[production_coordinator]

I'm so tired of having to explain myself as to why it's important to be consistent. It's our brand... and it does matter that when you drop out the ", Inc." or use it randomly in the name of the company.

It DOES matter that you use the same font. Not italicize it sometimes... and not others.

It IS important to use the same company colors when possible.

Sorry... I just need someone to say "it is important" because I'm fighting 20 different versions of our logo and people thinking they are designers...

I'm not being a nazi here... but I'm just tired of people that don't understand marketing calling the shote.

"Why not change the logo color to green and use this fun font along with our phone number tacked on to the bottom.

[iREZ]

take a deep deep breath...

[scottiB]

Originally Posted by production_coordinator

I'm so tired of having to explain myself as to why it's important to be consistent. It's our brand... and it does matter that when you drop out the ", Inc." or use it randomly in the name of the company.

It DOES matter that you use the same font. Not italicize it sometimes... and not others.

It IS important to use the same company colors when possible.

Sorry... I just need someone to say "it is important" because I'm fighting 20 different versions of our logo and people thinking they are designers...

I'm not being a nazi here... but I'm just tired of people that don't understand marketing calling the shote.

"Why not change the logo color to green and use this fun font along with our phone number tacked on to the bottom.

Spot on. There's nothing anal about it. You don't see the Ford blue oval being in green. You don't see Apple marketing materials in Hobo. You don't see McDonald's arches be pointed. You don't see FedEx packaging in anything other than purple and orange.

Have your company (if they haven't already) spend $$$$$ on a brand identity, and then---maybe---consistency will be applied.

[production_coordinator]

Originally Posted by scottiB

Spot on. There's nothing anal about it. You don't see the Ford blue oval being in green. You don't see Apple marketing materials in Hobo. You don't see McDonald's arches be pointed. You don't see FedEx packaging in anything other than purple and orange.

Have your company (if they haven't already) spend $$$$$ on a brand identity, and then---maybe---consistency will be applied.

We have an identity... I just feel like the identity nazi saying "no" to people. Some of them are so passive aggressive it drives me crazy.

Me: "Actually, our corporate identity requires that we keep the ", Inc." in our company name.
Other guy: "Well, I would prefer that it not be there. Can't you simply remove it from the file?"
Me: "Can I remove it from the ARTWORK, yes, will I remove it... not without reviewing it with some additional people."
Other guy: "well, perhaps I should just have a designer do it"

[andi*pandi]

you are perfectly right, but you need to have someone else in the company back you up, so sales dweebs just don't think you're the "branding nazi."

-signed, another branding nazi

[scottiB]

Originally Posted by production_coordinator

We have an identity... I just feel like the identity nazi saying "no" to people. Some of them are so passive aggressive it drives me crazy.

Me: "Actually, our corporate identity requires that we keep the ", Inc." in our company name.
Other guy: "Well, I would prefer that it not be there. Can't you simply remove it from the file?"
Me: "Can I remove it from the ARTWORK, yes, will I remove it... not without reviewing it with some additional people."
Other guy: "well, perhaps I should just have a designer do it"

The designer shouldn't do it.

Do you have a Creative Director or some other person that can be final arbiter? I mean, other than you?

I know how you feel. I worked for a small firm that just had a new, complete identity done for them. After a few weeks, I see correspondence being sent not using the corporate font (which I loaded on every machine) because they "really didn't like that (text) font." I have no idea why the bosses approved it with a font most wouldn't use.

[production_coordinator]

Originally Posted by scottiB

The designer shouldn't do it.

Do you have a Creative Director or some other person that can be final arbiter? I mean, other than you?

I know how you feel. I worked for a small firm that just had a new, complete identity done for them. After a few weeks, I see correspondence being sent not using the corporate font (which I loaded on every machine) because they "really didn't like that (text) font." I have no idea why the bosses approved it with a font most wouldn't use.

I've got the president and vice president on board with the logo and brand identity. I'm going to win out in the long run, but I'm going to damage a relationship (or rather, the other person is going to damage a working relationship in the attempt to get what he wants.)

It's simply frustrating to see how far people will go to "change... for change sake"

[iREZ]

fedex actually has green and purple on a few trucks nowadays

[scottiB]

Originally Posted by iREZ

fedex actually has green and purple on a few trucks nowadays

For FedEx Ground and FedEx Home; Blue for FedEx | Kinko's; Red for FedEx Freight; Yellow for FedEx Trade Networks; and Gray for FedEx Supply Chain Services.

These colors are part of an overarching brand identity--not assigned whimsically.

[mydog8mymac]

Hopefully you can get the higher ups to let you put out a set of graphics standards for your identity. Then let the standards speak for themselves.

[art_director]

Keep a large hammer near your desk. Every time this person comes trying to "improve" the corporate brand give a fast, nervous glance at the hammer.

[olePigeon]

Slap them with a newspaper and yell, "No!"

[siMac]

Actually, I don't like some of the digits in your company's phone number - could we change some of those while we're at it?

[production_coordinator]

Originally Posted by siMac

Actually, I don't like some of the digits in your company's phone number - could we change some of those while we're at it?

Don't laugh... I get this all the time...

123.123.1234
vs.
(123) 123-1234
vs.
123-123-1234

I hate phone numbers

[Apfhex]

Originally Posted by art_director

Keep a large hammer near your desk. Every time this person comes trying to "improve" the corporate brand give a fast, nervous glance at the hammer.

That quote made my day.