Posts Tagged ‘community’
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING community. For these interviews, we pick people who add value to our community – in the blog, in the forums, in the projects. Plainly – activities that make crowdSPRING a better community. Be professional, treat others with respect, help us build something very special, and we’ll take notice.
We’re very proud to feature Dragan Lon?ar (crowdSPRING username: draganfly) today. Dragan lives and works in Belgrade, Serbia.
1. Please tell us about yourself.
Hi everybody! I am Dragan. I finished graphic design at Belgrade University some fourteen years ago and ever since this is mostly what I’ve been doing, getting to the level of jobs like Art and Creative Director. Apart form my inherited immediate family, I have another family, consisting of my fellow human rights defenders, and the youngsters that need some support in building self-esteem and major encouragement, since it is very difficult to be gay in Serbia. I also have enemies, but I assure you that I never did anything to turn them against me, except for my liberal sense of humour and their unfounded envy. I lived almost a year in Helsinki, Finland, and over six years in London, UK, where I had various experiences in fast paced market, even to the point of being a Creative Partner in my own company that was buried after several unpaid pitches, just after a half million pounds budget branding and launch campaign. Somebody would say that I was never bored in my life as sometimes I cannot recall all the details. Also, because my design interests and experiences are so diverse. I practice Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism as the tool of global peace movement through the SGI organisation, changing my karma and doing something what is called ‘the human revolution’. I am one of the leaders in SGI Serbia. I love cooking the mix of Mediterranean, Scandinavian, Japanese and Thai food, and love swimming and jogging. All of that, of course, when I can grab some time from super needy clients and horrible socio-political situation in Serbia. Currently I count 38 years of age, but who’s counting… I intend to stay forever young!
2. How did you become interested in design?
When I was a child, my parents were not really poor but we lived very modestly. I was never bribed with toys, or I always wanted the most expensive ones which they couldn’t afford. I was always inclined toward quality rather than quantity. Since my sister is much older than me, I could be considered as a single child who was often alone. So I spent time making castles of playing cards, or I would recycle any packaging that would come into my hands, and make furniture, cars, or anything that I could resemble or that took my fancy at given moment. Later, I don’t see if I really had a conscious choice. It was more an inclination that had to be fulfilled.
(more…)
Tags: 12 questions, ads, advertising, blog, branding, community, creative, creativity, crowdsourcing, crowdspring, design, designer, Dragan Lon?ar, draganfly, graphic design, graphics design, graphics designer, inspiration, interview, marketing, package design, packaging design, weekly glance of awesomeness
Posted in Awesomeness, business, community, crowdsourcing, design, inspiration, Interviews, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
Although project galleries on crowdSPRING can be visible to all users, crowdSPRING offers buyers the option to make their project galleries completely private.
We put together this short tutorial to help you understand the differences between public and private galleries and to answer some of the most common questions we regularly hear from users, including: Do public or private galleries get more entries? Which one is better for which type of project? Can gallery settings be changed after a project is posted?
PUBLIC (open) GALLERY
In a design project, the entries in a public gallery are visible to all users (in writing projects, the galleries are always private). If the project has an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) the gallery is visible after the NDA is executed.
When buyers score entries, creatives can only see their own scores and comments from the buyer (until after a project is awarded, when scores – but not comments – are revealed). Creatives can use the “Project stats” tool at the top of the gallery to decide if the buyer is active in the project (this tool show the total number of comments and the score distribution in the project).
PROs
FOR THE BUYER - Although opinions are split about open and closed galleries, we’ve found that more creatives tend to participate in open gallery projects (there are plenty of exceptions, because the size of the award, quality of the brief, and other factors also play an important role). Since we make it very easy for anyone to report potential violations of intellectual property, open galleries also make it easier for other participants to flag problem entries.
FOR THE CREATIVE – The creatives can see the competition, how other designers solve the problem, and bring up their own designs accordingly. They may also see if they can add something new to the project, or realize the competition is too stiff, and choose to move on to something else.
