We’re BIG on celebrating the holidays

It's that time of year again! We will be closing our doors tomorrow, December 23rd and will return to the office on January 3rd. We will be spending time with friends and family, celebrating the new year, and resting up for a busy 2012!

BIG's mug shot.

So what kind of day are you having?

We decided to get some new mugs made for the office (mostly because we're a bit to excited about our new Keurig!). We've got quite a few laying around featuring our old logo, but decided to get more creative with this one to reflect the personality of BIG. We were allowed printing on both sides of the mug, so we wanted to take full advantage of all the real estate.

Will you be enjoying a BIG hot cup of brew or a BIG cold brewski?

BIG thanks!

Thank you so much to those of you who donated to the Angel Tree! Because of you, someone will have a brighter holiday and we thank you for the support.



Check out all the great stuff that BIG bought for our Angels. Kudos to Cyndi, Barbara (and her boys!) for doing the holiday shopping. It was a lot of fun seeing all the gifts come through our door and spread onto the floor. With all the gifts, our green rug is looking quite festive, don't you think?

Featured on Neenah Paper!

Have you been naughty or nice? That's the question we asked with this year's holiday card.

Chava did a great job designing it, and the team had a lot of fun contributing their definitions of "naughty" and "nice."

The card was printed on Neenah Classic Columns Red Pepper using PMS 8281U and 7428U and mailed in a metallic silver envelope. We're thrilled with how it came out and even more excited that they were featured on the Neenah Paper blog!

You can read the entire post here.

BIG gives back.

We all know it's better to give than to receive. Every year,  Big Design chooses a charity and makes a donation. This year, we've added some Angels to our list through The Salvation Army Angel Giving Tree. Our team is also adopting Angels on their own, giving them an opportunity to personally contribute. If you would like to help us reach our goal during this holiday season, you can adopt an Angel too! It's easy and it will definitely give you that warm fuzzy feeling – and who doesn't love that?!

Last year, we adopted a family! This year, we're raising
the bar to touch the lives of as many Angels as we can!

1. Go to our group page and adopt your Angel. You can choose one that best fits your budget or your shopping desire! Maybe you want to visit your inner-child and toy shop or relive your teenage years with a little wardrobe spree. Some children only have 1 item on their list, while others have a few. Select the Angel that's right for you!

2. You will get an email with your Angel's wants and needs. Keep in mind, you don't have to buy EVERYTHING on the list!

3. You can purchase gifts online at JCPenney and have them sent directly to the Angel with FREE SHIPPING through December 9th. Simply enter the validation code from your email to get the discount (the code is specific to your Angel) .

4. If you'd rather shop elsewhere, that's okay! You can purchase your gifts and ship them yourself or drop them off at BIG by December 15th. Make sure they are unwrapped and have your Angel's ID number attached so that we get them to the proper individual.

Important Dates are as follows:

• 12/9 is the last day to adopt, and last day to shop and ship online through JCPenney
• 12/13 is the last day to purchase a JCPenney gift card online
• 12/14 is the last day to drop off your gifts to BIG
• 12/16 is the last day to physically drop off to the Salvation Army locations

As a thank you for "tipping your cup," we'll send you a shiny new BIG mug! This mug is a Limited Edition, so when they're gone...they're gone!

BIG is thankful.

Aside from the obvious things, like our health, our wonderful clients and our amazing team of creatives, BIG has a lot of things to be thankful for this holiday. We polled our entire team and asked what they were grateful for. Here's what we learned:

Barbara is thankful for Bigalow and the fact that he's a close talker but NOT a close licker. He spends his time in the office dropping cuddle bombs, but keeps his tongue to himself. Barbara, we're thankful for that too!

Chava is very thankful that his co-workers do not speak Spanish. He swears that he's busy telling his mother that we are the best co-workers he's ever been given the chance to work with...we'd like to believe him. Gracias Chava (that's about all we know)!

Cyndi is thankful that you don't have to be big to work at BIG. Despite her size, Cyndi fills some big shoes here. We're thankful for Cyndi!

Ed is thankful for the Speed Channel. When he's not on the racetrack, or chasing his two boys around, he can likely be found watching his favorite channel on TV. Unless it's M-F from 8-5, then he's keeping his own projects on track. Thanks, Ed!

John is quite thankful that building codes require doorways to be 6'8". Otherwise, he'd be walking around with a concussion, which would make for very interesting creative brainstorms around here! Thanks, John!   

Jason is thankful for his morning Cheerios. Breakfast is the most important part of the day, and he makes sure to have it. However, he enjoys his breakfast out of a cup with no milk...because he's Jason. Thanks, Jason!

