Progressive educators recognize that the learning process should not be limited to the classroom and the exchange between teachers and students. In fact, according to a 2013 Gallup State of America’s Schools Report, only 55% of K-12 students are engaged in the traditional learning process.

Introducing experiential graphics into built environments turns the building itself into an educator. Consider a simple example of  labeling a drinking fountain in multiple languages with engaging typography. Not only does this teach one how to say drinking fountain in other languages, it teaches a more subtle value of inclusiveness.

The value of ambient learning is not limited to the education industry. The truth is, every organization is in the business of educating. Businesses educate their employees and customers on their history, their processes, their products. Non-profit organizations educate their volunteers, donors and those they serve. Religious institutions educate their people as well. In fact, historically, churches have done a magnificent job through stained glass and art. Consider that Leonardo DaVinci’s famous “Last Supper” painting was commissioned for the Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what pictures would make a difference in your building?  Schedule an appointment to explore what ambient learning could do for you.

See just a few of the examples of ambient learning we developed for Delta College below.

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Your building and office space is your chance to influence how people feel in your space and what they think about you and your company. Your name probably already exists on the outside of your building – and it should, to identify you. Do you really want to repeat the same thing inside your front doors? No. Let’s be honest, your guests already know your company name and so do your employees.

Your building should tell your story and your reception area is the first chapter.

Seize the opportunity to say something people don’t know about you, and don’t feel you must use words.  If your clients come in anxious or fearful, give them peace.  If it’s your staff that makes your company so special, show it. If you’re a non profit organization, show a picture that represents your mission. Please, just show or say something other than your company name.

Your goal is to create a conversation starter. No one is going to ask you about your name.

The picture above is a reception area we designed for an engineering firm. Not what you’d expect, right? Well neither is their innovative approach to what they do. We had the wall hand painted by a street artist. It’s a conversation starter with their guests…”Wow, tell me about that!”

Need help with this? Let’s talk.

The post What Not To Say In Your Reception Area appeared first on Ideation.

Our clients often call on us to help them re-imagine the exterior of their buildings. It could be a dentist that acquired an older practice. It could be a retailer or restaurant that is moving into a spot previously held by a similar business. It could be a manufacturer that wants to increase name and brand recognition. The reasons are nearly endless, but the goal is generally the same: to make people notice and express the brand.

While signage is part of the solution, something more is often needed. While the “more” could involve more expensive architectural changes or cladding, “more” can often be accomplished at a much lower cost with a well-designed exterior paint job. Usually, the client had budgeted to repaint the building anyway.

This is something we practice as we preach!  The above picture is of our new studio.  The incremental cost to paint the 3-color design shown was just 10% more than if we had painted it a single gray color!

Successful design doesn’t have to be expensive.  Schedule an appointment to re-imagine the exterior of your building or explore the Power of Paint.

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The original logo existed solely in a circular shape. Per Creative Director, Jon Moses, “working together with Krieger Klatt Architecture, we recognized that the logo as a primary façade sign was restricting what could be done with the architecture and also had readability issues when sized to meet city sign allowances.  With future restaurants to be opened in both newly constructed standalone buildings and pre-existing buildings and storefronts, a much more expansive identity package was needed to appropriately brand the wide variety of spaces.”

There were also goals of bringing out more of the brand’s personality and introducing a symbol that could be used to support product branding including craft beers and sodas. This was accomplished in an updated logo design incorporating a train, a symbol that has been part of the company’s story and interior design from the very beginning.

Ideation designer, Michael Garavaglia worked collaboratively with Krieger Klatt Architects, developing and testing concepts of logos and signage in the context of their new standalone restaurant prototype as well as pre-existing buildings.  

The final brand identity and comprehensive set of over 40 sign designs were packaged in a Brand & Sign Manual that is used to guide appropriate signage usage for new locations.

Photos ©2015 Gene Meadows

The post Bagger Dave’s: Designing Logos with Signage in Mind appeared first on Ideation.

Our friends at Cacao Tree Café called us to help tell their story on the exterior of their café. They serve up gourmet raw foods that cleanse, detox and rejuvenate. They make you beautiful from the inside out. Our objective became to make them beautiful from the “outside in.” 

before

after

Cacao Tree Café occupies a wedge-shaped storefront in a walkable downtown setting. With just a sliver of its primary façade facing the street, it was easy to miss. A combination of projecting blade signs, façade lettering and window graphics was developed to maximize impact within the city’s sign ordinance and the client’s budget. In the process, ideation refined Cacao Tree Café’s logo, color palette and typography.

