Why, that's just RDQLUS!

I've mentioned Identity Crisis contributor, cyber design community buddy, and real world friend Steve Gordon previously in this blog. However, I do want to thank him for them mention of the book on Str8 Up RDQLUS.

The release of Identity Crisis 'across the pond?'

I've been getting an increasing number of questions, on design forums and via email, about the release of Identity Crisis!: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands in the U.K. and throughout Europe. It looks like the distributor for that region of the world, David & Charles has the book scheduled for a December 2007 release.

The book is available for pre-sales on the Amazon.com sites in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Do keep an eye on the shelves of your local independent bookstores - it may appear earlier than expected.

'The Persuader' persuades othersto give Identity Crisis! a look

When originally planning the book Identity Crisis!, I knew that I wanted to include Jack Yan, publisher of Lucire and CEO of the global media and communications company Jack Yan & Associates, in some capacity. I was honored when he agreed to be a W.O.W. (Words of Wisdom) contributor.

This evening I was checking out his blog, The Persuader, and was incredibly surprised and flattered to see that he had written about the book today. Thank you very much, Jack!

Words On The Page posts 'Identity Crisis!' words

I wanted to thank writer and editor Lori Widmer for sending me some "link love" from her blog Words On The Page. Lori and I have been bumping into each other on writing forums and other Internet sites for several years. Thanks Lori!

Inkthinker gives "Identity Crisis!" virtual ink

Cyber-friend, and sometimes client, Kristen King has given Identity Crisis! some virtual press on her copywriting blog, Inkthinker (and it's so nice that her blog and my book cover are color coordinated!). Thanks Kristen!

Identity Crisis! found on biznik home page

This morning I got an email newsletter from biznik (Business Networking That Doesn't Suck) mentioning that the site had teamed up with Ilise Benun and Marketing Mix to offer a steady stream of new business tips on the home page.

There on biznik's home page, under the heading "Indie biz tips from Marketing Mix," was Ilise's Marketing Mix blog entry about Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands.

Not a bad way to start the day...

Identity Crisis! shows up on Dexinger

I just had an email from a designer friend letting me know that they had spotted Identity Crisis! on the homepage of the international design portal Dexinger this morning (above). They also posted an additional blurb in the news section - as well as my complete press release. Thanks Dexinger!

It's Ilise Benun's fault...

When people ask me how I got into writing articles about design, and eventually writing books on design topics, I will sometimes jokingly tell them it's Ilise Benun's fault. Back in 2000 HOW Books released her book Self Promotion Online: Marketing Your Creative Services Using Web Sites, Email and Digital Portfolios, and my own marketing and promotion efforts were featured several times in the volume. While my design work had been featured in a number of books prior to that time, Ilise's book brought my self-promotion methods and writing to the attention of a lot of people. Opportunities to be interviewed by other writers and authors, write articles for magazines and websites, and eventually write my first book, followed.

Fast forward seven years and Ilise Benun is known as one of powerhouses behind the Marketing Mentor. Ilise and I have kept in touch since she first interviewed me back in 1999. We usually have the opportunity to catch up in person at the annual HOW Design Conferences, where we both will speak again in 2008.

This morning, Ilise gave my new book, Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands, a great mention on The Marketing Mix blog. Thank you, Ilise!

By the way, Ilise and Peleg Top (her Marketing Mentor "partner-in-crime") present the first of HOW Magazine's Grow Your Design Business From Your Desktop Webinar series - "Get Rich in a Niche" - tomorrow, September 27th.

Graphics.com newsletter plugs Identity Crisis!

The design industry resource Graphics.com featured Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands as one of their "New Resources" in their newsletter yesterday. Watch for an exclusive Identity Crisis! online excerpt on the site in the near future.

Thanks for the exposure Graphics.com!

Toot! Toot!*: Jeff Fisher is having an Identity Crisis!

(This is the press release I have been sending out to a variety of resources over the weekend.)

24 September 2007
For immediate release

(Portland, Ore) -- Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands, the new book from Jeff Fisher, the Engineer of Creative Identity for the Portland-based design firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, has been released by publisher HOW Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc. The book is currently available from all major online booksellers and will soon be on bookstore shelves internationally.

Identity Crisis! takes a fresh look at 50 before and after case studies, from designers and firms from around the world, by exploring the process of redesigning existing identities to help businesses refine their image, communicate with customers, and find success. Designers seeking inspiration - and any business considering a graphic makeover - will be presented an inside look at the challenges of redesigning identities and visual examples of creative and strategic thinking in achieving the desired results.

Jack Anderson, of the Seattle firm Hornall Anderson Design Works wrote the foreward for Identity Crisis! "Words of Wisdom," throughout the book, were provided by Sean Adams/AdamsMorika, Inc, Bob Domenz/Avenue, Tony Spaeth/Identityworks, Debbie Millman/Sterling Brands, Jack Yan/Jack Yan & Associates, design educator and author Robin Landa, Robynne Raye/Modern Dog Design Co., Mark E. Sackett/Reflectur, and the author.

