Small Business Saturday 2010 – Right Here in Jersey City

November 26th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, marketing | 2 Comments
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As one of many small business owners I’m thrilled with the new campaign launched by American Express to get shoppers to think about local small businesses instead of national and global retail chains. This is what will truly help the economy grow, not buying from the giants.

I am happy to offer a 10% discount to anyone who contacts me for design, social media or seo services and mentions “small business saturday” or #SmallBizSat, via phone, email sndi@verizon.net or twitter @sndinc @brandingubetter or @snewmandesign. Over at Frogs Are Green we’re promoting “GREEN FRIDAY” today, instead of Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

Be kind to all your local vendors so they will all continue to thrive into 2011!

Mobile-Friendly Websites – Dump The Flash or Create a Mobile Optimized Site

November 26th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, marketing | Comments Off
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This time of year brands with decent advertising budgets start broadcasting their coolest, newest products on TV, radio and internet. As I was watching tv the other night, a commercial came on for HP showing how you can share photos straight from your phone to your printer via ePrint technology.

I’ve had an iTouch for 2 years now and recently got a Blackberry Curve to supplement what the iTouch didn’t have. I really like the iTouch better because of the larger screen and keyboard. Seeing that HP commercial and knowing all the capabilities I have with these mobile devices, I began to realize we can do almost anything with these gadgets.

Which leads me to how everyone going mobile is going to effect your website if it hasn’t been built to be mobile-friendly. Any website that currently has Flash animation sitting on the pages or if the whole site was built using Flash, you’ve got to realize no one on a mobile device can see the parts that are Flash. The Flash has to go or you need to build an additional mobile website version.

Now you may be thinking, my site isn’t Flash, it’s html/css and it can be seen on smartphones like the iPhone or Google Android, but these links from Mashable will help you realize there are ways you can install plugins in WordPress or use other services that will help mobile users see the important content and links and give you the ability to modify how mobile devices see your site.

From Mashable – “A Guide to Mobile Web Design Tips and Tricks” and “Create a Mobile-Friendly Website for Your Business with moBistro.”

Global Entrepreneurship Week – Jersey City Green Fair 2010

November 21st, 2010 | Posted in Blog, marketing | Comments Off
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They say that the economy will only get better if small businesses sell more, gain more clients, and hire more people. This past week was Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010, which was locally organized by Rising Tide Capital here in Jersey City. The week was filled with activities, from meeting each business face-to-face to attending lectures. Yesterday I attended the Jersey City Green Fair which took place at City Hall on Grove Street. It was great seeing Alfa Demmellash, CEO of Rising Tide Capital again. We first met at the 2008 “Everything Jersey City Festival.” Our booths were next to each other. With her were Camille Parker, Development Associate and Executive Assistant, and Roger Cervantes, Micro-Enterprise Development Program Associate.

Alfa Demmellash, CEO, Rising Tide Capital and Susan Newman

Camille Parker and Roger Cervantes, Rising Tide Capital

I walked around learning about each new “green” business from solar panel installations to cleaning our homes in a greener way to Rainforest Relief. Here are just some of the business entrepreneurs I spoke with.

Alliance Cooperative Energy, LLC.

Alliance Cooperative Energy (ACE) provides a complete array of services to meet our alternative energy needs. They offer site evaluation, engineered system design, incentive guidance and more, all complying with the applicable, regional and national codes and standards. They have both residential and commercial clients. Speaking with their director of engineering, James Van Ness, I was particularly interested in how solar panels can be installed in our urban cities where the roofs are flat. He explained in detail about how they can be installed with rails and supporting foundations. I picked up one of their brochures and was pleased to see it had been printed on FSC certified paper using vegetable based inks.

James Van Ness, Alliance Cooperative Energy

Rainforest Relief

Meeting the executive director, Tim Keating of Rainforest Relief was important, because it gave me an opportunity to hear about his organization and tell him about mine, Frogs Are Green. Their organization works to end the loss of the world’s tropical and temperate rainforests by reducing the demand for the products of rainforest logging, mining and agriculture. Our organizations do different things but share a common goal of saving the rainforests. His business card was printed on reused, recycled paper.