Large windows on the West elevation were used to capture the eyes of both vehicles and pedestrians heading East on busy Fourth Street. Fresh green and warm gold colors were used to stand out against the glass, a solution that delivers big impact at a low cost.

Simple, projecting blade signs were used at the corners of the building to catch the eyes of hungry pedestrians. 

The ideation team incorporated a traditional Mayan illustration as a large window display graphic, accenting the client’s love of the Cacao Tree and it’s Central American roots. 

Next time you’re in Royal Oak, stop in and rejuvenate with raw hand-made chocolates, super-food smoothies and elixirs, organic soups, salads and sandwiches! You can also see how business signage defines a business.

The post Cacao Tree: Getting More Storefront Attention appeared first on Ideation.

Pedestrian blade sign with scroll bracket.

Ideation provided color consultation on the façade, logo design and signage design, production and installation.

Custom metallic gold design hand-applied to window above door.

BEFORE – Original storefront façade                           AFTER

According to Ideation Creative Director, Jon Moses, “It’s so important with a premise-based business like this, to design the logo as we design customer signs and the  storefront (in addition to packaging and other applications.)  Too often, businesses in start-up mode will create a logo first, independent of any signage consideration.  Later, when they go to make a sign, it’s just not optimal in that context. In this case, the logo was informed by an overall color palette for the façade, where it would go on the building, the size as allowed by the city, and sight lines for vehicles and pedestrians.”

The logo was inspired by the Cornwall flag, the country Freeman traces his lineage to. He wanted the brand to represent his family and his life-long dream of one day opening his own bakery.

The post Cornwall Bakery: Letting the Storefront Influence the Logo appeared first on Ideation.

According to Mike, “it was mission critical to understand the story behind Monty’s Beef. We needed the story to shape an experience that would intrigue, educate and sufficiently tempt both shoppers and those walking by.” Monty’s Beef offers a direct, farm-to-fork beef that is 100% pure Piedmontese. This premium breed of beef is rich in flavor but with a fat content that rivals chicken.

Creating the Brand Identity

White Oak from the mid-Michigan farm where the herd is raised was used on the exterior façade to convey the farm-to-fork authenticity, with anodized aluminum lettering providing a natural sharp contrast. A nearly life-sized cow silhouette from the logo brought to the exterior glass created a “double-take” moment for those traveling by and was just plain cool. The exterior also communicated a simple message.

In the interior, Yellow Pine, aged with a wire brush and an oxidized stain, created the right look. A mural produced from a photograph of the Piedmontese stock in the Italian Alps went up on the wall. In addition, custom designed infographics helped narrate the story of the beef. A color palette of bold orange, wood tones, white and black reinforced brand colors and allowed even product packaging to play a role in the environment.

A custom but flexible menu board allowed for easy additions and changes.

Open or closed? Not really, the Market is open or they’re back to the farm!

For more information on Monty’s Beef visit montysbeefco.com

The post Monty’s Beef: Using a Mural to Tell Their Story appeared first on Ideation.

Creating a Visual Identity

Ideation’s creative director Jon Moses and the design team started by developing a simple logo. It needed the elasticity to work in applications ranging from in-market signage, packaging, bags and also apparel. Mood boards, image studies, and renderings of signage validated the look and feel. A little southern personality and grit furthered the theme through a collection of down-home claims.

Ideation collaborated with the architectural team at Krieger-Klatt to shape an environment that communicated this new visual identity. Michael Garavaglia of Ideation led the execution of the in-market experience. The visual identity included a weathered steel sign with exposed bulbs to introduce an authentic, retro feel.

Fabricated steel lettering with a special vibration finish and a branded “HM” logo were used in high contrast to a chestnut brown stained wood background. This created a modern feeling that extended to other parts of the market. By incorporating the look throughout the restaurant we were able to brand the space.

Finally, Ideation Orange designed collateral materials such as printed menus, business cards, and employee t-shirts. We also created a style guide to help them maintain brand consistency over time.

Ideation Orange helps businesses brand space and create brand identities. Contact us for more information on how you can tell your story using graphics.

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