AT&T MERGER RESULTS IN NEW LOGO

The new AT&T logo was unveiled today to the general public. It's already creating quite a stir within the design community. AT&T's recent merger with SBC( Southwestern Bell Corporation) brought about the recent logo transformation.

Click here to view the official press release.

A few tidbits from that press release:

"The revitalized mark symbolizes these attributes — innovation, integrity, quality, reliability and unsurpassed customer care," Whitacre added. "Our customers know that we're focused on keeping our promises, committed to operating honestly, and dedicated to bringing them new products that make a difference in their lives."

The new logo reinvigorates the AT&T globe — one of the most recognized corporate symbols in the world. The new globe is three-dimensional, representing the expanding breadth and depth of services that the new AT&T family of companies provides to customers, as well as its global presence.

Transparency was added to the globe to represent clarity and vision. Lowercase type is now used for the "AT&T" characters because it projects a more welcoming and accessible image. The core of the new logo remains blue because both the SBC and AT&T brands are strongly associated with that color. The overall design more accurately represents the company that is leading the industry in delivering best-in-class services to consumers and business professionals.

The logo was designed by Interbrand.

For a more in-depth discussion regarding the design communities "take" on the new logo, click here or here.

Click here for a great evolutionary factsheet charting the evolution of both logo brands.

And this is another great link that offers a review of the new logo.

Setting Yourself Apart from Other Designers

Came across this article recently, thought there was some sound advice worth sharing.

Original Source: http://www.creativelatitude.com/articles/article_1204_schul.html





Setting Yourself Apart from Other Designers
by Derald Schultz

Setting yourself apart from the graphic design herd is a very worthwhile goal, and one that has many personal and professional rewards. It requires an honest assessment of yourself, a willingness to step outside your comfort zone, and a consistent desire to develop yourself and your business with a sense of passion and flexibility. Let's take a look closer look and map out a strategy.

Know Thyself
Be honest with yourself. How much raw talent do you really possess? Creativity, like works of art, are subject to the tastes and preferences of the audience, but in a general sense you should realistically know where you fall. Ask your peers where they think you are as far as talent. Preface it by asking for an honest opinion of your strengths and weaknesses. You have to know where to grow so you can focus on those areas.

To borrow a phrase from the Monty Python film, The Life of Brian, "Yes, we are all individuals." You have a unique blend of talents, abilities and experiences; you need to define them. You may be talented at graphic design, but what else are you good at in related fields that could make you a far better designer? A passion for photography, creative writing or an unusually high ability in color and composition are just a few. Any of these add value, so invest the time and energy to develop them further.

Unrelated fields can also boost your talent from an informational or inspirational standpoint. You may love reading fiction, have an affinity for grammatical perfection (I envy you) or a love for a particular hobby or sport. I happen to love history, current events, jogging and jet skiing (the stand up model). Having a broad scope of knowledge to tap into is a great formula for intelligent concept development. You have to be "in the know" not only with your clients industry, but the world as a whole. Jogging and jet skiing is such a liberating experience. I am free to let my mind wander without the interruption of phones and emails, and I have had some of my best “design epiphanies” on roadsides and lakes. Sitting in front of a computer is the worst place to be for brainstorming.

Experiences define who you are and influence your perspective on the world. Where you grew up, your cultural background and all the things you hold in your memory play into everything you design. Remember everything you experience today will effect what you design tomorrow, so go to plays, visit art exhibits, see movies and absorb the world around you. Finally, analyze and critique everything you see and experience in life.

Playing it Safe Gets You Nowhere
Taking risks is one of life's greatest joys and can be the first step to success or failure. I believe that success can even be found in failure. To set yourself apart you will have to develop a good set of stretch marks personally and professionally. I remember waiting in the conference room of an international company that needed a media kit for prospective customers. I was sitting there thinking that I was way over my head being here and I said to my partner, “If they ask us to do something I have no experience in I'll just say, that's not a problem.” I think the third or fourth time I said it she kicked me under the table and gave me a “what are you doing?!” kind of stare. In the end it was successful, but it required a lot of effort on my part. I had to learn unfamiliar software and solve problems in a medium I had no previous experience with. Had it been a failure I still would have the knowledge I gained and a greater desire to succeed the next time.