CONs
FOR THE BUYER – If a buyer is concerned about privacy, open galleries may not be the best option. A public gallery will allow others to see the ideas in the gallery. So if you’re concerned about privacy, you should definitely consider a private gallery. Also, some creatives only prefer to work in private gallery projects. This is a minor point because overall, participation in open gallery projects is very high.
FOR THE CREATIVE- If a creative has a unique concept, posting in an open gallery will show others that concept – and some creatives are leery of letting other creatives see (and potentially copy) their work in progress. We have strict rules about concept copying (see Q&A 14 in our post about intellectual property) – if an original concept is copied, the creative can easily report the entry by clicking ”Report violation” in the details view for that entry.
PRIVATE (closed) GALLERY
In a private gallery, only the buyer can see all of the submissions. Creatives only see their own entries in that project.
(more…)
Tags: blog, community, creative, creativity, crowdspring, design, designer, gallery, graphic design, graphics design, logo design, private gallery, public gallery
Posted in community, crowdsourcing, design, Site Updates | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
Last week I wrote about some ways that not-for-profits could leverage the concepts of lean marketing. Today I want to discuss ways that small business can support not-for-profits and get involved in meaningful causes, and at the same time help to drive economic development locally, regionally, or even internationally. The non-profit benefits from increased promotion to a larger audience, and the small business can benefit from positive public relations, stronger audience engagement, and marketing opportunities that they might now otherwise have.
This strategy has come to be known as Cause Marketing, and it typically describes how a business engages with a not-for-profit organization to the benefit of both. A great example of the is last year’s (PRODUCT)RED campaign, a major marketing effort, the goal of which was to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Major brands, including Nike, Gap, Starbucks, and Apple among other large companies, signed on to this effort and shared the (Product)Red logo on their products, and in their advertising and branding. Small business, too, can engage in similar efforts through local charities such as United Way, March of Dimes, and the Red Cross. These organizations allow businesses to cross-promote their efforts and use the NFPs branding to indicate their participation.
Recently, we hosted a project on our site for the United Nations Population Fund 7 Billion Actions Campaign, which has a goal of raising awareness around global population growth, specifically preparing for this October, when the world’s population will top the seven billion mark. We felt this was a wonderful cause and a great opportunity for crowdSPRING to get involved in an important topic and a global challenge.
(more…)
Tags: (product)red, brand, cause marketing, community, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, inspiration, leadership, marketing, non profit, pr, public relations, small biz, small business, smallbiz, social entrepreneurship, social media, start-up, startup, startups, Strategy
Posted in business, community, inspiration, marketing, social media, start-up tips, Strategy | 1 Comment »
Monday, August 29th, 2011
Like small businesses, most not-for-profits have limited resources, ambitious goals, and finite capacity. Many NFPs operate in ways that would not be considered ‘business-like,’ AND these organizations, like their small, for-profit cousins, can benefit by leveraging the ideas and tools that we often discuss in the Lean Marketing series.
Here are 8 tips for not-for-profit organizations on marketing their organizations, and some tools and suggestions for setting goals, maximizing resources, and extending capacity.
1. Define your goals.
Many NFPs have long-range plans, ambitions, and a clear mission. But one of the tenets os lean marketing is to define short-term and intermediate goals. It is of critical importance that NFPs define smaller, intermediate goals which are highly measurable and allow the organization to assess whether the strategies and tactics in use are successful. When determining these it is important to be as specific as possible, and to determine in advance how progress will be measured. Here is a post which goes into greater detail on the topic of setting goals.
2. Have a plan.
Put it on paper. Like most business startups, NFPs should also write their plan out in the form of a report or a presentation. Key to this process is homework: research, research, research. It is just as important for NFPs to write a formal document as it is with a for-profit business and the content of the plan should have many similarities to a formal business plan: an executive summary, a description of the market space and size, competitive analysis, and projections of growth and description of how that growth will be measured
3. Understand your market.
Many NFPs don’t view their organization as being a participant in a market, but the truth is they are. A market merely defines the aggregate of demand for a product or service and every organization, whether for profit or not participates in one. Without a clear understanding of your market, it’s size, shape, and composition it is impossible to define goals, raise funds, or execute strategy. Ross made a video on this topic and it is just as relevant for NFPs as it is for all small business and startups.
