After a year wrought with challenges, the retail industry is making a rebound. CNBC reports the positive news, “The National Retail Federation is forecasting retail sales in the U.S. could grow anywhere between 6.5% and 8.2% this year, with the economy accelerating at its fastest clip in two decades.” Thanks to the nationwide Covid-19 vaccine rollout…
After a year that was anything but predictable, we’re all looking forward to a lot less chaos with a return to more normalcy and balance in the coming months. Not surprisingly, 2021’s graphic design trends reflect those sentiments, leading with clean, clear illustrations, the use of calm, muted colors, and classic serif fonts. Here’s what…
You’ve likely seen a 3D-rendered photo or video either in a commercial, or a product catalog. However, you may not have realized that the realistic image you were viewing was created using digital technology. 3D rendering is a digital alternative to product photography. It allows you to change textures and materials, product design details, get…
We can’t talk about color in branding without mentioning Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2020. To set the tone for the new decade, Pantone chose 19-4052 Classic Blue—a soothing, timeless, deep shade of blue. Here’s what Pantone said about its choice: “We gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection.…
Website redesign is a multi-faceted process that requires more than strong graphic design and compelling copywriting. At Shamrock, designing and rebranding websites for our clients is among our everyday charges. When we recently carved out the time to update our own site, we followed the same discovery process and framework that we use with our…
I saw a marquee sign the other day that made me laugh: Respect your parents. They passed school without Google. We’ve all become so accustomed to scrolling, clicking or asking Alexa for the info we need, that it’s hard to imagine life without modern technology. Thus, the appeal of direct mail. It’s a refreshing change…
It happens to the best of us. We stare at the blinking cursor on the screen and the words just don’t come. We struggle with inspiration for illustrating a product or brand. The creative slump is real—but there are ways to overcome it. Content Marketing Institute’s Ann Gynn compiled a brainstorm of ideas for breaking…
You wouldn’t meet with a prospective customer without being prepared to discuss the value you bring to the table; that would be an opportunity missed. Similarly, you don’t want visitors to log on to your website without providing them with essential information and a means for continued dialogue. Website lead generation tools do just that:…
Keep up or get left behind. This is the everyday marketing challenge in today’s fast-paced, digital world. When it comes to your website, staying on top of the latest trends in relation to both site appearance and functionality is what will help you make a strong brand statement: Strive to make it accessible, easy to…
If you’re thinking that in today’s digital age, direct mail marketing is dead, think again. Research shows that printed media resonates with consumers. 70% of Americans consider physical mail “more personal” than email (Experian Data Quality Group) 60% of ad mail recipients will visit the website if it is listed on the ad (Experian Data…