The same can work if you are an in-house designer or work for a design firm. Take time outside the work environment to learn more about your profession. Becoming more familiar with the operation system and software as well as keeping up with the latest design trends benefits you and your employer, and will help you rise above your coworkers.

The Costs and Rewards of Rising Above the Crowd
There is a trend in our society toward conformity and what is best for the group, instead of celebrating individual achievement. From grading students in groups to not keeping score on the soccer field. Trust me, the referees may not be keeping score, but the parents and kids sure are. We all have a natural desire to compare and compete with each other. As the saying goes, "the only unforgivable sin in life is success." Setting yourself apart will lead them to speak and act negatively toward you. It usually says more about the person doing it than it does about you.

Another cost is the time and effort you invest in your clients, and this has a far greater priority and impact if you are an independent designer. Your responsibility is to guide and educate each client as you go through the creative process. It also means you will have to put a lot more effort into being clear and concise about the business end of design. It is vital to you and your client that you write clear contracts, explain additional charges before they occur, and provide the best customer service possible. That means returning calls and emails when it's not convenient, extra meetings to explain your concepts and meeting unreasonable deadlines. Your goal is to provide a level of service unlike the designers around you. Your reward will be the coveted "referral". You won't have to grab for the brass ring...
it will be handed to you!

In the End
Developing a unique set of talents, abilities and business skills will eventually get you noticed and raise you to a level of success that will be measured in personal satisfaction, a higher position and more money if you are an employee, or more lucrative projects if you are independent. In the end, intelligence and energy are the two biggest qualities for success and the keys to ultimately rising above the crowd. It makes no difference whether you are a designer or a doughnut maker. It works for everyone. Now get started!

I have a list of attributes I keep above my computer to remind me what I need to be each day to reach my personal and professional goals.

My "Setting Yourself Apart" List
• Be honest
• Be friendly
• Be positive
• Be focused
• Be intelligent
• Be respectful
• Be persevering
• Be sales-minded
• Have a sense of humor
• Listen more than speaking
• Be different than everyone else
• Do not take rejection personally
• I am an intelligent colleague who is here to offer help
• Have an engaging conversational tone
• Be relaxed
• Speak clearly and concisely
• Don't use slang or profanity with clients or vendors
• Don't communicate political or religious views in business
• Don't hesitate or procrastinate
• Set goals
• Keep learning
• Be friendly, firm and fair in all your business activities.

About the Author
Derald Schultz is the founder and principal of Mediarail Design, Inc. His company provides creative services for print and web media to clients across the country. Mediarail Design also provides prepress and printing services. He can be contacted at 678-985-9981 or via email.

Derald is also the contributing news and articles editor at Creative Latitude.

© 2004 Derald Schultz, Mediarail Design, Inc.

Tribute to The Shadow

I've been a huge fan of old time radio for many years. The Shadow has been at the forefront of my favorites list since the beginning because of my own father's love for the character. The memories he often shared of listening to those radio programs in his youth were probably what sprouted my own love for the genre.

The Shadow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Shadow was best known as the hero (or anti-hero) of a long-running network radio show and pulp magazine. Later, he was featured in comic books, television and motion pictures. The voice of the Shadow was heard for the first time on July 31, 1930.

The Shadow was originally the announcer of the radio show, Detective Stories, whose plots were taken from a pulp magazine of the same title published by Street and Smith Publications in the 1930s. During this period, the Shadow was played first by James LaCurto, then by Frank Readick. The radio show was intended to boost circulation of the Detective Stories magazine, but it backfired on the producers. Listeners found the announcer much more memorable than the radio stories themselves, and flocked to newsstands demanding issues of "The Shadow Magazine", which did not exist. Street & Smith were smart enough to respond to the demand, and they hurriedly commissioned Walter B. Gibson to start writing stories about The Shadow for a new magazine. Gibson wrote almost all of the more than 300 Shadow stories over a twenty-year period--about one novel-length story per month--under the pen name of Maxwell Grant.

Gibson's ingenious characterization of the Shadow lay in adopting elements usually applied to evil and sinister villains, and instead giving them to his hero crimefighter. Thus we have a figure in black, working by night, breaking and entering in the interests of justice, terrifying criminals and finally gunning them down. The Shadow was truly a noir superhero.

