Wednesday, 22 October 2008

Which Blue Will Do?

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Ok my bloggers, I need help!!! I'm trying to decide which Robert Allen fabric to use as the background on the cover of my new book. I've narrowed it down to eight choices all in various shades of blue. ( Yes, I know they are sort of boring but the idea is to be classic and timeless and to not detract from the illustrations and look similar to the first book - Ugh) The illustrations and graphics on these mock ups will be changed so this is not the final cover design. I will draw a main image that will coordinate and contrast with the background once it is selected.

Please, please, please, comment and give me your opinions, which one do you like?


Choice #1


Choice #2


Choice #3


Choice #4



Choice #5



Choice #6



Choice #7



Choice #8


Here is a side by side comparison.

Thanks for your help................

Tuesday, 21 October 2008

Monday, 20 October 2008

,

Better Homes & Gardens, meet Walmart

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It seems that BH&G has climbed aboard the over sized Walmart bandwagon. I know many of you have very strong feelings (many justifiably so) about the retail mega-giant and it's policies here and abroad. I personally do not answer the "attention Walmart shoppers" call to arms (I'm a Target addict) but I am curious to know more about this seemingly odd pairing. Walmart has purchased the Hearst publications (BH&G's parent co) 30 Days of Home Magazine which it will use to promote it's new line of home furnishings, so the segue into branded furnishings seems a natural progression for the two. I just wonder how this partnership will affect the BH&G's brand. Even Martha Stewart couldn't make a profit on the sale of her products at K-Mart but raked in a mint due to the solid nature of her contract.


The tag line in their ads in House Beautiful is:
"Make my bedroom look like a picture in a magazine and not lose sleep over the price."


I must say that judging from the very few products that I could find on the Walmart website there is no clear brand signature to these items. I put together the combinations shown here - there is no cross product marketing that I could see. It seems to be a jumble of the same product style and quality that you would already find at Walmart and does not seem to have a strong brand image or increased quality that you would expect from a BH&G product.


I will have to take a closer look at how it is displayed in the store but I think they may have missed the boat on creating a "collection". Perhaps they should have taken some lessons from Martha Stewart - at least you could immediately tell which products were hers at Kmart.

Let me know if what you think about these products if you take a trip to the Big W anytime soon.....

Saturday, 18 October 2008

Friday, 17 October 2008

Thursday, 16 October 2008

AMBER ALERT - Las Vegas

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Law enforcement officials are broadening their search for 6-year-old Cole Puffinburger, who was kidnapped at gunpoint from his northeastern Las Vegas Valley home Wednesday morning.

An Amber Alert was issued for the child at noon Wednesday. Puffinburger is described as 3-foot-11, weighs about 48 pounds and wears silver-rimmed glasses. He was last seen wearing a black John Cena WWE wrestling shirt, dark jeans and a black, zippered, hooded sweatshirt with white, black and blue stars decorating it, and tennis shoes with a white stripe



Up to three men knocked on the door at the child's home posing as police officers, police said. After entering the home, they tied up the child's mother and her boyfriend, then ransacked the house, police said. When they didn't find money, they took Cole Puffinburger and left.



The suspects are described as Hispanic, and one is described as in his 30s, weighing about 150 pounds with long, slicked-back dark hair.



Anyone who sees Cole Puffinburger is asked to call 911