by Stephanie Hay on 03/23/2010
“The mantra that I like to keep in the back of my head is ‘Wake Up and Live,’” says Erik Dreyer, the art director at Bethesda-based advertising and PR firm August, Lang, & Husak (ALH). “It was on a Bob Marley t-shirt I had when I was a kid. It helps me keep perspective on what’s important.”
And what’s important to Dreyer these days is planning his wedding with his fiancée Lauren, chairing the education group within a young professionals advertising organization called Ad 2 DC, and directing the creative endeavors of ALH. He says he approaches his contributions to these efforts and more “with the easygoing, free-spirited attitude that I snatched up in Cali.”
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by John Foster on 03/10/2010
In response to ADCMW interest last year when the Washington Post redesigned its magazine, our own John Foster interviewed WaPo’s Features Design Director, Janet Michaud. Thanks to Janet for taking time to candidly respond to questions from members of the DC creative community, and for giving us all some insight on how WaPo is continuing to evolve its brand.
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by Jeff Gothelf on 03/04/2010
At your local supermarket, “shelf life” represents the length of time a tomato, cup of yogurt, or carton of eggs will stay fresh and desirable. Some foods last longer on the shelf than others, thanks to a combination of ingredients and packaging. When a company wants to extend the shelf life of a food product, it will often create a new form factor that holds up better over time.
Shelf life is also a crucial concept in the design world. When you kick off a new web design project, you must assess the shelf life of your project.
Will it be a quick-hit, six-week campaign that is timed to fly with other coordinated marketing efforts? Is it a task-based application that will help the staff of an organization work more efficiently for months or even years? Understanding the shelf life of your project before you start designing clarifies — to everyone involved — the criteria with which to evaluate and refine the design.
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