_03.jpg Blog - How to Compete Against Nike. I really love the writing on these. My writer, Andrew Tonkin, was so good at these even though I don’t think he’d ever stepped foot in a stadium in his life (feel free to comment, Andrew.). But that’s what I love about what we do. You work on so many things from sports equipment to olive oil to enterprise mobile middleware, and you have to become not only an instant expert on that product or service, but also know exactly how to talk to the people who ARE experts on that product or service. It’s bananas. Oh, the photo on the bottom right is what the amazing Doug Menuez did/does so well. I wish I had more of his photos from this project without all my advertising junk all over them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584465281747-YQZJG3F5HL897XRHD68H/mizuno_adv_01.jpg Blog - How to Compete Against Nike. So here’s what we did - because our photography was to be editorial in nature (gritty, raw, and real), you couldn’t fake it. We couldn’t show Mizuno a tight comp with some great image we found with an awesome headline, get approval and then go shoot it. No, instead we started by scouting an athlete and location, spend all day shooting them playing, hoping to get emotional gold, pick an image, go to town writing a series of emotional headline/captions for that specific image, and then get it to the client for approval. It was all super risky because it put a lot of the process in the hands of fate (and our excellent photographer). If we came up with nothing at the shoot, we were fucked. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1584465417431-0JGTXCWFZ6K2WBBRRI2J/mizuno_adv_02.jpg Blog - How to Compete Against Nike. Good news: You get to work on an amazing sports brand. Bad News: Their product ads. This is the worst news you could possibly give an art director. But it was the hard truth. Mizuno just didn’t have the luxury of doing what Nike was Just Doing (see what I did there?) by making a ton of sexy branding ads. So this project was a lot about my making the most elegant product ads I could. Everyone’s seen a baseball glove, so it didn’t have to be huge. And making them small, and the only thing in full color, actually had the same effect as making them huge on the page. We captured the emotion of the sport and instantly telegraphed that Mizuno provided everything you’d need to excel at that sport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Compete Against Nike. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-explain-the-future monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Explain the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583450169318-NZG3UPUF8QT5M9HIN7VD/d_sybase_05.jpg Blog - How to Explain the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583450153754-0XCGN582N32U556Z3754/d_sybase_04.jpg Blog - How to Explain the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583450074056-XR74I3IZM1W0EH2XXHJT/d_sybase_02.jpg Blog - How to Explain the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583450117124-T3N6AT7K6EBDIZMD9J37/d_sybase_03.jpg Blog - How to Explain the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583449933213-NPA3YJFCA8LCFXNYHY5X/d_sybase_01.jpg Blog - How to Explain the Future. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-funny-in-icelandic monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583340401564-M69TI1H0JAX9JCAEGTDP/d_straeto_illust_02.jpg Blog - How to Be Hilarious In a Language You Don't Understand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583340138762-YW3ENOGAUU79USHPA4QP/d_straeto_illust_01.jpg Blog - How to Be Hilarious In a Language You Don't Understand. Of course the baby one is my favorite of the series. And thank God I’ve never seen THIS happen on the bus. The tea set one? All those dudes are my brother. And yes, he really had that amazing mustache. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583340418939-6XRUUDS6EXLXJBHG9COH/d_straeto_illust_03.jpg Blog - How to Be Hilarious In a Language You Don't Understand. Hi, I’m Dave! World’s worst photographer! I like to shoot my own scrap to reference for the drawings because it makes it go faster. You’d think I’d enjoy that part the most - drawing it all. But the real fun is in placing the drawings in the template. Because that’s how you find out if what you thought was funny actually is funny. And most of the time it’s not. Hahaha. I have to redraw stuff more than you’d think so that everything works together like it’s supposed to. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583342035599-M3HY4Y3EF5CM3MVUNSSQ/d_straeto_illust_05.jpg Blog - How to Be Hilarious In a Language You Don't Understand. We had such a fun time working together so I was made an honorary Strætó bus rider with my own pass and everything! I can’t wait to go visit and use the new bus riding skills I learned. I even got my own Icelandic last name. Did you know that they use your fathers name and then add “son” or “daughter” (dóttir) to the end. Yes, my dad’s name really is Clyde. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583340627281-MWLJFYRE8QFDJ6XY11U4/d_straeto_illust_04.jpg Blog - How to Be Hilarious In a Language You Don't Understand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Be Hilarious In a Language You Don't Understand. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-bring-your-idea monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583282471593-YZ3CS32VSG875DF6NEPN/d_straeto_strategy_06.jpg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. I love this. One of the few press pieces in English. Fun Fact: That’s my brother and his not-nearly-as-old-as-that wife in the Helping the Elderly Tip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583282497206-UR1PJKUY8KLX61WGNJS0/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. Oh the press we got. If you can read Icelandic, you’ll see this is all good. And look at my client, Guðmundur, in the upper right! Handsome devil and just as clever. Below you can see the reference scrap of my wife Kelly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583282163467-UM6R56AZ83VECSKDTN2W/d_straeto_strategy_04.jpg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. All in all there were 17 Riding Tips I created for Strætó. You can see all the illustrations I did here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583282306081-NBZHHD544IOE7GNRLMTJ/d_straeto_strategy_05.jpg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. Once the Tips were finished, I made it so they could be applicable in any other situation to maximize exposure with minimal extra cost. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583281906617-083G4WHXHDQQNIW30290/d_straeto_strategy_01.jpg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. This Riding Tip was one of my client’s suggestions and one of my favorites because apparently people try to bring lawnmowers on the bus in Iceland. We did the Strætó Riding Tips in both Icelandic and English. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1583282761519-XY9ZUUZ89TU77N0SQQTR/d_straeto_strategy_07.jpg Blog - How To Bring Your Idea to Life. Guðmundur sent me the image on the left about three days after our Riding Tips series launched. A local energy drink co-opted our Tips format to do what I don’t know. I guess, say don’t drink something else? And on the right is my own country’s National Parks System doing a similarly lame rendition. Seriously, we could have done great things together for our National Parks. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-boil-it-down monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125426672-T58W23WHV2YFJ1HE7QVZ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How To Boil It Down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125383030-HI6W4FUH0EWRN5N9BU20/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How To Boil It Down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125356157-9D6MRX7SQY8825TILX5K/java_01.jpg Blog - How To Boil It Down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570125368919-2CNXEU6RGBB4B4WHNBWX/java_02.jpg Blog - How To Boil It Down. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-one-of-the-cool-kids monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570112509672-J21LOV6T0ABT1IVHYBDL/design_stuf_booth_05.jpg Blog - How to Be One of the Cool Kids. FINAL: A look at our hardcover application to get into the snooty design section of the show. That’s a picture of my model in the book. I hadn’t made the booth yet, but wanted to convince them it was real, it was cool, and it was ready to bring to NY. Kelly’s standing outside the Stuf booth just as we started setting it up. And finally here’s my model shot again along side the real deal. Expectations managed! Hahahaha. It kind of creeps me out how similar they are, but that’s says a lot about thinking shit through. Or about how much I hate surprises. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570112009199-QWRJNY3700LF0RBPBQTP/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Be One of the Cool Kids. COMPS: An early sketch that I took to Adobe Illustrator to work out. It didn’t work out. It’d have been cool, but I didn’t think anyone would want to come into the booth through such a narrow entrance. Especially the top part. But the idea of a semi-enclosed space was interesting. So I scaled everything back to end up with the clouds. Because they were all white and the booth was white, I thought they’d be less intimidating. They’d become sort of visible but invisible. To test it out, I’d have to make a scale model because I’m weird like that. Also, I love that tie. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570112307228-1VP8O6O3LMDFUUHZKETV/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Be One of the Cool Kids. COMPS: Proof positive. My model really helped me understand the space, figure out how I’d attach the clouds to the walls, and managed my expectations. Then I could get down to speccing out the details to give to the guys I hired to make the clouds for me. They had to be light (and on the cheap) so I ended having them cut out of thin sheets of PVC. Then they’d just bend ‘em where I needed a tab to screw them in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570111617658-D49KEPKXP8WNV57GPKBB/design_stuf_booth_01.jpg Blog - How to Be One of the Cool Kids. FINAL: For Stuf’s premier booth at NYIGF, I wanted to build a world a booth that would blow people away while not overshadowing the product. Entering the cloud-world of Stuf, you’re treated to a museum-like experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122920595-QANBM4U6CMCUIJ7331VW/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Be One of the Cool Kids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570111860055-40XR57DC9O48UY3AAN1P/design_stuf_booth_02.jpg Blog - How to Be One of the Cool Kids. BEFORE: Can you believe this is what our space was when we got there? The design section had wood walls instead of the pipe-and-drape you’d get in less fancy parts of the show. I knew we’d have stable walls before I started designing for it and it’s the only way we could have done what we did. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-a-whole-bunch-of-different-illustrators monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570050589308-M2N72VFPHNXY8J18A3LE/strat_stuf_03.jpg Blog - How to Be a Whole Bunch of Different Illustrators. ILLUSTRATION: Pirate Stuf was entirely different from all that other mod stuff. It begged to be rough and sea-faring. And the back of each was an hilarious character trait. The guy with the mutton chops is Curly Pete and he was the only one “who knows where the treasure’s hid”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570049718735-I1JFLNBXQK2FKIEXWAKX/illust_stuf_04.jpg Blog - How to Be a Whole Bunch of Different Illustrators. ILLUSTRATION: Circus Stuf was probably the most challenging and the most fun because of it. I really wish I did the acrobat. I threw the Ringmaster doll photo in so you can see how the flat illustrations translate to the Stuf dolls. And below is a fake Photoshop job I did to test a two color version of the Big Stuf Elephant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570046877339-WYU3SCL7W7T2OHBDYEY0/illust_stuf_03.jpg Blog - How to Be a Whole Bunch of Different Illustrators. ILLUSTRATION: This was a round I considered for International Stuf. With, of course, each figure representing a country. I couldn’t help but think of Mary Blair when doing these. