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.

Identity Crisis! teaser No. 13

Here's another sneak peek at my upcoming book, Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands

The above is the third spread of the Vancouver Aquarium identity re-design submission from the folks at Subplot Design. The opening spread was posted in Identity Crisis! teaser No. 4 and a second image was revealed in Identity Crisis! teaser No.10.

Future Identity Crisis! blog entries will include news and notes related to the book. Look for the book 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.

'Identity Crisis!' contributor making his mark

Every once in a while I do a Google search to see where Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands is popping up. Tonight I was pleased to find a mention attached to one of my favorite design people - and an Identity Crisis! contributor - Steve Gordon of RDQ - Rdqlus Design Quantum. Steve's re-design for Vickie Lea Designs, Inc. adds a unique identifying mark, and some vibrant color, to my book.

The mention of Identity Crisis! appears in Gordon's contributor bio for the online design magazine Graphic Define. Check out his article Your Creative Collective.

By the way, Identity Crisis! W.O.W. contributor Debbie Millman also has a piece in the current issue - an interview will James Victore with the title How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer.

Image: Courtesy of Graphic Define.