The new logo retains the familiar music note and encloses it in a gradient circle of shades of blue. It’s enough of a change to probably take iTunes into the next decade, but its circular enclosure ensures the new logo isn’t too much of a departure from the iconic logo to which many have grown accustomed.

What do you guys think of the new logo? Will you miss the old one?

Today, we’d like to share with you what we’ve been working on for the last few weeks. We’ve developed a manifesto on what a creative brief should be and a creative brief help wizard, which will painlessly and quickly build creative briefs for our clients and standardize the format of that initial communication so designers have a much better idea of what will be expected of them by taking on a project. We call it QuickBrief.

Here’s how it works:

When you first start a project and select your options, the second step in the process is making your creative brief. You’ll now be greeted by our new way of doing the creative brief, but have the option to do things the old way.

• The first step is to answer a couple questions about yourself and your company.

• Step two is to select what you must and must not have in your design.

• Step three — pick the number and type of deliverables you expect.

• The last step is to determine the style you want for your logo by picking between 3 different random logos in a short selection game.

• And… that’s it. Really.

The wizard will take it from here and output all the information you need for your creative brief.

Aaaaaaaand you’re all ready to send out your project to Upstack’s designers. Why hasn’t it been this easy all along in the industry?

As cool as this “Super Brief” is, we quickly realized (after a few failed projects) that it doesn’t produce the same results unless you’re an agency willing to spend big bucks on project managers, in-house designers, and frequent meetings. The rest of us need a “real” brief. A “real” brief is one that a designer can read in less than 10 minutes and easily understand the following: exactly what you need, who you are, your likes/dislikes, and your requested deliverables.

In the coming days, Upstack will be unveiling our take on a “real” brief. In the meantime, let’s discuss what a creative brief should be.

What is a Creative Brief?
Think of your creative brief as the blueprint for your new design. This is what your designers will use to base every future decision around, especially if you do not explicitly say otherwise during your project. When you’re writing your creative brief, you want to be thorough enough to tell your designers what you’re looking for, but not so lengthy that it’s impossible to fully read. Be straight forward, use real words, and write it as though you are talking to your designers over a cold beverage (if that’s your sort of thing.) We know you’re smart, but leave your big words out of this document.

The Essentials
If you decide to skip everything else in this document, at least make sure your brief can answer the following five questions:

1. What exactly do you need from your designers?

2. What type of style do you want?

3. What are you adamant about (MUST HAVES and MUST NOT HAVES)?

4. Who are you and how must this design represent you?

5. When this project is completed, what must you have in your hands?(Deliverables)

What exactly do you need from your designers?
(What others call this: Project Summary)
Tell the designers what the purpose of this project is. For example: “I need a logo for a new technology company.”

Distinguish what type of design you need and include a generic description of who you are or what your company does. Including a description of the purpose of the project will give designers an indication if they can serve that purpose. Some designers might be better suited to deal with a logo dealing with a tech company than they would be designing something for boutiques, for example.

What type of style do you want?
(What others call this: Art Direction)
Give the designers some creative instructions. Some examples might be “Art deco, steampunk, or cartoon.”

Finding out how to refer to a certain style of design is difficult even for some of the most seasoned designers. There are so many different classifications and it’s really difficult to match the words to the visuals. If you’re not sure about what style you need, the best thing to do is to find an example and broadcast it to as many people as you can who might recognize it and be able to identify it for you. People like to show off their knowledge so you’ll likely be able to solve the mystery thusly. If you know how to classify the style you need, you’re already ahead of the game, but it could never hurt to verify you and the designers are on the same page about what constitutes a “cartoony” style, etc. once you get into a project. For the brief, it is really helpful to isolate the style you need as accurately as possible.

What are you adamant about?
(What others call this: Parameters )
Stipulate to the designers things which absolutely must or must not be in your design. This can range anywhere from concepts to colors.

The reason this is important is it gives the designers a center to work from. You will be working with designers with vast imaginations and abilities, so it helps to place boundaries to give them a sandbox to work within. Of course, this is also helping to include or omit things that are necessary to realizing your vision or avoiding potential pitfalls only you would know about. Undoubtedly, designers can do their jobs much better when they have a client who knows what they do and do not want. Including that information at this early stage is very conducive to getting the great design work you expect.

