FLUX QUARTERLY
ISSUE 01
P. 01 & 02
QUARTERLY
F L U X Q U A R T E R LY M A G A Z I N E
|
PREMIERE ISSUE
|
DECEMBER 2013
01
OUR MISSI F L U X Q U A R T E R L Y Is a locally inspired magazine that reflects the creativity of Sacramento. Our goal is to fill the needs and interests of the Creative Class; from the artists and designers, to the scientists, engineers, architects and educators. We strive to provide excellent editorial, design and photography to appeal to the high-quality tastes of our readers. We want to showcase the many facets of Sacramento that may not normally be recognized, while uniting and inspiring others from all locations.
WE ARE A PLATFORM FOR IDEAS. For us, Flux means a “continuous flow�, and our magazine represents this by being a carrier of innovation. We hope to help facilitate the flow of ideas from one person to the next, and ultimately, we want to become a catalyst for creativity by providing insight and encouraging others to take part in our network of creative, and ambitious individuals.
ION
We hope to help facilitate the flow of ideas from one person to the next . . .
DEC ISSUE
TABLE of CONTENTS
01
GET INSPIRED
06
16
GO ANALOG.
28
UNWANTED BEAUTY
H ow the 21st century has taken over analog trades, and why we should help preserve them.
FUSING FUNCTION WITH CREATIVITY
M uralist’s struggles to gain recognition in the community.
36
34
SMALL BUSINESSES, BIG IDEAS
STARVING ARTIST NO MORE C reative careers are no longer synonymous with low salaries.
culptor Gina Rossi turns S trash into treasure with her artistic creations.
H ow businesses who invest in good design and branding stand apart from their competition.
&THE CONTRIBUTORS AMANDA ORTIZ
WILLIAM LEUNG
BRITTANY BALEDIO
EMEZIE AN Y A N W U
ARTICLE & PHOTOS
GO ANAL BY AMANDA ORTIZ
FLUX QUARTERLY
ISSUE 01
P. 06 & 07
LOG. BECOME RE-INSPIRED THROUGH THE LOST ART
FORMS OVERLOOKED BY OUR DIGITAL AGE.
THE 21st CENTURY, IS KNOWN FOR BEING THE ERA OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.
FLUX QUARTERLY
Never before have we been witness
ized works. Traditional disciplines
to so many wireless gadgets and con-
such as sign painting, print making,
nective devices being used on a daily
leather tanning, wood crafting, and
basis. With each new technological
jewelry making, to name a few, have
platform, we strive to be more ad-
either become adopted by industrial
vanced, more intuitive and faster than
manufacturers, or have just plainly
ever before. With every new update,
become obsolete. We are no longer
version or release, we are ultimately
thoroughly engaged in our work,
creating a grander, more convenient
because computerized programs and
reality for us to live in. However,
digital software have been created to
though technology has allowed us
do most of our jobs.
to reach higher levels of efficiency
Film photography is another
as well as knowledge, it also involves
example of an analog trade that has
certain drawbacks. Our immense
greatly experienced the impact of
involvement with technology can be
technology. Digital cameras have
simply put: We rely on it too much.
enormously changed the dynamic
Modern day technology has also
of the photography trade. Instead of
spurred much change to the artistic
manually developing film through a
world; not only has it made art and
multi-stepped process with various
creative based professions more ac-
chemicals and solutions, photogra-
cessible, but it has allowed people to
phers can now easily view their im-
explore new mediums, techniques as
ages before the development stage,
well as styles, and in turn, it has taken
and later digitally print them at their
on new forms entirely. However,
leisure. This is an obvious benefit for
because of this forward movement
consumers and photographers alike
of the arts enabled through new age
because digital cameras eliminate
technology, we are beginning to
the mystery—and not to mention
forget our “roots” and the traditional
the expense—of having to develop
tools we have once used before this
film. Moreover, digital cameras have
virtual time. In this digital age of
also been shaped to be user friendly,
machinery and robotic arms, many
where any person will find it relatively
traditional and hand-crafted disci-
easy to learn to use. From once being
plines have become overshadowed
a revolutionary device in the 1900’s,
by their digital predecessors, which
film cameras have been increasingly
has caused us to lose appreciation
pushed to the sidelines from people
for these thoughtful and personal-
flocking to its digital counterpart.