(more…)
Tags: community, creative, crowdsourcing, design, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, facebook, leadership, marketing, NFP, not for profit, pr, public relations, small business, smallbiz, social media, start-up, startup, startups, Strategy
Posted in business, community, crowdsourcing, How To, marketing, social media, start-up tips, Strategy | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING community. For these interviews, we pick people who add value to our community – in the blog, in the forums, in the projects. Plainly – activities that make crowdSPRING a better community. Be professional, treat others with respect, help us build something very special, and we’ll take notice.
We’re very proud to feature Grace Wall Conlon (crowdSPRING username: gracewc) today. Grace is from Brooklyn, New York and currently lives and works in Provo, Utah.
1. Please tell us about yourself.
Date of Birth: December 7, 1921 (I am in my 90th year and still working as a free-lance writer. I do not ever plan to retire.)
Although I’ve lived and worked in many other cities and states, I still consider Brooklyn to be my home town. I’ve lived in Wantagh, L.I; Boynton Beach, FL; Greenwich, CT; the Hamptons, L.I. N.Y.; Westport, CT; the Upper East Side of Manhattan, N.Y.; Bountiful, UT; Salt Lake City, UT; Orem, UT; Spanish Fork, UT; Provo, UT (where I currently reside).
I’ve written for newspapers and magazines in many of these places, e.g. as a columnist for Advertising Age in NYC; technical writer for Marketing Communications magazine, NYC; publisher/writer, illustrator for The Sandpiper magazine, Boca Raton; reporter for Greenwich Time/The Advocate, Stamford, CT; reporter/columnist for Utah County Journal, Springville, UT; reporter/columnist for Orem Daily News, Orem, UT; reporter/columnist for The Spanish Fork Press, Spanish Fork, UT; columnist for the Daily Herald, Provo, UT; contributor to Utah Business magazine; contributor to Connect magazine, UT.
2. How did you become interested in writing?
I’ve been writing all my life – prose, poetry, technical studies, short stories, novels, news stories, investigative journalism – just about any form of writing you might imagine. I wrote my first poem at seven years of age and I still write both serious poetry and jingles. I’ve written three novels, one of which I self-published. I am considering doing the same for the second one. I’ve also written a screen play for an animated feature but other than submitting it to the Academy ofMotion Picture Arts several years ago during a contest, I’ve done nothing more with it. It made it to the final leg of the contest, though. The screen play was expanded from an original short story I wrote for a magazine I was publishing in Florida.
I really write because I need this outlet, I guess. The business end of promoting my work leaves me absolutely cold.
My published novel is “Satan’s Caravan, A Victory Over the Adversary.” I wrote it in 1978 but didn’t self-publish until 1995. This novel has a very interesting story attached to it and, if you would like, I’ll tell the background in a separate story. Some very unusual aspects prompted me to self publish.
3. Who/what are some of the biggest influences on your writing?
My interest in writing continued through my school years, both in grade school and high school. My freshman- grade English teacher was very instrumental in establishing the discipline that most writers, including myself, really need; e.g. to write every day, even when you don’t feel like writing. Students in this teacher’s class had to write a short theme every day and maintain a notebook of them. By the end of the term, even the most uncooperative among us, had to concede that this daily exercise really worked. The improvement each of us showed in our work was quite evident.
(more…)
Tags: 12 questions, advertising, blog, community, copywriting, creative, creativity, crowdsourcing, crowdspring, Grace Wall Conlon, inspiration, interview, marketing, weekly glance of awesomeness, writing
Posted in Awesomeness, community, crowdsourcing, inspiration, Interviews, marketing, Uncategorized, writing | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
The August cS Award of $1,000 will be given to a designer who does the most to upgrade their crowdSPRING portfolio in the next 4 weeks.
