Bad Bullfrog

Is Branding just Deceiving?

So I'm selling a hotdog, and you're selling a hotdog. To get a competitive edge, I brand my hotdog—I give it an effective name, a sexy new look and tailor it to a specific market. It's effective and it's selling. So sales are up and people are buying. But are they buying ...

Goodbye, Graphic Design

If there's anything in ted.com that I can never forget, it's how a speaker described Jim Collins' response to the question, "What should I do in my life?" He said, "Visualize three circles intersecting each other like a Venn diagram. On the first one is the question, 'What am I good at ...

How Powerful Symbols can make a Difference

Take the case of the strapline: It's a cool and composed challenge. Unfortunately, it doesn't really say anything to you. But what if you put a powerful symbol just above it. With so many positive values, qualities and aspirations associated with the Michael Jordan symbol, you can place just about any cool-sounding copy ...

How to not Advertise a Lost Dog

As unmanly as it sounds, I do love animals and I sure as hell wouldn't want to have any of my pets kidnapped. But as much as I feel for the owner of this digital poster who lost his shih tzu, I just find it so hard to take him ...

Hello Panda Reborn!

Glad to see old companies I loved keep up with the times. [caption id="attachment_353" align="aligncenter" width="281" caption="The most delicious panda bears in the world."][/caption] Here's the new Meiji Logo from Brand New. :) [caption id="attachment_354" align="aligncenter" width="425" caption="Old vs. New"][/caption] Personally, I think it's a huge improvement. The old logo was some obscure, fat, ...

Designers are Acting like Spoiled Brats

James and Rose have been running a family convenience store for twenty years. They're not rich, but they've been able to feed themselves properly through the small business. Then comes in a few billion-dollar corporate bullies who shamelessly erect a supermall beside their place. James and Rose lose their business. My ...

Will Starbucks Die soon?

Is it just me or does Starbucks looks like it's in real, big trouble? [caption id="attachment_336" align="aligncenter" width="355" caption="Photo by Carbon NYC"][/caption] There have been a lot of buzz and theories over the past two years how Starbucks is in really big trouble. Persistent Starbucks doomsday articles like, "Starbucks to close 300 ...

How Effective are Nationalistic Shirts, Really?

As I've said in my previous controversial blog post, Team Manila has made itself known as the design company that makes nationalistic shirts that sell like fishballs. Then followed a plethora of nationalistic shirts that went viral crazy. You've seen hundreds of Multiply stores with national shirts. You've seen Collezione's My ...

Why Noynoy will Torch Villar (Assuming Clean Elections)

You've probably been loitering around facebook and probably stumbled upon this disturbing image: [caption id="attachment_312" align="aligncenter" width="425" caption="Thanks a lot Manny!"][/caption] As many you guys have said, while so many people are suffering from Ondoy, Villar had the right mind to proclaim himself a savior of the typhoon victims by shamelessly plastering ...

Is Sacrifice truly a Good Thing?

Disclaimer: This is a completely personal post has nothing to do with design or branding. An 18-year old Filipino construction worker saves 30 people in exchange for his own life. After anticipating a huge wave coming from the river, Muelmar Magallanes rushed through the whole neighborhood, one-by-one saving people until his ...