Who are you and how must this design represent you?
(What others call this: Background)
Custom graphic design requires that the designer understand who you are so the tone and style is an accurate reflection of the message you want to present.

The thing about custom graphic design work is that it needs to be tailored to your specific purpose. For a designer to get at the core of your message, they have to know your message. This is probably the most important part of the creative brief short of the parameters. This is what will make your design uniquely yours. The more insightful information you share, the better a designer can convey what you want.

When this project is completed, what must you have in your hands?
(What others call this: Deliverables)
In explicit terms, what content or materials do you need? (ie. Logo, business cards, tabloid posters, web banners, etc.)

This is the simplest part of your creative brief. Just itemize what materials you need made for you. Be sure to include everything you expect to receive from the designers. It’s really as simple as that.

*******************************************

Items to be Created
(List the items that have to be created)

Example
•Postcards (how many and what size will be determined based on concept)
•Letter & Envelope
•Three Fold Brochure Explaining New Service Plan, plus existing plans

Project Goals
(Describe the reason the project is being undertaken and what goals are to be achieved by completing the project. Example – Old service plan is being discontinued and will be eliminated in the next few months. The goal is to convert all existing customers to new plan or to one of the other existing plans.)

Audience
(Describe who the client wants to respond? Example: Existing or prospective customers. Also, explain what they think about the brand, product or service.)

Who are you gunning for? (Competitors)
(Describe what other brands, products and services the client competes with. How does the client’s brand, products and services compare in strict product terms?)

Your Message
(Describe what is the single key message the client wants to communicate to the target audience.)

Summary of Ideas
(Describe your initial ideas that you will be exploring. Doing it now and showing it to the client before you start, will save you a lot of re-work time if by chance the client does not like the direction you plan on taking. )

Example: The first customer contact will be in the form of a formal letter in an envelope, signed by the CEO and explaining that the old plan is being discontinued but a new and better plan is now available – including a side by side comparison chart of the new plan vs. the old plan. A small insert will be made to look like a coupon for $100 off the first month and will contain a promotional code that customers are to ask for when calling. A three-fold brochure will further explain the new plan and will also briefly touch on other plan options available. The rest of the pieces will be all postcards. Each will have a more urgent tone and color scheme, each one will also include $100 coupon and promo code.

Art Style Examples
(Show examples of the kind of artistic style you will be going after, this will ensure the client is aware of the style you are going after, so you avoid rework).

Brand Standards and Mandatory Items
(List the brand standards, logo usage rules or any other design guidelines the client has in place that must be followed. Or if they have a document or a web page where such standards are outlined, you can simply state: “See Client’s Brand Standard Guidelines as available on www.clientname.com/standards”)

Here’s a PDF version of this guide for download. Even if you’re not going to be writing a brief with us any time soon, grab this and spread it around so maybe we can affect some positive change in the graphic design industry.

You probably always hear the axiom that there is nothing in design which hasn’t already been done, and that may be true. What this means is that all designers are technically copying each other in a very minute way. That’s still no justification for blatantly ripping off someone else’s work. But at the same time, you shouldn’t be afraid to allow the work of others to influence your design sensibilities.

Here are some ways to ensure you walk the line:

Acquired knowledge
Observe popular designers in your category and understand why their designs work. Learn how to replicate effects these designers are able to achieve.

Applied knowledge
Ask yourself how you can take what you’ve observed and use it to make something completely new and uninfluenced by the concepts from which you’ve gleaned your new skills.

Take ownership
Nothing prevents plagiarism like designing with passion and ownership of your ideas. Wanting to be creative is the best defense against temptation to borrow another designer’s work.

That’s not to say that having the best intentions will make you invincible. It’s possible to accidentally plagiarize and if you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation, no one will believe it was an accident.

The best defense for this is doing your research. When you get a great idea, do an immediate Google search to see if it’s been done before. Don’t be satisfied with your research until you’re absolutely convinced your idea is original or not overly influenced by anything else in existence.

It’s tough out there getting better and not losing yourself in the process. With these tips you should feel confident enough to be a learner and not a copier.

