Stock is a good start if you’re making chicken soup, but as Chef Emeril would say, “kick it up a notch!”

Often stock photography is relied upon because it is budget-friendly and it can be uber-fast. It generally has what it takes to get the project done, but there is a risk of seeing your purchased photo used in somebody else’s campaign and nobody likes that, or even using a photo that unwittingly sends the wrong message.

A campaign supporting Measure WW, a $250 million bond measure to preserve open space for recreation and wildlife habitat in California, mistakenly used a picture of a frog that nobody wants in their parks.

The African clawed frog in the brochure is a non-native species that threatens indigenous frogs and small fish. It’s considered a pest in California creeks, streams and ponds and has been called the “Frog from Hell.” Not exactly the message Measure WW wanted to send.

Sometimes the photo and concept needed simply doesn’t exist, but that shouldn’t get in the way of making your project truly unique. Nine times out of 10 if you dream it we can make it happen and at a budget-friendly pace/price.

We just completed a photo shoot for a client and it was a great success! As Emeril would say, “BAM!”

Have you seen any different campaigns using the same photo? Any advertisement photography really stand out to you lately?

I recently read an article by Andy Rutledge called “It’s Not About the Website” that got me thinking about the creative process of web design and the struggles that come with it.

Designers often become frustrated because they feel a lack of respect for their expertise. And, clients grow impatient when their design team fails to follow their wishes. This confrontation can inevitably lead to unnecessary rounds of revisions and a website that doesn’t meet the user’s or client’s needs.

So, what do we do?

1. Communicate.
   As an agency, we arm ourselves with complete knowledge of our client’s business, their industry and the market. We don’t just deliver a pretty design, but a website that becomes our client’s business and marketing solution.
2. Study the target audience.
   It’s easy for an agency and a client to get caught up in their visions of how the website should be. But, in the end, the final design needs to benefit the end user and, it’s the designer’s responsibility to research and keep the end user in mind.
3. Develop trust.
   I believe that the designer needs to keep the client in the loop. Designers like to be perfectionists, so showing an “unfinished” layout is undesirable, but this could lead to wasted time in the end if the design is rejected by the client.

Have you visited any great websites lately? Do you have any tips to add to this list?

Last weekend I stopped at Target (love you, Target!) to pick up a new mop. As usual, I was there much longer than I needed to be. Not because I was shopping for items I didn’t go there to purchase, which is a usual occurrence, but because I was admiring the beautiful, simple, classy packaging of one of my favorite cleaning products—Method. I just love the fresh and “clean” approach Method uses to present its products. The packaging is truly beautiful and speaks for itself.

Even the writing on Method’s labels is refreshing—and its natural, non-toxic products are better for us, and the environment.

I am always on the prowl for unique packaging. Seen any lately? I’d love to hear about it!

Everyone who has a business seems to be jumping on the Twitter train lately, including myself. It’s a great way to easily get word out to a large group of people about who you are and what you do. Another great thing about Twitter is that it is customizable. But as a designer and a very visual person, I notice a lot of people use the “default” backgrounds that are available and miss the opportunity to really convey their brand identity effectively.

I’m of the belief that B2B companies should use Twitter as an extension of their web identity and carry over the same visual themes and imagery so their current and prospective customers recognize them and associate them with their brand. Here are a couple examples that I thought did this very well.

http://twitter.com/sickdesigner

http://twitter.com/espn

http://twitter.com/yahoo

http://twitter.com/canvascubed

http://twitter.com/kocovega

Have you come across any really creative Twitter pages lately? What are some other ways we can customize social media to help our businesses?