Getting past the defaults (and why you can’t sell customer service)
When we first ask a client about what makes them unique, their initial response often falls within a set of ideas we’ve lovingly come to refer to as “The Defaults”: Service Quality Respect Honesty Integrity Fairness Teamwork Reponsibility Trustworthiness etc. …
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Forty’s website design predictions for 2013
In 2012, content strategy and responsive web design finally began to get the recognition they deserve and showed us better, more fluid ways to design online experiences. 2013 promises to be just as exciting, and after gazing into our crystal …
In praise of adaptive content — Or, “Why it pains me to put a line break in web content”
From time to time while reading my Kindle I run across a stray hyphen in a word that doesn’t require a hyphen. The first few times it happened, I thought it must have been a weird glitch. But eventually I …
6 tips on how to market a restaurant and serve up a memorable experience
Dining out at restaurants has become a key part of our personal, social, and professional lives. In fact, the average American spends about $2,500 eating out each year, which explains why the industry has boomed to over $632 billion in …
Marketing and design blogs to feed your brain
Whether we’re talking with prospective or current clients, training a new hire, or providing mentoring, we often get requests for marketing and design blogs and resources they can reference to learn more. After compiling the list from scratch one too …
It’s (not) all about the Benjamins: Advice on how to market a bank
During a recent project for Gateway Bank, we conducted some competitive research on other banks to see what they look, sound, and feel like. The results were lackluster and disappointing. One would think that with tons of money at stake, …
Gateway Bank debuts one of the world’s first responsive bank websites
Gateway Bank, a community bank in Mesa, AZ, has positioned themselves at the forefront of online innovation by launching one of the first financial institution websites that is fully “responsive” (meaning it automatically adapts to any viewing device). Gateway Bank …
Amy’s top 5 moments from the Phoenix Design Week Conference
Phoenix Design Week is an annual event, now in its fourth year, that brings together the design community in the Phoenix area with events, exhibitions, and a two-day conference. Forty’s been involved in the event since its first year, and …
A web typography template for responsive experiences
Since writing an article about the benefits of a web typography style guide, I’ve wanted to put together a template to help me keep track of the typographic components that need to be considered during the responsive website mockup process. …
Creating mobile-friendly and future-ready experiences with responsive design
I’m sure you’ve heard all the lovely statistics about how smartphone and tablet usage is skyrocketing, and how if you’re not going mobile, you’re not going anywhere. There’s no denying that our web browsing habits have changed. Thinking beyond the …
Does “It’s all about you!” really work?
You’re on a blind date. You: “So, where do you want to go?” Date: “Wherever you want to go.” You: “Maybe dinner? What kind of food do you want?” Date: “I want to eat whatever kind of food you like.” …
Crowdsourcing your brand design: the math just doesn’t work out
As much as our work at Forty is about “touchy-feely” stuff (psychology, emotion, metaphor, experiences, etc.), I’m still a numbers guy at heart. That’s why I get so frustrated every time I hear someone recommending crowdsourced design services like 99designs. …
The power of purpose and how to discover yours
Revealing your purpose may seem superfluous and a little too touchy feely for your taste. However, it can be an enlightening moment and the key to your success. As James discussed in his blog post on how to build a …
The art of asking questions
One of the things that I’ve always seen as a differentiator between good and great teams is their willingness and courage to ask questions that go beyond the usual surface level stuff. The first part of this is the willingness …
Brand thyself with these personal branding resources
People exude a brand just like companies do. Everything about you contributes to how you’ll be perceived by others, from how you dress, to how you speak, to the people and companies you associate with. Creating brands for companies seems …
A company name change success story: Ryan & Denise Photography
To change the name or not to change the name? Lots of companies find themselves in a conundrum where they’ve been in business for a few years and established a strong brand, but something has made them wonder whether they …
Annual Report 2011: The Forty Book of Lists
The typical corporate annual report is a snooze fest, brimming with overinflated earnings, lofty goals for the next year, and psuedo-inspirational fluff. In typical Forty fashion, our team stuck our tongues out to all those lackluster reports and annual books …
Forty gets lucky: an interview about planned serendipity
We recently sat down to chat with Lane Becker and Thor Muller, authors of “Get Lucky: How to Put Planned Serendipity to Work for You and Your Business.” Forty previously worked with Lane on the branding and website for Freestyle …
Why you shouldn’t hire random college kids to manage your social media
Most business owners understand the power of social media, but not all of them understand the knowledge, strategy, and effort it takes to make it work for their company. I often hear, “I’ll just hire an college kid to do …
Why are logos getting simpler?
When designing a logo, it’s easy to go overboard. There are so many great elements you can work with (colors, textures, patterns, shapes, borders, typography, gradients, icons, etc.) that it’s tempting to include a little bit of everything to get …
Speak your customers’ language
Jargon has become a staple in our business conversations. We use it for all sorts of reasons – to make us sound smarter, to relate to others in our tribe, to supposedly explain things in a more succinct or creative …