design Archives - MIU Your Creative Digital Agency

February 18, 2021September 29, 2021

How to Update Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Spring cleaning is a necessary job in any household, but it’s also a necessary job for your digital marketing strategy. Your digital marketing strategy should be checked, measured, and revitalized a few times per year, and the end of the first quarter is the perfect time to take the first steps.

Logo And Design

The first thing to look at is the design aspects of your digital presence. You should check that your logo and designs work across all platforms. Make sure that it’s still relevant and that your customers and potential customers have a positive reaction to your design. You may need to update your logo to give it a fresh look or change any design elements that are outdated and no longer relevant.

In some cases, you may need to completely redesign your logo. You should also make sure that any changes are also updated on any physical promotional materials as well. Try a free logo app like Logo Creator to come up with some concepts for your business.

Goals

Your digital marketing strategy should have set out goals for your business. You need to look at whether these goals have been achieved. Use your key metrics to analyze what strategies worked well, and which didn’t. You should also assess your previous goals to make sure that they were achievable in the first place.

Set New Goals

When you set your new marketing goals, make sure that they are realistic, specific and achievable. You may also want to consider breaking wide goals down into smaller, more specific steps. Lastly, you should also set a realistic timeline for when you expect these goals to be met. You should have a master calendar for your digital marketing strategy, but you may want to have specific calendars for your social media campaigns, blog posts and email campaigns as well. Doing this means you can make sure that all posts and materials are going out on time.

Social Media Accounts

Social media is constantly evolving and changing with new sites and trends emerging all the time. It’s important that you keep your social media presence updated, relevant, on-trend, and consistent with your brand. This may mean updating profiles, creating new accounts, looking at which posts had the most reach and engagement, and updating your response policies. There are plenty of ways you can boost your social media shares to gain more exposure — check our article here for more details. If customers are reaching out to your business on social media, you need to make sure that responses are timely and appropriate.

SEO

Search engine optimization should be seen as a vital task. It’s incredibly important to keep up to date with SEO practices. These practices can evolve as the way people use search engines change. Check your page speeds, meta descriptions, content, images, readability and headers. Optimize every page. We’ve curated a list of SEO tools here that are not only free but perfect for beginners.

Keywords

Re-examine your keywords. Remove any keywords that are no longer relevant, or have a low or no impression. Create a new list of targeted keywords. This will help you create a much more efficient strategy.

Content

Look at your existing content and see which has the most engagement. Revamp lower performing content with fresh links and keywords. Make sure that the information in older posts is still relevant, or update it to include more recent data.

You can also plan out new content. Make a calendar of when each content should be posted. When you’re planning topics or posts, make sure that it is specific and readable. Large topics should be broken into a series of posts.

You should also check how your advertisements are performing. Look at your paid search ads. Examine which keywords are being used and if these need to be extended upon. You should also check the ad copy. Make sure that the copy is free of errors and that it is still relevant. For the best results, read up on our ultimate guide to advertising.

November 5, 2020June 17, 2021

How to Up Your Graphic Design Game in 3 Easy Steps

Graphics are one of the best ways to grab your audience’s attention. Used in essentially all forms of marketing, it has been proven time and again to be a surefire way to boost your business.

Perhaps you clicked on this article curious about improving your graphic design skills. Well, we completely understand. To help you, we’ve compiled some steps you could take on your journey to become a better graphic designer.

1. JOIN A DESIGN COURSE

Plenty of schools in Singapore offer design courses that you could take to help you hone your design skills. There are various courses that focus on different areas of design, depending on what you’re looking for. Here are some of the best design courses in Singapore we recommend:

First Media Design School: Diploma in Media and Graphic Design

With plenty of design-related courses at their arsenal, including branding and animation, First Media Design School might be the institution you want to look at if you’re considering getting a diploma in media and graphic design. This course lasts a duration of 18 months (1½ years), so it may be more suited for students pursuing design as a serious career.

Laselle: graphic design fundamentals

Maybe a full-time course might not be what you’re searching for. Or you might already have a diploma and am still looking for minor ways to refine your designing skills. At $540 a unit, Laselle offers more than 30 different design courses across a range of design disciplines. If you have a strong interest in graphic design, you may want to consider Laselle.

Nanyang Polytechnic: Graphic Thinking and Visualisation in Design

Feeling the hefty price tag on the previous two courses? There’s another alternative. Nanyang Polytechnic is providing a simple yet all-rounded design course under SkillsFuture. If you have some leftover SkillsFuture credits, now is the time to use it! At only $300, this is the perfect course for casual students dipping their toes into the world of design.

2. STUDY THE WORK OF GRAPHIC DESIGN COMPANIES

In order to apply the skills you’ve picked up, it’s important to be able to look at the works of others and distinguish the good and the bad. With a vast amount of design companies in Singapore, there are definitely plenty of examples for one to study.

Hipster inc

From web design to desktop computing and, of course, graphics design and branding, Hipster offers cost-effective digital solutions for your marketing needs. Their speciality lies in their augmented and virtual reality services. Just by entering their website do you see their portfolio of clean and aesthetic designs on display. Look through their case studies and you can see why Hipster is such a successful graphic design company.