Subia’s Organic Market & Young Living Essential Oils

I haven’t yet been to this market, but after reading the marvelous reviews on the web, I’ll be heading over here this week.

I’ll admit I don’t really know enough about what therapeutic oils do, so I was happy to learn more from Independent distributor, Priscilla Renta. They guarantee that Young Living will only sell 100% pure, natural, uncut oils that maintain the vital therapeutic potency.

“Today, using gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, the phytochemical profile of every batch of Young Living essential oils is measured to evaluate each specific plant compound. Certain plant compounds must meet or exceed specific levels to ensure the oil is natural, pure, and therapeutic-grade. Only then does Young Living guarantee the oil will provide the desired results and label it Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ (YLTG).”

Subia's Organic Market Jersey city

Home Economics

Home Economics, owned by Beverly Brown Ruggia, is located in Hoboken, NJ and at yesterday’s green fair she brought with her assorted products that were good for your kitchen and home, cleaning your home, and even reusable bags for carrying lunch or grocery shopping.

Bag The Habit

I have a nylon bag that folds into a pouch and it’s in my purse every day. No matter where I am if I need to carry something home, it’s with me and it’s even machine washable. Plain and simple, I love it! I was thrilled to meet owner, Holly Tienken of Bag The Habit because she’s got all sorts of styles and shapes on this concept. Some with zippers, some without, produce bags, even a market set pouch that holds 5 grocery bags. It has a wrist band so you can take it to the supermarket and use all of them, instead of wasting all those plastic bags! Her philosophy is simple: “It’s not about hating plastic, it’s about loving your reusable bag.” I think her company has economically priced, well-designed products, and considering Jersey City is considering banning plastic bags, is very timely too!

Holly Tienken, Bag The Habit

Bio-Kleen Services, LLC. &  Magic Cleaning Service, LLC.

As a environmentalist and pet owner, I’m very concerned about cleaning my home with green, safe products. I was glad to meet two local green cleaning companies, Bio-KleenServices, LLC & Magic Cleaning Service, LLC. Both of these companies specialize in green cleaning for residential and commercial spaces. Their approach includes the use of non-toxic products, biodegradable packaging and environmentally sensitive technology. They also sell their own products for purchase, so you can keep your home green and non-toxic.

Bio-Kleen Services

Magic Clean Service

Nishani Wellness

With Americans being so overweight and eating really bad foods, fast food, etc… a wellness and lifestyle coach sounds like a much needed business. I talked with Nisha Moodley about what Nishani Wellness is about. A holistic approach to health and wellness, she looks at how all parts of your life affect your health. She focuses on nourishing with healthy whole foods and also “primary foods.” I don’t believe in diets, but I do believe in eating as healthy as I can. Fresh fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and protein everyday. I haven’t eaten any red meat in over 30 years. Working with a coach might be the answer for those who just don’t feel right or practice emotional eating. Stop the seesaw effect.

Nisha Moodley, Nishani Wellness

Ecological Home Awareness Kit

Here’s something we don’t necessarily pay enough attention to. Do you have a “water, soil, energy, mold, air or toxin” problem in your home? Well, I talked with Mark Pedersen about this serious issue that many people ignore, so here’s a website where you can get a kit and test your home.

Mark Pedersen, Ecological Home Awareness Kit

Viridian Responsible Energy

My electricity is on right now, how else am I blogging? I know I pay PSE & G every month, but have no idea if they are practicing green technology. I’m going to look into that. Meanwhile I met Karen Brown-Stovell and her husband of Viridian Responsible Energy. I didn’t know that many states have started deregulating the generation of electricity, which allows us to choose who to get the power from. Viridian’s Everyday Green rate plan offers 20% renewable energy, sourced from locally produced, high quality renewable sources. They are 10 years ahead of Federal guidelines which state that by the year 2020 energy companies must use 20% from renewable sources.

