My First Flyer Design

[NetStorm]

Hello everyone.

Please could you take a look at my first flyer. We are a polystyrene company based in Sussex, England and we are looking at targeting companys who design shop windows, and exhibitions displays.

All the information needed will be written on the back in a kind of postcard style.

Thanks for any help and pointers you can give me.

Dan.

http://www.expandedpolystyrenesupplies.co.uk/images/Front2small.jpg

[D-Frag]

this is one of those "there are so many things wrong with it, you should probably start over" kinds of review. sorry, but it took me about 20 seconds to read "flame" because of the graphics on top of the type. I see what you are trying to communicate, but you are going about it wrong. you could do a million things with the front, such as a close up macro shot of polystyrene. you could bounce light off of it and take some cool pics of it and use those as the front of your card. save your information for the back. the thing about advertising is you have to peak someones interest, so do it with a abstract photo. then when they flip it over nail em with the info. and do it in a clean representable way. header, body copy, bullets, contact etc.... without putting graphics on the type as well.

hope that helps.

[BJMRGTIVR6]

Maybe I am not the target audience but i found this confusing.
I don't understand the 3-D style graphics and what they mean. I would probably toss it out before turning it over...but again, probably not the target here.

Not sure if you accept EPS files or soccer balls or just clients from England. confused.

[serial]

Hello there Dan!

I have a couple of remarks and one try of my own.

I agree with "D-frag" and "BJMRGTIVR6", it was very confusing. You get the attention to the fire of the "flame"-text, the attention should be what you can do for them, that it is flame retardant is just another argument when you have gotten their attention. And I think preferencephotos is a perfect way of telling a costumer what have been done so their imagination spins off.

I'm no designer but I gave it a go to hopefully give you some kind of inspiration.

5027

[budafist]

I'll give you 1 piece of advice.

Those shapes look very random and out of place. Your client will want to see photos of the product. 3D pics are pretty much useless.

[tZ]

I agree with d-frag.

Gauge interest then hit them with the info.

A quality shot of the product in use might be a good solution.

Peak interest – then sell!

Relate benefits of the product to desires of the target in a unconventional manor.

[NetStorm]

Thanks for all the comments guys, Very much so taken in to consideration. I will starting from scratch lol.

Budafist, (juliejustus2003@yahoo.co.uk) although I they doo look like 3d graphics they are actually the real product photographed then cut out using photoshop.

I am having such a hard time trying to get polystyrene to look like polystyrene on a flyer, or even to get one of our models on a flyer and yet still look a little bit like it was made from polystyrene otherwise the target just doesnt realise it is made from polystyrene and probably will just throw it away :(

I will go away now and try to come up with some other concept. Serial I liked a couple of this about your one, any chance you could send me the PSD mainly so I can play about with your header text as that is the closest style text ive seen to look like polystyrene.

Once again thanks for all the comments and I will be back! :)

[Exodus]

I'm no designer...
That is very evident.

Sorry if I sound a bit rude (I'm having another "Monday" as it were...) but why would you think to make something for "inspiration" if you are not familiar with design? I applaud your enthusiasm but I have to give this analogy:

Would you let someone learning how to drive "teach" someone else how to drive?

No.

[serial]

NetStorm: I have made it in illustrator and the text is made with the "3D"-effect (then expanded and cleaned up), do you have any experience in illustrator?

Exodus: Im not surprised that it is evident. I'm not unfamiliar to design, but I have alot to learn.
On you analogy I have to ask you if your driver student's aren't allowed to discuss the different ways of driving to get some new ideas? Or do you think that inspiration only is allowed to get from certified teachers.

[Broacher]

You can always try posting a really lame solution and letting others do a rework for you.

Seems to work for some.

"Grant me the strength to ask others to improve the features that I cannot imagine
Let the client accept the features that I cannot understand but take credit for
And give me contributors stupid enough not to know the difference between a suggestion and giving away free work.

And source files too, if you please."

[PrintDriver]

foam props are tough to depict in photography. You almost have to leave them 'in context' and at odd angles to allow 3D visualization of white product. Your shop shots, especially your sculptural stuff, work better than your silhouetted stuff.

You use expanded foam outdoors???

[budafist]

foam props are tough to depict in photography. You almost have to leave them 'in context' and at odd angles to allow 3D visualization of white product. Your shop shots, especially your sculptural stuff, work better than your silhouetted stuff.

You use expanded foam outdoors???

I agree with PD. Leave the things in the photos. Cutting them out makes them more abstract than they need to be.

[tZ]

(broacher) – lol

[NetStorm]

PrintDriver: Expanded Foam can be used outdoors, the polystyrene on our building has been there for about 3 years and looks no different from the day we put it up.

Putting photographs on a flyer just doesn't look right to me, it looks overloaded and messy which is the reason I cut them out in the first place but I can definately see your point.

[budafist]

Putting the photographs in the flyer probably don't look good to you because the photos you have aren't professionally shot. It seems that you're not willing to pay a pro to do it so...If you borrowed decent camera, or even paid a student photographer, set up correct lighting etc, then you would probably be happy about putting your good photographs in your flyer.

In fact, I think if you paid for some stunning product shots taken by a really good photographer, you would be reluctant to butcher the shots and take the background and context out of the photographs.

[PrintDriver]

Strong language there Buda. He hasn't necessarily 'butchered' anything.

You can't really set up a studio shot with white on white and a draped background. It does have to be in some sort of setting. Getting a good photog would help. One that does in situ product shots.

I was just askin' on the foam outdoors. I've only seen bead foam used indoors. HDU outdoors. Different climates. :D

[sierng]

Agree with above/ss.
Find someone who specialises in Product Photography :)

[NetStorm]

Yea I totally agree about the photographs, this is going to be an avenue that we take a look down atleast.

Once again thanks for all your comments. Definately helps!

[budafist]

You're right PD. I meant "cropped" or "clear cut".

[frankster]

I'd take a nice photo of a polystyrene cup on the floor, with a little sad face drawn on it with magic marker, looking up at the front of the company's business (showing the polystyrene frontage you mention) and have a tag line "all polystyrene wants to be "insert company name" polystyrene", but that revolves around being able to take a good photo that has the cup up close in the foreground and the building in the background, both in focus. Have specific company product info on the back.

I have a thing for drawing little emotional faces on inanimate objects though. :D

[budafist]

That's a cute idea Frankster.

You could even roll up the flyer and put them in poly cups with faces on them for fun....or make a sticker saying "all polystyrene wants to be "insert company name" polystyrene" and stick it to sad faced poly cups.