Logo design is a complex, often detailed process that incorporates a number of elements. At face value, logos may seem obvious. But many logos have a deeper meaning that is not always as easy to spot. As a way to symbolise your brand, products and values, logos should never be designed without a clear plan in place. A cheap, poorly designed logo can cause your brand serious damage.

How can you be sure that your logo is sending the right message? How can you be sure that you are getting the best possible logo design in Durban or anywhere else in South Africa? For starters, you can take inspiration from the following logos that have hidden messages…

Finding the Hidden Message in Logo Design

Some of our favourite examples of powerful logo design include the following:

Amazon

This massive e-commerce store is famous for offering everything from A to Z. The logo looks simple at a glance, but if you take a closer look, you will see that its trademark arrow goes from A to Z, reinforcing its message of huge diversity and choice.

FedEx

Shipping company FedEx meanwhile uses their logo to send a subtle message that is in line with their ability to move products. Between the E and the x, there is a well-disguised arrow. What makes this font so effective is that it is minimal and simple, while still bringing in a hint of meaning through font choice.

NBC

NBC’s mascot is so well-known, that the TV giant was once fondly referred to as ‘the peacock network’. It makes sense that this mascot and symbol should be brought into their logo. But the meaning  goes even deeper than that, too. Each colour represents the different channels offered by the network, from News, to Sports, Entertainment, Stations, Networks and and Productions.

Le Tour de France

The famous French cycle race has a clever logo that brings in a cyclist as well as bicycle wheel, depending on which way you look at the logo. The use of fonts and typography offers plenty of ways to bring in meaning to your logo design.

Spartan Golf Club

Negative space is an effective way to add meaning to your logo. This golf club has a powerful logo that shows a golfer in mid-swing, as well as a Spartan helmet. The result is a dual meaning logo that still manages to be simple and clean.

Pittsburgh Zoo

Pittsburgh Zoo in Pennsylvania  has a beautiful, clever logo that also uses negative space. At one angle, the logo appears to focus on a large tree, with birds flying overhead. Take another look, and you notice a lion and a gorilla within the logo as well.

Looking for assistance with your logo? Contact Minuteman Press Pinetown today for a quote on logo design in Durban and surrounds.

You’ve booked your stand, planned your pitch, and now it’s time to think about the marketing material you will need to truly stand out at your upcoming exhibition. There is no doubt that exhibiting offers a unique marketing opportunity. Being able to connect with potential customers in person is a great way to promote your brand, bring in new leads and spread awareness about your products and services.

With that in mind, it is often the small details that make the biggest impression. If you do not have expertly designed and printed brochures, business cards, banners, catalogues and other promotional items on hand, you may find that you lose out in the chance to make that all important impression on attendees.

What Marketing Material Do You Need for Exhibitions?

What marketing material is the most important to have on hand for your exhibition? For starters, you could consider the following items:

·         Banners. These help to create a visual, easy to read introduction to your business and what you offer. Keep in mind that banners need to be able to be read from a distance. At a busy trade show, you will not have time for guests to slow down and get close enough to read your banners. Ideally, you want to be seen from a distance, so that you can entice guests to stop past your stand.

·         Brochures. Brochures are always important. They provide an overview of your products and services, as well as your business. At a busy exhibition, you seldom get the chance to talk at any length about your offering Visitors will be able to take home your brochure to find out more about what you offer. Brochures need to look good, and present information in an easy to consume format. Professional brochure design and printing is vital to send audiences the right message.

·         Business Cards. You will also need to ensure that you have a good stock of business cards to present at the show. You can add these to presentation packs that contain brochures, price lists and other information, or hand them out as needed. Business cards are often one of the first glimpses of your brand that people will get… make sure that your cards represent your brand in the best possible light.

·         Catalogues. You will also want to have printed catalogues on hand. A well designed catalogue that is printed according to best practices will give you a powerful sales tool. This will prevent lost leads when people ask for pricing and product lists. You can also reach visitors while they are primed for buying, which further adds to the value of catalogues.

·         Promotions Items. Finally, you will also need to consider other details that help to provide a cohesive branding experience for your exhibition. Promotional items are a fun way to keep your business fresh of mind for visitors. Whether you design and print quirky mugs, caps, pens or other items to give out, these are a great way to promote your business.

Looking for expertly designed marketing material in Durban and surrounds? Contact Minuteman Press Pinetown for more information on the marketing material solutions we have to offer.