Marit is thankful for getting crafty. When she's not at her desk, she's probably at home cooking up something in the kitchen or completing a craft project at her dining room table. We find it of no coincidence that she shares the same initials and a love for New England like Martha Stewart herself. Thanks, Marit!

BIG sighting!

During a recent trip to BJ's Wholesale Club, a client spotted a card we designed for Norton Tablet Security that was cross-merchandised at the point of sale. While customers are picking out their tablet, they are immediately reminded to protect their purchase.

It's always nice to see our work out there!

BIG supports the Second Harvest Food Bank

During the holidays and every day, Second Harvest is deserving of our support.

Barbara and Cyndi gather donations for those in need

Donate foods.
The Food Bank needs nutritious, non-perishable foods:
Meals in a can (stew, chili, soup)
Tuna and canned meat
Peanut butter
Canned foods with pop-top lids
Low-sugar cereals
100% fruit juices in single serving boxes
Canned fruit packed in juice
Canned vegetables (low salt)

The Food Bank needs nutritious, non-perishable, single-serving foods for use in programs for children.
Pop-Top Tuna
100% Fruit Rolls
Raisins
Graham Crackers
Unsweetened Applesauce
Cheese and Crackers
Fruit Cups
Low-sugar Cereal Bowls
Pretzels
100% Fruit Juice Boxes
Granola Bars (without peanuts)

Please avoid donating items packaged in glass. If you have glass items in your donation, please package them in protective boxes to prevent breakage.

We request that you do not donate bulk quantities of rice, flour, or sugar. Although we appreciate and can utilize every donation we receive, the Food Bank does not have the repackaging facilities needed to properly distribute such items.

Donate funds
95¢ of every $1 donated goes directly toward programs that feed hungry people.

Donate Items
Besides food, funds, and time, Second Harvest welcomes other donations that help to defray general business and operational costs. Donating items means donated dollars can purchase more food to feed our neighbors in need!

Examples of item donations:
Technology (computer hardware and software)
Vehicles
Appliances
Shipping and packing supplies
Office and break room supplies
Janitorial supplies
Vehicle, warehouse, and maintenance equipment

Cyndi's niece joined us on Saturday. Thank you, Samantha!

Let us know if you would like to join us in volunteering next time!

What's gray and white with green around the middle?

Our amazing new business cards.

Needless to say, we are quite pleased with them. It was quite a bit of work (with some trial-and-error), but when they arrived it was like Christmas morning. The design team ripped open their card boxes with such excitement. And here they are:

Printed 2/2 on 130# Dull TopKote with edge painting

Thick as a credit card with edge painting...yum!

What's Up: November 2011

This month's meeting was full of great things!

Marit brought in this Jambox Jawbone speaker. The hard plastic top/cover allow for a 360 view of the product. The bottom of the box slides off to reveal a "door," which houses all the cords and a manual. We passed this one around, and even played music on it. The sound is as impressive as the package it came in!

Barb shared this Japanese candy from Nestle. Quite different than the Kit-Kat bars you find on the shelves at a local grocery!

 

Jason brought in this Biscotti packaging. The white box with graphics across the top are color coded for the flavors---it must create quite the shelf presence! The back contains a window to show the consumer that the product is individually wrapped. They must not have wanted to take away from the beautiful photography on the front of the box.

Jason picked up this Square Card Reader with Apple-esque packaging. The closure on the box is magnetic. Very well done, indeed.

Chava returned from Mexico with this collection of goodies from a coffee shop. Designed with Mexican flair and bold type, this was a hit at our meeting!

Chava shared this hair product with us. A simple package holds the hair product in place. Not only is the package cleverly designed, but so is the product! With a twist of the top and a swoop onto his head, Chava had a purple streak in his hair in the matter of seconds!

Cyndi picked up this candy, the tin caught her eye and something about "carbonated candy" was a bit intriguing.

Turn it over and WOW that's a big QR code.

John was doing some industry reading and came across the new BIG 10 logo. Consensus is that we like it. What do you think?

That's it for November. Stay tuned for December!

BIG boo!

For those of you who don't know, we take Halloween VERY SERIOUSLY around here. So seriously, that if you were to be...let's say, on vacation in Chicago, we'd make sure to put you into an orange dinosaur costume in the team photo JUST so you wouldn't miss out on our fun. That's how much we enjoy it!

