Blog
09.29.2009
Instant gratification for less than the typcial in-store Venti beverage.
People are calling Starbucks new Via Instant Coffee a “down-market” drink. I think the drink and its rollout embody all that a company should in a time of recession – change and development. It may not be the same as a freshly brewed cup of Breakfast Blend, but it’s most certainly a step up from home- (or office-)brewed Folgers!
Those of you who know me, know that I preach renewal, change, adaptation, and perseverance during these hard times. Starbucks closed around 600 stores in 2008. They had to make changes to stay afloat. Tapping into a market that desires fast services for a smaller fee may help pull them through the recession.
The company hopes to tap into the huge market of instant coffee, while simultaneously boosting the not-so-popular beverage’s image. Their new product boasts a delicious cup of Joe for less than the cost of buying a brewed cup in-store. Buyers have been reportedly using the powder to bake with (I’d like to try this, as coffee greatly enhances the flavor of chocolate), as well as using it for its intended purpose – a fast cup of coffee during a busy work day.
I think they have a real shot at boosting sales and grabbing their share of the market. They’re providing a quality product that people can afford. I can’t wait to taste it!
Think they can pull this one off? I do. After all, they are the ‘Bucks!
Please share your thoughts on this!
Tags: Branding, Business, Economy, Funny Products, Starbucks
Posted in Blog, Branding, Economy, Launches, Products We Love | No Comments »
09.01.2009
We heart WordPress and we’ve officially made the move to a WordPress-based website! Woohoo! Please stay tuned as we will be adding new projects to our portfolio and moving all of our previous blog posts to the new blog. We’re stoked and we hope you like the new look!
Tags: Branding
Posted in Blog, Branding, Wordpress | No Comments »
08.26.2009
This post is the first of its kind on the MHD blog. It’s a collection of links, articles, resources, Tweets, and photos I’ve seen throughout the past week. I keep a running list of the coolest stuff I come across, and want to share with my readers!
Today’s Candy consists of free stuff I’ve seen on various blogs this week. Keep in mind these may have been posted before this week, but I came across it this week. Thanks!
Free Leaf Textures from Naldz Graphics
Free Icons Roundup from BlueBlots
Free Fonts Roundup from InstantShift
Free RSS Icons List from Crazy Leaf
15 Free Design EZines List from Design Reviver
7 Free Vector Wings from Sharebrain
20 Tips on How to Write for the Web from Design Depot – not really a freebie, but still great!
40 Dual Screen Wallpapers from 10 Steps – I have the Mario one!
List of Free Stuff on Creattica – great resource!
Free Rusty Textures on Designer Daily
15 Free Fonts on DZine Blog
17 Outstanding Sources of Advertising Inspiration from DesignM.ag – again, not really free stuff, but inspiration is a good thing to have!
Abstract Curve Brushes on BrushKing
45 WordPress People you need to follow from WooCamp – good stuff!
Photo Gallery WordPress theme list from Best Design Options
Free Flash Catalyst training on Lynda.com from FlashEnabled
Useful and free Adobe Air Apps on Dream Css
That’s it! Enjoy!
Posted in Blog, Free Stuff, Freebies, Uncategorized, Web Design, Wednesday Web Candy | No Comments »
08.24.2009
Do you ever want to box your Mac in it’s pretty little face when you’re filling out an online form and can’t tab to the drop down boxes? By default, Macs don’t tab to drop down boxes. This might be especially troublesome for those who have switched from Windows to a Mac. Worry not, my friends! There is an easy fix!
Simply go to System Preferences —> Keyboard and Mouse —> Keyboard Shortcuts. Then just change the “Full Keyboard Access” setting at the bottom to “All Controls.” Done! Enjoy drop down box bliss!
Thanks again go to my husband for this helpful tip!
Posted in Apple, Blog, Mac, Mac Tips | No Comments »
08.22.2009
Did you know there’s a shortcut on the iPhone 3GS for domain extensions on email addresses? When typing an address into the “To” field, simply hold the period (.) button down to select from common domain extensions. (See image.) I hope you find this as helpful as I do!
Tags: iPhone, iPhone Tips
Posted in Apple, Blog, iPhone Tips | No Comments »
08.20.2009
Here are three Mac-themed wallpaper designs available for free download! Enjoy! If you feature any of these on your site/blog, please link back to Mad Hatter!
Click the links, then right-click to download. All are in 1920 x 1200 resolution.
Tags: Freebies
Posted in Blog, Free Stuff, Freebies, Uncategorized | No Comments »
08.20.2009
Tulsa County unveiled their new logo this past May. (Note that their website needs a lot of work!) The logo is a step up from their old one, but many Tulsa County residents are expressing their disdain for spending the funds to implement the new logo. The County saved several thousand dollars by having all research, ideas, and designing done by their in-house designer, but they do still have to create new letterhead, business cards, vehicle graphics and signage.
What the naysayers don’t understand, though, is the need for businesses to stand out and increase marketing efforts during tough economic times. Tulsa County is a business just like any other – they just serve in a public capacity. I personally think the decision was an excellent one, as Tulsa County is in dire need of competent, skilled employees. Part of attracting those employees is the County’s image. They need to appear updated and modern to be attractive to educated job seekers.
I don’t think the logo is as beautiful as those from some other cities, but we also don’t have the budget for that. We did the best with what we have.
Granted, Tulsa does need money spent on projects to improve roads, etc., but that is where city spending comes into play – not county. Come on, guys! The logo had been in use for over 40 years! It is time for Tulsa to show its true colors!
Tags: Design in Tulsa, Tulsa, Tulsa News
Posted in Blog, Branding, Logos, Tulsa Design, Tulsa News, Uncategorized | No Comments »
08.12.2009
Ok Mighty Mouse users – if your mouse suddenly has scrolling problems, don’t hit Amazon for a new mouse just yet. Mine decided not to scroll down today, and I learned from this helpful post how to remedy the problem. Vigorous scrolling and pressing down worked for me!
Tags: Mac, Mac Tips, Mice
Posted in Blog, Mac, Mac Tips | No Comments »
08.12.2009
Just as many other companies and designers are doing, Mad Hatter will no longer hack up our code to make websites compatible with the dinosaur web browser, Internet Explorer 6. We wish we could drop support for IE all together, but we won’t do that to you.
So, don’t expect us to correct problems for IE6. We won’t do it. IE6 must die!
Clients – If your customers report problems accessing your site, please get the browser name and version number from them. It is important that you tell your customers that IE6 is no longer supported and that they should get with the digital times and upgrade to, at the very least, IE 8!
With this in mind, I thought it best to send a list of guidelines for submitting support requests to me. Should your customers report a problem, I will need NO LESS than the following information from you in order to repair the issue:
1. The exact URL of the page the customer is trying to access. Please have them copy and paste it.
2. The name and version number of the web browser your customer is using. Please note: If they are using IE6 or below, you must inform them that support has been dropped and they will need to upgrade their browser to view your site (and the rest of the web) correctly. Mad Hatter will not support technical issues for those viewing your site in IE6.
3. A thorough description of the problem, including any and all error messages.
Without these three items, your support request will not be processed. Please get as much information as possible from your customer. If you would like a “Report a Problem” button placed on your site that will send support requests directly to me, I can provide this service for you. Extra costs will be incurred as I would be handling any incoming emails and gathering the information myself. You are welcome to gather your own information and send it along to me.
Please see this article for more info on the death of IE 6: http://mashable.com/2009/07/16/ie6-must-die/
Tags: IE6, Web Browsers
Posted in Blog, Clients, General Stuff, News, Web | No Comments »