ISSUE 01
P. 08 & 09
THOUGH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE MANY
PROCESSES MORE
CONVENIENT, TECHNOLLGY SHOULD NOT THE DEFAULT.
Traditional disciplines that require hands-on work can actually be extremely beneficial to the creative process. In lieu of the film versus digital camera instance, we interviewed Professor Nigel Poor of the Photography department at Sacramento State University, to gain her insight and feelings on how traditional film photography is being increasingly phased out by digital cameras. We wanted to see what her stance was on preserving traditional art disciplines, and what she thought would be a good way to preserve them.
INTERVIEW
F L U X | As a photographer, do you prefer working
F L U X | New technology has greatly overshadowed
digitally, or with a traditional film camera?
film photography because it has made it easier and inexpen-
sive to take and develop photos. In your opinion, do you think
P O O R | I used to have a preference but now I feel like
I select the process that is appropriate to the project. For
it is important to preserve analog photography regardless?
instance, when I am photographing inside of San Quentin
Prison, my time there is very restricted, and the lighting
ing? I think so. There was a time when people thought
conditions are very challenging so I use my digital camera.
photography would make painting obsolete and of
However, I have many other projects that I do in my studio
course that was ridiculous. Digital may take over certain
where I prefer taking my time, as well as using them as a
types of photography: journalism, commercial work, so-
meditative process, so I use my large format film camera.
cial media presentation but that is only a small part
F L U X | What skills or knowledge do you feel that
your students learn from starting out with a film camera that they cannot learn from a DSLR?
P O O R | I feel that students learn to be more pa-
tient when using film; they are forced to slow down and consider each image composition they take, and with digital work I think sometimes people take hundreds of images without even thinking. They say to themselves, “Oh, I don’t have to worry too much, because I can “fix” this in Photoshop”, and that is not a desirable attitude. FQ | New technology has greatly overshadowed film photography because it has made it easier and inexpensive to take and develop photos. In your opinion, do you think it is important to preserve analog photography regardless?
P O O R | Yes I do. Is it important to preserve paint-
of what photography does.
F L U X Q U A R T E R LY
F L U X | How do you think we can help preserve
POOR |
P. 1 0 & 1 1
ISSUE 01
Individual expression, perhaps the inter-
these dying trades, or support these individual artists?
est and ability to think abstractly, the ability to slow
down, to ponder and let answers come to us slowly, for
POOR |
We can support individual artists by
buying their work. Society in general could support
things to be revealed over time. Our problem solving
artists by recognizing that contemplation and exploring
skills will change, I am not saying they will be better or
ideas is a worthy venture even if it does not produce a
worse but they might function in a different way. We
commodity. I am afraid we don’t value contemplative
lose a connection to the past and a visual language
activities- we are obsessed with outcomes and earnings
also disappears. That would be sad.
and less interested in the process of thought and the value of thinking and grappling with abstract ideas.
F L U X | What do you think we will lose if these
trades completely die out? Charm? Authenticity? Value?
“ We lose a connection to the past and a visual language also disappears. That would be sad.
�
“
As artists, desig photographers, an tects, letting our p porate hands-on to experiment, pu and ultimately en be more thoughtf in our work. As professor Poor has put
As artists, designers, sculptors, pho-
mouse in comparison to a pencil and
it, just because we live in an age
tographers, and even architects, let-
paper, so don’t let technology be
where even our most trivial activi-
ting our process incorporate hands-
the only component of your creative
ties are affected by technology, it
on work allows us to experiment,
process. Despite the advancement of
doesn’t necessarily mean that we
pushes us to play, and ultimately
the arts through the vehicle of new
must forget how to work with our
encourages us to be more thought-
technology, we should not forget our
hands, or how to be creative physi-
ful and engaged in our work. There
analog roots, and never let go of the
cally. There is always something to
is a huge discrepancy from solely
humanistic qualities we are losing in
learn from these types of disciplines.
