http://www.zookeeper.com/ee/index.php/site/index/ Zookeeper's Blog on Design, Branding + Advertising featuring fresh writing and design news en ee@zookeeper.com Copyright 2008 2008-09-22T06:06:31-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeeper_designs_i_lost_me_to_the_crystal_method_t_shirt/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeeper_designs_i_lost_me_to_the_crystal_method_t_shirt/#When:05:06:31Z One of the side ventures we’re working on is a graphic apparel line. We have over 30 designs under development and hope to be able offer Zookeeper gear on this site sometime in the coming months.  Around Los Angeles, “I Lost Me To Meth” billboards are all over town. The anti-meth campaign launched by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs earlier this year spotlight forlorn meth users with a handwritten scrawl that reads “I Lost Me To Meth.” Isaac took this idea and created this custom type. We screenprinted a few samples this summer. Pictured here is our good friend and hockey buddy Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method wearing our “I Lost Me To The Crystal Method” T-shirt at the group’s recent DJ show in Salt Lake City: 2008-09-22T05:06:31-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/stereophonics_at_the_henry_fonda_showbox/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/stereophonics_at_the_henry_fonda_showbox/#When:03:48:53Z Tuesday night I caught Stereophonics at the Henry Fonda Showbox on Hollywood. Solid show with lead singer Kelly Jones always giving a fine performance. The last time they were on tour in the US was in 2006, and their show at the intimate Doug Fir Lounge in Portland was the best show I saw that year. Photo from Tuesday’s show below: 2008-09-22T03:48:53-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeepers_the_neighborhood_group_logo_selected_for_logo_lounge_5/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeepers_the_neighborhood_group_logo_selected_for_logo_lounge_5/#When:22:34:46Z We’re extremely pleased to announce that Logo Lounge selected the logo we produced for The Neighborhood Group to be in their new book, Logo Lounge 5, which will be published in June 2009. Over 33,000 logos were submitted for consideration and the final collection “is not only an excellent point-in-time examination, it is full to the brim with inspiration, higher thinking and craftsmanship.” Zookeeper works by herding together best-of-breed talent to produce breakthrough, award-winning creative and this case was no different. We enlisted the exceptionally talented Jeff Pollard to create this brand identity for The Neighborhood Group, an emerging real-estate company located in Portland, Oregon. Read more about our design intent for the brand identity for The Neighborhood Group here. 2008-09-15T22:34:46-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeeper_creates_poster_for_the_crystal_method/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeeper_creates_poster_for_the_crystal_method/#When:22:29:09Z The Crystal Method commissioned us to create the poster for their poolside fundraiser. The pioneering electronic music duo of Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland were seeking a look and feel that would build anticipation while promoting a cause they believed in. We used color, type and original illustration to create an original web and print poster design that conveyed the intimate yet exciting feel the group was envisioning while reflecting their brand identity. View website “Zookeeper has been invaluable to our project! They delivered extraordinary work in unbelievable time. Without Zookeeper, our Earthdance fundraiser would still be just a good idea. Dave and the rest of the Zookeeper staff were so easy to work with and changes were never a problem, no matter how small, big or how many.” –Ken Jordan, The Crystal Method “I could not have been happier with the professionalism, creativity and efficiency Zookeeper exhibited on our behalf. Thank you Zookeeper!” –Janine Johnson, Founder, Green Wave Enterprises 2008-09-09T22:29:09-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/new_taglines/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/new_taglines/#When:22:24:22Z We’ve recently add several new taglines to our portfolio. A clever tagline describes the essence of your brand to your customers in just a few words. The ideal branding slogan instantly conveys the concept of your brand. Optimally three to five words, a memorable and successful catchphrase summarizes your company, product or service with the right tone and attitude to make a lasting impression. Are you getting your brand message across clearly? We can . Portfolio: TAGLINES 2008-09-05T22:24:22-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/changes_afoot/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/changes_afoot/#When:18:42:38Z As you may have noticed, we have a new brand identity for Zookeeper. Many more details to follow soon on this, including our process on how we created it and what the change symbolizes. Many more exciting things to announce as well, so stop back soon. Gone is our old identity, which served us well since I started Zookeeper nearly 10 years ago in February 1999, and featured a giraffe. The photo below I purchased a couple of years ago from Drew Force, who also runs his own design firm, located up in Portland. Drew loves to go to Africa on safari and has taken some stunning photographs that have been featured in his art-gallery shows. I loved the giraffe skull below that he captured and expertly composed. A fitting metaphor for the moment. 2008-09-05T18:42:38-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/thursday_sketch_of_the_week11/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/thursday_sketch_of_the_week11/#When:01:41:12Z Just when Dave thought that I’d given up, I present to you yet another Thursday Sketch of the Week. Perhaps, this one needs a name and a story. Or perhaps there is no name or story. I mean look at this guy. Does he look like he has a name? I think he’s mysterious. Mission: Booyah. Status: Achieved. 2008-08-29T01:41:12-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeeper_helps_iwata_medea_increase_website_traffic_by_400/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/zookeeper_helps_iwata_medea_increase_website_traffic_by_400/#When:18:51:26Z We’ve been working with Iwata-Medea, distributors of the world’s finest airbrush products, since 2004 on their website. In January 2005, Iwata had 6,000 unique site visitors a month. Thanks to a huge increase in site content and a targeted, consistent email campaign, the number of unique monthly visitors in July totaled over 24,000! That’s a 400% increase for those of you scoring at home. Want to learn how we can help your business achieve similar results? Contact us today. We’re currently in the process of a complete redesign of their site that will feature a blog, more interactivity and a freshly updated look. We’ve just uploaded the monthly site update which you can check out below. Iwata-Medea Website 2008-08-27T18:51:26-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/tuesday_music_video_of_the_week14/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/tuesday_music_video_of_the_week14/#When:15:42:46Z Named after the fictional castle in the animated TV series She-Ra: Princess of Power and not the 1983 Atari video game, Crystal Castles from Toronto bring us this week’s video “Vanished”, a super-cathy, almost hypnotic song. Enjoy:  2008-08-26T15:42:46-08:00 http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/we_have_hijacked_your_baby/ http://www.zookeeper.com/index.php/zoo/we_have_hijacked_your_baby/#When:15:32:26Z Owning a bunch of different domain names means you get a LOT of spam. My junk mail box regularly takes in nearly 5,000 spam emails a week. Last week spammers tried to swamp our comments section of our blog, but we enacted some security measures and cut them off at the pass. After a while, you notice certain patterns behind their junk mail. What’s become very obvious is that the spammers have a marketing plan. But how do you cut through all the clutter, especially when you are competing against all of the other spams in your inbox? I noticed they had a top ten CNN stories of the day one going a couple of weeks ago. But yesterday, they really took it to the next level. I’ve gotten hundreds of these new ones, with the title: “We have hijacked your baby” The message goes on to tell me how I “must pay once to us $50 000. The details we will send later...” Then they are nice enough to attach a “photo.” Very tricky, spammers. Imagine the havoc you could cause if English was like your fourth language… 2008-08-26T15:32:26-08:00