Ideas on brand strategy, design, and marketing from modern8, a Salt Lake City brand strategy and design agency.https://modern8.com/https://modern8.com/is-your-brand-message-too-complicated/https://modern8.com/is-your-brand-message-too-complicated/When you believe in your brand, it’s easy to come up with a list of reasons and messages explaining why your customers need your product or service. So why is a singular message better than many?Wed, 09 Oct 2024 17:45:22 GMThttps://modern8.com/brand-strategy-pillar-2/https://modern8.com/brand-strategy-pillar-2/Brand perspective is thread that connects your positioning to your personality. People buy the intangible, not the tangible. They buy the way you see the world. Your perspective and point of view encompass how your firm sees opportunities and challenges.Thu, 23 May 2024 19:11:36 GMThttps://modern8.com/brand-strategy-pillar-1/https://modern8.com/brand-strategy-pillar-1/Strategically positioning your professional services agency will attract your target audience on your terms, resulting in fulfilling work and increased profitability.Thu, 09 May 2024 18:46:13 GMThttps://modern8.com/brand-pillars-of-professional-services/https://modern8.com/brand-pillars-of-professional-services/An effectively developed brand strategy requires three key components. While each element alone may not distinguish you, together they can create distinction and uniqueness.Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:28:09 GMThttps://modern8.com/service-or-product/https://modern8.com/service-or-product/Crafting a strategy tailored to your offering—whether it's a product or service—is essential for your business' success. Knowing the difference, makes a difference.Thu, 04 Apr 2024 16:54:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/how-to-hire-for-strategy/https://modern8.com/how-to-hire-for-strategy/Hiring an agency for brand work shouldn’t be a quick and easy process. Since branding is a long game that will matter beyond the budget, how should your company evaluate who to partner with and hire?Thu, 07 Mar 2024 19:33:49 GMThttps://modern8.com/2024-and-he-state-of-your-brand/https://modern8.com/2024-and-he-state-of-your-brand/Your brand is not what YOU say it is, it’s what THEY say it is. Customer perception is everything, but most importantly, it is within your control.Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:33:11 GMThttps://modern8.com/gifts-for-designers-2023/https://modern8.com/gifts-for-designers-2023/As design-centered people, we know the importance of well-designed gifts. We've curated a list of gifts for designers.Mon, 11 Dec 2023 20:23:06 GMThttps://modern8.com/get-to-the-core-of-it/https://modern8.com/get-to-the-core-of-it/Creating a brand purpose involves a deep dive into your organization’s culture, values, stories, and defining moments.Thu, 30 Nov 2023 22:57:08 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-power-of-purpose/https://modern8.com/the-power-of-purpose/Purpose, or the “why,” is what gives your business heart. Heart is what drives the emotion, and emotion is what gives your brand life.Wed, 08 Nov 2023 22:59:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/how-to-create-your-brand-archetype/https://modern8.com/how-to-create-your-brand-archetype/In brand marketing, understanding the significance of a full-fledged personality is just the beginning. Create a persona that resonates.Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:54:34 GMThttps://modern8.com/why-a-brand-archetype-can-shape-your-personality/https://modern8.com/why-a-brand-archetype-can-shape-your-personality/Having a brand personality is a vital brand pillar that guides content creators in their marketing efforts.Thu, 28 Sep 2023 23:41:05 GMThttps://modern8.com/there-is-only-one-you/https://modern8.com/there-is-only-one-you/It is important to recognize that crafting a brand personality is not a sprint but a long-term investment. Make your brand personality the one in a million.Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:38:58 GMThttps://modern8.com/why-develop-a-brand-voice/https://modern8.com/why-develop-a-brand-voice/At A8ency and Modern8, we perceive brand voice as the amplifier of your brand's identity.Tue, 19 Sep 2023 20:39:32 GMThttps://modern8.com/crafting-a-memorable-brand-look-and-feel/https://modern8.com/crafting-a-memorable-brand-look-and-feel/A strong brand encompasses a memorable and carefully crafted look and feel powered by thoughtful design and aesthetics.Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:56:36 GMThttps://modern8.com/that-design-feeling/https://modern8.com/that-design-feeling/How Brand Design Builds Credibility and Emotional Connections with Your Audience   In today’s competitive business, good design and a good brand is just good business. “While design was once largely thought of as a way of making products more attractive, it is now a way of thinking: a creative process driven by the desireContinue reading "That Design Feeling"Mon, 07 Aug 2023 20:04:50 GMThttps://modern8.com/how-to-create-a-newsletter-strategy/https://modern8.com/how-to-create-a-newsletter-strategy/How do I create a newsletter strategy?Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:00:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/an-roi-straight-to-your-inbox/https://modern8.com/an-roi-straight-to-your-inbox/How effective are newsletters?Wed, 15 Feb 2023 20:09:11 GMThttps://modern8.com/a-site-for-sore-eyes/https://modern8.com/a-site-for-sore-eyes/How often should I redesign my website?Thu, 02 Feb 2023 19:55:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/its-a-site-for-sore-eyes/https://modern8.com/its-a-site-for-sore-eyes/Hello, we have some news—we’ve made a big update to our website. From our values and beliefs to our methods and work—it’s all there for you to see.Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:52:04 GMThttps://modern8.com/by-subject/https://modern8.com/by-subject/Marketing podcasts in Silicon SlopesWed, 25 Jan 2023 21:10:09 GMThttps://modern8.com/cro-and-messaging-science-meets-art/https://modern8.com/cro-and-messaging-science-meets-art/In recent years the topic of CRO, or conversion rate optimization, has grown in popularity and become a pillar for many businesses serious about their online marketing effectiveness and strategy. While the importance of composing proper website messaging with an authentic brand voice has been embraced since the beginning of the digital age, focus onContinue reading "CRO and Messaging: Science Meets Art"Wed, 18 Jan 2023 22:27:02 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-website/https://modern8.com/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-website/Regardless of a business’s industry, online presence has a massive impact on its success. At the forefront of that presence should be a website that is memorable, easy to navigate, and a place that can generate leads and revenue. In our present day, the world has become a smaller place. Information is easily available andContinue reading "The 4 Pillars of a Successful Website"Wed, 18 Jan 2023 22:01:53 GMThttps://modern8.com/branding-marketing/https://modern8.com/branding-marketing/We define branding as a strategic and emotional foundation that builds customer loyalty over time.Fri, 28 Oct 2022 09:32:58 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-imperfect-brand-story-we-tell/https://modern8.com/the-imperfect-brand-story-we-tell/Every chance a brand gets to show its personality and tell its story is vitally important, yet many brands waste the opportunity.Tue, 21 Apr 2020 16:11:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/why-do-you-need-a-competitive-advantage/https://modern8.com/why-do-you-need-a-competitive-advantage/Reasons you need to identify your competitive advantagesSat, 11 Aug 2018 17:16:34 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-ten-commandments-of-the-brand-bible/https://modern8.com/the-ten-commandments-of-the-brand-bible/To make the most out of our efforts and provide the most comprehensive return on our client’s investment, we stress the importance of a brand bible.Fri, 04 Mar 2016 19:34:53 GMThttps://modern8.com/more-than-a-meltdown/https://modern8.com/more-than-a-meltdown/When the Brooklyn chocolatiers known as the Mast Brothers started making headlines recently, we couldn’t help but notice.Wed, 17 Feb 2016 19:44:04 GMThttps://modern8.com/holiday-t-shirts/https://modern8.com/holiday-t-shirts/Our annual holiday edition of T-shirt swag for clients and friends went out last month featuring another testament to our love of downtown...Tue, 09 Feb 2016 19:21:34 GMThttps://modern8.com/salt-lake-building-posters/https://modern8.com/salt-lake-building-posters/Another in the series of posters we design of Salt Lake buildings, reflecting our long-term love affair with our downtown office location.Tue, 09 Feb 2016 19:19:58 GMThttps://modern8.com/pentad-gets-extended/https://modern8.com/pentad-gets-extended/When Pentad Properties engaged us for brand strategy and design, we didn’t realize that we were dealing with partners who self-described themselves as “alpha-dogs”...Tue, 09 Feb 2016 19:18:42 GMThttps://modern8.com/ritual/https://modern8.com/ritual/We're working on a video to tell the whole story, but for now, we’re very excited to see the packages we designed for Ritual Chocolate as they roll off the presses.Tue, 09 Feb 2016 19:16:45 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-science-of-taglines/https://modern8.com/the-science-of-taglines/To the untrained eye, this is just a line—barely even a sentence. Why is it such “big” news?Mon, 08 Feb 2016 19:52:55 GMThttps://modern8.com/d1-discovery/https://modern8.com/d1-discovery/There are several activities in our discovery phase we might recommend to your organization to assist us in our brand strategy process...Wed, 27 Jan 2016 19:56:11 GMThttps://modern8.com/social-media-for-aec/https://modern8.com/social-media-for-aec/Like the