Catalogues are used by businesses to showcase their products, sales and services. Catalogues offer a convenient format in which you can present your brand in a visually appealing way. However, to do this, there are significant elements in a catalogue you should consider:

• Pay close attention to the cover:

Create a cover that attracts the eye of potential customers or clients. The three elements that should typically be on the cover, are:

1. an image that stands out,
2. The company’s logo, and

• A slogan that captivates and encourages the reader to learn more.

• Choose the right font and font size:

Choosing the perfect font is crucial it sets the mood for your message to be conveyed in an appropriate way. Comic Sans, for example, is not an appropriate font for a brochure for a doctor’s surgery. Make sure your font is easy to read. Use different sizes to highlight the importance of the information.

• Choose a suitable fold

Commonly there are two types of catalogue folds:

1. Z-fold: Z-fold is used when a lot of information is presented. Only one panel at a time is displayed and this assists the reader from being blasted with too much information.
2. Trifold: A trifold layout is for catalogues with less information.

• Choosing the right colour:

Colours play a crucial role in a catalogue – it sets the mood for your message. If your business or service is fun and exciting use bright colours to enhance the view. Neutral colours are better suited to a more serious business.

If you are looking for a printing company in Pinetown to handle all your printing requirements, from black-and-white copies to full-colour printing, we have the solution for you. Please get in touch with Minuteman Press, Pinetown to get a printing quote.

Corporate canvas prints offer a unique way to showcase your brand in a subtle yet effective way. A number of businesses have chosen to display artwork that ties in to their line of work, rather than art that looks good without offering any specific benefits.

Canvas prints can be simple or more details – artistic variations of your logo, company photographs or images that represent your values are just of the ways that you can tie your art into your corporate identity. What makes this type of art such a useful tool is that it helps to create recognition for visitors and clients, while also offering a cohesive look that is line with your core message and brand design, as well as your office style.

Top Reasons to Invest in Corporate Canvas Prints

Why are corporate canvas prints in Durban and surrounds so useful for South African businesses? Let’s have a look at some of the top benefits of corporate artwork…

Corporate art can be used to promote your brand. Above all else, this type of artwork offers a far better branding opportunity than a generic painting could ever do. This is one of the most subtle yet powerful ways to bring your brand across to people who visit your premises. It helps to boost your brand’s credibility, importance and authority in a way that is not over the top or obviously promotional. A great way to achieve optimal results with your company art is to use something like images of your company over the years to help invoke a sense of history and nostalgia. Or, you could feature your leaders, with inspirational messages that showcase their values.

Corporate art improves employee environment. A number of studies show that employees are more productive and happy in offices that feature some type of artwork. While any art can help create the right environment in the workplace, corporate prints and similar artwork goes one step further by making your employees feel as though they belong. A great way to bring even more value in this regard is to feature large sized photographs of your team. As much as leaders have plenty to offer in the way of inspiration, every single person in your company contributes to your growth. You could feature a unique photo for every employee, rotating them throughout each year.

Corporate art resonates with clients. A great way to tie in your business to your artwork is to choose images and designs that reflect your industry. For example, a business specialising in family products, could feature happy, playing children. Lawyers could use images that reflect their chosen area of speciality, while marketing businesses could use dynamic images that represent growth and communication. By planning your artwork carefully, and ensuring that is in line with your business speciality, vision and brand message, you will have a great opportunity to connect to your target audience.

Here at Minuteman Press Pinetown, we offer a wide range of custom-made promotional items, material and other  products and services that help your brand stand out for all the right reasons. To learn more about our unique corporate canvas prints in Durban that are available in various sizes, simply  contact us today.

Promotional products are a great way to keep your brand and company fresh in the minds of your audience. But that does not mean that promo products don’t go wrong… one of the worst things for your brand is a failed marketing message. What makes promotional items so successful is that they act a little like a unique business card that has your logo, company name, details and message shown prominently. When a promotional product goes wrong, that means that your name is clearly associated with a product that has not quite hit the mark.

How can you be sure that your promotional product is more hit than miss?

Keep reading to find out.

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Choosing Promotional Products

Some of the biggest mistakes to avoid when planning  promotional products in Durban or anywhere else include the following:

Choosing products based on your own personal preferences. While you may love the idea of a branded Frisbee, your ideal customer may not feel quite the same. One of the most important things to consider for any promotional material is your target audience. Who will you give these products to? What sort of items would provide genuine use for these your ideal customer? Once you know who you are targeting, it will be easier to decide on which material would be best suited to your audience.

Offending or confusing people with a poorly planned design. You may not intend to offend anyone, but a badly thought-out logo or acronyms that mean something completely different to your intended message can be confusing at best. At worst, you may end up doing more harm to your reputation than good. Above all else, promo products should be a way to re-enforce your brand message in a way that is memorable for all the right reasons.

