Getting the Most Out of Conferences

I’m usually behind the scenes at conferences – helping clients find conferences to attend or speak at, or assisting with their presentations and booth set-ups. So whenever I attend a conference or large event, it makes me think about the differences between being an attendee and being a vendor, a sponsor, or a company with… Read more »

How to Create a Logo

Every designer has his or her own way of designing a logo. This year, I’ve paid particular attention to my own creative process. Partly to see if I could establish a more systematic way of creating, but also to archive the experience from start to finish. Most people only ever see the finished product, but there is so much… Read more »

High Frequency

After months of what feels like endless freezing temps, Chicago becomes a madhouse when summer arrives, with Chicagoans soaking up as much sun as possible at beaches and pools. I normally stay away from that crowded scene, but this year I decided I’d give it a try. First things first—I needed a swimsuit. So I… Read more »

Partnerships and Patience

In the last decade or so, few barriers have remained between the sport of soccer and widespread popularity in America. One of those few, though—and possibly the most important—was that the sport still had yet to produce an American poster boy, someone kids would idolize and marketers would court. Until now. Tim Howard is the… Read more »

Values Always Win

Recently, my Facebook feed has been flooded with shares and likes of Always’ #LikeAGirl commercial. The three-minute ad explores our perceptions of what it means to do something “like a girl.” The moral being, acting “like a girl” should not be an insult. Although there is a part of me that wonders if this is… Read more »

I Want Someone That Gets Me

When people ask me how we compare to the competition, I answer—we have no competition. Am I ignorant or arrogant you ask? Neither. The answer is that there is no other Blue Daring (with a Melissa or a Vanessa, with our unique experiences and DNA, etc), so when I say there is no competition, it’s… Read more »

And The Award Goes To…

Emmys, Grammys, SAG, Oscars oh my! If you didn’t already know its award season. As a pop culture fanatic it’s one of my favorite times of the year. In the spirit of all the award shows happening lately I wanted to honor some of my favorite moments in marketing and social media in the past… Read more »

My Vista On Branding

I’ve been a TV addict my whole life.  It wasn’t, however, until I started working in marketing that I began to pay closer attention to commercials.  This past year there was a particular one  that was always running on TV promoting Vista Prints.\n\nAccording to their website Vista Prints is an online service where you can create and… Read more »

How Target Missed the Mark

A highly anticipated collaboration, the Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection had been expected by both the company and the broad spectrum of their consumers, (myself included), to be a mass sellout success. The biggest campaign and partnership of its kind, Target summoned 24 of the biggest names in fashion to create a highly sought… Read more »

Favorite Blog Friday

Thanksgiving weekend was one of the most anticipated and loved holidays of the year.  It’s when we start getting a little time off from work, we see friends and family, we eat good food and some participate in the more modern tradition of staying up and going Black Friday shopping.\n\nThe day after Thanksgiving is one… Read more »