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570050444860-HB216RM2I1BLRSCZS74A/illust_stuf_05.jpg Blog - How to Be a Whole Bunch of Different Illustrators. ILLUSTRATION: The march to the final Big Stuf Robot. I didn’t think anyone would remember punch cards. So sad. Hahaha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122832576-R4V9167760TRWI6DTZ30/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Be a Whole Bunch of Different Illustrators. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570045897779-I0XJ80UIO4GYWMFIM0PN/illust_stuf_02.jpg Blog - How to Be a Whole Bunch of Different Illustrators. ILLUSTRATION: Some of the concepts I drew up for the plush project, Stuf. All based on real birds and darned if I can remember who that cute fella in the bottom middle is. Anyhoo, the idea with Bird Stuf was that it’d be super modern in the style of Charley Harper. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-a-simple-plan-can-go-so-wrong-and-so-right monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570038175560-4H4D5K86SDPJNMJ7U0S2/design_stuf_dolls_05.jpg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. FINAL: A closer look at Pirate Stuf. I gave each pirate his (or her) own little character attributes for kids to build on. A parent once called me to say her son, who’s afraid of the water, found great comfort in his Shaggy Dan. Honestly, that alone made all the Stuf headaches worth it to me. Oh, and Pirate Sue really IS nothin’ but trouble! Hahaha https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570034570731-3RGCZ20LNLI211EH4XUD/design_stuf_dolls_03.jpg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. EARLY: I hit on the shape I wanted for all the Stuf dolls to share and here’s a little peek at some of the sketch work. I made paper models (complete with fill) to see if they had the physical presenceI wanted them to have. Yeah, I’m weird that way. I started off thinking I just wanted to make really graphic little characters, but it soon grew to all kinds o possibilities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570040209478-7N6KL79N7ZDV7K6R27CT/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. FINAL: Some Stuf dolls shared pattern on the back, but had extra credit on the side panels, like Circus and Robot Stuf. I especially like how the rosy=cheeked lion sits on a little performance pedestal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570036919781-QL1893M9HG488IXNRL11/design_stuf_dolls_04.jpg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. FINAL: We pulled everything along with Stuf’s clean “European art toy” aesthetic through to it’s website and retail packaging. We made plaques for each Stuf family that made them look so special on retail shelving. And later we’d even build wood and canvas backdrops for each Stuf family. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570033510413-FWQNMXF2XMY2XVET46CN/design_stuf_dolls_02.jpg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. FINAL: This is the plush line I created called Stuf. Simple dolls with bean bases (so they stand on their own). Art toys that kids could use as playthings, puppets, or pals. Simple, clean, bright, and fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570041282701-35FPCNXZ1MILWKKH6Y7T/design_stuf_dolls_07.jpg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. FINAL: Yep! I made Stuf backpacks! The funnest part was the side water bottle pockets. The Owl’s pocket said SEEDS, and the Circus Elephant’s pocket said…wait for it…PEANUTS! Of course. :-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570033654439-F0FB1WVYODE9UU8CRLC2/design_stuf_dolls_01.jpg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. EARLY: OMFG. I designed the simplest thing ever so I’d avoid any production disasters. What I got was the exact opposite. Look, I’m good at specing out product for factories (US and overseas).. I was thorough with the instructions for what I wanted (lower right corner). But if it could go wrong it did. The shape, fabric, color, structure…UGH. With my detailed instructions I even included the paper doll shot from above. They assumed I wanted puffy faces sewn on. < sigh > https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122753015-E0IGUXHU9IMWBT045QBC/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How a Simple Plan Can Go So Wrong, and So Right. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-break-into-modern-art-museums monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569967025116-BS98VI6I2K32SIAQAHAL/strat_stuf_04.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: Circus Stuf was probably my favorite family and it was an honor to have them for sale at the Ringling (as in Ringling Brothers) Museum of Art Florida. Pictured with the Circus Stuf family is the Big Top-themed wood and canvas backdrop I later added to the line. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569966835223-8U5YM3BU4WTPSJSQYA6H/strat_stuf_05.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: Bird Stuf and Developmental Stuf. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569963154692-GLBAJNAOZNQOTSSE9BJD/strat_stuf_02.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: This is Robot Stuf. Because we were funding this line ourselves we had to do it as economically as possible. Can you guess one of our methods? Right. Limited colors on each doll (notice the ON switch on the back isn’t green). But it made it a challenge. So what do you do when you’re limited on colors? Double down and make it work to distinguish each dolls individuality and character. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569967786697-YDZYSDU8E3MM05SHH2QE/strat_stuf_07.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: Developmental Stuf in NY MOMA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122656981-QTVYOYOPZQM7TMPV0A7S/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569964521994-HCE0WFZ18YTD24FGKWJ2/strat_stuf_03.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: While some Stuf families had the same patterns on the back of each doll (Robot Stuf all had ON and OFF buttons, Circus Stuf all had a shared graphic pattern), Pirate Stuf all had a bit about each pirate’s personality on the back. My favorite, I think, was the orange Shaggy Dan who was “only a little afraid of the water”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569961304848-KTWQ8JQUQRPLB1UWFV3K/strat_stuf_01.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: All along It was always this simple. The form on the left was Big Stuf, 12” tall. On the right, Small Stuf, 6” tall. These were the blank factory samples we approved. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569967152495-3HBDPTNMUVRINHR1REHJ/strat_stuf_06.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: Our online retail packaging was clean, simple and graphic, like the brand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570024084218-DXZ9L241P990ZEPS6DVR/strat_stuf_08.jpg Blog - How to Break Into Modern Art Museums. FINAL: Once the concept proved itself, Stuf got to have it’s own booth at NYIGF. So clean! I wish I had a better camera to document it. :-P https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-not-really-animate-something monthly 0.5 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122556067-KMS9FT6EKOU23YMWMMRC/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Not Really Animate Something. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-a-fan-happy monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122431419-TN8GD1ETEWCBZUQUBR7L/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make a Fan Happy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570466547563-RLJL003EWZF94MMNQ94D/d_downtown_promos_04_02.jpg Blog - How to Make a Fan Happy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568122711702-Y2GT8ZWEJ4WTNQZEJYF8/d_downtown_promos_04_03.jpg Blog - How to Make a Fan Happy. FINAL: The second round of Downtown Mooresville shirts featured cooler (not a bright orange!) colors and our nifty logo that was, by this time, pretty well known. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568068058316-GIIE0MS5FUS559S05YOW/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make a Fan Happy. FINAL: I made the first round of Downtown Mooresville t-shirts do more than early adopter fans, but to clothe volunteers at events and hand out to Downtown supporters in Town Hall. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-draw-yourself-out-of-trouble monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569517176987-RRS1615XPUJL9Z49QOOX/d_versame_illustration_04.jpg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569517189699-NCIU9ZZVHF2W0IH1A9H5/d_versame_illustration_05.jpg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122306054-BMZITV1BKATIIMMP6U8C/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569517164945-MF4TEKRGGDY651MBUS0D/d_versame_illustration_03.jpg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. CHEATING: Same here. Below is all this cheating in action. :-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569517133074-BFYS33GCA2EP9T8Z5Y7J/d_versame_illustration_01.jpg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. CHEATING: Yep. This is my animation cheat. Same head, different mouths. This is what I gave my talented After Effects friend so he could do the fake animations for our video. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569517209691-6WF5KPOGV3JNFBM9KTYW/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569517151917-YWFY0JV1Y0FNUOGKI3CC/d_versame_illustration_02.jpg Blog - How to Draw Yourself Out of Trouble. CHEATING: Same with this. I gave him a ton of different mouths for both characters so they’d look like they were blabbing. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-cheap-tv-thats-still-super-creative monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570122181415-JQVVOYTV5B6ECMC2QBCW/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make Cheap TV That’s Still Super Creative. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-go-all-in monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511825234-A8NO8AAHCKYKABZCB79U/ad_social_mysterio_06.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511853243-FKC57MKRNZPCUU79BIV6/ad_social_mysterio_08.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511752790-YHUL0XRQF0I9MA4OO8CV/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511729760-NJ65ZID18DPYRV0XZPNS/ad_social_mysterio_01.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511776437-QIO9OTGEUYCHY9ZWYFD2/ad_social_mysterio_03.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511839806-UGUUPOFBJE5WEIZFECGQ/ad_social_mysterio_07.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511787501-NASC5CJ8CLH29IMCG8FW/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511806877-AT4IUZ4OF2DJP2CZOAVR/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511899270-BZH8EMOVWAKV6E3UU6OA/ad_social_mysterio_09.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570121564505-MDBBLMU70H7DJG95XQ62/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Go All In. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569511913731-0I545P3AERNN3HHGEVX4/ad_social_mysterio_10.jpg Blog - How to Go All In. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-give-the-people-what-they-want monthly 0.5 2021-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570121366956-3A1WZYWR9G0A83O4MVHS/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569447529304-NQOWONHVVIQHW4TR56LZ/illust_mysterio_03.jpg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. EXTRAS: Once I got comfortable drawing in the Mysterio style, I started doing little extras here and there for customers. Here’s an early version of Mysterio’s origin story that I did as a free comic download. To the right are the Spirit Animals from Mysterio’s free downloadable Cootie Catcher. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569445437889-HAEXAQ3VE44CVCLR4B9O/illust_mysterio_02.jpg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. SKETCHES: In 2006 I started trying to figure out what Mysterio was going to look like. I distinctly remembering being bored in a trade show booth in San Francisco, so that’s why the three stacked sketches are so shitty. But that last one really seemed to be the one, no? I remember I didn’t do that many before heading in that direction. The strip of heads up top was me working my way toward finish (far right). I’d never done shading like Mysterio seemed to demand (the etching style). It’s hard! Anyhoo, once I got to a finish I did there little extras for the packaging. In the beginning I softened Mysterio by saying he also sewed all the shirts himself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569449153914-84TVF589TU9RVZGHOEL3/illust_mysterio_05.jpg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570478102858-Q3IE2Y7ZBW5KAI334PKD/illust_mysterio_06.jpg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. SKETCHES: Some early rough pencil sketches for Mysterio’s children’s book, A Future Just for You! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569443203703-6PCPKEY3OBLHURBZBT0I/illust_mysterio_01.jpg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. FINAL: Mysterio…such a jerk. But being serious makes him believable. I didn’t really have a lot of reason to draw him outside his logo, but once in a while I needed him to have a body. You may say “lazy” but I thought it was funny to keep his logo head exactly the same in any scenario. He’s so INTENSE! hahahah. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569448758714-NCTYMATWWC59YDJGDRKB/illust_mysterio_04.jpg Blog - How to Give the People What They Want. FINAL: Illustrated spreads from Mysterio’s picture book, A Future Just for You. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-packaging-can-set-the-stage monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569440298958-JOGLH1GHKLJ4J3AEUOI7/design_mysterio_package_03.jpg Blog - How Packaging Can Set the Stage. COMPS: Two bad ideas. Megastore Buy Buy Baby wanted to try Mysterio out, but didn’t want the wood display. That’s when we had to start thinking about alternate solutions. This on the left was the quick fix to make it work with inventory we already had. Oh, and we felt like we had to dumb the paper hanger down A LOT for a mass market (which would still be true today). Workable, but I like the grommet we did later better. And on the right is a quick fix for our displays when we changed up the futures. Not a bad solution, but not an ideal long-term one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569439429160-375CWFA8YU5VWG8Q8979/design_mysterio_package_02.jpg Blog - How Packaging Can Set the Stage. FINAL:And this is Mysterio’s packaging from way back in 2006. Lots of lessons learned along the way! This was when we tried to make the bag easy to open by just pulling the top string (big mistake) and relied on a lot of copy to get the story across (big mistake; no one wants to read). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569439001559-4PPOYSLN9RMAHFRX8G5L/design_mysterio_package_01.jpg Blog - How Packaging Can Set the Stage. FINAL: Mysterio’s packaging had to do SO MUCH. Tell you what it was, what it did, what the possibilities were, what the guarantee was, where it was made, who made it, and even how to open the goddam thing, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570121281798-3KHAEIJBRYMJ6BBVHIVL/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How Packaging Can Set the Stage. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-expand-a-magical-world monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569437661255-74979YWLECAI7G8J4RSE/design_keepsake_04.jpg Blog - How to Expand a Magical World. FINAL: The flip side to the Ask-O-Meter is a fun way to record when your baby will meet their major development milestones. What’s so funny is how horribly wrong Mysterio’s predictions get. First Tooth could be at 51 years, for example. Hilarious. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569436922482-I7POBOIILM3CMUL8CRMC/design_keepsake_01.jpg Blog - How to Expand a Magical World. FINAL: BEHOLD! Mysterio’s Deluxe Keepsake Chest! An expansion of the Mysterio infant t-shirts that predict your baby’s future. It was so fun to play in this sandbox from a design and illustration standpoint. Almost too fun. In the end I made way too much stuff for it. Made it a little hard to explain all the contents! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569437909639-13RU2TQDP9JI1SGFKYV4/design_keepsake_05.jpg Blog - How to Expand a Magical World. FINAL: There’s even a little papercraft Mysterio that you can pop on a shelf to keep a mystical eye out for baby. I like the extra credit (which I always say is for chumps) of printing a back to the paper Mysterio complete with all the instructions reversed as well. And here’s a shot of me tying up a box to ship out. I’d do 100 of these at a go and it KILLED my fingers. The things you do for art. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569437235059-HOLE08PXOY7SKFO7OK1Y/design_keepsake_02.jpg Blog - How to Expand a Magical World. FINAL: SEE?! TOO MUCH STUFF! The tag on the outside had a list of contents (as brief as I could make it), but it still read like a novella. The game board that’s flipping up? That’s two games on one board. Of course it comes with a one of Mysterio’s signature baby t-shirts and his new picture book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569437455306-EP6T6JLTTNMY9HQI6JFO/design_keepsake_03.jpg Blog - How to Expand a Magical World. FINAL: A close up look at the Ask-O-Meter! Think of it as a flat, paper, much sassier Magic 8-Ball. I’ve got one of these in our living room and we use it all the time to make YES or NO decisions for us. I like how a lot of the answers end up being sort of confusingly ambiguous/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570121202876-PFOIEIXUPNQT36BW15NT/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Expand a Magical World. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-turn-iffy-qc-into-an-asset monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569430826330-3PDTDXD3ZQKWV2NFF0UB/strat_mysterio_01.jpg Blog - How to Turn Iffy QC into an Asset. FINAL: This is how consumers meet Mysterio for the first time. Curb appeal for days and all the result of outsmarting a quality control problem. I specified using rough-sawn wood for the crate box knowing it wouldn’t print very well on the front. That way I’d never be disappointed with how badly AND it sets the stage so well for the product. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570121118346-IJ68P2U18YPJSBWJ8V56/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Turn Iffy QC into an Asset. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569432884611-J3JN5YIYIG81X61S8H5O/strat_mysterio_04.jpg Blog - How to Turn Iffy QC into an Asset. FINAL: Mysterio’s money-back guarantee along with some product extensions. His deluxe Keepsake Chest, his picture book, and even little freebie goodies like a papercraft Mysterio you can consult in times of indecision. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569431270108-BN38G3ILK01H1ZFZPDOG/strat_mysterio_02.jpg Blog - How to Turn Iffy QC into an Asset. FINAL: The current product packaging, front and back. We’d added the grommet to give our stores more display opportunities. You can see how the printing on the front is a bit off-center (a bit too far to the left). If it was on an envelope or a box, I’d be pissed. But because we used a sewn bag, you totally forgive it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569432221444-J3CHAPL9NS5S2O82WPJR/strat_mysterio_03.jpg Blog - How to Turn Iffy QC into an Asset. FINAL: Clip the bag open and VOILA! Your baby’s future. Boom. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-fun-of-the-helpless monthly 0.5 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569424301288-AAQ2308IP2ZNR1PZ6W13/illust_sbht_03.jpg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. FINAL: A couple of my favorite panels. It takes people a while to see what’s so wrong about Shopping with Baby, which is fun to watch. Drying Baby is so moronic and mean it never fails to crack me up. Same with the Lifting Baby detail (what a grip!). Oh, and a little something from Nursing Baby to keep you up at night. Yep, that’s me. I’ll spare you the scrap I shot for it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569427197249-Q3NFQVOLGGZ8LDQTUXDD/illust_sbht_05.jpg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. COMPS: of course there were a lot of ideas that didn’t make the book for one reason of another. When we did the 10th Anniversary update/expansion we had to nix some panels because technology made them obsolete. They just don’t make TVs like that anymore and we didn’t feel like a flat panel would be as funny. And somethings our editor at Running Press nixed to save us from ourselves. Co-Sleeping is too scary and real a problem, for example. And even though we have a booze related panel (Calming Baby) it was not recommended where this one we flipped it to be the YES. Bad. And I added some that were just shitty for fun. That’s a string of firecrackers I’m lighting over there for the unpublished, Teaching Baby to Crawl. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569423286082-9V3WNI84G0JZHKADL85O/illust_sbht_02.jpg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. FINAL: Like painters in all the cartoons who paint live models, illustrators use photos for reference.. We call it “scrap”. Before computers, I knew illustrators who had rooms full of file cabinets packed with torn out magazine pages, photos, all kinds of scrap (see!?) paper with stuff they could reference in their work. I like this photo because of the baby laying on the ground behind me. Looks like I totally missed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569429305764-8XAR0SFABT6LB8O3YI36/illust_sbht_06.jpg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. FINAL: New directions for Safe Baby Handling Tips. Clockwise from top left: 1. If dogs are the new children, a Safe Dog Handling Tip series seemed appropriate. 2. We played with the idea of offering our Handling Tips on adult apparel, canvas totes, and even pillowcases, so we made some useful usage tips for those fine products. 3. I picked something at random to see if the formula would hold up. HI-YA! It did. 4. This was the big NO on how to use a SBHT coffee mug. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569425357337-GP07AC4AA0E373532NGM/illust_sbht_04.jpg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. FINAL: Another true life adventure in scrap shooting (courtesy of Bonding with Baby). And two of my favorite Kelly panels. She cut her hair short in the middle of the project and I kept it accurate. So when you read through the book you can tell what was done first and what was done later. Don’t ask me why all our furniture was labeled. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570121019313-XV2HYTXDLELTU87SM2HJ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569423175844-2EAKYWRWSP2K7ANGSC2T/illust_sbht_01.jpg Blog - How to Make Fun of the Helpless. FINAL: The first edition of the book in question – Safe Baby Handling Tips circa 2005. Look at that handsome rockabilly devil, will ya? https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-not-destroy-a-baby monthly 0.5 2021-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1578161127142-BWGMPQH4D7PQ3CMDHKBP/strat_sbht_04.jpg Blog - How to Not Destroy a Baby. REVIEWS: Our Amazon reviews are hilariously amazeballs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569357888749-DP7L3SOHJ0K9LD4JZCOA/strat_sbht_03.jpg Blog - How to Not Destroy a Baby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570479761117-XVPH3QASQ2EJD4K43KJT/strat_sbht_05.jpg Blog - How to Not Destroy a Baby. TRUE: The only foreign translation of Safe Baby Handling Tips – German. Take a look at that title on the cover! Hahahaha. Do I have to tell you I had nothing to do with the layout? So bad! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569357697902-F05MHHCAHD81PRRL8ST1/strat_sbht_02.jpg Blog - How to Not Destroy a Baby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120924437-423GSF5KTMMK0DZB4QR4/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Not Destroy a Baby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569356997199-SFT7X4ZC0O1MVN692FLH/strat_sbht_01.jpg Blog - How to Not Destroy a Baby. FINAL: The cover of the expanded version of Safe Baby Handling Tips. On the cover is a miniature, simplified version of another product I designed for Wrybaby – The Wheel of Responsibility. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-draw-in-the-future monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569350719852-B12UTSA1GGZCO2QHXMKA/mrdave%29ill_01.jpg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. FINAL: Mr. Dave’s Best Stickers really let me go to town in whatever direction I felt like. And Procreate let me choose the best digital tool for each topic. For example, I liked the rough charcoal feel for these poor chickens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569351381478-W22M4EQAGDXJXIP47SW8/mrdave%29ill_06.jpg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. FINAL: I produced a few Mr. Dave’s Best Posters. This one I made for an elementary school silent auction. I made another poster at the same time that would have been…inappropriate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569351145919-SW3XS7UZJRT07X2ABNXG/mrdave%29ill_02.jpg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569351282542-XCIYLM3HW3MIM86U0VWZ/mrdave%29ill_04.jpg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120809231-L5LO2Z7LPGF9RJOUWK3I/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569351219006-EMURUZSXZUI34CSUBPLT/mrdave%29ill_03.jpg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569351308330-OASFUKFWVUIQYOF7ZUMW/mrdave%29ill_05.jpg Blog - How to Draw in the Future. FINAL: A little mishmash of Unicorn Poop and People Not Getting Well Soon. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-see-if-people-like-what-you-make-then-be-ok-if-they-dont monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569346170565-XOI9HKUI3MBTFOCTEMDR/design_mrdave_07.jpg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. FINAL: Oh, I also made postcards and posters. You can see more high-brow designs in the illustration category. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120725134-T9ROZQG3K41BP82VXUD8/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569339310355-H8VAZQ6H1XCOA6YNQ4CX/design_mrdave_03.jpg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. FINAL: Oh, there were all kinds of topics. I could go on forever. But fate had different plans! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569337329394-KROA28LC6TCZBY3KXDGB/design_mrdave_01.jpg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. FINAL: The idea behind Mr. Dave’s Best Stickers in three photos. A sheet of weirdly themed stickers. Which you could peel off and put to equally weird uses to delight your family, friends and co-workers. A genius product that was way before it’s time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569341137822-DB05XM75RQMXL0ZLHJCZ/design_mrdave_06.jpg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. FINAL: The great World Market experiment. On the left is where I left my Dead and Dying Succulents stickers and on the right the sad aftermath months and months later. Just a couple Unicorn Poop stickers left! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569338040155-M8VA3EDIQEQU074YEBLY/design_mrdave_02.jpg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. FINAL: I was especially pleased with how the back turned out. Yes. I wrote the copy all by myself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569340034912-4K0E0D4ZB5YLGP8Q0TEA/design_mrdave_04.jpg Blog - How to See If People Like What You Make, Then Be OK If They Don’t. FINAL: Actually, there was a sort of categorical plan. Knowing what I know about the gift and greeting card industry, I was able to focus on weird themes in distinct categories: Animals, Fashion & Culture, Food & Drink, Home & Garden, and Health & Fitness. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-an-efficient-effective-first-impression monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569272415616-HR7KG514Z44L90G0NM26/d_agp_website_01.jpg Blog - How to Make an Efficient, Effective First Impression. FINAL: The home page for American Greetings Properties. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569273437563-WYNQD0Y4X51ISS5KJUNK/d_agp_website_04.jpg Blog - How to Make an Efficient, Effective First Impression. FINAL: I’d designed and illustrated all the infographics for each properties detail page. This was a ton of work, but also a ton of fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569274434074-LJQHK34TQ80COMNWVB87/d_agp_website_05.jpg Blog - How to Make an Efficient, Effective First Impression. FINAL: How mobile would work along with a little secondary navigation idea that didn’t make it. Once the island drawing was finalized, I made a topographical rendering of it complete with a handy chart of who lived at what elevations. Hahaha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120620778-B0LP6HPDBUZ4KQ4YLJBY/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make an Efficient, Effective First Impression. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569273036328-PJR1RTVGEK34HIK0T92U/d_agp_website_03.jpg Blog - How to Make an Efficient, Effective First Impression. FINAL: Here’s what clicking ABOUT US would bring you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569273012838-E3OTIYW9NS5P481BI4DL/d_agp_website_02.jpg Blog - How to Make an Efficient, Effective First Impression. FINAL: Clicking an area of the map (or in the legend) would bring a pop-up of everything you needed to know about each property. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-cut-to-the-quick monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120524956-BF7HBRACCVP1FUHX90GY/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Cut to the Quick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569271758488-W32V2L6U6IBMMDNYSSG3/d_antique_01.jpg Blog - How to Cut to the Quick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569271506199-Z7572LC9E5AN5PTZQKNL/d_antique_03.jpg Blog - How to Cut to the Quick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569271488296-RAUIP847DVMKLVI8MFZH/d_antique_02.jpg Blog - How to Cut to the Quick. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1569271532432-CO3XIC3C1223DXA5BC6H/d_antique_04.jpg Blog - How to Cut to the Quick. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-describe-something-thats-never-existed monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120440465-62L4OU7D0XR1B23WCDEI/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Describe Something That’s Never Existed. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568303815309-MUBT3HI2UISH7HFAFEKC/d_versame_naming_01.jpg Blog - How to Describe Something That’s Never Existed. WHAT DOES IT DO? So small, so cute, so frustrating to describe! AAAAAAHHHHUUUGHH! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568388905743-I61BGZBMW5CIFOEMR24B/d_versame_naming_02.jpg Blog - How to Describe Something That’s Never Existed. FINAL: Where we ended up on the redesigned packaging – complete early education system. Which was super accurate, but still a clunky mouthful. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-one-and-done monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120353107-TE4YWIIZY9MGNB1L6EP7/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Be One and Done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568302406756-XWV37NTLIIRH953XJM67/d_versame_onesheets.jpg Blog - How to Be One and Done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568302431674-A0UI3K4W6ANL476YJWYA/d_versame_strategy_05.jpg Blog - How to Be One and Done. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-a-package-a-salesperson monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568388816352-TO7LE2X3CLZV5YISYCB0/d_versame_naming_02.jpg Blog - How to Make a Package a Salesperson. FINAL: Packed full of useful info about both the product and the problem it’s meant to solve for you’re little one. Oh, and the asterisk in the headline? We were always extremely careful to not overpromise the product benefit and instead of walking back such a statement (which was scientifically true and proven anyway), we turned it to our advantage by referencing the study and pointing people to learn more at the VersaMe online research center I had built. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568235323953-XGY21WNXHT38CBCGJU1C/d_starling_package_01.jpg Blog - How to Make a Package a Salesperson. BEFORE: The Starling product was beautifully designed. But no matter how beautiful a product is, if it comes in a box, the box is also the product. And it needs to sell the product. The Starling box was simple and clean, but really didn’t communicate the importance and benefits of the product inside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568236464424-FQUWOSXUK5ZOBUZ1Q0PA/d_starling_package_03.jpg Blog - How to Make a Package a Salesperson. COMPS: The Starling’s value proposition was more compelling (at first glance) than “Wearable Word Counting System”. I added a lifestyle shot of an existing older-than-newborn baby to define the category and the big shocker of a proposition to attract any shelf-browser’s attention. Shown here are color and side panel variances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568236870938-23QNCA6IB7DUS91OJK50/d_starling_package_04.jpg Blog - How to Make a Package a Salesperson. COMPS: Yep, the back of the box. Everything had to work so hard and this was working the hardest. So many points of value for this product. Too much? Well, I don’t see how you could leave anything out with a product so full of important benefits. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568235608851-BJAWM750C3EUSZT8OURW/d_starling_package_02.jpg Blog - How to Make a Package a Salesperson. COMPS: Look, no one wants to redesign their packaging, no matter how much they know they have to. I started from the ascetic they wanted to achieve to begin with – clean and simple, only with a lot more info about what this special wearable is and can do. Even still, the best description we had for the thing that’s never existed was the confusing, “Wearable Word Counting System”. Because, still, what the Hell is that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120272810-KDAHZFBTL4UBBMGPPRVM/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make a Package a Salesperson. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-honesty-isnt-always-the-best-policy monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120180633-MZ0ZZ7RQFLB90610199M/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How Honesty Isn’t Always the Best Policy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568232642046-4ASL4QDBNN8AOSV1UNYW/d_versame_strategy_sales_03.jpg Blog - How Honesty Isn’t Always the Best Policy. ABC SHOW: Welcome to the show. Here’s what you get for all that $$$! Now to paint some lips on this pig. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568233419150-9MR3F3NR88ZI78E1UZ76/d_versame_strategy_sales_04.jpg Blog - How Honesty Isn’t Always the Best Policy. ABC SHOW: Here are some very real, very terrifying things one could purchase at the ABC Show. Don’t ask me why. They were in a catalog I found near a trash can by the bathrooms. I wondered if this company also had a pending meeting with our Barnes & Noble buyer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568233070725-P5U0Q4DDJMXMIZ946B5D/d_versame_strategy_sales_02.jpg Blog - How Honesty Isn’t Always the Best Policy. ABC SHOW: A quick Uber to IKEA and we’re in business. A table set in company colors (YAY IKEA) for our big Barnes & Noble meeting (and whoever else we’d be talking to)! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568232951971-5CVEGCENKZ9B6CSYL069/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How Honesty Isn’t Always the Best Policy. ABC SHOW: Mmmmmm. Vegas convention center. Soak it in. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-achieve-good-fast-and-cheap monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568221418618-4XZ7I01SR8FE2RA4EH8E/d_versame_video_01.jpg Blog - How to Achieve Good, Fast and Cheap. WORK: My professional storyboard style and OH! Hey, look! It’s me at VersaMe actually drawing the brain hacked baby! Yes, that tie does go with that shirt. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568316298415-P4YMHKL7BFBK20ZKU88F/d_versame_video_02.jpg Blog - How to Achieve Good, Fast and Cheap. FINAL: One of my illustrations in the Brain Hacking spot. They go by so fast! See more of my illustrations for these spots here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120103912-6Z5DM1A4KIRC615THXN9/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Achieve Good, Fast and Cheap. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-the-complicated-simple monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219789549-A2LYRF45QBS7TMYZU2VC/d_spoke_brochure_05.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. INFOGRAPHICS: I really enjoyed designing the graphics showing how Spoke worked for different users. It’s was crazy complicated and I got it boiled down to an easy-to-follow, step by step guide. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219837781-FV219FK25OYOHT9RWTNP/d_spoke_brochure_07.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570205513825-Q1HPURD5GY9BVPLEG6CP/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219398546-HVOC15A8FSUUI50YLQB6/d_spoke_brochure_01.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. FINAL: The name and logo I created for VersaMe’s platform came directly from how it worked. Also, Spoke’s not a bad name for a company that’s all about verbal communication, right? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219776734-4SIXK4OYASEBD2R2RB86/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219693770-KBDKX7RBS4UFLOCW9D9A/d_spoke_brochure_02.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219815088-TRQM2HH30RK99436DZOH/d_spoke_brochure_06.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568219725083-KEEEENO6DKVG5SDPXJEH/d_spoke_brochure_03.jpg Blog - How to Make the Complicated Simple. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-not-make-a-brochure-a-brochure monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568214606250-Z8JX5E9O0R14N3TDMEFT/d_versame_partnerbroch_03.jpg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. FINAL: Second spread is empathetic. We know your struggle is real. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568214106356-IEJH408XVLWWZF1CKOCT/d_versame_partnerbroch_02.jpg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. FINAL: The first real spread is all about authority. This book is factual and the information comes from big places and important professionals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568215229565-BRJ88IKMODLLMKQ58DU8/d_versame_partnerbroch_04.jpg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. FINAL: AH! Third spread and we final get to the Starling. But still talking about it as if we had nothing to do with it until the second sentence of the copy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568216870277-M1JMIUPGT4H06P2D7B1T/d_versame_partnerbroch_06.jpg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. FINAL: Reading left to right, spreads 4-8 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568215387935-WLVLURP1R3SH7G7VYRX0/d_versame_partnerbroch_05.jpg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. FINAL: Probably the most important spread in the brochook. Publishing information! So important-looking! :-) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568212958104-8JOQ9YI50BRSMALPZJ08/d_versame_partnerbroch_01.jpg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. FINAL: The cover of the brochure that wasn’t really a brochure. Or was it? < Insert evil laugh here > https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570120015356-YHL6RPOQO4GYKCFOHPFD/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Not Make a Brochure a Brochure. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-market-a-product-no-ones-seen-before-that-solves-a-problem-no-one-knows-about monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568165913925-2WI0CK6HNU0LGRBQDIVY/d_versame_strategy_01.jpg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. FINAL: One of the first things I made at Versame – a 6”x9” two-sided handout for parents touting the Starling’s benefits. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568208594442-GZPK7G88AGDQJYHROLQ3/d_versame_strategy_03.jpg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. FINAL: For professionals who already understood the importance of verbal communication, I created this “bookshure” to introduce them to a powerful new tool – the Starling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570571209977-RNJOHAHGXTVKGMFZO36A/d_versame_strategy_06.jpg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. PRODUCT: This is the Starling. So tiny, so cute, so powerful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568210890838-GPUBBH4FD3RLWS7OL2B5/d_versame_strategy_04.jpg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. WORK: And lots of it! This is probably about 2% of the things we did to position, explain, and sell the Starling. Clockwise from top left: Dumbing it down, we created multitudes of info-loaded landing online campaigns and landing pages, we created and ran an online school, we sent the founders to present at indie book stores, parenting groups, schools and libraries. I made a Starling Honors program for little students, we made an educational mobile game, we tried multitudes of simple online campaigns and landing pages, we gave away free information (so much free information), we changed the whole website, we started marketing the platform the Starling was built on, and we developed ridiculously complex email newsletters and campaigns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568169571238-CSX2165M7F983S57TPCV/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. FINAL: A one-sheet for interested schools to get a little more detail on how the Starling can help their mission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119928186-8R2I6D3UGJLSS4KBXI0R/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568206841318-HF8J5A8N8QS2EYI66VG6/d_versame_strategy_02.jpg Blog - How to Market a Product No One’s Seen Before That Solves a Problem No One Knows About. BEFORE AND AFTER: The original packaging on the left didn’t communicate the product or it’s value. My redesign on the right led with the value proposition and steadily unfolded the whole story in easy-to-digest snippets. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-the-best-of-what-youre-given monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119833789-BMXMZGBSKVCA0A44S5A2/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make the Best of What You’re Given. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568151581074-2LZJYMXTNUV5R6N7JUPU/d_mi_ads_05.jpg Blog - How to Make the Best of What You’re Given. FINAL: The best part about this is saying things that only a local provider could say. Mr. Burnett was a real guy (actually my neighbor) and he (and all his friends) were blown away that his personal grievance would be publicly addressed in all the newspapers. It was so freeing to be able to do stuff like that and have it work! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568150493973-QMS4J7DU5RTLHDWW0EPZ/d_mi_strategy_02.jpg Blog - How to Make the Best of What You’re Given. FINAL: The ads were clean, crisp, and clear. A total about-face from what existed before. And a HUGE step in making this communications company look like they knew what they were doing. And we didn’t have to spend a dime on photos, new logos, new colors, or nuthin’. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568150620388-ZGKSL25GHNZTX84UZK8N/d_mi_strategy_05.jpg Blog - How to Make the Best of What You’re Given. BEFORE: See? A little taste of what I had to work with coming on to the business. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568150765171-41IV5YQV75TWRJKHM36J/d_mi_strategy_07.jpg Blog - How to Make the Best of What You’re Given. FINAL: More ads from the launch along with some online stuff we did that was really fun. Super click-baity and led to a landing page that answered the mystery and called for a sale. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-turn-a-total-shit-show-into-a-winner monthly 0.5 2021-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568142073094-CG7QYS2TDANG6YOKTGCD/d_mi_strategy_01.jpg Blog - How to Turn a Total Shit Show Into a Winner. FINAL: The first salvo in a campaign designed to convince people to love the communications company they loved to hate. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119726945-WGGEDE2P0OBWZRHP1I21/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Turn a Total Shit Show Into a Winner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568144661955-T2PXFW669FU3XLS182S0/d_mi_strategy_05.jpg Blog - How to Turn a Total Shit Show Into a Winner. BEFORE: What MI-Connection was putting out there before we cleaned up their act. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568145764010-E87SNT5LT5JHFZU56Z43/d_mi_strategy_06.jpg Blog - How to Turn a Total Shit Show Into a Winner. FINAL: We didn’t have to play by any rules but our own. So to convince people our story was worth hearing, we opened up a conversation via all outlets. The website got cleaned up, the ads were bold and in-your face, but communicating SO much better. I devised a template for the direct mail, too. Way more professional using nothing but what was there all along. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568150031717-3PK7PRR2YBB1AYZK8Y7E/d_mi_strategy_07.jpg Blog - How to Turn a Total Shit Show Into a Winner. FINAL: Some more print and some online that was really fun to write. SUPER click-baity and led you to a landing page that would clear things up pretty quick (and encourage a phone call to MI-Connection). https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-get-personal monthly 0.5 2021-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119549130-ST93488J50ONTR0KRTQO/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Get Personal. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-succeed-by-being-a-pain-in-the-ass monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568134774085-4OLQLYZXZZY4YJ66YYUT/d_downtown_ads_03.jpg Blog - How to Succeed by Being a Pain in the Ass. BEFORE: This is what the pubs were doing for Downtown before. All over the map, right? From Easter to Christmas, every ad was wildly different. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568136019768-7MSWXIFVL2S7SZJ3K476/d_downtown_ads_04.jpg Blog - How to Succeed by Being a Pain in the Ass. FINAL: Sometimes we’d get a lot of space, and sometimes very little. So we had to be flexible with whatever we were promoting that month. We also had a lot of fun with the attention-getting headlines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568133529747-V597JJUA4PAKJK93C9KA/d_downtown_ads_01.jpg Blog - How to Succeed by Being a Pain in the Ass. FINAL: What I send the pubs and what the pubs eventually print. It looks deceivingly simple, was actually a colossal pain for everyone, and was totally worth it for the way it tied all the dispirit ads together so they worked under Downtown’s brand. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119409009-14QTS6O0P1CH6CJPD9HN/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Succeed by Being a Pain in the Ass. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568134940094-RE8ZBA616UCA414FBQQI/d_downtown_ads_02.jpg Blog - How to Succeed by Being a Pain in the Ass. FINAL: On the left is what I’d get from a newspaper rep. An phone snap of their hand-drawn schematic. Then I’d lay that all out and fill the spot they left for Downtown with seasonal goodies. This one was pushing gifts Downtown for Mother’s Day. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-say-everything-in-a-small-space monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568131105108-LFHFJAP35KGXI20ARWGV/d_downtown_streetbanners_03.jpg Blog - How to Say Everything in a Small Space. FINAL: In the end we went with more festive, shorter messaging to reinforce the things you could do (and probably are already doing) while you’re Downtown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568130986747-IAJC0TF3SXZD1AYXXZDJ/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Say Everything in a Small Space. COMPS: This is an idea we presented for the second round of banners, when occupancy was WAY up and people knew there was fan to be had in Downtown Mooresville. In fact, we even had a joke campaign that mostly complained how there wasn’t any parking available Downtown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119298118-GJQDG5GGXQEVWJQESCUO/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Say Everything in a Small Space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568130961340-IX5FSW1FA6657EH0PVUO/d_downtown_streetbanners_01.jpg Blog - How to Say Everything in a Small Space. FINAL: The first round of street banner I did for Downtown Mooresville told a story up and down the street – Downtown is full of business! https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-everything-come-from-one-place monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568127407129-UOU7G7KCSLQUBOXNA3AH/d_downtown_posters_01.jpg Blog - How to Make Everything Come from One Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568129825101-HT42DEMXDKAWVF3E8ZS6/d_downtown_posters_04.jpg Blog - How to Make Everything Come from One Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119203963-U9WDYLQ7FGPSL5J4LU3A/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make Everything Come from One Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568127803218-2NESUPN8TL3FU1C56IFT/d_downtown_posters_02.jpg Blog - How to Make Everything Come from One Place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568128387971-7GK1WRHGDRL349O39D6X/d_downtown_posters_03.jpg Blog - How to Make Everything Come from One Place. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-reeeeeaaaalllly-selective monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568064731573-LM42LJZO17ZPV8PO2GG6/d_downtown_photo_04_03.jpg Blog - How to Be Reeeeeaaaalllly Selective. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568064592190-VH3X1W31GQ0H45J1N6OT/d_downtown_photo_04_02.jpg Blog - How to Be Reeeeeaaaalllly Selective. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568064706625-EXV6J655H72KWPO9USVU/d_downtown_photo_04_01.jpg Blog - How to Be Reeeeeaaaalllly Selective. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568064750297-NZ3STRTPNDH4ABR7CBEM/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Be Reeeeeaaaalllly Selective. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570119058372-9ILZDL4GT07U5EN5PNY2/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Be Reeeeeaaaalllly Selective. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-and-when-to-use-restraint monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568063180769-V62KEVBQY2BY0H0U6WZD/d_downtown_logo_02_02.jpg Blog - How and When to Use Restraint. FINAL: See? Same hardware store as 100 years ago, but now we have people who run for fun. I think they call it “exercise”. The logo still suits the atmosphere, no? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568063412726-OKX2M3HTQEE557Q2A8XF/d_blog_downtown_01_01.jpg Blog - How and When to Use Restraint. FINAL: I used these images when I presented the final logo to the Downtown Commission. Even though it’s simple and historic, the logo had to be able to live in a variety of modern situations that’ll likely come Downtown. Clothing stores, restaurants, nightlife, events of all kinds…the logo had to be able to support all that and keep it’s sense of place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568062586546-5R3ZMHLPZ40NCZU61W69/d_downtown_logo_02_01.jpg Blog - How and When to Use Restraint. FINAL: Here’s where Mooresville started – at the train depot. It was a simple farming town and Downtown Mooresville still reflects it’s historic railroad heritage. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118948205-6ULQFSI2H5HGQ4J6LH9T/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How and When to Use Restraint. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-create-a-private-free-club-that-people-will-cheat-to-join monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568060871158-CMARMW9G0HLJMA8T6XI5/d_bdowntown_passport_01_03.jpg Blog - How to Create a Private, Free Club That People Will Cheat to Join. FINAL: Your Downtownie card finally arrives! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568060018323-5G78T9BJLUR5CRU0114B/d_bdowntown_passport_01_01.jpg Blog - How to Create a Private, Free Club That People Will Cheat to Join. FINAL: Inside your Downtown Passport. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568061214630-CKQVPB4HW54CVR3WTE66/d_bdowntown_passport_01_04.jpg Blog - How to Create a Private, Free Club That People Will Cheat to Join. FINAL: Window clings Downtown tell you who’s celebrating Downtownies, while car decals help visitors show their love of Downtown Mooresville. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118787629-I46HG5JGVFVD80GW8DZ8/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Create a Private, Free Club That People Will Cheat to Join. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568060309004-UXPFZHVM9URZAT0AZCEY/d_bdowntown_passport_01_02.jpg Blog - How to Create a Private, Free Club That People Will Cheat to Join. FINAL: You’re entry point to become an official, card-carrying member of Downtown Mooresville – a Downtownie! https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-make-a-brochure-about-something-that-doesnt-exist-yet monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568058816805-7V444HI3H5X19MB6N5CK/d_blog_downtown_brochure_02_05.jpg Blog - How to Make a Brochure About Something That Doesn't Exist Yet. FINAL: When I designed Downtown’s logo I designed it to live in a lot of different situations. But I hadn’t planned on it promoting weddings. I was happy that Downtown’s aggressive bold brand didn’t drown out the sweetness of this brochure’s messaging. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568054795049-BDB1P8FERUHV71T06RIZ/d_blog_downtown_brochure_02_01.jpg Blog - How to Make a Brochure About Something That Doesn't Exist Yet. FINAL: The first brochure I did was so simple in the end. But it took a lot of work to define and visualize a Downtown Mooresville that didn’t quite exist in the way we were describing it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568056227554-5RJZWF1ALZLQD43TOQ3D/d_blog_downtown_brochure_02_02.jpg Blog - How to Make a Brochure About Something That Doesn't Exist Yet. BEFORE: A look at the existing situation before I got started on rebranding Downtown Mooresville. Clockwise from top left: 1. The many co-existing brochures of Downtown Mooresville. 2.-4. This is literally 90% of photography that existed of Downtown. People’s backs and empty streets. 5.-10. The real Downtown Mooresville. Lots of empty storefronts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118663181-ZH48R5S91HX0K3D7EEVD/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Make a Brochure About Something That Doesn't Exist Yet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568057990280-TWXAH1TZZ2U6J1ZGGC8Y/d_blog_downtown_brochure_02_04.jpg Blog - How to Make a Brochure About Something That Doesn't Exist Yet. FINAL: We pulled our new street banners through to the inside of the brochure, proving there were plenty of interesting businesses open for business in Downtown Mooresville. I was glad when we finally dropped the individual listings in favor of supporting Downtown as a richer, more engaging destination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568057426246-RP6W9KP1U0FBKIHHQZMA/d_blog_downtown_brochure_02_03.jpg Blog - How to Make a Brochure About Something That Doesn't Exist Yet. FINAL: We cobbled together enough for the first brochure, and eventually built our photobank up enough for a major revise. This time featuring way more images of what makes Downtown so amazing. Pictured above is the inside of the second brochure and below are some festival snaps we were able to get throughout the year. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-design-way-more-than-a-loyalty-program monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568052246179-2GCCGTFPAPNUEYMTMEM1/d_downtown_02_02.jpg Blog - How to Design Way More Than a Loyalty Program. FINAL: Collect all the stickers and mail your Passport in. You’ll get this fun little package from Mooresville’s Downtown Commission making you an official, card-carrying Downtownie! Complete with a nifty decal for your car. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568051933632-NFKJH94L836NFFWTLCKG/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Design Way More Than a Loyalty Program. FINAL: Our award-winning Downtownie program starts here, with a special passport that you’d fill with stickers from businesses and events in Downtown Mooresville. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118563912-3N1V3L53139OMDVWIED9/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How to Design Way More Than a Loyalty Program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568053787489-ND2UCOOF5JVCW2Q69ER7/d_downtown_02_03.jpg Blog - How to Design Way More Than a Loyalty Program. FINAL: Teamwork makes the dream work. Literally. The back of the Downtownie card told members to look for participating shops via window signs Downtown. Getting a HUGE chunk of Downtown businesses to participate was instrumental to the Downtownie program’s success. The icing on the cake was winning an innovation award from the North Carolina Main Street Center. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568061836745-DQNWX7Q6R4C2QA84AI94/d_downtown_02_04.jpg Blog - How to Design Way More Than a Loyalty Program. FINAL: Logos designed for the Downtownie program. One for each of the three stages of participation. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-bring-a-downtown-back-from-the-dead monthly 0.5 2021-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568044144383-BT4UBWYKL5JO0OQ5EQ6Q/d_blog_downtown_01_05.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. FINAL: Next it was time to promote Downtown as a destination. Clockwise from the left: 1. By working closely with the pubs we advertised in, we were able to create uniquely branded templates. 2. Our award-winning program to celebrate fans of Downtown Mooresville. 3. Our first piece of Downtown merch. 4. We created a photobank of amazing images that we could use to show folks what we saw in Downtown Mooresville. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568045795077-6KO1OGMBF98LHVTG3LZZ/d_blog_downtown_01_06.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. FINAL: From 2009 to 2017 we’d spread the word about Downtown Mooresville. Clockwise from top left: 1. The website we designed for Downtown. 2, One of many posters we did to promote their crazy amount of fun events. 3. A magazine ad designed to introduce newcomers to Downtown. 4. One of many little quarter page newspaper ads promoting monthly events Downtown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568039487787-FPTB9F0YSCF2OASHN6VG/d_blog_downtown_01_01.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. FINAL: The first thing we did was define Downtown Mooresville as, well, Downtown Mooresville. The final logo could easily represent Downtown’s railroad past, but also make sense with shops you’d find there (fashion, restaurants, bars, hairstylists, hardware, etc.), and event that would be held there. It had to play nice with everything you threw at it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568040885634-063XIJQ72WT8KVOCGMEF/d_blog_downtown_01_03.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. BEFORE: The many brochures (and identities) of Downtown Mooresville, all in circulation at the same time when we started working with them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118382006-ZHKD9QTKA7NIKI0GWR8B/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568039223949-CCOE8EWQWTWUTY3601LO/d_blog_downtown_01_02.