Artnexus Design

Positioning themselves as a one-stop solution for creative advertising, branding and packaging label designs, Artnexus certainly strives to cover all aspects of graphic design — and come out on top as well. Under the creative umbrella, the company covers publication design, digital display advertisement, not to mention graphic designing. Take a look at their website to understand why their designs are so popular amongst marketers.

Graphic Masters

Having established themselves in the industry, Graphic Masters’s clientele consists of government agencies, public organisations and private corporations around the globe. These include the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, SAF Yacht Club, and many others. Their services range from publications, advertising and promotions, corporate branding, infographics, and even corporate gifts — to list a few! With a strong understanding of the current graphic design trends, Graphic Masters’s professionalism shines through.

3. UNDERSTAND THE LATEST GRAPHIC DESIGN TRENDS

Besides upgrading your design skills and studying the portfolio of other designers, it is also important to be aware of the latest design trends. Some of the design trends that surfaced in 2020 and are likely to continue in 2021 include but are not limited to the following:

Muted Colour Palettes

Perhaps one reason why muted colours have been so in trend lately is because of their ability to evoke comfort and warm feelings. They also often feel natural and organic, which may why plenty of health and wellness companies are implementing the use of muted colour palettes in their design and marketing efforts.

Flat Icons and Illustrations

Flat icons have become somewhat of a popular trend, particularly when used as a social media graphic. With a simple icon, brands can communicate more by using less. Indeed, they are a powerful tool for communication. This trend is taking over companies by storm, including BMW, Volkswagen, and even Google, all of whom have adopted a flatter, more minimalistic logo for their brand.

Social Media Slide Decks

Slide decks are a great way to break up chunks of information. If you want to convey a lengthy message to your audience but are unsure how to keep their attention focused on you, try having various image slides rather than one single image. This habit has been employed by many brands on virtually almost all social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin. Furthermore, the algorithm actually seems to favour posts with multiple slides rather than those with a single image!

If you find these tips helpful, or have a friend in mind who is looking to hone their design skills, why not share this article with them?

As a creative agency, MIU strives to constantly improve itself. Providing digital solutions such as package design, logo identity and brand styling, the list of design services MIU offers runs on. Interested to find out more? Book a free consultation with us today!

November 3, 2020June 17, 2021

E-Commerce Packaging: the Ins and Outs

When it comes to packaging design for online products, there are many factors that come into consideration. Beyond just making your product attractive, issues regarding eCommerce packaging have also been raised.

Ecommerce, or electronic commerce, is the buying and selling of products on an online store. The question comes in when considering how to design a product to stand out of the proverbial crowd, especially in an online setting.

With a huge majority of consumers turning towards online shopping in 2020, there is no doubt that the shopping experience has changed drastically. This change in consumer experience signifies huge implications for shopping design. As a result, it is important for marketers to learn how to better advertise their products on the virtual shelf.

This not only applies to products but services as well. Online retailing has taken the world by storm especially with the onset of Covid-19. Even as the situation stabilises, it is clear eCommerce platforms are not going away anytime soon, if at all.

We’ve talked about how important packaging is for a brand and the best steps to design an impactful packaging to grab your consumers’ attention in a brick-and-mortar store. But consider this: how does designing a product differ when it comes to doing it for an eCommerce store as compared to physical stores?

Well, since you are designing products to showcase on a digital platform, there are factors present that would not otherwise be considered for a physical setting. Research has shown that the online customer experience is more than just conveying product information — it must also mimic the sensory experiences that products evoke in the offline world. It is important to keep this in mind when creating your packaging so as to successfully draw in consumers in your e-commerce journey.

Factors to consider in an online packaging design

1. The product packaging must be photogenic

It goes without saying that you would be taking a photo of your product or service in order to promote it in online stores. If you want to appeal to your consumers with your product, you need to make sure it stands out, is attractive, and captures well on photos.

What usually works for the screen are often graphics that pop. In fact, graphics appeal to both the older and younger demographic. Older consumers with vision problems appreciate the clear visuals, and younger consumers think graphics look cool. Use it to further enhance your product design and draw in a larger online crowd. With emotional appeal in mind — think about what makes a product design feel personal and welcoming on the screen.

2. It must have an idiosyncratic point

It’s easy to go with the flow and design a packaging that has worked for millions of other products. But consumers online are no longer interested in the same thing. They want to see something different — unusual, even — that firmly grabs their attention and holds it. What has worked for brands in the virtual sphere are their unique shelf designs. So, embrace your weirdness and get creative!

Take a look at the packaging for the Festina Divers Watch. By encasing their watches in a bag of water, they are conveying the message that their watches are completely and utterly waterproof. This is a great example of an extremely memorable and innovative packaging. Consumers are sure to remember it for some time to come.

3. It must go well with the eCommerce site

You may not realise this, but it is not enough to just have a strategic packaging for your product. Consider how it looks when placed on the eCommerce website. Does it blend well with the web design, or does it clash? No matter how amazing your packaging is, that can come to nought if it does not go together with your website design — which will turn consumers away.

