Local Local newspapers: The Printed Blog

Blog driven publishing is born. The Printed Blog is the world's first daily newspaper comprised entirely of blogs and other user generated content. The Printed Blog seeks to change the way people share and interact with news from the world around them. They hope to play a pivotal role in reversing the fortunes of the sinking newspaper industry with this new media project.

We like the possibilities to potentially create local, local, local newspapers that inform, promote and celebrate what happens in our physical community or business environments.

How to get your name out there: New Facebook Page

At Namaro, we have dedicated ourselves to learning and applying social media. There are many ways to get your business or non-profit, or graphic design studio :), out there for all to see cost effectively. As an example, check out our new page on Facebook. Comment or contact us if you want to see more samples of social media communications that are applicable to you.

Four great Mac Icons

We love logos, icons, and symbols. Graphic design at its best. A trip down memory lane to celebrate 25 years of the MAC, see the article about 4 great mac icons.

The mac is 25 years old

In 1985, I was at a conference on British design in Aspen and I wandered into a small booth and saw my first Mac with what looked like a photocopy of Princess Diana on the screen. No one seems interested in this beige box but me. I stretched her face wide and waited a good 20 minutes to get a print out. My first taste of a mac. I was hooked.

I have been working on a mac for 23 years. I worked in Pagemaker 1.0 and my first mac cost me $10k. I struggled with Photoshop 2.0 until layers came in 3.0. I hated floppies and Syquest disks. I learned to stay away from Microsoft Word. I never touched a mechanical board or rubylith again :)

It seems hard to believe that it has been 25 years since Steve Jobs revolutionized the creative industry with a small box that said "Hello". It's pretty incredible.

Mac world put together a great article. Check it out.

Logos that didn't make it #3. Rate it. Buy it.

Got a bookstore? Know someone who has one? Give this logo a home :) Available at a reasonable price.

From the archives: So what is Graphic Design?

My definition of graphic design is to visually combine groups of information into a clever and original concept by using elements such as photography, illustration, and typography for the benefit of my clients. From the design of a subway map, to a logo, to a menu, to an annual report, graphic design creates a structure for information so the audience can better understand it.

Graphic design is how to creatively and visually connect client and audience. If done well, it stand out from the noise.

I have been a designer for corporate America since 1987 and graphic design has not been an easy medium to explain to my clients or convince them of the value. It’s not tangible like photography or copy writing.

Lately, it seems to me that graphic design, to a certain extent, has become dispensable and undervalued at a critical time in communication history. The creative presentation of information is as important as the content itself.

Writing this blog and sharing my experiences are my attempt to create a better understanding of graphic design, its value and my love for this creative medium.

Comments are welcome!

Portfolio: Check out our new website!

So for the past year, we have gone on and on about search engine optimization (SEO) and keywords. So why did we design our site in flash which doesn’t work so well with SEO or keywords? Simple. After analyzing the usage of our site over the past year we established that SEO and keywords didn’t work for our service-oriented business and 90% of people who visit our site go to the portfolio page.

We decided to make our site match the look and feel of the type of design we offer and match what our visitors want to see: just our work. But never fear, we still can use SEO techniques on our blog. It’s a perfect combo for our business.

Visit the new site and your comments are most welcome!

GET SET? Get Free business cards from Namaro

Get ready to take on the marketing challenges of 2009 by redefining your company’s personality. Send a confident message to your customers that you are ready for business by refreshing your existing logo or designing a new one.

Our process for logo design begins with careful consideration of what your company does, how you’d like your company to be perceived by your customers and how to differentiate your company from the competition. Armed with this key information, we will create several sketch designs, review your feedback and refine one sketch into your beautiful new logo.

Hire us to design or update a logo and we’ll print 250 business cards for you for FREE! Call 845-876-3009 or email us (Subject line: Free cards) at nrobbins@namaro.com

Font of the month: Ecofont

A font that uses less ink. It’s a free download. Very interesting concept. Go green baby!

The lighter side: Top 10 things to do with your spare time when you're unemployed

1. Get a Valium prescription
2. Go to Jersey for cheap wine
3. Form your own happy hour networking club (I already have one and you are welcome to join)
4. Become a comedian
5. Submit your cocktail recipes to nrobbins@namaro.com (Subject line: recipes)
6. Tell us what type of job your looking for and we will publish it on the blog (hey you never know? 700 contacts may know someone) send to nrobbins@namaro.com (Subject line: my job)
7. Perfect your Van Halen Guitar Hero imitation
8. Resurrect your love for the Macarena and dance with your sweety
9. Put that crazy business idea to work
10. Go to you tube and watch this "Evolution of dance" video

READY? Get a free 1 hour marketing consultation from Namaro

Go ahead and take your business in a new direction. In the face of these challenging economic times, it’s hard to know how to create an effective marketing campaign. At Namaro, we can give you a new set of directions.

Benefit from our experience. Set up an appointment with us, bring an overview of your current marketing communications and a set of your most important questions and we will help you develop a new road map for your business.

Take advantage of our offer for a FREE 1-hour marketing consultation. Call 845-876-3009 or email us (Subject line: Free 1 hour) at nrobbins@namaro.com

GO FOR IT. Get Free printed postcards from Namaro

Get set to send your message out there in more ways than one. You cannot limit your marketing to the internet. Your customers will respond positively to an eye-catching postcard. It will lead them to your online presence and it will also give you something to hand out, other than a business card, when you are networking.

Hire us to design a postcard and we’ll print 250 standard (4-1/4” x 6”) postcards for you for FREE! Call 845-876-3009 or email us (Subject line: Free postcards) at nrobbins@namaro.com

Green-minded font uses less ink

Green fonts are cool. I think this is a great idea. Please comment or share.

http://springwise.com/eco_sustainability/green-minded_font_uses_less_in/

Inside Out Magazine

Inside out needs your help. Please subscribe to keep them in business.

http://www.insideouthv.com/Subscribe/subscribe.html

A mystery

Not sure why an older post was sent out last night at 2am? Have to check in on this. Sorry for inconvenience. Happy new year!