printing press, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat and others were created with the goal of changing communication.Fri, 08 Jan 2016 18:11:33 GMThttps://modern8.com/infographic-the-naming-process/https://modern8.com/infographic-the-naming-process/Every once in a while, we get the opportunity to integrate naming strategy with our standard 5D process. Our experience has acquainted us with renaming businesses, labeling products, and more frequently, generating original names for new ventures. Each scenario has helped us refine our approach to assigning monikers to various entities, so we thought we’dContinue reading "infographic: the naming process"Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:52:41 GMThttps://modern8.com/8second-news-2/https://modern8.com/8second-news-2/Shain Wiederholt has joined modern8 as a copywriting intern, following a recent stint doing the same thing for Tether, a Seattle-based firm.Tue, 08 Dec 2015 19:37:19 GMThttps://modern8.com/salt-lake-building-posters-2/https://modern8.com/salt-lake-building-posters-2/We helped our client Impartner with the design of a tradeshow booth that correlates with the brand identity and website we created for them recently.Tue, 08 Dec 2015 19:35:24 GMThttps://modern8.com/chocolate-in-the-mountains/https://modern8.com/chocolate-in-the-mountains/This summer, modern8 began a relationship with the best of two worlds: chocolate and Park City.Tue, 08 Dec 2015 19:34:19 GMThttps://modern8.com/myriad/https://modern8.com/myriad/modern8 was engaged by Myriad Genetics Laboratories, to design literature that explains the benefits of using the myChoice HRD product.Tue, 08 Dec 2015 19:30:33 GMThttps://modern8.com/people-buy-why/https://modern8.com/people-buy-why/People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.Tue, 08 Dec 2015 19:26:47 GMThttps://modern8.com/why-perception-branding/https://modern8.com/why-perception-branding/Have you stopped to think about what your consumers say your brand is?Fri, 20 Nov 2015 17:28:16 GMThttps://modern8.com/our-future-is-bright/https://modern8.com/our-future-is-bright/Never trust a skinny chef.Mon, 09 Nov 2015 18:23:59 GMThttps://modern8.com/salt-lake-building-posters-3/https://modern8.com/salt-lake-building-posters-3/The offices of modern8 (and its predecessors) have always been downtown, so the urban landscape is part of our daily experience.Thu, 29 Oct 2015 18:45:33 GMThttps://modern8.com/impartner-the-site/https://modern8.com/impartner-the-site/With a tight timeframe, we pulled of a mini-version of our famed d5 Perception Branding process, interviewing the new executives and researching competitors.Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:53:30 GMThttps://modern8.com/ptc-swords-fiddles-drama/https://modern8.com/ptc-swords-fiddles-drama/We’ve been creating design and marketing and communications materials for Pioneer Theater Company since the 1990s.Wed, 15 Jul 2015 17:43:57 GMThttps://modern8.com/ustar-utahs-technology-catalyst/https://modern8.com/ustar-utahs-technology-catalyst/USTAR, the Utah Science and Technology Research initiative is a technology-based development initiative funded by the State of Utah.Wed, 15 Jul 2015 17:40:27 GMThttps://modern8.com/arch-nexus-re-brand-launch/https://modern8.com/arch-nexus-re-brand-launch/The challenge this time was to create a site with the same visual impact, while making it accessible from any device, and easily manageable internally.Wed, 15 Jul 2015 17:39:13 GMThttps://modern8.com/spotify-makes-me-sick/https://modern8.com/spotify-makes-me-sick/Sure it still looked like the Spotify logo, but I could feel it in my gut that something was wrong.Tue, 14 Jul 2015 16:39:36 GMThttps://modern8.com/aiga-100-recognizes-modern8/https://modern8.com/aiga-100-recognizes-modern8/...we’ve been selected for two awards in the annual recognition of the AIGA SLC 100 Show.Thu, 23 Apr 2015 17:59:25 GMThttps://modern8.com/abc/https://modern8.com/abc/“Size does matter, small jobs need not apply”Thu, 23 Apr 2015 17:52:28 GMThttps://modern8.com/jacobsen-launches/https://modern8.com/jacobsen-launches/From luxury condominiums to religious temples, the projects section of their site shows off work they’ve completed throughout the entire country.Thu, 23 Apr 2015 17:50:25 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-core-of-brand-culture/https://modern8.com/the-core-of-brand-culture/Signal Peak invests in people, not technology. It’s one of a distinctive set of values held by Signal Peak.Thu, 23 Apr 2015 17:48:15 GMThttps://modern8.com/lds-church-tests-messages/https://modern8.com/lds-church-tests-messages/“God used beautiful mathematics in creating the world”Thu, 26 Feb 2015 19:10:26 GMThttps://modern8.com/sincerity-in-marketing/https://modern8.com/sincerity-in-marketing/...