To be eligible, you must upload, during the month of August, at least five (5) new portfolio items. In case of a tie, the award will go to the creative who has the highest average buyer score for their entries in August.
You do not need to win a project to be eligible for the August award.
Good luck to everyone!
Tags: community, crowdsourcing, crowdspring, cS Award, design, graphic design, graphic designer
Posted in Awesomeness, community, crowdsourcing, design, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
Monday, August 1st, 2011
For years, hobbyists, police enthusiasts, ambulance-chasers, and thrill seekers have spent hours with their ears cocked listening to police scanner radios. Sometimes these folks do it just for the vicarious thrill that can be found; sometimes they do it because they are fascinated by police procedure; and sometimes they do it as a way of scraping their market for new business opportunities and to acquire new customers.
Whatever the reason a person has, listening in on the PD frequency can be a fun, interesting, or incredibly banal experience. I mean, how many times can you hear the same old, same old “10-14” or that ubiquitous “Suspicious person possible armed with sword” crackling over the tinny speakers in your scanner? Well perhaps no more. Last week the Seattle PD (apparently the most SM-savvy department in the nation) starting tweeting out hundreds of fragments – the type of information usually only heard by scanner-geeks and groupies, but now available to anyone with a Twitter account who was willing to follow the @SeattlePD as they shared with us the details of their busy day.
(more…)
Tags: community, customer service, inspiration, leadership, social media
Posted in inspiration, marketing, social media, Strategy | 1 Comment »
Monday, July 11th, 2011
In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING community. For these interviews, we pick people who add value to our community – in the blog, in the forums, in the projects. Plainly – activities that make crowdSPRING a better community. Be professional, treat others with respect, help us build something very special, and we’ll take notice.
We’re very proud to feature MJ (crowdSPRING username: UpQuark) today. MJ lives and works in the desert southwest of the US.
1. Please tell us about yourself.
My name is MJ (I’m a female “Junior”). Contrary to popular belief, I was not spawned, but rather hatched in the northeast region of the US. I live in the desert southwest US, and am the youngest of four girls who, oddly and inexplicably, were not hatched. The explanation is classified, even to me.
Okay, so random tidbit (or is it random? We’ll see…): I’m ambidextrous. Not in a perfect-handwriting-with-either-hand kind of way, because my handwriting isn’t… oh wait! My handwriting is equally bad with either hand, so there ya have it. Clarification issue solved.
I actually do believe that my ambidexterity translates into everything I do, in that my logical and creative sides tend to balance each other out, or slap each other around, depending on what’s needed. I’m often frenetically creative and possess hyperfocus superpowers (unless I see something shiny, and not in a girly way; I mean like futuristic spacecraft shiny. Or escaped mercury). My sister and I can riff on creative ideas faster than a… something really fast, or get extremely excited about something really geeky. If I get too hyped, there’s cheap entertainment to be had. Think superball let loose on a vibrating surface.
So, linear background.
(more…)
Tags: 12 questions, blog, community, creative, creativity, crowdsourcing, crowdspring, design, designer, graphic design, graphics design, graphics designer, inspiration, interview, logo, logo design, logos, MJ, UpQuark, weekly glance of awesomeness
Posted in Awesomeness, community, crowdsourcing, design, inspiration, Interviews, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING community. For these interviews, we pick people who add value to our community – in the blog, in the forums, in the projects. Plainly – activities that make crowdSPRING a better community. Be professional, treat others with respect, help us build something very special, and we’ll take notice.
We’re very proud to feature Keith Woodruff (crowdSPRING username: Dayshift) today. Keith lives and works in Akron, Ohio.