being in contact with a computer
this highly digitized era.
gners, sculptors, nd even archiprocess incorwork allows us ushes us to play, ncourages us to ful and engaged FF LL U UX X Q QU UA AR R TT E ER R LL Y Y
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PP.. 1122 && 1133
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W E CA L L O UR S T YL E O P E N - M I N D E D M O D E R N
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Lumens.com
ARTICLE & PHOTOS / EMEZIE ANYANWU
are individuals in our society that go out into the starkness that is the cityscape and try to add their mark of beauty to the city using art. These artists do this legally and illegally, on train cars underpasses, and on occupied or abandoned buildings.
our lives getting lost in the traffic and
monotony of the city. Work, sleep, and
responsibilities; all blend together into a
blur of requirements and tasks that need
to be done to survive. Each one of these
daily tasks follows a rule-set that society
puts forth to rotate the wheels in the ma-
chine that is our economy. However there
EVERYDAY we wake up and go about
The hidden art & discarded history of Sacramento F L U X Q U A R T E R LY ISSUE 01 P. 1 6 & 1 7
THE ACT OF CREATING SOMETHING IS WHAT ART ESSENTIALLY IS. ART IS EVERYTHING AROUND US FROM THE LANDSCAPE TO THE ARCHITECTURE.
What differentiates good art from bad art is how well the people that walk past it perceive it. In a city of tall geometric buildings, copy-pasted homes, and gaudy typography, interesting art is hard to come by. There are many passionate artists in Sacramento that get overlooked, disregarded and even persecuted because their art is not in a museum. Their art gets regulated to the run down parts of the city, and dark unlit back allies; where people are more likely to associate them with the smell of garbage than the original meaning that the artists intended. One of the very first art forms ever created started with painting on the sides of boulders and caves to tell the great stories of a community. This tradition has developed over the thousands of years that humans have been on this planet into the art form of creating murals. I set out on a Friday to capture the unnoticed creativity and beauty in Sacramento, and was confronted with the task of digging though the gray, bland, and sterile design of this city. On most major city streets of Sacramento people are more likely to find a poorly kerned store sign, than stumble across a fine work of art. Only when I went onto back streets or hidden alleyways did I actually see examples of art that are scattered about the city. Hidden next to dumpsters and parking spaces I discovered that there are hundreds of murals around the city that most people do not pay attention to.
F L U X Q U A R T E R LY
ISSUE 01
Passionate artists get persecuted because their art is not in a museum.
P. 18 & 19
MOST MURALS HAVE BEEN
CONSTRUCTED OR PAINTED BY
ARTISTS LONG FORGOTTEN OR
UNKNOWN TO THE VIEWER.
These artists spend hours of their
of a mural is in the back alley of their
time trying to brighten the community
building. The artist said he had been
of Sacramento, wall by wall. On that
painting every day since Monday for
same Friday I stumbled across one of
six to eight hours each day to finish
these artists that paints murals for a
the mural, which was almost done. He
living. He was painting a mural in the
mostly uses spray paint has his main
back of a restaurant called Beach Hut
media he also painted a couple aban-
Deli next to their trash cans, because
doned buildings on Del Paso Boulevard
that is he had permission to paint.
in North Sacramento a week prior.
Apparently in our society the most logical place for a business to approve
In the twenty minutes that I stood there watching him paint a colorful version of a woman and a hound, multiple people drove though the alley and commented on how well the mural looked. Why a person that spends most of his time trying to make our city look more appealing, is relegated to the back of an alley while poorly designed signs are relegated to the front is baffling to any viewer.
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“
ISSUE 01
P. 20 & 21
THESE ARTISTS SPEND
HOURS OF THEIR TIME
TRYING TO BRIGHTEN THE COMMUNITY OF SACRAMENTO.
