Author: Mariah Hammond

Every day is uncharted territory as we all cope to live with the looming threat of the coronavirus. People across the globe have had to make major adjustments to their day to day activities. Working remotely is one of the greatest ways technology has allowed us to continue with some sense of normalcy. But, working remotely can also have some challenges. On the plus side, you can wear your pajamas to work! But on the downside, it can certainly become difficult to keep your team functioning and productive outside of the office.

Working from home doesn’t have to be riddled with challenges and isolation. Here are a few ways you can help your team stay productive while you work remotely during this global pandemic.

• Check-In Daily

One of the major perks of working remotely is having generous flexibility. This is also one of the biggest issues. Ask your employees to check-in daily. This will help keep them on some sort of a routine and keep communication flowing. Doing a daily check-in also allows everyone to relay any important information for the day and stay up to date.

• Encourage A Schedule

Working remotely means you can work in your pajamas. You can literally roll out of bed, pour a cup of coffee and hop on a conference call in a matter of minutes. It sounds great, and it can be great, but it can also slow down productivity. Encourage your team to maintain a schedule just as if they were going into the office every morning. Going to bed at a decent time, waking up to an alarm, showering and changing into a fresh pair of work clothes will help keep employees’ minds sharp and get them revitalized to tackle their day.

• Celebrate Outcomes Rather Than Activity

When employees work from home, they become their own bosses to some degree. There is no one there to monitor them and make sure they are on task. This is a good thing! So often (probably more often than you think) employees who work in an office are there simply filling a seat until it’s time to punch the timeclock. Since employees are most often paid by the hour, and required to work a certain number of hours per week, this means they may be caught up on work and simply staying to fulfill their time requirements.

On the other hand, when employees work remotely, they have the freedom to move about their house and tend to their own needs within reason. They may even be able to get their work done in 30 hours instead of using the entire 40. Celebrate this! You have an excellent employee who is both proficient and efficient at their job. Celebrate the outcomes or the end result of their work, not the amount of time it took them to complete it. As long as employees are fulfilling their work, it’s a win.

• Use Multiple Methods Of Communication

Communication is key in personal relationships, friends and the workplace. Luckily, today’s technology allows for many ways to communicate. Email, instant messaging and texting can get old and overwhelming. It’s also impersonal. Take advantage of video chatting through services like Zoom or Skype. This will give your team the ability to see each other face to face. This is especially important because it gives you the ability to see facial expressions and body language that are vital to communication. Plus it gives you a bit of socialization and who doesn’t want that?

• Be Reasonable And Patient

When your employees are working from home, it’s important for you to understand that it won’t be exactly the same as working from an office. Family may be present and distractions should be expected. Don’t forget that people still get sick when working from home and may need a break from time to time too. Employees are still human and still have needs to take care of outside of work. Working remotely also comes with learning curves for some people. Be patient through the bumps in the road and work together to overcome obstacles.

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Nike’s iconic Swoosh might just be the most recognized logo the world has ever seen. The history behind its conception may surprise you though. In fact, the Nike Swoosh came from incredibly humble beginnings that demonstrate the power of well thought out design.

A $35 Investment

Carolyn Davidson was a graphic design student at Portland State University. As many young students, Carolyn was trying to work side jobs in order pay to further her education. Davidson had hoped to make enough money to take painting classes. Her accounting professor, Phil Knight, remembered Carolyn’s humble aspirations and offered her $2 per hour to help him out with odd jobs.

When Knight decided to branch out and start his own business, he turned to Davidson for help. Knight founded Blue Ribbon Sports and needed a logo. That’s where Davidson came in. 

The aspiring designer conjured up several options for Knight, one of which was the iconic Nike Swoosh. Ultimately, the Swoosh (known as “the strip” at the time) was chosen, although Knight later admitted that he wasn’t initially a fan of the design. What’s even more shocking is that Davidson billed Knight an invoice for just $35!

A Logo That Rocked The World

The Swoosh was a stroke of genius. It conveyed a sense of motion and speed. Additionally, its winged design was a clever tribute to the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.

Davidson continued designing for Knight until 1975. Blue Ribbon Sports didn’t become known as Nike until 1978. The Swoosh ultimately helped Nike become a world leader in athletic apparel with a logo that is recognized in all corners of the globe. Nike’s assets have soared to an estimated $15 billion, all with the help of a $35 logo!