But before we go casting stones, we should understand what constitutes plagiarism and what doesn’t. Within the community at Brandstack, we’ve addressed this issue before and we’ve found the best way to explain what it is to make the distinction between concept and execution.

There is nothing wrong with doing a logo which has a dog in it when someone else has done it before. That’s simply reusing a concept, which at this point, you’re not going to invent a concept which hasn’t been used before in design. But if you take a dog which is the same exact shape and color, then we have a problem. That’s mimicking someone else’s execution of a concept and that is plagiarism. Uh… don’t do that.

And in a situation where you have a suspicion someone has lifted their work from someone else, then you should breach the topic with caution. Never dismiss the possibility that it was done unintentionally. Sometimes a designer may have seen a design long ago and stored it away in memory, only to have it resurface later with them forgetting where they got the idea. It happens. Really.

When designing, you can never be too careful or take too much time in doing your research. Take a look at some other designers’ work before starting on your own:

• Brandstack
• LogoPond
• LogoLounge
• Creattica

Bear in mind that it’s OK sometimes for logos to appear similar, as well.

In all, a lot has been said on the topic of plagiarism, but enough can’t be said to keep the whole industry and designer community conscious of the potential pitfalls in such a subjective profession. It’s all our responsibility to keep this in check, but it’s really simple to do so. Just be well-meaning and do your homework.

As we were leaving, he said something like “Thanks again for looking at my stuff. I really appreciate the feedback. That’s one of the things about being a sole practitioner — you don’t always have a sounding board at the ready.”

He’s exactly right, and smart to seek out constructive criticism.

Entrepreneurs, particularly in start-up mode, need additional perspectives, informed opinions and honest feedback. After countless hours of thinking, attempting and tweaking, we can get so close to our work that we miss the forest for the trees.

Another pair of eyes can (and often does) make all the difference.

So seek out sharp people to brainstorm with. Find discerning folks to test your prototype. Run your ideas by someone who has been there, done that. Call that friend of a friend who’d be perfect for what you’re trying to do. Pitch to a stranger on an airplane. Ask an older, wiser individual to mentor you. Have so-and-so introduce you to what’s-her-face who does such-and-such.

After all, if you weren’t afraid to undertake a new venture, don’t be afraid to ask for some help along the way.

–Kevin McConnell is a Managing Partner at ZANE | GARWAY and Adjunct Assoc. Director of Trinity University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. You can read his blog here.

If you don’t feel like reading a lot of specifics, here’s the basic breakdown:
*Report possible copyright violations to us using the “Report This” links.
*DO NOT publicly accuse designers using comments. Report it to us or email the designer.
*If you are not satisfied with our handling of the matter, you may submit a DMCA Notfication form.

First and foremost, the best way for all of us to approach this is with vigilance, mutual respect and discretion. If you have a concern regarding a submitted design, whether it be suspected infringement or outright stealing of one of your designs, please contact us directly first. We will investigate the matter and take action from there. We can’t interpret potential copyright infringement until a suspected case is reported to us. And be sure that you do report it to us. Do not make public accusations through comments, as that constitutes defamation.

However, in cases where you just think a designer might not be aware of a similar design, you could probably just shoot them a polite email saying as much. We’d only recommend doing this if you are worried they might take offense to you reporting them to us.

An example might be: “Hey, Joe, I saw your new logo you posted and I just wanted to give you a heads up I’ve seen a similar design somewhere you might’ve missed in your research. I could be wrong, but here’s a link to it, let me know what you think.”

It’s all about being friendly and positive.

We reserve the right to take down designs which violate our terms of use or to suspend/terminate accounts at our discretion. If you are unsatisfied with our actions taken regarding alleged copyright violations, you may submit to us a DMCA copyright infringement notification form, bearing in mind that if you misrepresent any information in your claim, you are liable for any damages or costs, including court costs and lawyers. You can find our address and other contact information here. If you have one of your designs taken down as a result of a copyright notification, you may file a counter-notification to have your design reinstated pending potential legal action on the part of the user who filed the initial notification. So don’t think you can get away with just accusing people you don’t like, willy nilly.