UNLIKE A BUILDI
HAS TO BE WELL
ITS SPACE TO CLA
MOST PEOPLE W
OVER OR VANDA
The difference between a mural and
pliment each other and in turn make
the urban environment it is placed in is
the overall architecture pleasing to the
a stark contrast. The generic sterility of
eye. In comparison most unadorned
the city verses the organic fluidity of an
buildings are not visually pleasing be-
artist’s visual handwriting on the wall;
cause they have to serve as a building
is why there is a functional and visual
first and beauty always comes second.
esthetic appeal of murals to the community. The visual contrast between organic and geometric forms of a mural and building is similar to the contrast in notes in a great song; the shapes com-
THAT THEY SEE V
A mural has to fit the community and building that it is placed in or is quickly discarded. The longer a mural lasts the more you know
incoming onslaught of graffiti. Murals can be a
the community approves of the work, because
timeline of a community and show what build-
a mural in essence is a message on a wall ap-
ings or cultural events have happened in that
proved by the community. Murals also raise the
area in the past. They also reflect the history
value of the surrounding community by adding
of the area due to how long they last, because
visual appeal to the surrounding area; and in
when a mural stops representing its community
this economy when shops close down and leave
it will be quickly replaced or erased.
empty rundown buildings, murals have the duty of occupying walls denying/preventing the
However, when a person grows up in an area with a mural, the mural changes from
FLUX QUARTERLY
being just a painting and becomes a part of
murals will tell a story of the people that have
the neighborhood, and from the community’s
lived in the area. Murals are an integral part of
perspective it would seem weird to destroy
our society and history, which is why it seems
something that they are so familiar with.
like a disservice to place murals in the most
Anyone can walk, drive, or ride around
obscure out of the way places in our society,
the city and through any community and see
since they are so important to the culture of
it’s character by looking at the murals that
Sacramento; in a sense the character of each
have lasted though time. Unlike buildings the
community is being hidden.
ISSUE 01
P. 22 & 23
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ISSUE 01
P. 2 04 1 && 0 22 5
[ THIS ] is the age of information where time is a precious commodity, because time equals money. Who has time to stop and look at the message an artist painted in the back alley next
ing around this city I realized that there are too few people trying to actually make it better visually, and the ones that do get ignored.
OUR COMMUNITY should go out and appreciate the work that is all around us. Because there are artists and designers out there trying to preserve the culture of our city, and when we participate in the creativity of our society we will learn more about each other, the creativity in our community, and the history of our city.
history of our city.
of an abandoned building? By walk-
the creativity in our community, and the
should be left out in the back alley
. . . we will learn more about each other,
to the recycling bin? Who thinks art
Happy Holidays! Enjoy
25%
OFF ALL MERCHANDISE AT BOWS & ARROWS FROM DECEMBER 14–21
FUSIN
FL LU UX X Q QU UA AR RT TE ER R LL Y Y F
UE E 0 0 11 II SS SS U
& 2299 PP.. 2288 &
FUNCTION FUSING FUNCTION CREATIVITY WITH CREATIVITY
Who knew bike racks could transform in to such an admirable piece of art?
NG The metal dragon located in front of the Shoki Ramen House, the com-
edy and tragedy masks by the New
Helvetica theatre and the word “KAY”
FUNCTION
in front of The Broiler are all extraordinary pieces that share a common goal: to vfunction creatively within
the community. Bicyclists, passerbys, and customers can appreciate these
fun, exciting, interesting works of art.
Whether they’re running errands, getting a quick haircut, or stopping by a
local coffee shop, adding just a touch of creativeness displays the fact that
the community cares for its bicycle riders and want to ensure that they have a safe place to secure their bikes. Not only are these bike racks functional, but they also add a lively touch to Sacramento by recognizing the creative talent within the community. These bike rack works of art are the creations of Gina Rossi, a metal sculptor and welder based locally
Sacramento. Growing Growing up, up, Gina Gina in Sacramento.