Minimalism and white space are all the trend right now. Consumers prefer a clean, simple look rather than a cluttered design with unnecessarily complicated fonts. They want to be able to tell at one glance the brand, the logo, and the product offered, rather than having to scan through plenty of labels just to find out the information.

The rise of eCommerce

As more online businesses spring up, the consumer shopping experience shifts bit by bit. This presents businesses with plenty of opportunities to get creative and adapt to the new situation. Instead of continuing what has always worked, it should be time to rethink and develop new ideas to grow alongside such changes.

Design evaluation is but an example. The shift online allows businesses to experiment with the virtual space, and how it interacts amongst different cultural, social and retail contexts. Perhaps with this shift, it is time to set new KPIs for design — one that succeeds by being quirky and idiosyncratic.

MIU offers an unlimited design package. You can contact us today for more details by clicking here.

October 15, 2020July 12, 2021

The Comprehensive Guide to Brochures in Singapore

Brochures in the age of digital marketing

One may wonder if brochures still have a place in digital marketing. Don’t worry – this is absolutely a normal concern to have. While brochures may not be a business’s first option when it comes to marketing, they offer their benefits that other marketing methods do not provide. Let us explain to you why brochures won’t be going away, not even in 2020.

Brochures are cost-effective

Are you looking to make more bang for your buck while still managing to promote your brand? Brochures are just the thing you need. Not only that, but they are easy to distribute. You can hand them out at company events, exhibitions, and workshops. Alternatively, brochures can also strategically placed in various locations, including your promotional mail. Meaning, they will most likely help you reach a wider audience.

They are permanent and tangible.

While online ads are brief and only lasts as long as the consumer is on the webpage, brochures are permanent ads for your company. Many might prefer browsing through a tangible brochure and keep them for future reference rather than scouring the internet for information about your company that may or may not be there. Since they are always visible, having a robust graphic design for your brochure would grab attention quickly.

Brochures personalise your business.

They act as an easy way to connect with your audience. When you hand a detailed brochure over to your consumer, they will appreciate the effort taken to design it as they flip through each page. Not to mention, it is a great way to network — be it with your consumers or your competitors. Additionally, a brochure can go towards building brand awareness and credibility. Done right, and they can even contribute to your brand identity.

Multiple distribution channels

Are you worried about the relevance of brochures in the age of digital marketing? Well, guess what — technology has made it possible for digital brochures to be a thing. So if digital marketing is more your style, you can opt for e-brochures instead. Having both physical and digital brochures can expand your visibility, is a great way to introduce your company, and makes for positive press. Indeed, brochures are here to stay in the age of digital marketing.

Top 5 brochure design agencies in Singapore

1. Jehm Studio

Priding themselves on their artistry, Jehm Studio specialises in a wide range of designs, from brochures to posters to banners. With a heavy focus in a user experience strategy, this design studio creates stunning graphic designs that are unparalleled thus far.

2. Diseno Advertising

Diseno Advertising is one of the well-known design firms in Singapore, but did you know they offer brochure design services as well? Great at visual story-telling, Diseno is one of the best choices to turn to for your design projects. They even provide printing services as well — talk about a one-stop solution for all your brochure needs!

3. Breworks Design & Communication

From each photo and each word selected to include in the brochure, Breworks takes it seriously. They understand just how important each element plays a part in delivering your key message to your target audience — and know how to bring it out by assembling the best designs and layouts. With 17 years of experience, BDC certainly knows the ins-and-outs of the marketing industry.

4. Secret Hideout

Secret Hideout offers modern and versatile designs to capture your audience’s attention amongst the ever-changing trends. If you find yourself in urgent need of a brochure for your company, Secret Hideout can get the job done in just a few weeks. They take pride in being such a reliable agency, enough to deliver the brochures right to your doorstep.

5. MIU LLP

Innovative and futuristic, MIU has always had a flair for designing. Beyond the unlimited design package which we have talked about frequently, their design team comprises people from various backgrounds, contributing to the unique flavour they have. As a creative agency based in Singapore, MIU offers high-quality solutions for your business brochures.

How to decide if a brochure design agency is professional

With plenty of choices out there, how can you tell which agency has the right skills to deliver? One of the few ways is to see just how they design their brochures — do they include the necessary information? These are some aspects that should be present in a brochure.

The logo MUST be visible on the brochure cover. (Source: Online Logo Maker)

Company logo

This might go without saying, but the brand logo always has to be prominent on the first page of your brochure. Not only does it help with brand awareness, the clarity of whose brochure it goes a long way in making your brochure more appealing. No one wants to pick up and read a brochure if they have no idea who it is about.

Headline and subheadings

Along with the company logo, the headline should be right beside it on the cover page. This makes it clear to the reader what the brochure is about, and is a good drawing point for your target audience. From there on, keep in mind to have subheadings within the brochure as well, so that everything is organised and easy on eyes.

Graphic Design Portfolio | Graphic designer portfolio, Portfolio design, Book design — Help readers break down your brochure into chunks by having a content page for easy reference. (Source: Creative Market)

Content page

To help your audience understand what the brochure has to offer, a content page must be present inside it. Otherwise, you might lose your audience’s interest just as quickly as you grabbed it. When they know the contents of the brochure and how informative it is, they are more likely to read it as well as keep it with them.