Viridian Responsible Energy

The Hop Shuttle Buses of Hoboken NJ

November 15th, 2010 | Posted in Portfolio, print | Comments Off
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The City of Hoboken brings community shuttle bus service to within two blocks of every resident. The city’s green-thinking initiative is the perfect reason for residents to “hop on” and “hop off” around town and not need to drive or park their cars. I created this fun-looking and easily recognizable branding with the hope that more residents will see it’s a more efficient and environmentally-friendly way around town. Read more about The Hop.

Green Graphic Design – Green Books Campaign 2010

November 10th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, green | 2 Comments
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“In order to design for change, we must change the way we design.”
— Brian Dougherty with Celery Design Collaborative

I consider myself a “green” designer and stay informed on green issues and initiatives through lectures from the sustainability division of the AIGA and by reading other “green” websites, magazines and books. I look at the practices of paper companies and the environmental goals of corporate giants. I follow “green” wildlife and environmental organizations.

But reading through Brian Dougherty’s easy-to-understand, informative book, Green Graphic Design, with illustrated case studies, has opened my eyes to the very important role we play as designers. The book takes us through the many different components we must be knowledgeable in, if we’re to create real change. We are asked to design backwards. Backwards means to start from the very end and work our way back to those initial ideas in our studio. The stages backward are: waste, user, delivery, warehouse, bindery, printing, and of course conceptualization. Once we break down the design using this system and do our research, we have the ability to rethink each or all of the stages, to be sure we’re creating from the start, the greenest piece we can.

As we move through the chapters, we learn about sustainability, what a company’s core values mean, changing the way we design, which papers to use and why, and new technologies for alternative papers, the paper industries environmental practices and commitments (wind-turbine rather than burning fossil fuels), plastics (which types can be used and recycled and which cannot), and even which colors we shouldn’t specify because they are toxic. Thinking ahead that we should consult with our printer, not just on types of paper (100% post-consumer recycled, bamboo…) and inks (vegetable, soy…) but what size sheet will be used so we can perhaps shrink the size of our design down by 1/2″ and be able to gang up more per sheet.

Do most designers consider these issues? Clients come along and in some cases already have ideas about what they want created. However, imagine the impact just one designer can make if you’re able to change your client’s thinking and print something greener. Now multiply that by all your clients, and then again by all the graphic designers across the planet. That’s a lot of change and the impact it could have on the environment, unreal!

“We are really trying to change the world for the better and graphic designers are empowered to be multimedia change agents, using whatever strategies best drive that change.”

I was quite impressed by the examples shown and the creative and innovative solutions shown by Brian Dougherty and Celery Design. One of my favorites, was the packaging created for a Lemnis Lighting‘s long-lasting bulb. The pyramid-shaped, light-weight design was printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. It had no glue to seal it, but interlocking parts. Planning ahead with the printer, they were able to gang up 6 per sheet. Because of the (close to the bulb) pyramid shape they also stack easily, can be stored and shipped neatly. Thinking of the user who buys the product, they even designed the packaging so that it can be unfolded and reused as a lamp shade.

Another cool example is one that I receive every week! Netflix. It comes in simple, thin paper packaging, neatly pulling at the perforated edge to open it and once you’ve watched your movie, you’re able to put the dvd right back in the same packaging and mail it back. Efficient!

Another very important area discussed is a company’s brand and how that gives them the opportunity to communicate to the public. “Green branding” is a form of design activism. Companies are always concerned with how the consumer perceives them. They can’t just talk green without actually doing anything to back it up. They must continue to push through new ideas and strive to prove their mission, if they want us to continue to trust them and buy their products or services. Just imagine what the public thinks about a company who talks the talk and then doesn’t walk the walk! (BP?)

Now you may think this book is all about print marketing and products, but Brian also discusses website design and how companies with the right initiatives can create real change. Using the web to change people’s ideas or teach them the newest or innovative ways to help the environment, can push out there the right feeling about their brand and mission. This makes you care and want to use that company’s services. Example: ZipCars. Easy to use website, and a great idea.

In the back of the book Brian includes a glossary of technical terms such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or TCF (Totally Chlorine-Free bleaching), a sustainability score card and what PMS colors to stay away from due to metals.