WITH CREATIVITY CREATIVITY WITH
self-taught artist artist using using became a self-taught items to to create create art. art. Art Art household items imagination allowed allowed her her to to and imagination herself freely freely and and helped helped express herself most of of her her troubled troubled stabilize most Gina came came up up with with the the childhood. Gina crafting creative creative functional functional idea of crafting bike racks four four years years ago ago when when she she watched bicyclists bicyclists look look for for places places to lock up their their bikes. bikes. Lamp Lamp posts, posts, poles, and fences fences became became common common for bicyclists bicyclists to to lock lock up up their their bike bike to. to. Seeing this this as as an an opportunity opportunity to to put her creativity creativity to to use, use, Gina Gina seized seized the moment moment and and fused fused creative creative design with with functionality. functionality. Now, Now, Gina Gina currently has has fourteen fourteen of of her her artistic artistic bike racks installed installed throughout throughout downtown and and midtown. midtown. Her Her busibusiness is continuing continuing to to expand, expand, with with businesses as as far far as as Lodi Lodi requesting requesting for Gina’s clever clever bike bike rack rack creations. creations.
ARTICLE ARTICLE & & PHOTOS PHOTOS // BRITTANY BRITTANY BALEDIO BALEDIO
of creativity with function has local businesses opting for her fun designs, rather than paying for someGina turns trash into treasure thing bland. Not only do these bike by using recycled metal, glass and racks add flair and personality to other materials to sculpt her debusinesses, but they also connect signs. She scavenges for unwanted and enrich the community through treasures and saves them from art. The integration of function and being thrown out. Her eye is sharp art taking place in a public area in assessing the elements of pieces touches the lives of individuals evand determining their best uses for ery day, exposing them to art and her clever projects. A broken golf allowing them to interact with it. club is used as a nose. The heads of old wrenches are used as dragon’s teeth. She never tosses anything away because she knows that it could be useful for later projects down the road. Gina’s clever fusion
Trash into treasure. Trash into treasure.
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“ A BROKEN GOLF CLUB IS USED AS A NOSE. THE HEADS OF OLD WRENCHES ARE USED AS DRAGON’S TEETH. SHE NEVER TOSSES ANYTHING AWAY GINA’S CLEVER FUSION OF CREATIVITY WITH FUNCTION HAS LOCAL BUSINESSES OPTING FOR HER FUN DESIGNS
ISSUE 01
P. 30 & 31
THROUGH CREATIVE FUNCTIONALITY, THE
SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY HAS COME TO LIFE,
INSTILLING CREATIVITY AND BRINGING THE COM-
MUNITY CLOSER TOGETHER.
LOCATED IN MIDTOWN, GINA’S STUDIO, ROSSI SCULPTURAL DESIGNS, HAS COUPLES, FRIENDS AND FAMILIES SIGNING UP FOR CLASSES, EAGER TO GET HANDS-ON EXPERI-
Gina hopes her work will continue to
come to life, instilling creativity and
do – to inspire the community to cre-
bringing the community closer to-
ate their own stories through art.
gether. The next time you lock up your
students so that each student can
There’s no doubt that Gina’s use of
bike rack on Gina’s creative works of
get the individual attention they need
creative functionality has benefited
art, consider stopping by her studio
in order to feel comfortable and in-
the community greatly. Four years
to take some classes on how to fuse
spired in their environment. The class
ago, bicyclists helplessly searched for
glass to create a colorful masterpiece.
begins with the introduction of tools,
potential sturdy platforms to lock their
You’ll reach a deeper understanding
safety procedures and a step-by-step
bikes to. Now, they can easily spot one
of art that will inspire you to pursue
process on how to create beautiful
with a twist of funky personality dedi-
creative functionality on your own.