“clickbait”; a sensationalist online advertising ploy designed to attract click-throughs.Tue, 10 Feb 2015 18:28:06 GMThttps://modern8.com/2014-t-shirt/https://modern8.com/2014-t-shirt/How are you today?Wed, 31 Dec 2014 19:27:31 GMThttps://modern8.com/signal-peak-ventures/https://modern8.com/signal-peak-ventures/We took the venture capital firm through our Perception Branding 5d Process.Wed, 31 Dec 2014 19:18:05 GMThttps://modern8.com/new-wave-christmas-tree/https://modern8.com/new-wave-christmas-tree/I was a brash young designer at the time; out of school about eight years and thought everything needed (post) modern design...Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:32:44 GMThttps://modern8.com/greatest-bits/https://modern8.com/greatest-bits/When Randall Smith, modern8 Creative Director, was young and foolish, he started a band.Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:40:08 GMThttps://modern8.com/peterson-stationary/https://modern8.com/peterson-stationary/We designed a new Peterson Wealth Advisors identity based on the image and metaphors associated with the bristlecone pine, the oldest and most durable of all tree species.Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:39:12 GMThttps://modern8.com/aesthetic-vs-functional-attraction/https://modern8.com/aesthetic-vs-functional-attraction/Great design attracts you, literally.Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:34:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/nic-gets-with-feds/https://modern8.com/nic-gets-with-feds/We designed a site for the Pre-Employment Screening Program for the U.S. Department of Transportation.Thu, 31 Jul 2014 18:48:00 GMThttps://modern8.com/words-of-wisdom/https://modern8.com/words-of-wisdom/The Salt Lake letterpress printer, The Mandate Press, puts on an annual exhibition of invited artists to create work around an interesting theme.Thu, 31 Jul 2014 18:46:56 GMThttps://modern8.com/abc-takes-fun-seriously/https://modern8.com/abc-takes-fun-seriously/We’ve been working with Associated Brigham Contractors since the turn of the century.Thu, 31 Jul 2014 18:45:26 GMThttps://modern8.com/coming-up-with-names/https://modern8.com/coming-up-with-names/“Man gave names to all the animals.”Thu, 03 Jul 2014 18:49:59 GMThttps://modern8.com/less-is-less-sometimes/https://modern8.com/less-is-less-sometimes/We understand the appeal of minimalist design. But as the minimal logo trend grows, so too does our appreciation of a quality identity...Fri, 02 May 2014 16:49:09 GMThttps://modern8.com/website-evaluations/https://modern8.com/website-evaluations/...a good website can become a game-changer.Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:02:34 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-importance-of-mockups/https://modern8.com/the-importance-of-mockups/“You want the typeface to say that you sell grapefruit without saying you sell grapefruit?”Mon, 10 Mar 2014 17:34:06 GMThttps://modern8.com/brand-design-brand-strategy/https://modern8.com/brand-design-brand-strategy/...in most companies, brand strategy is separated from creativity by a wide gap.Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:43:02 GMThttps://modern8.com/worth-the-paper/https://modern8.com/worth-the-paper/...the overall effect, as Michael Beirut said, “is a cake that has been decorated to within an inch of its life.”Thu, 26 May 2011 20:17:13 GMThttps://modern8.com/launch-your-brand-internally/https://modern8.com/launch-your-brand-internally/Employees don’t just represent the company, they are the company.Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:32:24 GMThttps://modern8.com/subconscious-stimuli/https://modern8.com/subconscious-stimuli/It was as if I had been teleported from home to my office without any effort on my part.Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:48:31 GMThttps://modern8.com/logo-is-not-brand/https://modern8.com/logo-is-not-brand/Your logo isn’t your brand, your identity, your product or service.Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:46:19 GMThttps://modern8.com/dont-name-it-that/https://modern8.com/dont-name-it-that/When you’ve been in design as long as I have, you become jaded by the ubiquity of mediocre design.Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:58:02 GMThttps://modern8.com/how-branding-stole-christmas/https://modern8.com/how-branding-stole-christmas/Ah, yes — the power of good design and branding. It just makes you wonder how far people will go.Thu, 23 Dec 2010 23:12:50 GMThttps://modern8.com/stupid-questions/https://modern8.com/stupid-questions/The first thing that comes out may in fact, be obvious—but it can get deep very quickly.Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:19:08 GMThttps://modern8.com/the-typeface-spoke-to-me/https://modern8.com/the-typeface-spoke-to-me/Design is the language that a society uses to create objects that reflect it purposes and its values.Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:35:51 GMThttps://modern8.com/faster-horse-or-model-t/https://modern8.com/faster-horse-or-model-t/“If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.”Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:08:55 GMT