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. BEFORE: Oh, there was clearly nothing happening Downtown when we started this project. Open shops had huge gaps of vacant, papered-over storefronts between them. That’s real bad for encouraging foot traffic and look at the mess. By code, closed businesses had to have their windows papered. So we had the idea to paper them with interesting facts about Downtown. It would pull people through to all the open shops, entertain and educate visitors, clean up the overall look of Downtown Mooresville, and cover up it’s vacancy problem. And, being black and white, it’d be affordable. So many problems solved with one easy solution! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1568042770266-8VN31XJU68UTDU2ZP0PQ/d_blog_downtown_01_04.jpg Blog - How to Fake It 'Till You Make It. FINAL: The first step – getting our house in order. With some selective photography we presented the Downtown we wanted people to see. All beautiful old buildings and historic charm. We dressed up Main Street with some handsome, attention-getting, hard-working street banners, nailed down our identity and made ONE exciting brochure. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-email-newsletters-work-hardest monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567707998282-NBHIFQT2GTALGD6501ZF/email_comp.jpg Blog - How Email Newsletters Work Hardest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118244416-92A6ZH9VNFS8ZT17M8QE/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How Email Newsletters Work Hardest. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-look-socially-buttoned-up monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567706004845-OG90BOMFDX36NY9BF7DC/d_blog_continuum_04_03_01.jpg Blog - How to Look Socially Buttoned Up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118103709-YEMJJHJCVBGIG4V4JUQ1/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Look Socially Buttoned Up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567706654444-K8MU7Q4TU3U74TTTMK52/d_blog_continuum_04_03_02.jpg Blog - How to Look Socially Buttoned Up. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-shoot-regular-people monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567704637994-F0TZ02VOTL9BVLU60NKG/d_blog_continuum_04_02_03.jpg Blog - How to Shoot Regular People. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567704668179-J22AOZ7DA4CHE9LADNOA/d_blog_continuum_04_02_04.jpg Blog - How to Shoot Regular People. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567704579334-JRC7VMCSXQK5GTMBBFLG/d_blog_continuum_04_02_01.jpg Blog - How to Shoot Regular People. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570118000431-VT0WK944C24TNRJEI2S4/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Shoot Regular People. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567704613487-RY6QFU2BUHRVJ5M6LT5D/d_blog_continuum_04_02_02.jpg Blog - How to Shoot Regular People. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-tell-a-big-story-in-a-small-brochure monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567703049356-9K9AX9HD11YYZN0MZNLL/d_blog_continuum_02_03_05.jpg Blog - How to Tell a Big Story in a Small Brochure. FINAL: This spread is about not just supporting all kinds of business, but also being involved in the community. Because we’re real, local people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567702328343-LBYDMT6HV8Q8L2A0MJFF/d_blog_continuum_02_03_03.jpg Blog - How to Tell a Big Story in a Small Brochure. FINAL: Second spread, second problem – Continuum may be local, but we’ve got incredibly talented, experienced people running this place. Remember, the logo assignment for this rebrand had to shout RELIABILITY. This spread had to back it up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567701878099-QDH6ABEZ7GGOIXNWF2EG/d_blog_continuum_02_03_01.jpg Blog - How to Tell a Big Story in a Small Brochure. FINAL: The cover of Continuum’s business brochure. The purpose? Convince businesses that Continuum is a not just a local option, but an unexpectedly capable partner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567702016190-GQVIM49221UBU38I4CJK/d_blog_continuum_02_03_02.jpg Blog - How to Tell a Big Story in a Small Brochure. FINAL: The first spread of Continuum’s business brochure introduces them (problem number 1 – who are you people?) as a local provider doing a lot to help local businesses. Lots of eye candy tell essentially this same story over and over (and over and over). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567702785597-AZI71T6CE96L3QSLHYXA/d_blog_continuum_02_03_04.jpg Blog - How to Tell a Big Story in a Small Brochure. FINAL: Ah, this spread is for the big boys. The enterprise business that’s going to have a LOT on the line with any provider. We had to prove we could speak their language. You want to talk about Dark Fiber, Colocation, and Ethernet Transport? Brother, we can talk about that and more all day long. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570117872864-UQYD8N8UXZFK41UGMHTY/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Tell a Big Story in a Small Brochure. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-plan-for-every-little-thing monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570117591152-D9SVDVFGFXXAMPGUL532/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Plan for Every Little Thing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567699374272-II6TO57ONB38FQ65PUXX/d_blog_continuum_02_02_03.jpg Blog - How to Plan for Every Little Thing. FINAL: While the building now looks WAY better than it did, I wish the graphic service bands weren’t so boring and straight on the building. I had comps of the bands organically swirling and looping their way across the building, but everyone wanted to play it safe. It also made it cheaper to have it painted. Those blue marks on my mock-up up top are to show stupid town planning that we were complying with a signage code that said we could only use 20% of the buildings surface. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1620667974302-E1L1JBLGH65LEOLTS5DY/d_blog_continuum_02_02_01.jpg Blog - How to Plan for Every Little Thing. FINAL: Yep! Paper stationery! Business cards! Envelopes! They won’t die and they aren’t going away! What was once the most important piece of communication for a company has become the graphic designers junk drawer of to-do’s. But you gotta do it because that junk drawer is fuller than you ever thing. And someone’s going to make it junkier if you don’t plan for every little thing. Oh, that’s the email signature template on the bottom right there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567698554168-W2IGZMTMRI0NNC2PGHYE/d_blog_continuum_02_02_02.jpg Blog - How to Plan for Every Little Thing. FINAL: This whole project had to be done as economically as possible for a lot of reasons. So a clean look worked well in more ways than I thought then we got to the fleet graphics. I worked with the wrap company to design these things for maximum gangability in printing. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-and-why-you-should-avoid-cliches monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567632148923-24C7ARQSH8TFVAYZMZLG/d_blog_continuum_01_08.jpg Blog - How and Why You Should Avoid Cliches. FINAL: Here are some print examples of how we used our fun employee photos. We also bought pre-movie slide show space at the local indie theater in Davidson. So imagine sitting there in your comfy chair and seeing your neighbor larger than life on the big screen? We made these folks celebrities and that turned them into brand ambassadors. I love how this one solution solved so many problems, including ones we hadn’t even thought of it solving. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567631191914-ZPGYTMGXKLVUR2XNL9WM/d_blog_continuum_04_01.jpg Blog - How and Why You Should Avoid Cliches. HOW SHITTY IS THIS? Right? Yet communications companies persist in feeding us this crap. Oh, and yes, I stole this image so I could purposefully leave all the Shutterstock watermarks all over it. This is Continuum’s competition so the bar was set pretty low to beat it. Trick is, how? What do you replace it with? Well, if you have a good story to tell, use that. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570117485337-4X9H30DHOEZMEZY2F3YL/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How and Why You Should Avoid Cliches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567631910573-1GIFFLBOMU5UEOXZCM7E/d_blog_continuum_04_02.jpg Blog - How and Why You Should Avoid Cliches. FINAL: Folks, meed Amber, Steven, and Jorge. All real people making Continuum great on a daily basis. It was so fun to draw out everyone’s personalities you can see more from the shoot here. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-rebrand-a-company-from-name-to-email-signature monthly 0.5 2022-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567693580079-2RELN9S91JUEYLY1EG3M/d_blog_continuum_02_08.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. COMP: Once we decided on a short list of logos, in come the colors, along with some idea of how it would all live in the wild. A word about color – it had a job to do as well. Because the name and logo was corporate and reliable.and the messaging would push “we’re local”, we needed our color palette to be the bridge between those two things. The colors had to say, we’re respectable, but uniquely different. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567630678782-WK5KP2Q5ERML1SDIXNWH/d_blog_continuum_02_06.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. FINAL: Here’s where we finally ended up! I love the branding process because when the thinking is right, and the work is both responsible and good, you can’t lose no matter what logo the client chooses in the end. I had no idea we’d end up here until we suddenly did. Everyone’s input really put a lot of confidence behind the final final because everyone had ownership. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567629136142-3JAXZC0WO1RD290WKC61/d_blog_continuum_02_05.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. COMP: This is how what we now call the “service bands” could work in the future – playfully weaving in out of our ordinary lives. Quietly busy in the background keeping us connected to the things that are important to us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570117349325-EIF5V2UNL4Q3N05SMQUS/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567628384795-35QHZD752JXPOFS0Q8XE/d_blog_continuum_02_03.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. COMP: Once a winning name popped out of legal (Continuum), I could get to work designing marks for it. These are from the first round of black and white ideas. Early on we thought we’d need the name to be Continuum Network, so that’s why you see the “N” in some of these. In the end we decided against it. I still like all of these except the pixelated C on the bottom row. The head of tech at Continuum said it looked like bad reception and we said, “Damn. Good point!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567692731799-JNB48OUHKJY7WTFQ7KHB/d_blog_continuum_02_07.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. COMPS: A look at some of the logotype ideas we presented. In the end we nixed this direction altogether because I was nervous about ending up with a problem we had with the old MI-Connection logo – it was so long and skinny that it needed to be really big all the time to be legible. Even thought the one on the bottom right is not as long as the rest, it’s complicated with the dots, so same problem. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567627893358-EJE9VKLN35LEMGQ6AL5F/d_blog_continuum_02_01.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. BEFORE AND AFTER: On the left is the old logo and to the right is the new brand we created, name and all. I’d had to work with the old logo for years and it was such a pain. There were no variations of it. Not even an all-white knocked out version! So everywhere we used it had to be on a super light color and it had to have LOTS of horizontal room if it was going to be big enough to be read. I was sure to design some flexibility in the new brand I created. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567628152607-QBFUQTDDZ8XZWGYW42XN/d_blog_continuum_02_02.jpg Blog - How to Rebrand a Company and Make Your Trademark Lawyer Happy. IMPORTANT GRAPH: So simple, yet pretty useful! On the far left you’ll find names like COMNET or TELEWEB. Stuff that you’ll never get legal clearance for. On the far right you’ll have names like NIMBL or ZING. Crazy names that no one would pick for a communications company. What we wanted (and where we’d end up) is to be just to the left of the “Legal Gold” line in the middle. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-turn-good-work-into-great-work monthly 0.5 2021-07-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567568311050-VR8B82BMSWPHSFWHW06M/d_blog_continuum_01_02.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. RESEARCH: Welcome to the world of shitty communication company logos. On the left, our regional competition of mostly giant out-of-town providers. And us at the bottom left there. The longest logo and therefore the smallest logo in the bunch. Does it inspire faith in MI-Connection’s abilities? Nope. To the right I give you a smattering of what indie communications companies were up to across the US. Mostly a total shit storm except, in my opinion, ting and fibrant. And maybe Qnet. Clean and simple, sure, but seemingly reliable on logo design alone? Are they able to stand up against our list on the left? Dunno. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567618087027-FQ09FOYCXVSG3JZH15HB/d_blog_continuum_01_07.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. BEFORE AND AFTER: Amazing how much a nice clean rebrand can improve a look, right? And it didn’t just make the fleet and the building look better. It made the people who work there feel better. Morale goes up, customer service goes up, business goes up. What’s that old saying about raising all ships? That. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567570060332-N7T8CQW192WYDL6UQO2Z/d_blog_continuum_01_05.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. FINAL: Is it just me, or does Continuum look more professional and reliable than Dish and Windstream? Not to be OFD (Own Favorite Designer), but doesn’t Continuum look at least competent in comparison to the other logos? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567619399209-VH7WHSJJGMHTYB6J3GJE/d_blog_continuum_01_08.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. FINAL: Some of the advertising featuring the folks who made the Continuum’s promise of excellent, local customer service a reality. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567566356945-SLS5S3BG7RWLPFSZZ9AK/d_blog_continuum_01_01.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. BEFORE: Look, I can’t knock this too much because I was the one responsible for cleaning this act up. Take a look at what it was before, for God’s sake. I got this brand cohesive visually, then spent years driving home the super tough messaging that this company was NOT public enemy #1. This hard work worked hard to give us the opportunity to take this company to the next level. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567566999070-H5OQBZ34YKP04S3TG0AU/d_blog_continuum_01_02.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. FINAL: We had two objectives – look reliable and be local. The name, logo, and color palette were in charge of reliability. We even got a bonus graphic from the very definition of Continuum. The three color-coded services we offered are always seen looping effortlessly behind everything we do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567607310719-3YQT697CLV74PE74KOXU/d_blog_continuum_01_06.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. PROGRESS CHART: Rebranding a communications company from it’s name to an intern’s email signature can be, um, intimidating. I made this simple chart so the CEO and the board could clearly see the path from start to finish. In every one of the thousands of presentations for each step, I’d use a marker to show where we were in the process. The far left is represents the 300+ names we’d whittle down to favorites, then to a few, then a winner. Then a ton of black and white logo ideas, color exploration, favorites, then final colors., Then we concept the materials with long lead times, while we explored fonts and taglines and stuff, and then on to advertising concepts and a final launch campaign. Everyone found this chart oddly comforting. Even me! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570117099524-G90UFSDE237KBTIZ4LKP/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567618446963-YKD9DK6U0S8NQTP8HR41/d_blog_continuum_01_04.jpg Blog - How to Turn Good Work Into Great Work. FINAL: We launched featuring employees in all our communications along with influential citizens from all three towns. I like to call this Guilty by Association: “If very outgoing, visible, respected people from my town are not only backing this company, but also publicly endorsing this company, well, it can’t be all THAT bad.” It worked. Eventually we were able to just stick to the heroes of local customer service and let them shine. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-illustrate-for-illustrators monthly 0.5 2019-10-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567546645825-ICL6NG9FS4JQG9NUCIFY/d_blog_agp_03_04.jpg Blog - How to Illustrate for Illustrators. OTHER IDEAS AND FINAL CHARACTERS: So aside from the final product (the map website) there were all kinds of incidental elements leading up to the final. There were a ton of webpage designs that were presented as fully illustrated. Because once we sort of nailed the map look and feel, you could apply it to anything. Up top is an unused bit of title work for the website. Below that, and this is so me, a topographical side view of the AGP island and where all the characters are located on it. It was another way to handle website navigation in a visual way (yeah, the icons were links). Lastly, you can see where we ended up with the characters and see how they compared to the originals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567542920582-YDG06KJTTHGBRCEYLRLT/d_blog_agp_03_01.jpg Blog - How to Illustrate for Illustrators. FINAL: Woof. I was happy with where we ended up together, but man, what a ton of work! Hahaha. All of it fun, tho. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570116953107-C03G0RKG8AMDM0XPTE9Z/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Illustrate for Illustrators. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567558880042-N3SRYIABLMLMIRCIKHHQ/d_blog_agp_03_02.jpg Blog - How to Illustrate for Illustrators. WORK IN PROGRESS: I presented a whole bunch of ideas and the winner was the loosest sketch in that presentation. Clockwise from the upper left: 1. That’s that doodle that helped sell the approved idea. 2. This is my rough of how the island would work when shaped like the American Greetings rose (and how everyone might fit on it). 3. You can see how we refined the thing a little tighter so we could eventually get to tighter still 4. Even tighter still, this file was labeled home_07 and the last one I’d do before fine tuning would be labeled home_14. Yeah. 14 full island revisions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567545334686-QYB1MJJ8LJSWE71CFH9N/d_blog_agp_03_03.jpg Blog - How to Illustrate for Illustrators. OPTIONS: Like the logo part of this project, I had to modernize all the characters (I KNOW, I GOT TO DO MY OWN INTERPRETATION OF CARE BEARS!), without actually changing them. On the left is some early work I presented, taking the characters from original, to slightly modified, to really modified. I drew and built the whole thing in Adobe Illustrator, so everything was it’s own vector piece of something. I even gave lots of options to AGP for the banner styling that would identify the characters on the island. Fussy much? https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-redesign-a-logo-without-redesigning-a-logo monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570116739862-CKS47S9Y4U95FJ73NGB9/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Redesign a Logo Without Redesigning a Logo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567542406293-K8WVHKHPM4PBVZTDQJUT/d_blog_agp_02_02.jpg Blog - How to Redesign a Logo Without Redesigning a Logo. INCIDENTALS: I’m known to proclaim that “extra credit is for chumps”. Because even adding the slightest bit of delight will likely go unnoticed by all. The tiniest bit of extra work will go unrewarded. And no matter how passionately I believe this to be (sadly) the truth today, I can never stop doing extra credit. I guess it’s the Walt Disney fan in me. Here are some bonus lockups I did for AGP, so that when I was off the biz their designers would have some goodies to work with. I also left a bunch of illustration extra credit and you can see all that stuff here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567539147139-UD9Z87PY0CKCYFLMRBMB/d_blog_agp_02_01.jpg Blog - How to Redesign a Logo Without Redesigning a Logo. OPTIONS: So many options! I really rubbed my brain all over how to deal with getting the AGP logo to work as is in the map legend concept. These are just a small sample of what I tried (the row along the bottom) along with what they approved in the end (up top in the final image). I’m pretty happy with the final I think. Less all about being piratey. and a more restrained. https://www.davesopp.com/blog/how-to-be-creative-for-creatives monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1570114877718-KWMY1KJ6FEKRQCCSID78/dave_bug.jpg Blog - How to Be Creative for Creatives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567526720444-54C8IFM5NG1YRM1ATX4H/d_blog_agp_01_02.jpg Blog - How to Be Creative for Creatives. COMPS: Some (not all) of the ideas we presented in the first round to AGP. Each idea included whatever it took to get the concept across. So some ideas came tight with taglines attached. Some were just rough sketches. Clockwise from top left: 1. Freshen up the old characters and spice up the new by presenting each character’s personality in a modern way. 2. Incorporate the characters into a graphic envelope (the safest idea, just in case they freak out over the others), 3. Explore exciting new worlds with AGP. Visit planets and discover unique characters. 4. The world of AGP as an island inhabited by strange, sweet, wonderful, and exotic characters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567536115941-8C5MJRJM7H2I1FETB4VV/d_blog_agp_01_05.jpg Blog - How to Be Creative for Creatives. FINAL: Every pop-up on the AGP website, in every category, would include a strip of bright, clever, modern infographics. One trivia block in each strip would be animated, too, leaving the visitor with a ton of tiny positive impressions of how amazing these properties are, no matter how dated they seemed to you before. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567524823309-5AZ9PV59TSH8LAOUVYMI/d_blog_agp_01_01.jpg Blog - How to Be Creative for Creatives. BEFORE: This was AGP’s home page when I was brought on. You can see what they tried to do from the start – create a fun-but-not-too-fun envelope that can hold variously styled characters from the 70’s to today (the properties slugged along as a slide show). So, done, right? Sort of. The problem was that it didn’t set AGP up as the creative all-stars they were. It was just a generic box of characters you either knew or didn’t. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567529729787-XDN1KIX7JYMMNKVNT9S2/d_blog_agp_01_03.jpg Blog - How to Be Creative for Creatives. FINAL: The whole idea was based on the home page. An island fantasy land of AGP properties where all the dispirit characters could live in harmony. You can check out the website design deets and see bigger pictures here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d6995918a0acc00017b53bf/1567534176899-9CCHC9GS7MAEMCI0R0C1/d_blog_agp_01_04.jpg Blog - How to Be Creative for Creatives. FINAL: We pulled the map theme across everything from their massive trade show booth (back wall pictured above) to Powerpoint presentations. We also gave their team a host of logo lockups they could use wherever in the future. 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