Change Conversations blog

Brad Pettengill

Brad Pettengill

In addition to his role on our team as senior designer and art director, Brad is a professional photographer and long-time Kung Fu instructor. With all that fodder for blogging, Brad narrows his focus to write about design and balance in graphics, photography and life outside work.

Recent posts by Brad Pettengill

5 min read

Make a great impression at your next tradeshow

By Brad Pettengill on 5/19/16 10:00 AM

 

The last time you strolled through a tradeshow you probably made a mental note about those booths and displays that were really engaging and those that looked a bit weak or boring. Here are a few ideas about how to showcase your brand in the best possible light, for the price that fits your budget.

6 min read

Photo style guidelines: Seven tips for your public sector agency

By Brad Pettengill on 3/24/16 10:00 AM

 

You're considering an image for your upcoming campaign, but you have an uneasy feeling about its content, tone and style. Perhaps establishing guidelines for creation of new images didn't seem that important for a public sector agency, but now you have more and more calls for images, in a variety of contexts, social media, print advertising, website sliders, etc. You're starting to see the importance of consistency in feel, color, subject matter in your communication, so let’s fall back, regroup and establish photo style guidelines that tell your story, support your mission, and save you time as you move forward.

9 min read

Your marketing photography: how to hire a professional

By Brad Pettengill on 12/24/15 10:00 AM

 

There will always be a place for snapshot-quality photos, typically in testimonials and/or social media where professional polish can work against your messaging. But if you are a change agent — a mission-driven business or nonprofit trying to effect change in the world — strong images, professionally produced and on-target, are essential. Here's how to go about hiring a professional for your marketing photography.

4 min read

Marketing Musings from an American in Ireland

By Brad Pettengill on 11/12/15 10:00 AM

 

Recently my wife and I traveled to Ireland for our son's destination wedding. Here are a few observations made with my marketing, design and photography eye.

6 min read

In Marketing, Like Gardening: You Reap What You Sow

By Brad Pettengill on 9/3/15 10:00 AM

 

A few weeks ago I spent the day in our garden, playing catch-up. After 9 straight hours of weeding, clipping, digging, mounding and watering, I realized that work in the garden has similarities to the marketing efforts you use to grow a business and build a brand. From the day you decide what to grow and when to start, to the first harvest when your kitchen table is covered with tomatoes, the entire process of gardening has remarkable parallels in the marketing world. There are many metaphors for life in gardening, but they all seem to come down to the same basic thing: tend to your garden and you will be rewarded. Reap what you sow.

3 min read

The Five Worst Photography Mistakes

By Brad Pettengill on 7/16/15 10:00 AM

 

You need strong images for your marketing campaign and you've decided to use photography as the best way to evoke an emotional response, build your brand and effect change in the hearts and minds of your audience. Whether you're creating images for your blog or website, social media, or shooting high-end product photos, here are 5 common mistakes you'll want to avoid.

2 min read

When you say it better with pictures: 3 examples

By Brad Pettengill on 6/18/15 10:00 AM

 

"A picture is worth a thousand words" has never been more relevant. Cave paintings thousands of years old got a simple message across, but now you need to decide daily when or which pictures to use, from a myriad of sophisticated visual methods, so you can communicate complex messages quickly and persuasively in an attention-deficit world.

4 min read

How to Optimize Photos for Your Mobile-Friendly Site

By Brad Pettengill on 4/23/15 10:00 AM

 

Knowing how to optimize photos for your mobile-friendly site has never been more important. Accessing the Internet with mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, has increased dramatically in recent years. So much so there is a growing Mobile First movement in website development to focus on designing for mobile devices before accommodating the traditional desktop environment. And Google recently changed its SEO algorithm to favor sites that are mobile-friendly, either by being designed as mobile-only sites or by utilizing responsive design. To assure our clients' audiences have the best possible user experience, we have been offering and promoting responsive website design since 2012 as we saw mobile access skyrocket. But photos can be a special challenge for a mobile-friendly site.

3 min read

These Logos are Certifiable!

By Brad Pettengill on 1/30/14 10:00 AM

In this article, ninth in the series, Logo, Corporate Identity or Brand—What's the Difference? I want to look at certification logos and the oft-ignored (but seen everywhere) accreditation, industry standard safety, compliance and format identifier marks.

3 min read

Enclosure Logos—Boring or Brilliant?

By Brad Pettengill on 12/5/13 11:00 AM


3 min read

Building and Maintaining Your Corporate Identity

By Brad Pettengill on 11/4/13 11:25 AM

I started this series with the post Logo, Corporate Identity or Brand — What’s the Difference?, which briefly defines these terms and what differentiates them. Since I often hear the terms used interchangeably, (and have even done so myself), it seems important to dive more deeply into distinguishing logo, identity and brand from each other and explain why they are not synonymous. In previous posts in this series, we explore logo design. Today let's look at what's involved in building and maintaining your corporate identity.

3 min read

Logo Design 101: The Coat of Arms, Crest and Shield

By Brad Pettengill on 8/12/13 12:15 PM

In article 6 of the series, Logo, Corporate Identity or Brand—What's the Difference? we continue to explore combination marks—logos using both typography and symbols—as we delve into the design categories of crests and shields. Since this series continues to expand as we go deeper into the categories of logo design, here are the previous articles in order:

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About Change Conversations

The Change Conversations blog is where changemakers find inspiration and insights on the power of mission-driven communication to create the change you want to see.

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