1. Please tell us about yourself.
I am an ex ad agency writer and am freelancing now as gRasShoPpEr Communication. (The big and small font is an e.e. cummings thing.) My hobbies are, in this order I suppose, reading and writing, fishing, hor
ror movies, craft beer (all hail Lagunitas) and jogging to run off the beer – and to smooth out the edges. I have two Border Terriers, Otty and Indy, and am haunted by the ghosts of my cats Katie and Paisley. My first love was the ocean, the Pacific, even though during my childhood there the Zodiac Killer was hiding down every path. One of my favorite foods is Blind Robins. I makes em and eats em, much to the disgust of everyone around. (If you have to ask you’ll be sorry.)
2. How did you become interested in writing?
I would have to say reading made me interested in writing. (Have always been an avid reader.) I read Of Mice and Men in high school and was devastated, in a good way if that makes any sense. I thought, if I could ever write a story this gorgeous that would be quite an accomplishment. Then there was the whole Stephen King thing.
3. Who/what are some of the biggest influences on your writing?
… Third base. I think the word play of classic comedy had a big influence on my advertising writing. I remember loving the word gags of Abbott and Costello as a kid (and still do.) as well as Laurel and Hardy and imitated their style of word play whenever I could. Later Steve Martin, George Carlin, Steven Wright, more wordsmiths. I think that that love of word play and sense of humor about language helped me with some of my best headlines and also makes it hard to get a straight answer out of me—or so I am constantly told.
(more…)
Tags: 12 questions, ads, advertising, blog, branding, community, copywriting, creative, creativity, crowdspring, Dayshift, design, graphic design, graphics design, inspiration, interview, Keith Woodruff, marketing, weekly glance of awesomeness, writing
Posted in Awesomeness, community, crowdsourcing, inspiration, Interviews, Uncategorized, writing | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING community. For these interviews, we pick people who add value to our community – in the blog, in the forums, in the projects. Plainly – activities that make crowdSPRING a better community. Be professional, treat others with respect, help us build something very special, and we’ll take notice.
We’re very proud to feature zaxgarner (crowdSPRING username: zaxgarner) today. He lives and works in North Carolina.
Hey cS Community!
Thanks for the opportunity to join you today.
Life has been busy, so I will drop a few brief lines for a quick read & then we can all get back to designing!
1. Please tell us about yourself.
I’m a self described simple man…. 02′ Grad Appalachian State University (the real ASU…in Boone NC) – I think this was also Kevin’s ol’ stomping ground! I majored in Graphic Design & Marketing… in an attempt to balance the business side with the creative. The design 
department was big on typography & fine art ‘which was a huge plus’. I took classes in casting, photography, clays, & metals etc… I think I could have got by with a little less art history though! The marketing courses were awesome, I enjoyed learning how design/creative work enters our marketplace & society.
Former Rowdy Kid, Construction worker, Repo-Man, & Tattoo artist…. To Graphic Designer. Also a converted Christian since 04′ attempting to operate under Col.3:17.
2. How did you become interested in design?
I started my design career with non-commissioned murals. You know; crayons on walls etc… & tracing drawing books to keep up with my older brothers. I won a few art contests in kindergarten & found out that this design thing could pay off – The hook was set!
3. What is your favorite project from the past year?
In listening to a podcast I found out Concealment Solutions – in Orem Utah was hosting an independent T-Shirt design competition for their best selling concealment holster – ‘The Black Mamba’. In working with the owner we got the Tee nailed down & the project evolved into a complete branding package for: Concealment Solution’s primary logo, Misc. Product logos, Business cards & web headers etc… I still have a great working relationship with them… with future projects on the horizon! They sent a me a bunch of gear as an added bonus!
(more…)
Tags: 12 questions, community, creative, crowdsourcing, crowdspring, design, designer, graphic design, graphics design, graphics designer, illustration, inspiration, interview, logo, logo design, logos, weekly glance of awesomeness, zaxgar.com, zaxgarner
Posted in Awesomeness, community, crowdsourcing, design, inspiration, Interviews, Uncategorized | No Comments »