Illustrations

This goes without saying. Nobody wants to receive a 10-page brochure that is filled with just text. Moreover, the human brain processes visuals faster than text, where up to 90% of the information it absorbs comes from visual outlets. Illustrations and graphic designs are a great way to attract consumers, so keep it as a vital aspect of your brochure!

Dental Brochure Design | | Brochure design, Brochure, Dental — Remember to include a CTA by leaving some form of contact information! (Source: Branding LA)

Contact information

It is important to remember to include your company’s information or any way that interested consumers can reach your business. Without this section, the whole purpose of the brochure is lost! I would recommend having at least two different points of contact in the brochure itself — be it your company website, Facebook, or social media channels.

And there you have it! Our comprehensive guide to everything brochure-related for your marketing needs. Now you’re ready to venture off on this new marketing journey. Need a brand consultant for your brochure marketing strategy? Find your solution at MIU today.

September 29, 2020September 4, 2023

Applying Colour Theory to Your Brand Logo Design

Colour Theory in Brand Logo Designs

Colour. It is all around us. But how often do we really notice the psychological impact that colours have on our daily lives?

Here’s an interesting quiz: can you name the colours of Google’s logo in order? While you might not be able to remember the order, it’s easy to recall that the logo consists of green, red, yellow and blue. This distinctiveness of Google’s brand colours is what truly drives its success as a multinational technology company.

The Psychological Impact of Colours

There is a strong psychological component involved in creating a successful brand, and brand colours — as well as logos — is one of them. Research has shown that colours do have an effect on us, and can even convey messages if used right. Personal preference, experiences, and cultural upbringing are all factors that shape the way we think about specific colours.

When you understand how humans perceive colour, you’ll be better able to apply the colour theory for your brand logo. What colour palette should you use? How should you mix colours together? Should you opt for higher contrast, softer hues?

Colours play a very important part in solidifying a brand’s identity and personality. By using colours wisely, a brand can present itself to be more familiar and likeable to their consumers. In fact, one study has shown that strategic use of colours can actually influence consumers’ purchasing intent!

Another study discovered that people can make up their minds about a product or service within the first 90 seconds of their interaction with it. Up to a whopping 90% of this can be based just on colour alone. So, colours can indeed influence not only our moods but also our attitudes towards certain products.

How Brands Use Colour Theory to Strengthen Brand Identity

A good example of how colours come into play. (Source: Kaeveeoh on Dribbble)

So now we know that colours can convey messages, let’s talk about colour theory. Since different colours evoke different emotions in us, we can use this to build our brand identity. Take a look at Google, for instance. How do Google’s colours work to strengthen its brand identity in our minds?

Knowing that colours steer us to perceive a brand in a certain manner, Google uses a multicoloured logo against a clean white canvas. The logo is largely made up of the three primary colours of paint and light. This subconsciously suggests to us the simplicity of the brand. And indeed, all of us find Google’s services particularly user-friendly and easy to navigate, don’t we?

Colours such as red evoke a sense of urgency, excitement, and passion. It also stimulates the body by raising blood pressure and heart rate. Many fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s, as well as Coca Cola, make use of this to entice people to patronise their business.

Meanwhile, the colour green makes us think of health and nature. This colour can be used by brands such as Starbucks to signify a strong connection to environmental friendliness and the earthy tones of their coffee beans.

How to Create a Logo Effectively

How will colour theory translate into creating your brand? (Source: Logo Design)

Before deciding on the colours for your brand, you need to consider your brand identity and what you want to convey. Want to express your brand’s reliability and professionalism? Blue is a good colour to represent just that. Hoping to express optimism and warmth? Call on a bright shade of yellow.

Of course, creating a distinct brand logo takes more work than just looking at the colour wheel and selecting complementary colours. Brands who want a professional design can consult a creative agency for a more in-depth analysis.

As a creative agency, MIU’s strength lies in understanding what your brand stands for and what it needs. By conducting comprehensive research on your brand and its market, we are able to come up with powerful designs in high resolution that suit your brand perfectly. Ready to have a custom logo for your brand? Don’t hesitate to consult us and get into the business of choosing your logo.

September 24, 2020July 22, 2023

10 Ways Events Can Benefit Your Company

What event marketing is all about

If you’re an avid reader of our blog, you might be tired of continuously hearing us stress how relevant digital marketing is for your company. But allow me to let you in on a secret — it is just as important for a company to hold business events too. Ever heard of event marketing?

As the world turns increasingly digital and internet penetration is soaring at an alarming rate, it may be easy to overlook event marketing. In-person events, however, are still greatly beneficial for companies for a huge multitude of reasons. While digital marketing may be at the forefront of all marketing strategies, it is not the end-all-be-all.

Based on the Event Marketing 2020: Benchmarks and Trends Report, 85% of business owners identify events as critical for their company’s success — double the number from last year! Millennials tend to prefer experiences over products, which is why event marketing has become as vital as email marketing. Certainly, there is a lot of potential to be tapped into here.

