Lanzarote Information

Here at Lanzarote Information we use Puerto del Carmen based Colourworks for our printing, because of the speed and quality of their work. The team there have very kindly written this post for us, offering some great free advice about branding for anyone with a business on the island, or thinking about starting one.

Enjoy this short video of Colourworks in action:

Colourworks design and print in Puerto del Carmen has been established since November of 1999, from humble beginnings in a basement locale in Old Town Carmen we have over the last 10 years built up a great team and all the latest machinery to offer the customer exceptional quality of design, printing and customer service.

Over the years we have been adding tips and tricks to our “Get Noticed” handbook,  which can be downloaded below free of charge,  or you can call into our offices for a printed copy.

Let’s talk about branding. Branding is a key area for any business and here are some of the reasons why:

Branding

• Branding creates an image.

• Branding refers to the concrete symbols such as a name, a logo, a slogan, and a design scheme.

• Branding will help recognize your product or service when stood next to your competitor.

• Brand guidelines are internal tools available to educate, reinforce and motivate all involved in your business.

• Branding can express your values and principles.

The simplest way of explaining the importance of a strong brand is with McDonalds. Starting as a small hamburger bar they have grown into a worldwide industry, not only with their restaurants but now also supplying Branded Merchandise and toys. Over the years they have grown from strength to strength with their iconic “Golden Arches” Logo.

McDonalds have seen many changes over the years, constantly updating and refreshing their look, but if they have changed their design so much how have they continued to be one of the most recognizable companies in the world? By branding that’s how!

Their logo, colours, products, images, packaging and much more have all been set in stone and are all instantly recognised. Without a strong brand image they could have easily been pushed off their pedestal.

Word of mouth, product quality, customer service and value for money are also good for your business but effective branding gives you a sharper edge and will set you out from the crowd. It creates customer loyalty and that will help you ride out the storm.

Businesses here on the island are much smaller in comparison but we are all suffering in the current financial situation. Maybe you do not need such strong guidelines as a multinational company but you do need to be recognized. It is critical that you think branding when it comes to surviving today’s challenges.

Branding creates an expectation in your customers. They know exactly what to expect when they walk into your business. People don’t want to take chances with their money and will spend where they know they will get the value and standards they desire. Create this image and they will beat a path to your door.

Logo design.

A logo is the trademark of your organization, which visually identifies your company, the nature of the job you do and the attitude you wish to portray to your potential and existing customers. In addition it should distinguish you from your competitors by promoting the differences and strengths of your business.

When considering your company logo (and in association with creating your brand) you should consider the image you wish to portray to the public. A medical insurance company will have a very different feel from a courier company, whilst a health food store will have a totally different image to project than that of a hamburger bar. Discuss with your designer whether your logo should be an illustrative representation or abstract graphic that represents what your company does. Or should it be font-based?

Quite often less is more and many major international companies are testament to this. Have a look below and see how many companies you can identify by their logos instantly.

Whilst you will probably use your logo on your business cards and stationery, it is likely that you may wish to use it in other mediums such as a sign, on advertising or a website. Your designer will create a logo sympathetic to your needs. A professional logo should always be easily readable and recognizable and should be designed in a vector based programme. This means your logo is made up of mathematical points and lines that tell the computer information allowing it to be resized as appropriate and re-coloured (such as when using in black and white press) with no depreciation in quality whatsoever.

Colours are crucial in the overall impact of your logos and can convey a very positive image or by contrast the wrong impression.

Fonts or typefaces are the style in which your company name and lettering is written and can invoke a multitude of impressions. A loosely flowing script can suggest romantic or old fashioned, while a thick heavy font can provide impact and indicate strength.

Key Points to consider about your logo

1.Your logo should represent your company and it’s ethics

1. It should be professionally created to work in all mediums without losing impact

2. The choice of font and colour makes all the difference

As we have now covered some of the major issues regarding logos, branding and getting your message seen, its now time to look at a small matter which can make or break a piece of designed publicity.

Typography within printed matter is often something overlooked by budding Designers and home users. How and where you lay out your text can be really important to the overall look of your chosen publicity, and here we can give you some top tips in the do’s and don’ts of typography to make your text look cutting Edge.

1. Keep the amount of fonts to a minimum. Research has shown that using 3 or more fonts within your design can increase the average time-to-read by 100%. We recommend you try to keep to 2 fonts to get your message understood more quickly, and also remember here in Lanzarote for many of our customers English is not their first language so it needs to be clear to read.

2. Try not to use too many CAPITALS, whilst it may look like it is easier to read it can in fact visually block together and from a distance be harder to read. It is ok to have the odd Word for emphasis but best to keep it limited to a minimum.

3. Don’t stack lines of text. Whilst it may make your flyer look pretty funky, like too many capital letters it could disrupt your viewers reading and more importantly delay your customer in spending their euros!!

4. Watch out for colour on colour. Choosing the right colour combination is crucial for effective marketing, and if the colour of your text is too similar to the background it can distract from your message. One of the most popular colour backgrounds we print here at Colourworks is blue, as a lot of Lanzarote publicity includes the sea or sky, but putting black text over an ocean background can often get lost, so it is best to stick to a white or a pale colour background that will make the text clearly visible.

5. In general time is your enemy, and the longer it takes your target audience to make sense of your message, the less chance they will read and understand the whole thing. It is about trying to create a balance between the need for an eye catching jazzy design and the future customers need for simplicity.

So we hope you have enjoyed reading up on a few tips and tricks to keep your image healthy and fresh, please keep checking this website as we shall be updating more pages within the coming months.

Colourworks provide a free "Get Noticed" handbook for their clients, which you can download free of charge below.

You can visit Colourworks own web page here, or you can call in and see them at Centro Commercial Puerto Cinco in Puerto del Carmen. Tel 928 510 523.