In recent weeks, several projects at Sonic have revolved around Bryn Mawr College's rebrand.
 
The college's new logo has a fresh, updated look, and it serves an important role in the school's efforts to engage and connect with students, alumni and faculty. Sonic will be working with BMC closely to ensure that all promotional materials adhere to their new branding guidelines. 

Whether your organization is currently rebranding or not, consider developing a set of basic logo standards or more detailed branding guidelines to protect design integrity. At a bare minimum, develop 1-color, 2-color and full color versions for both light and dark backgrounds, define allowable sizes and proportions, call out PMS colors and list font styles. 

More developed guidelines often include clear examples of how the brand should look across various media, a "Don't Do" section highlighting common errors, and guidelines for copywriting and tone of voice. 

Check out this very helpful article to learn more.

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... infant onesies and T-shirts for Redtail Technology.



... colorful posters for client Southern Management. Each poster highlights a different core value, and they will be used as part of a scavenger hunt at an upcoming spring event.



... and 10 foot outdoor tents for the USO.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.

With Earth Day just around the corner (April 22nd this year), I've been seeing a lot of earth-related, green promotions in the mail, on the street and in stores.

The other week, I received an informational booklet, membership offer and a packet of wildflower seeds in the mail from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

I like a lot of things about this promotion: free seeds, cheerful copy, bright, beautiful photos. Most of all, I applaud its relevant timing. 

Now, it might seem like a no-brainer to send out wildflower seeds during the peak bloom period of Texas wildflowers, but I'm consistently surprised at how many poorly-timed promotions I see everyday.

Planning a large scale mailer or promotional campaign takes a lot of time, and unfortunately it's very easy to get behind schedule. Identify the day, week or season during which you'd ideally touch your prospect, and work backwards, building in one to two months to get logistics sorted, materials printed and mailing lists compiled.

Day, week or season? That seems like a really wide range...  

Well, it is. The timing of your promotion really depends on the type of event or service you're promoting. Something like a nature center membership or a discounted car wash is relevant across an entire season. An invitation to a charitable gala, on the other hand, has a much smaller window.

It would have been very easy to ignore the Wildflower Center's seed packet had beautiful scenery like this not been top of mind. 
 
Instead, they succeeded in getting my attention.

I really can't stress enough the importance of good timing. Sometimes even just a week or two can make all the difference. The longer a person leaves your mail on their coffee table or desk thinking- "I really should remember this for that project next season"- the less likely it is you'll ever hear from them.

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... vintage style T-shirts for Quench restaurant, opening in Rockville, Maryland at the end of the month. We can't wait to try this place; the menu looks fantastic! I'll take the crab chips and hush puppies, please.



... t-shirts for the 2012 TD Bank Mid-Atlantic Cup soccer tournament at the Maryland SoccerPlex.



... and duffel bags and Camelbak water bottles for summer associates of WilmerHale law firm.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.

This week at Sonic Promos, we're working on...



... captain's chairs for Southern Management, to be awarded as teachers' gifts.



... SoHo shopper bags for Off the Charts! event planning. The art on this item is a great example of how one can achieve a 3-color look by knocking out portions of the design and letting the background color show through.  

... and debossed journal books for the McIntire School of Commerce of the University of Virginia, to be handed out to student leaders this spring.

"This Week at Sonic Promos" is a regular feature on our blog.
Read all past posts here.
Check in every week to see some of the work that's going on in our office.