Latest Articles

Old News Dept: A Two Newspaper Town

The Seattle Times has launched a controversial independent expenditure campaign promoting political causes drawing criticism from journalists and political scientists because it damages the credibility of the newspaper’s reporting and objectivity. Vivitiv saw this issue coming as far back as 2003 in our work with the Committee for a Two Newspaper Town, which at the time was working to keep The Seattle Post-Intelligencer alive. It worked for a while until the P-I ceased print publication and went to an all digital format in 2009. Here are a few of the ads we wrote and designed for the committee which spoke to the need for at least two newspapers in a community to keep each other honest and uphold their sacred trust to inform the public in an objective manner. Opinion and advocacy is fine…on the editorial page where it belongs.

From Here to There. Innovation Showcase Logo

As in all identity projects we do hundreds if not thousands of sketches, make an equal amount of notes, discuss, refine and do it again. Here is an example of a new logo for the Innovation Showcase and one of those pages of loose sketch scribbles which gets you from a small germ of an idea down the path to something tangible, something bigger, something real. Just like what the Innovation showcase does, which is to nurture promising discoveries from startup phase to innovations that shape our world.

Update 10/26/2012

Just got this mention in an email blast from the Technology Alliance.

Innovation Showcase: new look, same great program

Over the summer we worked with our friends at Vivitiv to create a logo for our Innovation Showcase program. It has been a while since we considered it a pilot and thought the Showcase deserved its own brand – just in time for the new season!

Our next Showcase is Tuesday, October 30th, featuring Corengi, developer of a matching engine for patients and clinical trials; Precision Image Analysis, which assists physicians in interpreting diagnostic images; Relaborate, a new content creation platform for marketing; and SuperCritical Technologies, designer of compact, modular power plants (check out this recent GeekWire post). We will also get an update from past presenter Seattle Sensor Systems and enjoy a brief presentation from Patrick Shelby of UW C4C.”

New Book Cover Design: Century 21 City

We are delighted to announce a new book cover design for Fairweather Publishing. Century 21 City, by  Michael Luis is a unique take on the fifty year journey of Seattle from rain-soaked backwater to economic, technological and cultural powerhouse. We have been fortunate enough to collaborate with Mr. Luis on a variety of projects that span a small part of Puget Sound history, including his work with the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, The Housing Partnership, The Economic Development Council and a history of Hunt’s Point, WA, so a hearty congratulations to him on the new book. Oh, is the book available on Amazon (just one of the economic game-changers outlined in the book) and Barnes & Noble you ask? Hell yes.

Our Own Worst Enemies. You Get a Knife and You Get a Knife and You Get a Knife, and…

Today is the last day to pre-register to get a $5 discount for Vivitiv partner Jacqueline McCarthy’s Graphic Artists Guild talk on self promotion #winning and #fails. All attendees get one of these sweet Vivitiv branded knives. Our Own Worst Enemies? Yes. We practice what we preach.

Think Global, Design Local: A Small Selection of Arts Logos

Over the years we’ve worked with some amazing WA based arts organizations. Here are a few logos we’ve done for the likes of the Seattle Symphony, Auburn Arts Commission, Seattle International Film Festival, the Seattle Opera, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Puget Soundscape, Seattle International Music Fest, Gorge Amphitheatre, Seattle radio stations, Washington Commission for the Humanities…Think Global, Design Local.

Stop Motion Workshop at Design Family Reunion

We had a blast at the Design Family Reunion conference in Monterey, CA last week. The über patient Chris Sickels of Rednose Studio spent the day teaching a bunch of designers, illustrators and writer the painstakingly slow, yet fun art of stop motion animation. Chris supplied the set, props and his wonderful puppets that he designs and sculpts, all of which fit into a suitcase! This is what we did. Got to see some old friends from around the country and more importantly get to meet some new friends. More info over at the Rock, Paper, Ink blog.

Our Own Worst Enemies. Jacqueline McCarthy on Self-Promotion.

Vivitiv partner Jacqueline McCarthy will be giving a talk to the Seattle Graphic Artists Guild on September 26, 2012. Our Own Worst Enemies will focus on the triumphs and tragedies of over twenty years of self-promotional efforts. Sign up here.

Goodbye Fax Machine

Goodbye Fax machine. You’ve been a great friend over the years. Remember that time when we waited for that signed contract to come through? Or when I sent that NSFW joke to the wrong number? Or how about the time when you kept jamming when a client was sending edits right up until deadline? Oh, the times we had! Good times. It’s been a good run, but you and I know it’s time to move on. Sure, I’m not going to get offers for free vacations to Mexico, or Reno, and I’m probably going to miss out on sweet deals to have my roof repaired or my gutters cleaned, but we should end it now. While we’re still friends. No! Don’t say that. It’s not you, it’s me. Goodbye old friend. End Transmission.

 

*sniff*

Our Commitment to the Environment Goes Way Back

Looking through a box of Vivitiv partner Jacqueline McCarthy’s old 45 rpm singles over the weekend, we found something very cool (besides lot’s of Monkees, Bobby Sherman, and Clarence Carter records). Buried deep amongst these vinyl treasures were these pins from the New York State Energy Office, imploring young Jacki to “Conserve Energy!”. Jacki figures she got these at the Great New York State Fair sometime in the late 1970s, proving that she has a long and deep commitment to conservation issues, and that she is a hoarder.

Our Antiquated Technology Exhibit at AIGA Seattle Anniversary Event

While Vivitiv was part of the Future of Design exhibit at the AIGA Seattle 25th Anniversary event, we also curated an Antiquated Technology Exhibit. The display consisted of useless storage technologies of the past including floppy disks, SyQuest cartridges, ZIP Disks and a fried hard drive. Considered at the time to be the pinnacle of digital storage technology, these outmoded devices contain untold design treasures that will never again see the light of day.