But the fun and games don't stop there. We've got this jar of candy filled to the brim of sugary goodness that Barbara put together. If you can guess how many pieces are in it, we'll send you a BIG t-shirt! It's not "The Price is Right" style, so the person closest to the correct amount is the winner. Post your guesses on our Facebook page or on this post. Voting ends tomorrow at noon, so start counting!

How many pieces of candy are in the jar?

What's Up: October 2011

We have lots of fun things to share with you this month!

First up, is this perfume box that Barbara brought in. The box is on the left (love the metallics!) and the sleeve on the right went over the box. We couldn't quite figure out why it was designed this way; the sleeve is shorter than the box and when in place it does not look right. Perhaps they wanted to redesign the box but took a cost-effective way out by doing a sleeve only? The two are completely different designs, but promote the same product. Which do you prefer?

Chava picked up this unique bottle of wine, which we all agreed looks more like a bottle of Worcestershire Sauce. However, we'd recommend you drink it with your steak rather than putting it on your steak.

Cyndi went to the Alternative Press Expo (aka APE) and brought back this toy. The box is printed with his "story," very cute!

Marit found this book of Aesop's fables written entirely in Goudy. The stories themselves are even illustrated with type. Very clever.

Barbara took notice that this razor packaging was unique. The plastic peels away to reveal the razors, rather than pulling apart plastic from cardboard.

Chava brought in the packaging from his Kid Robot Swatch watch. The box and booklet were printed with some beautiful varnishes, and how could you resist the mustache-bunny creature thing?

Stay tuned for November's what's up. Have you seen any unique packaging while out shopping or cleaning out your attic? Share it with us at bigmouth@bigdesign.com!

Halloween button winners!

We've been busy creating buttons for our Halloween promo. We asked our Facebook fans to help us select their favorite three designs. We received so many votes, so thank you to all those who participated! Here is the final set:

We picked 10 random winners to receive the buttons, and they are:

Gabo ElBrayan Adonai
Ahani Adler
Jen Wolfe Meredith
Todd King
Shelly S
Johnnie M
Kari Dobashi-Barton
Liza Birmingham
Sheila Yabut
Sue Ramirez-Nune

Please send your address to us at bigmouth@bigdesign to claim your prize!

What's Up: September 2011

Whew, where did September go? Needless to say, it was a very hectic month in the studio. But as always, we made time for our monthly "What's Up" meeting. Everyone brought in great items to share for design/packaging inspiration. Here are our top three:

Barb brought in these vitamin drinks. Not only are they beautifully designed bottles, but the concept behind them are nothing like we'd seen. The vitamins are actually in the cap and release into the water when you twist the top. How cool is that?

 JD picked up this hair dryer. The box looks more like an ad than a typical package design with all the bold messaging. The shape of the box is quite unique as well. Good find, JD!

Chava found his inner-child with this sticker kit. The case has a drawer to hold the book, which showcases the stickers that come in the kit. The display window on the top gives you a peek at the stickers themselves.

And a BIG thanks to our facebook fan, Joey Martinez, for sharing this package! We are excited that our "What's Up" posts have sparked an interest in packaging with our friends. So excited, that we want to encourage others to do the same! Details coming on "What's Up With YOU". Can't wait to see what inspires our Big friends!

October's meeting is today, so stay tuned to see "What's Up!"

Introducing the Pantone Spring 2012 Color Palette!

Pantone has announced that "for spring 2012 designers are inspired by diverse influences, showcasing a range of styles and lifestyles, from free and playful and light and breezy, to contemporary classics."

Spring is often represented as a time of rebirth. A time where people are optimistic for a brighter day and feel a great sense of renewal. Color helps people alter their mood and gives them the opportunity to try out new looks and color combinations.

The Pantone fashion color report for Spring 2012 announces the following colors and we like what we're seeing!

Tangerine Tango is a "vivacious and appealing refresher to enliven anyone's outlook this spring."

Solar Power provides a jolt of energy and radiates warmth and cheer.

 

Bellflower "excludes uniqueness and creativity."

Caberet "is a sensual and intense rosy-red," making it a great choice for summer!

Sodalite Blue will bring a sense of calm and works with every color in the 2012 palette.

Cockatoo adds a touch of whimsy to the palette and is sure to make a statement!

Margarita "lifts spirits with its refreshing and stimulating glow."

Sweet Lilac adds a romantic touch to the palette. The pinkish purple hue evokes a fresh scent of summer!

Driftwood is one of the neutral 2012 colors. The blend of beige and gray gives a somewhat weathered feel.

Starfish warms up the neutral palette and compliments the entire spring Pantone Collection.

Which color is your favorite?






*Source http://www.pantone.comhttp://www.pantone.com