pieces with glass. By the end of the
cated entirely to them. Functionality is
day, students feel closer to each other
art’s best form because it becomes in-
than they were before. Most impor-
tegrated with our lifestyle. Over time,
tantly, they feel more connected to
we realize its importance masking its
art and gain a greater appreciation for
beauty. Through creative functional-
1201 R STREET
its beauty. This is the accomplishment
ity, the Sacramento community has
1401 28TH STREET
ENCE TO CREATING ART. Classes consist of eight to ten
FIND HER WORKS ON: 2318 K STREET BY 12TH & K STREET 1730 BROADWAY
3418 FOLSOM BLVD
NEW EXHIBITIONS Coming this January 2014
UPCOMING SHOWS // AFRICAN AMERICAN ART HARLEM RENAISSANCE, CIVIL RIGHTS ERA & BEYOND // SAM FRANCIS FIVE DECADES OF ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM FROM CALIFORNIA COLLECTIONS // THE PROVOKE ERA JAPANESE PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE COLLECTION OF SFMOMA // THE NATURE OF WILLIAM S. RICE ARTS & CRAFTS PAINTER AND PRINTMAKER// OUR AMERICA: THE LATINO PRESENCE IN AMERICAN ART
- 2 1 6 O ST REET • DOWN T OWN SACRA M E NT O • 9 1 6 8 0 8 7 0 0 0 • CR O CKE R A R T M U S E U M . O R G -
STARVING CREATIVE NO MORE FULL OF NEW OPPORTUNITY, THE CREATIVE CLASS RE-ESTABLISHES THEMSELVES IN OUR WORKFORCE. shaggy late 20’s early 30’s guy
tions that might not exist now,
synonymous with low salaries.
living in a studio apartment,
can be the next big thing as more
One reason behind this is that
scraping by with his so-called
businesses rely on the web and
before the Internet boom, most
talents. But today, someone who
mobile devices to relay informa-
creative jobs were those of fine
has the title of ‘Creative’ might
tion to customers all around the
artists. Even though there has
be that tech wiz making a 6-fig-
world. Here is a little insight on
been an influx in creative jobs that
ure income working for compa-
some creative career choices
have breached into the corporate
nies like Google or Apple.
Creative jobs have always been
world, the public’s perception is
Jobs in this industry are con-
still a bit skewed. They still have
tinuously changing and new titles
the idea that a creative is some
are being made all the time. Posi-
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REP
ORTED MEDIAN
FRE
ELA
NCE
ISSUE 01
P. 34 & 35
RATES
ART DIRECTOR | $75/hr
MOTION GRAPHICS | $75/hr
PHOTOGRAPHER | $100/hr
WEB DESIGNER | $50/hr
ENGINEER | $80/hr
ARCHITECT | $30/hr
PRINT DESIGNER | $45/hr
COPY WRITER | $45/hr
APP DESIGNER | $85/hr
* Statistics are provided by AIGA design salaries, salaries.com and AIA compensation report.
SMALL BUSINESSES,
BIG IDEAS
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P. 3 06 1 && 0 32 7
Local businesses tap into design to create unique experiences for their customers
ARTICLE & PHOTOS / WILLIAM LEUNG
When locals think of Sacramento, design isn’t usually the first thing to come to mind. P L A C E S L I K E Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and New York seem to resonate design more than Sacramento, especially in their architecture and urban city lifestyle. Businesses at these metropolitan cities whole-heartedly adopt good design practices and set the standards for other local businesses. From exterior to interior, these small businesses really pay attention to all the details. Sacramento on the other hand, hasn’t quite reached it’s full potential. The city has a wealth of great business concepts but so often, these business owners have a hard time seeing it through. However, some have been able to take big business strategies and find success. In doing so, there has been a progression of creativity and growth in the Sacramento business scene.
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ISSUE 01
However, business can still be successful without having comprehensive branding. That’s why branding and design is such a low To really understand why design
priority for so many small
should be important to business
business owners. The real
owners, they first need to understand
question is what value does
branding. Branding isn’t just a logo or a product; it is something that triggers associations in a customer’s mind. It is the experience people have
a business with less brand presence have “ M A N Y O W N E R S S T I L L
compared to one that does?
CAN’T SEE THAT
when they walk into your business and the perception they have towards
That value has
VALUE AND THEY BE-
it. Branding can be doing activities
no number but
and communications that reinforce a
can be felt at
brand, i.e., what a company is known.
local businesses
It is also the elements that make up a brand. That can be the logo, packag-
like Hot Italian, Devine Gelateria,
ing, colors, reputation for customer service, low prices, high quality, etc.