Not having a plan in place. Another major mistake is to not have any plan in place when getting promotional items made and produced. If you have budgeted for this type of marketing, you will need to be sure on what your primary goals are (recognition, once-off event or any other specific goal you may have). You will also need to know how you will get your products out to your audience, and how to achieve this distribution. Without a plan, you may end up with a back room full of items that no one uses.

Aiming for the cheapest option rather than the best quality option. While you obviously want to avoid spending your entire marketing budget on one product, it’s also never a good idea to go for cheap over quality. Ultimately, the products you send to people represents your company and overall brand. Do you want people to remember you for being cheap, or for providing a product that is made properly? If the item does not last, or worse, looks cheap, it will cost you far more in the long run.

Choosing a product with a limited shelf-life. That leads us to our final mistake – choosing a product that will be thrown away in a short time. As functional as pens and pencils are, they are not designed to last. The same applies to lighters and other single or limited use products. A branded mug, t-shirt, cap, mouse pad, laptop case or any other item that will be used often for a long period of time will not end up in the bin.

Looking for assistance in the design and creation of your products?  Contact Minuteman Press Pinetown for high quality promotional products in Durban.

Gone are the days when colour copies were blurry, oversaturated versions of the original. These days, printers and copiers are far more advanced and can duplicate images, documents and just about anything you want to be copied with flawless results.

Whether you need an image scanned and printed or need copies of an existing document, our copying services at Minuteman Press, Pinetown, are of the highest quality. Our machines are the best in the industry. We offer excellent turnaround times if you need something done urgently.

Why choose colour copying and printing?

• If you’re putting together documents for an important presentation and want something that looks impressive, colour is the way to go.

• For business purposes, colour is an important aspect of your branding. Your company’s colours, along with your logo, is what makes your branding recognisable.

• Photographs and images that are coloured in the original simply don’t look as good when printed greyscale.

When to choose black-and-white copying

• If the original document is in black-and-white, obviously, there’s no need for the

expense of colour.

• For content pages of a presentation where there is not much colour, print black-and-white and choose colour for printing the cover to save on budget.

Minuteman Press, Pinetown, offers a wide variety of printing and copying services – both colour and black-and-white to suit your needs. In addition, our services include binding (stitching, stapling and ring binding) to ensure that your documents are professionally assembled as well as specialised design services.

If you are looking for a printing company in Pinetown to handle all your printing requirements, from black-and-white copies to full-colour printing, we have the solution for you. Please get in touch with Minuteman Press Pinetown for a printing quote

There is no doubt that logo design is a highly specialised field that has the power to do magical things. Despite this however, many companies feel that it is cheaper and faster to throw something together themselves. Worse still, without understanding the basic principles behind logos, fonts, colours and elements are chosen in a rush, leading to a less than perfect result.

A badly designed logo can have a huge impact on your brand – in all the wrong ways. A bad logo makes you look cheap and unprofessional, at best. At  worst, it can cause you lost business or a damaged reputation. How can you be sure that your logo is 100% original and eye-catching for all the right reasons?

Avoid These Logo Design Mistakes

Your logo represents your brand. Created properly, a good logo has the power to make an instant impression. Some of the absolute most important logo design mistakes to avoid include the following:

Taking the DIY approach. First and foremost, it is never a good idea to make your own logo unless you have a solid understanding of design principles such as use of space, fonts, colour and dimensions. A DIY logo sends the worst possible message. Not only will it make your company look cheap, it could also end up costing you far more in the long run when you eventually decide to rebrand.

Relying too much on trends. What is trendy today may not be as fashionable tomorrow. Trends should never be included in the design process. Where logos are concerned, trends are especially dangerous. Instead of trying to be like everyone else, work with a logo designer to create something that is just right for your brand and values. Think about it this way – will your logo still be stylish in a year? What about 10 years? If you answered no to this, it may be time to think carefully about your logo’s longevity.

Using the wrong images. Using stock images or images that are in the wrong format can be devastating. The danger of stock images (whether free or paid) is that many other people can use the same image. If you are using a free image, it may have royalty requirements that apply to how you use it. The last thing you want is a letter from a lawyer suing you for using property that is protected.

Creating an overly complex design. A highly complex logo may look good in a high res image file. But it may not look as good when it is smaller in size. Remember that logos are used in a variety of places. Your website alone has a number of logos used, from the vastly scaled down icon shown in browser tabs, to larger sized logos on your home page. It will also need to be printed on brochures and  business cards without distortion or details being lost.