Carolyn Davidson was eventually awarded compensation congruent with her design’s success. Nike held a special party for Davidson and awarded her a diamond and gold Swoosh ring. She was also given approximately $1,000,000 in Nike stocks.

The Nike Swoosh goes to show the capability and power of a simple but well-planned design.

It’s one of the most iconic logos. You may even be holding it in your hands as you read this! Apple’s unforgettable logo is one for the record books. But, did you know there is a bit of controversy behind its origins?

Facts First

Steve Jobs loved McIntosh apples.

Rob Janoff is the designer responsible for creating the Apple logo in 1977. He was approached by Regis McKenna who wanted him to become his art director. There have been many theories about the logo but Janoff put them to rest in 2009.

Apparently, Steve Jobs worked in an apple orchard when he was young. He decided to use his favorite type of apple as inspiration: McIntosh. It’s not so much the apple itself that has had theorists clamoring for decades. More so, it’s what’s missing from the apple. The delicious, juicy bite missing from the side.

Janoff said it’s simple. The bite was taken out purely for scale. This way, people would be able to easily recognize that it was an apple and not a cherry.

Theories Still Circulate

The inspiring and tragic life of Alan Turing.

One of the most popular theories about the partially eaten apple traces its origins to Alan Turing. He was responsible for pioneering research in artificial intelligence which ultimately became the groundwork for computers. Turing was a gay man living in a time where homosexuality was admonished. His revolutionary work went unrecognized and he was facing jail time for indecency. Turing became severely depressed as he faced a life of turmoil. In June of 1957, he laced an apple with cyanide and took a life-ending bite.

Janoff says he never knew the circumstances of Alan Turing’s death, though he did admire the moving irony of the story.

The Bible and science.

Other theories point towards Biblical references, particularly Adam and Eve. The story of Sir Isaac Newton is another common belief. And, as for the bite, some like to think it’s a sly reference to the kind of “byte” that makes up the inner workings of a computer. 

Regardless of what story you choose to believe, one thing is certain: Apple’s logo and the global impact it has propelled is one for the record books.

McDonald’s may be one of the most iconic brands throughout the entire world. When you see the golden arches peeking over a hillside, you know exactly what awaits inside. We know the jingles, the one-of-a-kind taste, the yellow and red accents that we all recognize from anywhere in the world. Plus, their signs say it all: BILLIONS SERVED.

It’s no question that McDonald’s holds a special power that reaches far into the minds of people around the globe. It’s this same omnipresent, pop-culture grasp that makes their newest ad campaign possible. McDonald’s recently teamed up with the Leo Burnett agency out of London and Minnesota-based designer, David Schwem. The group collaborated on a unique ad design that relies on the power of imagination and memory.

The idea was strikingly simple and started with one simple question: Are McDonald’s products so well-known that you can recognize them without being told who the ad is from?

The answer is a resounding yes.

The name for the campaign is Iconic Stacks and that’s exactly what the ads are. McDonald’s most-loved items – Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish and Sausage & Egg McMuffin – were recreated using one simple font and a handful of unassuming colors. The design paints a picture in a person’s mind without using any pictures at all. Simple elements like the layering of words coupled with the individual colors introduce values associated with food without making it obvious.

Each ingredient was vertically listed in the order that they appear in each item. A basic Helvetica font was used and each word was colored so that it matched the color of the item in real life. Even the unforgettable special sauce found a place in the Big Mac stack. The specific layering coupled with the colors give viewers just enough information to create their own visualization of each product.

“The minimalist approach developed from the needs of the communication. Simplicity. Nothing should distract. Everything is a ‘slave’ to the idea,” said creative director Pete Heyes.

It’s such an unbelievably simple design but its impact is huge. There aren’t too many brands who could be recognized globally by such a minimalistic design, but it’s perfect for a brand with a fan base as massive as McDonald’s. The campaign was partially inspired by a project that David Schwem did nearly a decade ago. It was simply titled Type Sandwiches and it listed various well-known sandwiches by their ingredients only.

Iconic Stacks has already done what it set out to do. People are already talking about the creativity and power behind the campaign. Its playful design and memorable-effect are exactly what any great design team strives to achieve.

The implications and reach of such a simple advertising campaign speaks to the power and depth of branding. The McDonald’s brand goes far beyond clown shoes and golden arches. Just the specific combination of ingredients proves to be enough to recognize the McDonald’s brand worldwide. Most importantly, the campaign highlights the significance of color and placement in advertisements. It is also proof that simple ad designs sometimes hold the greatest power.