Branding Lessons from Vegas, Baby!

Every casino and resort in Las Vegas seems to have a unique story and theme (think New York New York, Bellagio, Paris, The Venetian, Caesar’s Palace). And everything these brands do is wrapped around that story. Having a “hook” is the only way they can differentiate one resort from another, in a crowded environment where […]

Catalog Critiques: Making Bad Good, and Good Better

Uncommon Goods: The Friend That Knows Just What You Need Throughout history, there have been millions of catalogs designed, printed and distributed to customers around the world. So what separates the good ones from the bad ones? Here at J. Schmid, we believe the answer to that question is actually pretty simple. Every great catalog […]

Catalog Critiques: Making Bad Good, and Good Better

Filson: An American Tale There are a tremendous number of catalogs out there, spanning the arc from breathtaking all the way to ‘this could use a little work’. I wanted to take a moment and talk about “Filson”, a brand that has flirted around the peripherals of my upscale workwear interests, but that I had […]

Catalog Critiques: Making Bad Good, and Good Better

Olive & Cocoa: Draw Your Shoppers In I’m a sucker for an illustrated cover, even when I’m not in the target audience – J. Peterman, Duluth Trading Company. There’s something about the artisanship, timelessness and unique look that calls to me and makes me want to see what’s behind it.  At J.Schmid, we like to […]

Catalog Critiques: Making Bad Good, and Good Better

Duluth Trading Company It’s my turn to chime in as part of our critique series, where we assess catalogs with an eye for the “Three D’s: DISRUPT, DELIGHT and DRIVE.  Does the catalog stand out and grab my attention (Disrupt)? Does the book engage me somehow (Delight)? Does it encourage me to go online or […]

Catalog Critiques: Making Bad Good, and Good Better

Crate & Barrel, A Story of Unrequited Love I absolutely love Crate and Barrel. I love the way design meets function, in each and every one of their products. I love walking through their stores, being inspired by what could be. I love that their product designers take inspiration from around the world and bring […]