The Shadow evolved somewhat over his popular lifetime. In the magazines, he was always an elusive crimefighter who masked his features under a slouch hat and black cape. Originally, though, he was "shadowy" because of his skill at concealing himself and hiding in the shadows. Later, and in his radio shows, he was genuinely invisible because "while travelling in the Orient he learned the mysterious power to cloud men's minds, so they could not see him." (Most have assumed this power was hypnotism, while some have argued for Qi.)

In the original pulp series his real identity was Kent Allard, famous aviator, and "Lamont Cranston" was merely his most common disguise. In the radio series this was changed, and "Lamont Cranston, handsome young man-about-town" became the real identity of the Shadow.

The first radio show featuring the Shadow as an adventure character aired on the Mutual Radio Network on September 26, 1937. The catch phrase of the radio show, which has become a part of American culture, was a deep, sepulchral voice intoning, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" followed by eerie laughter.

While the Shadow for the new series was played by Orson Welles, the signature line was spoken by the previous radio Shadow, Frank Readick (using a water glass held next to his mouth for echo). Other actors who played the role over the years included Bill Johnstone, Brett Morrison (the longest tenure, with ten years in two separate runs), John Archer, and Steve Courtleigh.

Apart from a syndicated summer series in 1938, the Shadow was a Sunday afternoon fixture for Mutual until December 26, 1954. The Shadow Magazine ended with the summer 1949 issue, although Gibson wrote three new "official" stories between 1963 and 1980.

It has been suggested that the modern superhero concept owes much of its origin to The Shadow. In particular, Batman shares many similarities with the original superhero noir. In fact, one of the reasons it was decided that Batman would not carry a sidearm was that he would look too much like the Shadow to be seen shooting a gun.
[edit]

Adaptations

The character has been depicted in comic books several times. The Shadow was first depicted in comics by Vernon Greene in 1938. The most acclaimed depiction was in the 1970s Shadow comic written by Dennis O'Neil and Mike Kaluta published by DC Comics. Other noteworthy Shadow comics from DC were created by Howard Chaykin, Andy Helfer and Kyle Baker, and Gerard Jones and Eduardo Barreto.

The character has been adapted for film numerous times. The movie The Shadow Strikes was released in 1937, and starred Rod Larocque in the title role. Larocque returned to the following year in International Crime, although in this version "The Shadow" was merely a radio gimmick. A serial starring Victor Jory and two short subjects starring Kane Richmond were each made in the 1940s. An interesting fact is that Richmond's Shadow wore a black face-mask similar to the type worn by the serial hero 'The Masked Marvel'.

A 1994 feature film version of The Shadow, starring Alec Baldwin, recast the story yet again. In this version, Lamont Cranston was a disaffected veteran of The Great War (World War I) who drifted through Asia and ultimately became a brutal warlord and opium smuggler. Cranston was then kidnapped by a Tibetan order of monks and brought to their monastery. A tulku, their leader, recognizing the power of harnessing Cranston's inner darkness, reformed and trained him to use that darkness against evil rather than for it. Cranston learned how to confuse and control the minds of others, particularly how to become invisible except for his shadow. His nemesis in the film was an evil warlord and fellow telepath named Shiwan Khan, the last descendant of Genghis, played by John Lone. Cranston's lover and partner-in-crimefighting, Margo Lane, was played by Penelope Ann Miller. The film was intended to launch a new franchise, but was commercially unsuccessful and no series resulted.

Dark Horse Comics published three mini-series based on the movie's version of the character. It also published a two-part team-up between The Shadow and Doc Savage, another well-known pulp hero.

The Shadow has been adapted into the Wold Newton family.

An analogue of The Shadow, Bret Leather, The Spider, also shows up in Warren Ellis' Planetary series as a member of Doc Brass' (Doc Savage) group of superheroes.

For a link to the original Wikipedia article, click here.

Other great Shadow related links you should definitely click on:
http://www.shadowsanctum.net/index.html
http://artczar.org/shadow/
http://www.theshadowfan.cjb.net/
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/gernsback/76/
http://www.pulps.westumulka.com/shadow/
http://www.geocities.com/bailrs75/
http://www.cs.uku.fi/~vaisala/SHADOW/Shadow.htm
http://bimpco.tripod.com/fanficlib.html
http://www.primitivemelody.us/shadow/
http://www.sanmarvillas.net/~maggie/shadow2.html
http://www.angelfire.com/sd/lamont/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/3102/shadow.htm

And, for your listening pleasure, I've uploaded one of my own MP3 files of The Shadow radio program for you to download. Click here.