Each new assignment that comes in has the opportunity to be greener than it might have been before reading this book. I hope every designer out there will read this important book and together we can have a huge impact and change will come.

This review is part of the Green Books Campaign initiated by Eco-Libris. Today’s second annual event has 200 bloggers reviewing 200 great books, publishing at the same moment, and printed in an environmentally friendly way. Their goal is to encourage publishers to get greener and readers to take the environment into consideration when purchasing books. This campaign organized by Eco-Libris, a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. A full list of participating blogs anbd links to their reviews is available on the Eco-Libris website.

Logo design by Susan Newman Design Inc.

Hoboken Artists Open Their Doors for the 2010 Studio Tour

November 8th, 2010 | Posted in art, Blog | 1 Comment
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Fall is my favorite season and not just because it finally gets cooler, and the trees look pretty, but some of my favorite local events come around again.

Yesterday, I grabbed my Hudson Reporter artist listing & map and camera and headed out to see as many artists in as many locations as I could. Walking down from the Heights of Jersey City I stopped first at Watermusic (opposite the Shoprite), which had the group showing from Hob’art. As I wandered in, I was greeted by Roland Ramos and there was a cool band playing. There were all sorts of artwork displayed, 3D sculputral to photo collage to paintings.

Next, I walked over to the Monroe Center, through the main entrance with art from the kids program, Urban Arts and up to the 5th floor and around and down the floors, visiting artists I know, Sissi Siska, who creates the most stunning silk paintings; Joe Borzotta, who’s conceptual painting of figures makes me think about them, him, and myself; Laura Alexander, who large scale paintings, the close-ups of people’s faces, always knocks me out; Craig Dale, who has been teaching photography and this year was showing his students’ great work; Virginia Rolston Parrott, whose photographs are so serene and make you want to be in that place she’d discovered.

Jean Fowley poses with her tongue(s).

Throughout the day I continued along to Hoboken City Hall and then to the Neumann Leather Building. Here are some of the artists I enjoyed seeing again or meeting for the first time: Tim Daly, Ninetta Nappi, Randi Wolfman, James Collum, Michelle Doll, Owen Gray, Zac Gross, Robyn Prezioso, Rene Broussard, Joseph Terrone, Happiness Akaniro, Fermin Mendoza, Andre Kaulesar, Santiago Cohen, John Patterson, the Paterson Arts Council (group show) and Jean Fowley.

Click to view my gallery.

Make Your Branding Message Clear – How Many Words Does It Take?

November 4th, 2010 | Posted in Blog, marketing | Comments Off

When it comes to using the right amount of words, how many are too many or too little? Some companies love the one word brand or title. In movie titles, the most dynamic ones and the ones we remember best have only one word… Avatar, Titantic, Casablanca. For product type companies, Nike, Apple, Staples…

One word, if marketed with the right copyline says just enough. The copyline must also be short and be the right phrase as well as the right amount of words. (Staples “That was easy.”) There are so many companies who feel three descriptive words or thoughts broken by periods, is the right amount. (“I live. I ride. I am.” Jeep)

Then there are the companies we name after ourselves which definitely need just the right copyline, or no one will have a clue what you do or what you’re selling, unless of course you’re a legend. (Milton Glaser)

Some companies who have become well known feel they can play around with their copylines just for fun, and whether we get the message or not, maybe doesn’t matter. (Microsoft, “Where do you want to go today?”)

One thing is clear. Some phrases work and others just confuse the public. I suggest getting right to the point. Whether it’s the brand name or the copyline, you’ve got make your message immediately clear.

Here are some of my favorites

1- Wheaties “Breakfast of Champions”

2- Nike “Just do it.”

3- Lay’s “Betcha can’t eat just one.”

4- AT &T “Reach out and touch someone.”

5- Staples “That was easy.”

6-  Zales “A diamond is forever.”

7- Milk “Got Milk?”

8-L’Oreal “Because I’m worth it.”

9- BMW “The ultimate driving machine.”

10- New York “I Love New York.”