Color is just one of many tools that can identify your brand.

It can be from the use of a single consistent hue, or a scheme of multiple colors. But most of the brands with strong color ties are those that use one dominant color.

In this case study, we’re going to look at six different color outlines and how they connect to brands. For each color, we’ll look at a well-known brand and how it uses color, the overall impact and how you can choose a color for your brand.

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Does your business have a mascot?

It’s actually a pretty popular concept.

Mascot logos can be among some of the most memorable out there. Some of the most popular mascots include animals, human characters and robots. Most mascot-style logos work in one of two ways – with an actual mascot, such as a dog that inspires a visual or a cartoon-like caricature.

Here, we are showcasing a variety of logos with mascots for your inspiration.

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Sometimes the hardest part of working on a design project can be communication.

The designer and client may not always speak the same language or may have different ideas about how a project should look or work. So how can you get along?

As a veteran designer, I’ve compiled a few tips for designers to help them better communicate with clients or contest holders based on my experiences. And if you are working with a designer, please check out the previous Design Contest blog post, “Let’s All Get Along: Tips for Working with Designers.”

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Sometimes the most overwhelming part about hosting a contest can be choosing a winner from all the great entries.

But there are a few steps you, as a contest holder, can take to help make selecting a winner – and the perfect design – a little easier.

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Working together can be one of the best, or most frustrating, parts of the process for business owners and creatives.

Designers often have a thought process that is unlike that of the people they are working with to complete a project. While communication is key, there is often a gray area between designers and clients.

So how can you all get along? As a veteran designer, I’ve compiled a few tips for clients (contest holders) on ways better communicate with designers based on my experiences. Hopefully they can help you in working with a designer to complete your next project.

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If you are a designer, you know flat design is all the rage right now.

For contest holders, this term may not be as familiar.

One thing is for certain flat design is a big trend right now when it comes to design projects – from logos to letterhead to website design. And if you don’t get familiar with it, you might get left behind.

Here, we look at flat design – what it is, how to use it and examples of how it can work in design projects.

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Color is one of the most important and influential branding tools available to you. It can set the mood for your company’s website, logo and brand.

Color Emotion Guide infographic

Color can help you connect with customers or cause them to turn away.

And it is all based on emotion.

Consider this: The world’s most recognizable brands and logos can be grouped into a handful of categories based on the primary color they use. And those colors translate to how people feel about and perceive a company.

Here’s a primer on color and emotion based on this infographic showcasing world brands and their color choices.

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Do you ever notice that some websites have a much “richer” search results that others?

Not only do you get an article or website that matches your search by topic, but you can also see additional information such as photos or text. Google Rich Snippets make this happen.

This powerful tool is easy-to-use, available to anyone with a Google account and can provide a big search engine optimization boost to your website as well.

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The most important consideration when it comes to type is readability. From small, tightly packed lettering in body text to big, dynamic lettering in logos and banners, clean typography can make or break a project.

Here are five more things you need to know to help create clean typography – proper punctuation, relative size, smart quotes, color and contrast, and readability. (Don’t miss Part 1, which explained hyphens, alignment, spacing, headlines and hierarchy.)

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The infographic providing examples of outstanding viral marketing campaigns.