Enjoy!

Roseburg Native Brings Graphic Design Business Home

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Jeff Andrews, Owner
Jeff Andrews Design
Office (541) 673-4772
Cell (541) 680-8290


Roseburg Native Brings Graphic Design Business Home

Roseburg, OR – “One split second, that’s all it takes,” says graphic designer Jeff Andrews of the aptly named Jeff Andrews Design. “A potential customer will take one second to make a decision about your business based on your logo. They will judge your value, quality and professionalism based on the image you present.”

Businesses in the Roseburg area who want that split second edge no longer have to rely on homemade solutions, favors from relatives or pricey ad agencies. Jeff Andrews Design, a highly-creative design studio for small to large businesses, has recently moved here from Medford to offer affordable yet high-quality design for Roseburg businesses. Owner Jeff Andrews grew up in Roseburg, and played Little League and basketball at Green Elementary School. “I was born here, my roots are here, and my family is here. I feel a special commitment to the community of Roseburg to give something back. I love this town,” Jeff says. Educated at the Art Institute of Seattle, Jeff has successfully practiced graphic design over the last 10 years in Washington, Colorado and Oregon (most recently in Medford), before settling in his hometown to set up shop.

Medford-area church Central Point Assembly was one of the design company’s recent clients. Jeff Andrews Design provided them with a whole new identity, including a revamped logo, business cards, letterhead and envelopes. Other Oregon clients include the Marist High School Outdoor Adventure Program (Eugene), Kidsfoot Activewear (Roseburg) and Oregon Youth Ministries (Salem). Jeff is most proud of the work he’s done for Medford’s Bethel Church, redesigning the logo for the church itself, and also helping to brand various ministries within the church, including the kid’s church and youth group, Dividing Line Youth Ministries.

“Jeff Andrews Design is an effective and efficient business to work with. Their work is excellent, and their service is very personable. They gave us the look we needed,” comments Pastor Ryan Motsinger of Dividing Line Youth Ministries.

Although Jeff Andrews Design specializes in Oregon businesses, they have worked with clients across the country. “Jeff is very creative, patient and easy to work with. I would highly recommend his work to anyone,” states Brooke Martin of the Pennsylvania-based company National Communications Group. “I can’t believe how many compliments we’ve gotten on our new logo and our new look,” Brooke adds.

Jeff Andrews Design works side-by-side with small businesses to aid them in developing a new logo or updating a tired old one. They strive to provide visually-stimulating, conceptually-driven design work with a personal, hometown approach. Businesses love the design firm’s comprehensive approach: by researching and responding to the client’s vision, message, goals and target audience, this hard-working graphics company produces top-quality work that best serves their client’s design needs. Jeff Andrews Design is a full-service graphic design studio offering expertise in business identity and logo design. They also do flyers, posters, brochures, illustrations, advertising and website design. For more information, contact Jeff Andrews at (541) 673-4772 or (541) 680-8290. Or e-mail at jeff@jeffandrewsdesign.com. Find them on the web at www.jeffandrewsdesign.com

Jeff has seen the effectiveness of good graphic design and the damage that bad design can inflict on a business. “Poor design tells customers you don’t care about quality. It can create a bad first impression. A professional, memorable, timeless logo can do wonders for your business, and the return on your investment is immeasurable.”

Press release appears on PRWeb, November 13, 2005: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb310003.php

PR Leap, November 13, 2005:
http://www.prleap.com/pr/19252/

And did appear in the local paper November 13, 2005 as well, tho severely butchered.
http://www.newsreview.info/article/20051113/BUSINESS/111140040

SUPERMAN RETURNS SITE LAUNCH TODAY

http://supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/index.html

So, I'm admittedly a big Superman fan. See previous entry. I'm looking forward to the movie as much as can be expected. I mean, I'm excited for a new entry into the Superman celluloid mythos. I have reservations however because of the liberties taken by the director and producers in the storyline. Needless to say, I'd have been much happier with a completely new retelling of the origin story, than an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the previous series of films and the renewed interest in all things related to Christopher Reeves. Don't get me wrong, I love the first two movies from the previous series, I saw them as an impressionable pre-teen and believed in my heart that a man could fly. I just feel that the new movie would have been better served in a completely new retelling, taking advantage of the leaps and bounds that special effects have taken in the last few years. Mr. Singer should have taken a cue from director Christopher Nolan. I mean, come on, Lois Lane has a child??? Do not get me started!