In general, events can be broken down into two categories — corporate and field — although there can be overlaps. Corporate events include company dinners, conferences, product launches, as well as ceremonies and galas. On the other hand, field events range from roadshows to expos to workshops. Since corporate events tend to attract industry professionals more while field events are helpful for locking in potential consumers, decide your target audience before planning your event.

10 reasons why you should hold events for your business in the age of digital marketing

We can’t deny that online presence for a company is indispensable. However, in-person events hold just as much weight when it comes to generating leads and turnovers. If you’re still not entirely convinced on how events can be beneficial for your business, read on for our comprehensive list of reasons on why you should hold events even in this age of digital marketing.

1. Events are effective communication tools

The key thing that events allow you to do is to communicate. Be it on an internal or external level, face-to-face connections hold a great amount of value for all businesses alike. Whether you are launching internal information campaigns, advertising to potential customers and other companies in the sector, or strengthening ties amongst employees, these all go towards building interpersonal relationships between your brand and the rest of the world.

2. Access your core audience

Events are the most direct way to gain access to your main audience. It’s not enough to just get your message across — you need to get input from the other party as well. With physical events, you can take the time to get to know your consumers and understand their needs and desires. Bouncing feedback back and forth makes for an excellent dynamic to have and you will be able to learn far more than you otherwise would.

3. Networking

Networking is a large reason of why people attend events. (Source: Tenor)

Oftentimes, a great number of people attend events for one main reason — to network. The great thing about networking is that it goes both ways, so organising events will also put your brand’s name out there. Events are always a shared experience, and they no doubt bring groups of people closer together. Remember, businesses thrive on their connections. Demonstrate your influence and use this as a chance to localise your business further.

4. Showcase your expertise

Enthusiasts will always be eager to hear what the leaders in the industry have to say. Today, huge amounts of information are exchanged every second, making it hard to stay on top of current trends and issues. Hosting an event will allow you to establish your business as a go-to educational resource and to engage with other experts in the field. Consumers would therefore gain confidence in your brand. You can even use this as an opportunity to wow your attendees with your hosting skills.

5. Retain customers

Organising events for loyal customers will present your brand as more than just a business endeavour. When you take note of your consumers’ milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries, it sends them the message that you care and value them as more than just a consumer. Holding events for your customers will also provide a rare opportunity for you to meet your customer’s extended network of friends and family — a win-win solution!

6. Fundraise and generate sales

There is a great amount of ROIs to be tapped into in event marketing. Whether you are aiming for leads, sales, or brand awareness, event marketing is a highly effective channel. You can further generate revenue with extra steps like charging admission fees or having sponsorships. Additionally, having a direct connection to potential consumers or stakeholders will allow them to move into your sales funnel with more ease.

7. Boost content marketing

Milk your event for what it’s worth by generating content from it. You can go the live-streaming route — Instagram and Twitter are popular choices these days — or capture the significant moments to post on your blog and social media later. Furthermore, if you see your attendees posting about your event as well, give them a shout-out or hold a user-generated content contest and encourage them to use hashtags. This will fill your content calendar up with high-quality, original content for days.

8. Build brand awareness and recognition

A brand goes beyond more than the product or service that you offer. It takes into account the perceptions and impressions that people have of your company. Events are therefore one of the best ways to create an emotional connection with your audience. In fact, a study actually revealed that 93% of consumers believed live events had a larger influence on them than television ads.

9. Build brand loyalty and trust

gif nichijou Yuuko buddy — How loyal are your customers? (Source: Rebloggy)

It is extremely important for businesses to build trust with their consumers, particularly smaller companies and startups. Having events would allow you to present yourself as a more reputable company. At its core, events are also meant to be fun — so focus on enjoyment for the attendees! This experience is what will drive customer retention and loyalty. When your attendees are having a good time, they will be more likely to remember and associate positive feelings with your brand.

10. If you don’t, your competitor will

The truth about the industry is that it is very much cutthroat. If you slack on even the slightest opportunity, your competitor will pounce and use it to get a headstart on you. Once you start hosting events and gaining traction, it will be easier to repeat this process. Take your event off the calendar, and your competitor will grab your audience with their own events instead.

In order to host a great event, you need impeccable designs and backdrops to create a visual experience (they also make for great photos). Companies in Singapore like YouPrint and ElectricDreamz do up marvellous backdrops with their great printing services. However, if you’re looking for a stellar backdrop design for your event, you might want to take a look at hiring design companies. After all, you want your event to look amazing on social media (remember, you will be generating content from it).

Consider marketing agencies as they will be your best bet at picking the perfect design to spread your brand message and leave a strong impression in people’s minds. MIU offers an unlimited design package for its clients amongst others such as their SEO and PR packages. You can be sure to be satisfied with their services. With a professional graphic design, your event will be sure to stand out and catch your audience’s attention. Find out more about our design jobs on our website.

September 22, 2020September 4, 2023

5 Easy Steps to Design Your Own Name Card

How to create a fabulous name card design

Having a well-designed name card is essential for a business. Not only could it be the first impression your customers will have, but a good name card also leaves a lasting impression in their minds. Want your customers to think of you when looking for your product or service? You need an eye-catching name card.

