Ban Comic Sans

I'd like to devote just a moment to the horridness of the font Comic Sans. I have a personal abhorrence to this particular typeface. In hell I imagine the only correspondence possible would be through typing in very large comic sans writing. I fully support sites like bancomicsans.com and this interview about why it's not safe for unregulated use.

It's actually not so much the font itself however, as how it's used. professionals everywhere seem to love this typeface, and they comment it's "casual" and "fun". Actually, it was designed by Microsoft for use in comic book-like bubbles that held informational text. Comic Sans has NO place in the professional world. None. It has kid-like characters and a very unrefined appearance. Yet everyone from program managers, to inventory specialists to accountants find it appropriate for the office.

I particularly cringe at those who use it as thier email signature. Have you ever seen a CFO with a Comic Sans signature? It screams "Hi, I'm supposedly an intelligent, upper level executive in charge of major financial decisions. But I want to appear 'friendly' and 'approachable' to you, so I'll write like I'm five." Seriously people. It's business. If you really need something that is more fun and casual, try Futura, or Gill Sans, or another basic, pre-installed, sans serif font with bulbous characters. I promise they look better than your current, "cute" option.

And if you must use Comic Sans, I beg you, please keep it to the only appropriate place: your toddler's circus themed birthday party invitation.

Branding, it's not just for cows.

There are days at work when I feel sort of bad telling people that they can't create their own organizational flyers, invitations, postcards, or whatever other creative masterpiece they've dreamed up. I don't like having to be so controlling - it feels like I'm a dictator. But then I realize how much they need to be told no, because otherwise I'd have lime green and magenta logos and 85 different abbreviations of the agency name, (and let's face it, the 26 acronyms we currently have are about 25 too many).

Branding stanards exist for a reason, especially in the corporate world. I will never understand a promotional piece with lime green clip art, the font comic sans (which may be the worst font ever created, but don't get me started on that), and an agency slapped across the piece as an afterthought. Worse still, some people neglect to add the logo altogether and actually distribute it publicly. Not only does it reek of disorder and bad taste, but unless your corporate brand involves lime green and Comic sans, it has NOTHING to do with the organization you are trying to represent. I just don't understand why this is such a tough concept.

The idea of branding itself can be a little bit complicated to grasp, especially if you don't take up residency in the world of marketing and communications. But rather than get into a philosophical discussion about what a brand is, or is not, let's focus on the visual aspect. If your corporate colors are navy and grey, and your corporate font is Bodoni; Lime green script used with clip art probably isn't going to conjour the image of your company. And if it does, it certainly won't give people the right impression of who that company is.

Yes there's the exception to the rule, but when every case is the exception to the rule, it's hard to be consistent. And sometimes consistency doesn't make people happy - a big curse for branding. Mark Sczepanik writes a great blog entry on it here. The point is, originality isn't always a good thing, especially when someone has no idea who you represent. I'm not asking you to color within the lines - maybe just stay on the page. And if you can't reign in your creativity with crayons that much, maybe leave it to the people who know how.

Somebody just tell me what to wear

I'm in my cousin's wedding next week and she gave me and her other attendant free reign of dresses and shoes, with a few restrictions:
- Dark red dresses that are similar, though they don't have to be exactly the same
- Flat sandals that are semi-dressy, as this is a beach wedding, so heels won't work
- Whatever jewelry we would like

If you think this is nice and less restrictions make it easier you're wrong. This is when I envy men - my husband walks into our closet daily and picks out a pair of chinos and a complimentary polo shirt. That's it. Add shoes and a belt in one of a whopping 2 color choices and he's out the door. For me it's more like: does this cami go with this cardigan? and if so, can I wear this skirt? Is the skirt too springy for this time of year? And if the skirt is OK, can I wear those sandals? Nope, because I haven't painted my toenails. And it goes on. Because of course, I haven't even thought about jewelry for the day yet.

So, picking out a dress for this wedding and then also finding shoes and jewelry has proved to be a bit of a chore. Find me a suitable frock in one distinct color and fabric, but different styles to fit very different body types and without a hefty price tag (because let's face it, it's supposed to be versatile, but despite best intentions, you'll really only wear it once). Meanwhile the groomsmen simply need to show up the day before the wedding, pay their $59.99 rental fee and be off to their requisite round of golf.

It's times like this I really just wish someone would tell me what to wear...

I think I'm out of the loop...

I'm looking at the new iPad this morning and feeling rather far out of the technologial loop. Sure I can understand what they are saying with the tech requirements and such, but then I read about people comparing it to their netbook, iPhone or brand new Mac laptop and I sigh. I've seen these things, I've even played with them, in a glorious glimse of what I'd love to have. A trip to the Apple store is like perusing JCrew or the Coach store for me - lots of things to lust over, but nothing I can actually buy right now. Well, I suppose I could, but I know my money is much better spent on say, diapers.

That said, I guess it's better to know what's out there, even if you can't have it, rather than bury your head in the sand and have no idea what's going on out there in technology. So, check out the new iPad, it's a pretty interesting concept, even if I can't have one...