Movie Countdown Clock: Click Here!

On another note, for anything and everything Superman, check out this site, some good stuff there.

The Professional Graphic Design Association launches on the Internet.

November 7, 2005 - The Professional Graphic Design Association (PGDA) has officially launched with the announcement of an elected Board of Directors from across the globe. Elected officers to the Executive Committee are Catherine (cat) Morley, (Bangkok, Thailand), President; Robert Wurth, (Lincoln, NE, USA), Vice President; Mark Astrella, (Maui, Hawaii,USA), Secretary; and Jeanette Wickham, (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), Treasurer.

The PGDA is an international non-profit professional organization with a client focus. Through their Code of Ethics and Professional Standards, the PGDA will target members and clients, educating both to the value of ethical conduct in the design industry.

The leadership of the PGDA has set ambitious goals for its first year. "I believe the international graphic design community has long awaited an association such as the PGDA-one that not only focuses on buyers of design, but the ethics and professional business practices of the design industry," said Catherine (cat) Morley, President. "By providing an excellent one-stop business resource for clients, we plan to develop a top rated community of members who are concerned where the design industry is heading. As a result, we will create a much improved working relationship between clients and designers."

In the coming months the PGDA will be running surveys out of the new PGDA blog to determine the combined needs of clients and designers. Each month the survey results will be analyzed and posted on the PGDA blog. Participation whenever possible is most welcome, as your opinion is invaluable.


The PGDA's proposed short term aims and objectives:

. A strategy for creating professional, ethical, client-focused standards and making these standards easily available.

. A strategy for educating clients about the value of marketing and design.

. A strategy for the promotion of the PGDA to both clients and designers (grass-roots, viral-marketing, forum-postings, affiliations, use of membership fees for advertisements, etc.)

. A strategy for making alliances with related graphics and design web sites, organisations and business groups.

. Create a web site that clients can visit for more information about ethical design practices. The site is to be simple, non-threatening and easily accessible to clients.

The PGDA's proposed long term aims and objectives:

. Present a Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Practices that are targeted toward clients and make these standards easily available. This will form the basis upon which PGDA will be built.

. Create an atmosphere where professional ethics and standards guide the working relationships between clients and designers.

. Develop a range of materials that educate both designers and clients about the
value of adhering to ethical principles.

. Develop a range of materials that educate clients about the value of graphic design and marketing.

. Develop plans for the promotion of the PGDA to both clients and designers.

. Develop steps for recruiting students and up-and-coming designers into the PGDA.

. Develop alliances with related graphics and design websites, organisations and business groups.

. Develop an easily accessible website that clients can visit for more information about ethical design practices, designers can visit for membership information, and members can visit for discussions, promotion and information.

. Develop branding materials for the PGDA that allow members to announce their affiliation and declare their adherence to the ethical standards that the PGDA promotes.

PGDA Committees
The Design Organization Research (DOR) Committee, is the first committee to be established (created on 28 October 2005). It is researching details of the present design organisations worldwide to enable the PGDA to liaise for the benefit of all organisations and designers. The PGDA is not in competition with established design organisations, but has been established to complement them. DOR Committee members are comprised of Catherine Morley (Chair), Alina Hagen, Chris Gee, Chris Gonink, Danita Reynolds, Elisabetta Bruno, Erin Harris, Matt Beazley, Kenneth Paul Buras Jr. and Ruth Farrugia.

If you would like to volunteer your skills in any capacity, please contact the PGDA

© 2005 Professional Graphic Design Association (PGDA)

Related Link: http://pgda.org/pgda_blog/

NEWS REVIEW SPOTLIGHTS BLOGGERS IN DOUGLAS COUNTY

A special thank you to Nik Dirga of the Roseburg area newspaper the News Review for including me and my humble blogs in his recent article entitled 'Blog On' (Sunday, November 06, 2005). An article spotlighting Douglas County bloggers with photos, interviews, and links to their respective blog sites. I think this is the first time my picture's been in this particular newspaper since kindergarten when I played dentist to a mannequin. ;)

Here is a link to the article on the newspaper's website: http://www.oregonnews.com/article/20051106/FEATURES01/111070039

Nik, thanks again.