Surely, it’s not that hard to design a good name card, you might think to yourself. After all, it’s just a piece of paper.

But it’s so much more than that. Your name card is what will draw customers back; it is in itself an opportunity to advertise your brand and implement brand recognition. To run a business effectively, you cannot do without a good name card.

Here’s how you can design your own name card in a few steps:

1. Search for a name card template

Some of Canva’s business card templates. (Source: Canva)

There are plenty of websites out there that offer templates for basic name card designs. Canva, for example, is one website where you can quickly craft your own name card and is especially helpful if you are doing it on a time constraint. Most of Canva’s templates follow the basic rectangular structure of the standard size, but feel free to break out of the mould if you want your name card to stand out!

2. Add your logo and relevant graphics

Example of a name card with a clear and distinct logo. (Source: RawPixel)

The most important detail of any business name card is, of course, the logo — so you want to make sure that your logo is the most prominent detail on the card itself. This will go towards building brand recognition and brand design. Do keep in mind that you can use both sides of the card to your advantage. In fact, it is recommended to have your logo on both sides, so have your logo on one side be a smaller version along with your contact details.

Now that you have your logo placement settled, it is time to decide on any graphics that you might want to add on to your card. Think about what kinds of graphics would help make your name card stand out. Or are you going for a minimalistic design? If so, you can also opt for a clutter-free design by choosing to leave as much negative space as you want on the card itself. Remember, this all contributes to your brand identity, so make your choices wisely.

3. Consider other details

What is the most vital piece of information you want to present on your card? (Source: Grabprinting)

Other factors that you should consider besides the logo and the graphics on the card would be the font, colours, as well as the information attached. Visuals play a huge part in building your brand identity, particularly in the eyes of your customers, so take care to pick your brand colours and typefaces with that in mind. You can refer to our Instagram for some typography tips!

On any name card, there always has to be three required pieces of information present. This includes who you are, what you do, as well as your contact information. So make sure your name, company, and job title are all clearly presented on the card itself. Contact information may refer to your phone number, email, or even your business address. You may also consider adding your social media handles on your card so that potential customers may be nudged into checking out your brand online, which will then help pull them further into becoming a loyal customer. Lastly, if you so prefer, do also include your website URL and if it helps, your company slogan.

4. Determine the final touches

What a luxurious card design this company has come up with! (Source: Line25)

Now that the design is all ready for printing, the last factor to consider before you send it off for bulk printing would be the shape, material and any other finishing touches. One feature you can make use of is die-cutting. With the advancements in printing technology, it is now possible to mass print name cards, even if they are not the standard layout we are used to seeing. You can even switch out the typical paper or plastic material for something more uncommon, like wood or metal, although that will undoubtedly be more costly.

Other special effects you can implement on your business card as well would be embossing, letter pressing, or even spot UV coating, which will give your business card a premium feel. These might make the logo or text on your business card really jump out and catch the eye of potential customers. Of course, this might not be possible with the free name card templates that you might find online, so if you want a more unique design, you might have to turn elsewhere for help.

5. Send it for printing

You can even opt for metallic finishes at the edges of your cards! (Source: NovelPrint)

Once you’ve brainstormed over the minute details of your name card and have come up with a design you are satisfied with, you just need to sit back and let the printing company do its job! I daresay this is the easiest step of the list — just watch the magic happen, from screen to hand.

If you’re a company looking for some card printing services in Singapore, you can turn to print companies like IPrint Express, PrintCity and HoopStudio, all of which guarantee quality business card printing services.

How important do you think a name card is to a company? If your answer to that question was “unimportant” before, I sure hope this article has since changed your mind. A high-quality name card with a strong design can do wonders for a brand — after all, name cards are just like pocket-sized billboards. We offer plenty of design services at MIU — yes, including name card designs as well — so don’t hesitate to hit us up for any of your design needs.

September 10, 2020September 4, 2023

How Packaging Tells a Story For Your Brand

The Complete Breakdown of the Types of Digital Marketing

The importance of packaging

If you’re running a business, you can no doubt agree that packaging is a crucial element as it is the first impression your customers will have for your product. From the graphics to the colours used, each detail on your packaging will convey a specific message to potential customers. So: what story do you want your product to tell?

As a consumer yourself, I’m sure you can understand how effective good packaging design can be in attracting potential customers to buying your product. Just like how you feel drawn to a product with a beautiful design, your customers will too. “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” they say, but that’s not how it really works, does it?

Dying for the things we love | New Internationalist — Everything is vying for our attention. (Source: New Internationalist)

Advertisements and products on every shelf continuously bombard us. It may be hard to stand out amongst the numerous other products vying for attention. But with unique and strategic packaging, your product can still catch the eye of potential customers and speak for itself. As the packaging is the first thing your customers will come into contact with, it is crucial to capitalise on that opportunity to use a great design as a form of advertisement. Let’s demonstrate how influential an outstanding packaging can be for a product.