Now that you know how to handle the situation, let’s go over what are grounds for such action. First of all, an exact copy of your own design being submitted by someone else is a no-brainer. We’ll metaphorically slap those people for being so brazen. OK, maybe not slap, but we’ll deal with them swiftly, no questions asked. Less clear cases involve the idea of concepts versus their execution and implementation. Concepts are generalized themes or ideas. It’s OK to reuse concepts. Execution and implementation deals with exact methods and styles of using those concepts. It is NOT acceptable to reuse someone else’s implementation of a concept.

Encroachment is not the only issue that we must address. I’m sure most of you already know this or wouldn’t think to do it anyway, but stock images and elements protected by Creative Commons are off limits for logo designs. Without going into the boring details of it, just ask yourself whether you as a company would want your exclusive logo to contain elements that could still be used by other people in their own designs. It would render a trademark impossible and it just wouldn’t work.

About fonts. Oh, man… fonts. OK, well the thing about fonts is that in most cases you probably do not own the rights to the fonts you use. To make them usable in a logo design, you must make sure you are converting your fonts to outline paths. If you design your own fonts or have purchased rights to your fonts, you’re in the clear so have fun with your pretty characters. If you’re looking for more information, read this blog post where we conveniently talked about fonts.

Sorry for all of the legal mumbo jumbo, but it really is something we needed to clarify for all involved. We don’t anticipate having to deal with a lot of this, but in every community there are members who like to do stuff like this simply for the sake of being evil. Brandstack: standing up against evildoers.
RECAP OF DESIGN RIGHTS GUIDELINES:
*Exact copies of designs are obviously prohibited
*Concepts can be re-used
*Re-using implementation and execution of concepts is prohibited
*No stock images or creative commons
*Fonts must be converted to outlines, be your own design or be owned

It’s OK if you have no idea what’s right or wrong when it comes to the authorized use of fonts in logos and have nothing really to contribute to the conversation. That’s why we’re here. We’re going to try to clear all of that up right now.

As always, we like to cut to the chase in case you’re not too interested in reading me drone on and on, trying — I emphasize “trying” — to be funny. So here are some very quick guidelines that should keep you in the clear.

* If in doubt, do not use that particular font if you don’t know if you have permission. Only use fonts you know you have the rights to use.
* If you’ve purchased the fonts, you can most likely use them (but find out first).
* To find out if you have the rights, you can refer to documentation provided with the file in utilities like Font Book.
* Obviously, fonts you’ve created yourself are fine
* Convert your fonts to outlines before submitting your designs

So, yes, using fonts in your designs can be somewhat of a tricky prospect. We do require that you have at least one variation of your submitted designs contain typography so you will need to have an understanding of what is acceptable when doing so. The best idea is to always err on the side of caution. Nobody wants to get caught up in a big legal mess because of neglecting to take an extra few minutes to do a little research.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple Google search to find out if the font you’re considering is fine to use in your design. Sometimes it might take a little more effort, but trust us; it’ll be worth the effort in the long-run.

Any font you’re considering surely comes with some documentation which outlines usage rights. If commercial rights have been transferred to you through the purchase of a font, you’re all good to use that font in a logo design. Most often, that is the case. Be wary of using free downloads, but they tend to come with a readme document where the creator often expresses their stipulations for usage.

We can’t provide a comprehensive list of fonts that are OK for use because there are just too many fonts out there with plenty new ones being created every day, and we don’t want to restrict your creativity that way anyway.

Lastly, all included fonts must be converted to outlines before submitting your source files. This is for a number of reasons. It keeps the typography in your design the way you intended it to look without them needing to have the particular font you used. If you’ve made changes to the font outlines, the typography then becomes considered a derivative work, which is often acceptable by commercial rights guidelines.

We know we’re preaching to the choir about this for the most part, but we also know that while most of you are quite accomplished designers with the best of intentions, this is a pretty nebulous topic by nature. It’s one of those things where you can’t be too careful and we just wanted to make sure you all have this information. We feel a bit like we’re nagging you like a broken record of a mom, but it’s only because we care.

Oh and one more thing. Don’t forget to convert your fonts to outlines.

In grad school, I lived in a tiny efficiency with no washer/dryer hook-up. So I’d take my dirty laundry to a wash-n-fold down the street. They would do it for me, even putting my nicer clothes on hangers. It saved me hours of sorting, washing/drying and folding, but it was a bit expensive. Thankfully, they had a student discount and a 20 cent per pound discount on Wednesdays.