Case studies presented in the volume include projects from the following firms: 3 Dogz Creative Inc. (Toronto, ONT, Canada), Advertising By Design (Clermont, FL USA), angryporcupine*design (Park City, UT USA), Avenue (Chicago, IL USA), b-design (San Diego, CA USA), biz-R (Totnes, Devon, UK), Brainforest, Inc. (Chicago, IL USA), Breathewords (Caldas da Rainha, Portugal), CC Graphic Design (Salt Lake City, UT USA), Common Sense Design (New Hamburg, ONT Canada), Connacher Design (Stamford, CT USA), Finamore Design (Brooklyn, NY USA), Fullblast, Inc. (Portland, OR USA), Glitschka Studios (Salem, OR USA), Graphicwise, Inc. (Irvine, CA USA), Hornall Anderson Design Works (Seattle, WA USA), and Identityworks (Rye, NY USA).

Other firms represented include: Jeff Fisher LogoMotives (Portland, OR USA), John Silver Design Bothell, WA (USA), MasonBaronet (Dallas, TX USA), Mayhem Studios (Los Angeles, CA USA), Modern Dog Design Co. (Seattle, WA USA), MyBrand (Lisbon, Portugal), nHarmony, Inc. (Muncie, IN USA), Octavo Designs (Frederick, MD USA), Paragon Integrated Marketing Communications (Salmiya, Kuwait), RDQ - Rdqlus Design Quantum (Omaha, NE USA), Round2 Communications - R2i (Baltimore, MD USA), Sayles Graphic Design (Des Moines, IA USA), Shapiro Design Associates Inc. (Irvington, NY USA), Shine Advertising Co. (Madison, WI USA), Sockeye Creative (Portland, OR USA), Studio GT&P (Foligno, PG Italy), Subplot Design Inc. (Vancouver, BC Canada), and Willoughby Design Group (Kansas City, MO USA)

Title: Identity Crisis! 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities Into Successful Brands
Hardbound: 216 pages
Publisher: HOW Books, an imprint of F+W Publications
Release: September 2007
ISBN: 1581809395
Price: $35.00

For more information, visit the Identity Crisis! blog. A downloadable PDF file of some teaser spreads is also available from the publisher at HOW Blog.

Jeff Fisher has received nearly 575 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts. His work is featured in nearly 100 books on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, design education, and small business marketing. In addition, Fisher also writes for CreativeLatitude.com, HOW Magazine and other design resources; and speaks about the design profession to high school classes, college students, and at international design industry events.

Fisher is a member of the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, the HOW Design Conference Advisory Council and the UCDA Designer Magazine Editorial Advisory Board. His first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success, was released by HOW Design Books in late 2004.

(* If I don't "toot!" my own horn, no one else will.)

Identity Crisis! is currently shipping...

I got word this afternoon, from my publisher HOW Books, that my book Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands is in the process of being shipped to bookstores around the world. The "official" release date has been posted as October 27th - but you should be able to find it in stores before that date. The websites of Amazon.com and most online booksellers currently say the book is "In Stock," so I would suspect those who have pre-ordered the book should be receiving it soon. I hope everyone enjoys Identity Crisis!

Area of Design gives Identity Crisis! a 'toot!'

One of my personal favorite design and art websites, Area of Design, just gave my book Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands some great exposure on their homepage and in the news section of the site. Thanks, Area of Design!

Back in April 2005 the site was kind enough to do an "In The Spotlight" feature on some guy named Jeff Fisher.

HOW Blog posts Identity Crisis! sneak peek

For those interested in taking a closer look at the visual teaser pages of Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands, a downloadable PDF has been posted on the HOW Blog.

The document includes a look at the table of contents (above), and projects from Shine Advertising Co., Willoughby Design Group and Subplot Design.

Identity Crisis! was also featured this weel in the "Book Watch" section of the HOW Magazine e-newsletter with the following description:

"Identity Crisis takes a fresh look at this common subject by exploring the process of redesigning existing identities to help businesses refine their images, communicate with customers, and find success. You'll get an inside look at the challenges of redesigning identities and see the creative and strategic thinking behind fresh design work."

HOW Books is the publisher of Identity Crisis! - and they also published my first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success back in 2004. In addition, I serve on the HOW Magazine Editorial Advisory Board and the HOW Conference Advisory Council.

Look for Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands on your bookstore shelves in October.

Image: Copyright © 2007 Jeff Fisher • Used with permission of author and HOW Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc.

A W.O.W. from Identity Crisis!

Scattered throughout my new book, Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands, are "Words of Wisdom" (W.O.W.) from a great group of design industry experts. I asked these individuals to contribute comments, for both designers and clients, in regards to the identity re-design process.

One of my favorite pieces of advice, directed at clients needing a new business or organization identity, is from Robin Raye of Modern Dog Design Co.:

"Find a designer you can trust, and then trust them."

You will be able to check out the other W.O.W. comments in Identity Crisis! when the book hits the shelves of bookstores worldwide in October.