Packaging done right

Bee Cheng Hiang christmas paper bag — Orient Design’s idea for Bee Cheng Hiang’s carrier packaging. (Source: Orient Design)

Bee Cheng Hiang’s Christmas bag design was such an iconic one as it brought not only visuals but also incorporated the sound aspect to the bags. The Christmas bells were added to the bags as a pop up that moved when customers were carrying it around. Not only that, but the faint sound of tinkling bells could be heard. Indeed, this packaging by Orient Design didn’t just spark joy in customers but acted as a subtle yet smart way to advertise the product sold.

OCBC’s Christmas gift box is another example of how good packaging can be a fun way to advertise your brand. Although OCBC does not offer a product, but rather a service, they were smart enough to use corporate gifts as a way to promote their brand — and were even aware of how a good packaging can make a strong statement to their customers! This cardboard gift box may have been out of the ordinary, particularly with the material used, but that’s what made it stand out from the rest. Paper Carpenter knew how using cardboard would make their designs distinct, and capitalised on that to think of packaging designs that are out-of-the-box (pun intended).

Dester’s crisp and refreshing packaging – perfect for their brand. (Source: Creativeans)

Local beer brand Dester approached well-known design company Creativeans to come up with a clean and contemporary design to attract the young and affluent crowd. The juxtaposition of Dester’s classic blue and the material colour brings about just the right amount of visual contrast to leaving a striking impression. Indeed, the sleek design is bound to capture the attention of its intended audience, which allows Dester to stand out from its other competitors in the market.

Design is such an essential element in marketing that businesses cannot overlook it. Hence, it is necessary to find the right design company that understands your needs and can create beautiful packaging that suits not only your product but emphasises on your business’s voice as well.

Our unlimited packaging design allows our clients to adjust their packaging as much as they need, as we understand the importance of expressing their purpose. After all, the most important thing a company can do for their business is to brand themselves, with a story; a concept. This is where packaging plays a part in creating your business’s narrative. Check out our portfolio for a brief taste of what’s to come.

With our unlimited design package at MIU, we are committed to inventing and reinventing our designs until we find one that truly expresses your purpose and articulates your story to your customers. Under this package, you can request as many designs as you prefer — and we will always deliver. Furthermore, we operate on a flat cost, so you get as many unlimited designs as you want for the same rate every month. Sounds too good to be true? Click through and you will find out!

September 3, 2020July 23, 2023

Illustrators in Singapore and their Impact on Visual Marketing

Our list of the top 7 illustrators in Singapore

Design has become an increasingly sought after field. Although there is still a small handful of designers in Singapore that have made their mark, we can be hopeful with the increasing number of locals gaining outstanding portfolios.

As a creative agency, we understand how important it is to have a great design — particularly when it comes to digital marketing. Answer this: how likely are you to remember an aesthetically visual ad compared to one that is just filled with text? This is where artists come in — they are the ones working round the clock to create illustrations that make lasting impressions in our minds. Here’s our list of illustrators in Singapore whose work has caught our eye.

1. Mrn.a

10 Questions with Marina A, The Artist Behind Some of Singapore's Coolest Album Artworks - City Nomads — Marina’s dreamlike designs, with her unique style flavouring this piece. (Source: CityNomads)

Inspired by astrophysics with a retro element, Marina A’s illustrations are distinct, to say the least. Her designs can be seen all around Singapore — in fact, she has worked with labels like Apple, Zouk, Esplanade and more. She has also helped design posters for local bands such as Disco Hue and Ffion. Indeed, her unique murals can be seen in art exhibitions all around the island.

2. Anngee Neo

Anngee - Girlsclub Asia — Neo’s illustrated commentary about pollution on earth today. (Source: Girlsclub Asia)

Anngee Neo has made a name for herself with the impressive amount of work that she’s done. Besides having her work commissioned on tote bags, plates and murals, she has also illustrated many children’s books, including one written by the late President S. R. Nathan, titled The Crane and The Crab. She has also won awards for several other books that she has illustrated.

3. Kristonautopilot

Kristal Melson — Illustrious World — Kristenautopilot’s vibrant piece with hints of Asian authenticity. (Source: Illustrious World)

Kristal Melson has a slew of well-known brands behind her name and work. Having collaborated with big brands like Uniqlo, Facebook, and even the Apple Store, this artist deserves to be given a second glance. Her works are experimental with still a tinge of local flavour added to it to truly make it distinct.

4. Esther Goh

Insights from the Inside Vol III — Esther Goh - Illustration & Art Direction — Goh’s quirky illustrations which leave memorable impressions on their audience. (Source: Esther Goh)

Known for her dreamy style with soft yet vibrant colours, Esther Goh’s artwork definitely turns heads. In fact, she has caught the eye of brands such as Maki-san, Tiger Street Lab, and even the Singapore Writers’ Festival, of which she has done collaterals for. So if you find her work familiar, don’t be surprised!

