SlyBrand

I couldn’t have said it better.

Found this article in the Memphis Business Journal. Their work is super.

There are some things in this world that just can’t be explained. And that don’t need to be. Like this. And this. Admitting that mystery exists is counter-intuitive for me. But it’s funny, the more I discover things that just can’t be explained, the more confident I feel to clearly explain the things that can.

That’s important for me to remember. Because whenever art and business are combined, like when a brand identity system is developed, there are things that can’t be explained, and things that can. In the creative cycle of identity development, there’s a place for exploratory ambiguity and a place for crystal-clear communication. It’s like the mystery creates the clarity. And the tension between the two makes it fun.

So while I’m watching this, I’ll be loving the fact that some things in this world just can’t be explained.

One thing I love about the south is the stories. Maybe southerners have a little more time to think about creatively communicating details or maybe it’s just in the water. But where I come from and where I live now, there is certainly no lack of “creative” storytelling. History plays a big part of those stories, and we’re glad to incorporate that culture of historical storytelling into our creative process. We want to feature some of the great stories we come across and some of the history we uncover on SlyBrand. The Discovery Stories category is where it’s at.

It’s no little task to standardize a brand identity. Creating a single document that clearly lays out the vision and proper usage of a brand identity is an art in itself. We do it at Fox Design Co. but I have to admit, we’d like to do it better. So, we’re becoming a guinea pig and sharing a little standardizing love with you. We’re re-subjecting our beloved Fox Design Co. identity to scrutiny, and will be creating strict standards of usage for our brand. So to kick it off—our colors, with black, are now officially:

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One of the things we hope to do with SlyBrand is keep you up on what we’re up to. Check out The Drawing Board category to see what we’re tinkering with in-house.

It’s amazing how much can be gained by just stopping long enough to think over a few simple questions. This letter, and Responding to it, pretty much made my week.
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There’s something addictive about checking e-mail. And surfing the internet. And watching TV, and talking on my cell phone … oooo, and text messaging, that’s fun. You know what else I like? Looking at billboards. I really do. And at the end of a day, after about 3 grandé bolds from Starbucks so I can keep up—I’m exhausted. But sometimes, somthing wacky happens. Like, getting a personal letter in the mail. I really don’t know what to do with that. That’s what the catergory: “Keep Your Ears Up” is all about.

There are things that slip into the hurricane of life that just need paying attention to. And in the world of hyperactive external stimulus, turning off our iPods and listening for the little things can be a really great thing.

Creating an effective brand identity isn’t easy. Lots of collaborative energy is spent on the tedious process. After it’s all said and done, there are some great byproducts that come out of the refining fire of identity development. During that creative process, there are so many fascinating stories that reveal themselves. The photos, sketches, and nuggets of invaluable insight that come out of brand identity discovery speak volumes of real, authentic information. We hope this site will be a home for things that tell an inspiring story behind who and what a good brand is.

Welcome to SlyBrand
Our goal for this site is to cultivate open conversation with you about brand identities that stand out, last, and yield value. We hope to shed some light on brand identities that are challenging the marketplace’s status quo, and to dialog with you about the process that makes that magic happen.

Slybrand is the web log (blog) of Fox Design Co. Memphis, Tennessee. Its primary purpose is to communicate and collaborate with people, particularly about marketing and branding. Fox Design was founded in the summer of 2001 by Carl Fox and his wife Shea. Since then, they have met the brand development needs of Memphis-based organizations like Goodwyn, Mercury Investment Management, and St. Mary’s School.

The purpose of Fox Design Co. is to be a creative ground and resource for communications design. This Includes: advertising, environmental & sign, logo & symbol, print, screenprint & web design.

About the Author
Carl Fox is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. He and his wife, Shea, moved to Memphis in 2000 to pursue a career in brand identity development. Carl started Fox Design Co. after a short stint at Archer Malmo—Memphis’ oldest and largest full-service agency. Carl is the author of this blog. E-mail him here.