Choosing the wrong fonts. Fonts are vital to your logo. Choosing a font that is hard to read, very detailed or ornate, or simply not eye-catching can all affect your logo. Stick to clear fonts that can be read in large or small format. Avoid overly fancy fonts or dated fonts such as Comic Sans, which seldom sends a good message unless your business is a play school. Even then, there are many other fonts that look more professional.

For professional help with logo design in Durban,  contact Minuteman Press Pinetown today!

Branded stationery includes letterheads and envelopes that have been designed to reflect your brand’s look and feel. From subtly branded items that are understated and elegant, to statement items that leave a lasting impact on those who receive them, this is a great way to bring your brand together.

Just how can branded corporate stationery help your business? Is it really worthwhile investing in stationery to help your brand stand out from the rest? Find out more below to see how this can be an excellent tool to grow your presence.

Why Use Branded Stationery?

Branding is far more than just a logo. Your brand messaging applies to just about everything that you do. Even the smallest details can affect how customers perceive your brand. Having the right stationery can help you position your company as a brand that is cohesive, detail-orientated and efficient. Some of the top reasons to invest in branded stationery in Durban include the following:

It subtly promotes your business. Stationery is a unique way to promote your company in a way that is professional and practical. External and internal messages are amplified by carefully branded corporate stationery. However you use your stationery, it will help to keep your brand fresh in the mind of anyone who receives a branded note from your company. The trick here is to make sure that you use an experienced designer and printer who is able to provide you with the very best level of quality for your branded stationery in Durban or anywhere else, for that matter.

It creates the right impression. Another benefit of branded corporate stationery is that is creates an instant impression. It shows a great attention to detail, while bringing together your various branding efforts. Whether you are sending a thank you note, a letter to a co-worker, or a personal note to a prospective client, your image will always be one of professionalism and attention to detail. This is especially useful when it comes to documents send in the post. A beautifully designed branded letterhead and envelope will always look stylish.

It ties your branding efforts together. Stationery may seem like an added extra that does not provide much value. In reality, even part of your branding efforts work together. Your stationery works hand in hand with your business card, branded pens, website and marketing materials. The result is a cohesive branding experience that is sleek and memorable for all the right reasons. Having a strong brand design on your website and business card, only to use plain, uninspiring stationery makes your brand look careless and sloppy. Carefully designed stationery however that is branded with your signature logo and message makes your brand look polished and organised.

Interested in developing unique stationery for your company? Minuteman Press Pinetown offers a bespoke selection of design and printing solutions that range from business cards and presentation folders, all the way to postcards, labels, brochures and more. Contact us today to learn more about our beautifully designed branded stationery in Durban and surrounds.

A type of advertising that has consistently grown in popularity over the years, large format printing refers to prints of a larger size. As you might have guessed from the name, this type of printing supports maximum print roll width. This type of printing is typically used for everything from banners to posters, wallpapers, murals and other larger sized advertisements.

Large format printing is a good choice if you have materials with a lot of graphic elements, or a poster, banner or large scale advert that is an unusual size or shape. As there is a huge area to work with, this type of printing is an excellent way to advertise events, promotions, products or any other news that you want to be visible. The wide images and larger than life sized text ensures that brand messaging is highly effective, creating maximum impact and reach for display advertisements.

Everything You Need to Know About Large Format Printing

Like regular sized prints, large format printing is printed digitally on a roll of material. This can range from gloss paper to canvas, PVC, vinyl and various other materials. The main different between this type of printing and regular sized printing is that the printer itself is designed to a larger scale.

Some of the most common applications and options for large scale printing include the following:

• Posters. While smaller sized posters can be effective, too, what makes larger sized posters work is their high level of visibility. Whether you require a poster for a private function, or a corporate event such as a trade show, launch, promotion or sale, a large poster is almost always the simplest and most effective way to reach your customers.

• Banners. Banners are one of the top display advertising options, with numerous benefits that range from versatility to re-usability, visibility and cost-efficiency to name just a few. Printed on vinyl, banners are excellent for exhibit displays, trade shows, launch events, on-site promotions and many other applications. They are also long-lasting and highly durable.

• Wall Graphics. These are a fun way to promote your product or business, while also adding interest to your walls. Wall graphics are printed on sticker paper, with a wide range of sizes and shapes available. They can be easily removed, and last a long time. These can be very useful for shop windows, but also work outside of the corporate world as well for kids’ rooms and private events.

As a specialist in printing, Minuteman Press Pinetown offers high quality large format printing in Durban. Contact us today to learn more about this service, or to request a quote.