COME CONTENT WITH THEIR SUCCESS. BUT SUCCESS AND GROWTH ARE TWO
& LowBrau. That unquantifiable
DIFFERENT THINGS.”
experience is what modern customers seek nowadays. It is also what businesses should strive for too. Many owners still can’t see that value and become content with their success. But success and growth are two different things.
P. 38 & 39
HOT ITALIAN, DEVINE GELATERIA, AND LOWBRAU HAVE DEFINITELY PUT THEIR MARK DESIGN-WISE ON SACRAMENTO, PUN INTENDED.
T H E S E P L A C E S are hip and keep people coming back. These businesses give customers a new experience. They all tell a very different story in their branding by tapping into the “customer experience.” Everything from the exterior design, interior design, logo, menu, atmosphere all the way to how the workers talk to you attribute to that customer experience. It inherently strengthens the company and what it stands for. Customers get more than just a product and in turn are more loyal and value that company more. Big companies like Coca Cola, Starbucks and Google use the same strategy to resonate their product and values into customer’s minds. They’ve gone out of their way to get their customers to live there with the oversized couches and free wifi. Even the types of music and art on the wall induce a feeling represented by Starbucks. That feeling never changes and customers rely on it. These branding strategies have always been a part of big companies and smaller businesses are finally catching onto the success.
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ISSUE 01
P. 01 & 02
C L A Y N U T T I N G , part owner of LowBrau attributes much of their success as a business to branding & design. “I think design has helped build a connection between our business and our guests. At the heart of our concept, we are a beer and sausage joint, our brand tells a deeper and more meaningful story to our guests and showcases the soul of our business. On any given day, people can be spotted all along their patio enjoying craft beers and packed inside their large picnic tables. With an events and marketing background, he helped create a place where people can get behind and have fun at. Everything they did serves a purpose; to make their business
when they walk into your business and the percep-
succeed and continue growing.
tion they have towards it. It is also the elements that make up a brand. That can be the logo,
T O R E A L L Y understand why design should
packaging, colors, reputation for customer ser-
be important to business owners, they first need to
vice, low prices, high quality, etc.
understand branding. Branding isn’t just a logo or a
O T H E R L O C A L businesses haven’t had
product; it is something that triggers associations in
such an immediate impact like LowBrau. When
a customer’s mind. It is the experience people have
asked why he thinks others do not invest, Clay responded, “I think they are tentative to invest. Starting a business can be very expensive and if you are not comfortable with knowing how to appropriately create a brand, it can seem like a daunting task and maybe an expensive process to get it right, so they end up just having a logo and assets haphazardly put together and call it a day.”
AT THE END OF THE DAY, a company can not succeed without a good product. Branding can only help so much. Even though branding can visually make an impact, it is still only an identifier of the product. Devine Gelateria is known for their homemade specialty flavors of gelato and delicious desserts. The brand revolves around what they sell which is key for a successful business. Whether it is gelato, pizza, or hot dogs and beers, you have to ask yourself these questions: does it cater to the people in the surrounding areas, is it something that fills a need, is it practical and amongst all, how much does it cost? Every time a person drives Devine Gelateria, they see the logo and windows. Every time someone hears the name, they think of gelato.
Our brand tells a deeper and more
Locals all know that Sacramento will never be one of those large metropolitan
meaningful story to our guests and showcases the soul of our business.
areas. The closest we have to city life is Downtown/Midtown. Even then, there is a lot to offer. Businesses who are not afraid to take the next step in creating a refreshing
Branding reinforces the business with
experience have made an effect in the local
more points of association and it also gives
economy. People are out more, enjoying
creates an opportunities to expand. Deciding
foods, hanging out with friends and taking in
to open a business is a daunting task let alone put branding as a high priority. If the product has value, then everything else that is associated can either raise its values or lessens it.
all the new experiences. It makes the city as a whole feel more hip and trendy. Sacramento is surly coming into its own as a nest for good music, good food and good design. The movement towards a better visual and
creative community has slowly begun and with time, Sacramento can transform into a city with a lot of quality businesses with exceptional customer experience.
F L U X Q U A R T E R LY
SMALL DETAILS THAT GO THE EXTRA MILE
ISSUE 01
P. 4 2 & 4 4