A while back, as I walked into one of my favorite stores, Target, I noticed a young employee who was handing out small flyers to customers who were entering. I assumed it was a promotion. Here’s what I was handed:
Can’t read it? It’s no better in person. It must have been copied off of an original that was on dark red paper, so the copy is nearly illegible. Here’s what it says:
Target Stores
Come join us!
Target in Mission Valley is now seeking fun and friendly people for a variety of positions in our store.
It goes on to list the type of positions and the benefits, and ends with:
Apply in person for your on the spot interview!
Hmmm. I immediately thought of the cool Target TV spots, the only commercials that I actually watch. Surely those savvy corporate designers could come up with a template that could be customized for a particular store and printed up properly? Surely someone must have noticed how poor the quality was on these, and that they might not draw good new employees to the store? Didn't someone notice it was crookedly cut? At any rate, this small slip of paper broke this great brand for me, just a little bit, making me think that this Target was a little bit shoddy compared to others.
Say it isn't so!
Tip of the Day: Every single message, in every media, is part of your brand. Never "whip something up." When you create a graphic identity, have your designer create some flexible templates, on software you can access, so that you are always putting out quality pieces.