On another note, if you've come to this blog after having seen the article in the paper, leave me a comment and say hello. I'd love to hear from you. If, by chance, you KNEW me from when I lived in Roseburg as a kid, definitely leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail. It'd be great to touch base and reminisce.

-Jeff



Additional Links:
http://www.newsreview.info/article/20051107/BLOG/51107047/-1/rss01
http://www.designnews.cc/node/35673

DESIGNERS WHO BLOG - MASTHEAD

Cat Morley of Designer's Who Blog, Creative Latitude and Katz-i Design contacted me this afternoon, she's making some changes to the Designers Who Blog site and needed some...well...a picture is worth a thousand words right? Snicker away! This masthead will be one of many used on the site on a rotating basis and can be seen by refreshing the main page when visiting the site. The mastheads consist of photographs of contributing designers and their logos.

JEFF ANDREWS DESIGN WEBSITE COMING SOON!

Recently I've touched base with an extremely talented website designer who is helping me to develop my business website. In the meantime, while the site is under development, I've decided to post a sneak preview here on my blog of one of the pages on the site as I've designed it, as well as examples of some of my recent work. Enjoy!

What Corporate Identity Isn't

Ran across this article recently and thought it was worth revisiting. From the website Strange Brand ( http://www.strangebrand.com )

Misconceptions about the purpose of a corporate identity system often cause companies to limp along with a sub-standard business image. Find out how you can avoid these common mistakes in your own organization.

1. Corporate Identity Isn’t a Selling Point
This is probably the biggest mistake that new companies make when trying to develop their corporate identity. The purpose of your identity is—perhaps surprisingly—not to convince people to buy your product. There are other tools (e.g., text content, your staff, and the product itself) that actually perform that task.
Instead, its primary role is to serve as an anchor that helps to lock the overall message created by those other tools into your customers’ minds. Think of it as a shortcut, a mnemonic to help your client remember the cumulative effect of your other sales and marketing efforts.
Starbucks is a fine example of an identity done right. The name and logo are essentially meaningless in themselves, but they are punchy and memorable enough that they can effectively represent “the Starbucks experience”—which actually comprises more tangible things such as the decor, the employees, the coffee, etc.—in an abbreviated form.
If they had fallen into the trap of trying to actually sell coffee with their identity, they probably would have come up with a name like “Superior Coffee” and some kind of generic swirly logo—and it would never have become the success that it is today.
A rose named “premium red flower” doesn’t smell nearly as sweet.
Freeing your identity from the burden of trying to sell your product allows you to develop one that excels at its true job, which is to instantly evoke the experience of interacting with your organization.
2. Corporate Identity Isn’t Critical
I say this not to dissuade you from investing in your identity, but rather to prevent you from thinking that you can succeed simply by following the lead of big brands, because those big brands often thrive not because of their identities, but despite them.
IBM is a terrible name for a business, for example. It doesn’t give a strong anchor for their overall brand experience. It’s just alphabet soup. They’ve managed to thrive over the years, however, because their products, people, and marketing efforts have compensated for that weakness.
It would be a mistake to attribute their success to their name, particularly if you then try to become “the next IBM” by giving your company an equally dull name.
Instead, work on developing an identity that is declarative, vivid, and memorable. Be fresh—don’t worry about emulating others, because the whole point of your identity is to make you stand out.
3. Corporate Identity Isn’t Comfortable
If you’re sitting around the conference room table with a logo sketch on the whiteboard, and all the major stakeholders are nodding and smiling, then you’ve almost certainly got a dud on your hands.
Committees are great at developing identities that are generally pleasant, but you can’t be generally pleasant and remarkable at the same time. A great brand is evocative, passionate, and impressive—and it’s a rare committee that can come up with anything that can be describedwith those words.
Trying to find an identity that “we like” is a fundamental error made by business decisionmakers. It actually doesn’t matter much if you like it, even if you’re the owner of the business, because your personal preferences have little to do with how your customers will respond to it.
(In fact, because you’re probably in a position involving a fair amount of risk and stress, the names that appeal to you are exactly the sort of generic, comfortable, soothing names that you should probably avoid. It’s easy to name your company “Apex Shoes”—and hard to name it “Nike”)

Link to original post:
http://www.strangebrand.com/65/what-corporate-identity-isnt.html