Once, while I was waiting to pick up my clothes, I overheard the manager say she needed more hangers. Seeing as I had a closet full of extras, I said, “I have a bunch of your hangers at home. If I run back and get them for you, could I have my next load of laundry for free?” She quickly agreed, so off I went. When I came back, she had a voucher for me.

Needless to say, I wore every piece of clothing I owned before taking my next load in for the free wash-n-fold. I even threw in my towels, dishrags and bedding. Clean never felt so good.

I love “win-win” solutions. I use quotations because true win-win solutions are the exception to the rule in the business world. In this instance, I gave up something I didn’t want (extra hangers) for something I wanted (free service) while the manager gave up something she wanted (revenue) for something else she wanted (hangers). Hardly a win-win.

Still, I hope she felt as though it was a win-win solution. If she did, then I got what I wanted while avoiding the ill will that comes as a result of getting the short end of the stick; in fact, I might’ve even made a friend. The key then is to not only win the negotiation/exchange, but to make the other person feel as though they’ve won, even though they haven’t.

After all, if you win all the time, no one will want to play with you anymore.

Kevin’s story parallels quite well to what our intended use for Brandstack is. The unused hangers are the unused designs being sold, but in this scenario, the buyers aren’t giving up any concessions to get them. It’s a fair exchange.

Brandstack strives to be that elusive win-win situation for all involved. When you stop and think about what it is we’re doing here (“we” also includes you), who doesn’t win? Designers get paid a high commission. Buyer’s get the quality logo they’re looking for.

A big part of our philosophy at Brandstack is making sure everyone’s on an equal playing field, buyer and sellers alike. It promotes good business for both sides. Why don’t more companies try to construct this kind of environment?

The sad truth is a lot of businesses don’t care. If they’re prospering, it’s not terribly important to them if someone else has to take a hit. There’s nothing wrong with that in a small scale like in Mr. McConnell’s anecdote, but when you start talking about dealing with thousands of people and dollars, there’s something wrong if such a practice doesn’t give you pause.

The old agency model wasn’t much of a win for anyone involved. They weren’t even playing the right game. We’re here now, operating under a different set of rules where everyone can win.

–Kevin McConnell is a Managing Partner at ZANE | GARWAY and Adjunct Assoc. Director of Trinity University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. You can read his blog here.

What comes to mind when you think of your corporate identity? Perhaps it’s your graphic – or visual identity. You know, your colors, logo, typography, and overall graphic look.

But what about your written identity? Do you have a written identity in place? Is your written identity aligned with your branding strategy?

Your written identity communicates your messages – the verbs, nouns and adjectives which illustrate how you are positioned and want to be seen, heard and most of all – written about in the media, in analyst reports and in the blogosphere.

The words you have chosen to describe your company, the industry you are in, or the industry you are helping to create (or disrupt) can also help to drive the very look and feel of the graphic identity you taken on in order to personify the image of your business or organization.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you align your written identity for 2009:

1. Make sure you are using industry standard terms.
2. Keep in check your claims such as “most innovative,” “lowest cost,” or world’s leading.”
3. Do your messages resonate? Test them on suppliers, investors, partners and of course the media.
4. Have you compared your messages and use of terms to those of your competitors?
5. When was the last time you updated the text on the front page of your web site?
6. Do you plan to introduce a major upgrade to your technology or service offering that would require you to re-think the words you use in order to describe who you are, what you do and the benefits to your customers?
7. What’s new for the balance of 2010? Where are you headed in 2011? Are you poised to be acquired? Perhaps and IPO? How could a refreshed message help your image in maximizing the real value of your company?
8. How do you promote and of course, protect your Intellectual Property? Are you using the right Trademark and Copyright symbols – in all the right places”
9. Are your white papers and industry presentations aligned with your new and updated messages? What about your collateral material, tradeshow booth, and written literature?
10. Making viral videos for YouTube? Is what you say on video the same thing you say in print?

These are just a few suggestions and issues to consider as you ramp up and build your brand equity.

Alan Weinkrantz is a Public Relations and Social Media Consultant with clients in the U.S. and Israel. Visit: http://www.alanweinkrantz.com – or email alan@weinkrantz.com