5. Mindflyer

Mindflyer - Uniqlo collection — Ng’s depiction of Singapore’s new normal in the current Covid-19 pandemic. (Source: AsiaOne)

Having been commissioned by luxury brand Coach, local artist Michael Ng is the only illustrator in Singapore that can say that he has produced a limited edition series for Coach. With bags, footwear, and tee shirts in the collection, his artwork is proudly hand-painted onto each of these limited edition pieces, where he came up with a feminine design of the Statue of Liberty. He has recently also worked with popular Japanese brand Uniqlo for an exclusive Singapore collaboration!

6. Speak Cryptic

Artist Speak Cryptic | Buro 24/7 Singapore — Fajari’s black-and-white style definitely lends some cryptic vibes to his art. (Source: Buro247)

Farizwan Fajari, who also goes by Speak Cryptic, is arguably one of the most prominent illustrators in Singapore. His works have been displayed in Singapore Art Museum, Gilman Barracks, The Substation, The Projector, and many other such creative places. Charming and alluring, these works are a subtle commentary on current affairs in Singapore as well as Fajari’s attempt at taking on the human condition. Indeed, he lives up to his cryptic moniker.

7. Oak & Bindi

Lydia Yang, known artistically as Oak & Bindi, has gone beyond working with local brands. Instead, her works can be found in festivals all around the world — from Jakarta to New York, and of course, not to mention, in our sunny island Singapore as well. Lydia’s murals can be glimpsed in The Substation, Dover Street Market Singapore, and more.

If you’ve found any of these artworks familiar, it might go to show just how effective a memorable design can be. Visual aspects can hold a significant weight when it comes to making an impact on your audience — and that is what we at MIU strive to achieve. With our spectacular and immaculate designs, we hope to be able to convey powerful messages for brands and express their purpose. Our designs can be found under our work portfolio, where we curate unique designs for each of our clients and aim for excellence for all your digital marketing needs.

August 25, 2020July 23, 2023

3 Reasons Why Photography is So Important

Photography for Digital Marketing

When we talk about digital marketing, visualisation is an essential aspect that cannot be separated from the topic. Where traditional marketing prioritises verbal communication from the business owner, digital marketing builds on visualisation to attract consumers. With various techniques in brand visualisation, business owners should be as creative as possible to make their brand stand out amongst their competitors.

To understand why photography is so important in digital marketing in 2020, we have to look at what current circumstances entail. In this period of Covid-19, businesses are expanding online more urgently than ever. With the restriction that the government has implemented on going out and mingling in crowds in recent times, people are turning to online shopping more than ever.

So, it’s no argument that digital marketing has seen a huge surge in demand during this period. And while you can argue that text is vital even in the age of digital marketing, you cannot deny that images are just as important, if not more. To put things in clarity, we have laid out the reasons why photography is an essential aspect in digital marketing.

1. Photography is irreplaceable

Many business owners use graphic designs or animated illustrations nowadays when working on digital marketing for their brand. But we cannot replace how photography has already become an essential part of brand visualisation and digital marketing. Photography brings to the table a different perspective that cannot be carried across in graphic illustrations, animation, or videography.

Already, this conjures up an image in people’s minds on what one might be able to do when travelling in Australia (Source: Tourism Australia)

For example, if you run a travel agency, the best way to attract customers is by showing them images of travel destinations rather than merely describing the place. Certainly, this is way more effective than having graphic or animated illustrations in terms of digital marketing. Customers will have a clear image of their planned destination when you present a real-life travel destination right in front of their eyes.

2. Content with images get more engagement

Studies show that tweets with images tend to perform better in terms of engagement. (Source: adweek)

The use of photography on digital marketing itself still remains the main content strategy for online marketing. According to some studies, content with real-life images had a higher audience engagement. It was found that tweets which included images get 89% more favourites and 150% more retweets on Twitter than plain text tweets. The same thing was observed on Facebook.

For Facebook, posts that include images get 53% more likes and 104% more comments than those with just words. (Source: Mike Gingerich)

On the other side, pages with images or videos on blog posts on websites draw, on average, 94% more views than their text-only counterparts. (Business2Community) In conclusion, images can do a better job of telling stories, conveying emotion, selling products & services. After all, 93% of human communication is visual. (source)

3. We’re more likely to remember pictures

What do you remember more, pictures or words? (Source: moosend)

Photography has been used numerous times in the past to attract audiences to look at the brand in question – and is still being used for the exact same reason today. The rapid growth of smartphones, digital photos, and the ability to instantly share images has put the use of photography at the forefront of online marketing strategies.

Many businesses still use photography as their main element in digital marketing. And this is for a reason – humans retain information better when it is presented with a visual. Also known as the picture superiority effect, this phenomenon was found to enable us to remember 65% of the information fed to us via an image, as opposed to a mere 10% with just text.

Perhaps it might be because real-life photos can evoke various emotions in one image. Even if that were not the case, the emotions brought about in photography can also be capitalised on to draw a large number of views to your digital marketing campaign. This process will therefore bring your audience perception of your products or services.

There is a phrase that goes: a picture is worth a thousand words, so selecting the right photography for your brand will bring a strong foundation for your brand visual campaign. We have come up with an unlimited design package precisely because we understand the importance of having visuals in digital marketing. With MIU, we are always ready to meet the needs of our clients in the age of digital marketing – visual or otherwise.