Articles

Content about design, branding and social media

Design Inspiration - Trapper Keepers & Caboodles (Late ’80s–’90s)

Great design does not happen by accident. In this Design Inspiration series, we explore iconic creative eras to understand not just how they looked—but why they worked. By studying the strategy, constraints, and ingenuity behind historic design movements, we uncover timeless principles still shaping branding, marketing, and design today. In this article, we revisit the loud, colorful world of Trapper Keepers, Caboodles, and school-supply design from the late ’80s and early ’90s—a joyful era when even the most practical products were designed to feel expressive, exciting, and full of personality.

Design Inspiration - Bomber Jacket & Nose Art (WWII–Vietnam Era)

Great design does not happen by accident. In this Design Inspiration series, we explore iconic creative eras to understand not just how they looked—but why they worked. By studying the strategy, constraints, and ingenuity behind historic design movements, we uncover timeless principles still shaping branding, marketing, and design today. In this article, we examine the bold world of bomber jacket and military nose art—an expressive design movement born from danger, identity, and the deeply human need to leave a mark.

Design Inspiration - Hip-Hop Flyers in the Bronx (1970s–80s)

Design Inspiration - Why We’re Looking Back to Move Forward

There’s an unspoken pressure in every design discipline—graphic design, web, fashion, architecture, product—to always be chasing what’s next. New tools. New trends. New aesthetics. New platforms. New buzzwords. But somewhere along the way, many designers discover something unexpected: looking backward can be just as exhilarating as looking ahead. That realization sparked this new blog series.

Watching the Magic of College Sports Fray—Right Before Our Eyes

The winner of the 2026 College Football National Championship has been decided. College sport feels as polished and profitable as ever. Bigger broadcasts. Louder hype. Endless analysis. From the outside, college football looks strong—maybe even unstoppable. But beneath the spectacle, something feels unstable.

Timeless Legends: The Underappreciated Icons That Stood the Test of Time

In a world obsessed with the latest innovations, some products quietly endure, becoming beloved fixtures in our lives. They might not grab headlines, but their legacy is woven into the fabric of everyday life. Let’s shine a spotlight on a few underappreciated modern-day legends that have stood the test of time.

When Rebrands Meet Reality

A funny thing happens when brands treat a new logo like the introduction of the first iPhone. Under the studio lights, everything feels momentous. Out in the wild, a logo is just a shape with words—instantly subjected to the unruly physics of public feedback.

So Here's Something...

There are two reasons why a company's website isn't updated. One, that everything is going wrong. Two, everything is going right. Good news is that the second is true for us.

The 1960s and the Golden Age of Automobile Advertising

One my favorite aspects of being a designer is that inspiration can come from anywhere. In fact, it's when you look outside of your medium is when your creativity begins to spark.

What if the Future of Social Media Feels Like Cable TV?

The world's most innovative companies have run out of ideas and now just copy one another. Instagram and YouTube are hoping to be TikTok, and it appears that all three platforms are inadvertently recreating television.

Vintage Stripes are Having a Moment

Is it just me? It seems like the best stripes from the 1970s and 1980s are making the world more lovely here in the 2020s. Today in the blog, I am showcasing four companies that make irresistible stuff with vintage, on-brand stripes.

COVID's Lasting Impact on the Workplace is... Good.

We were all there. It was one of the most abrupt paradigm shifts in human history. For almost a century, most people worked in an office building. Then a couple days later, no human on earth worked in an office building.

Understanding the 4 Levels of Work | Career Advice for Graduates

College graduates, this is the most succinct career advice I can give. The simplest, most powerful way to understand your career is this: you are hired to solve problems. The more complex the problem you solve, the more awesome your career.

Good Design Acknowledges the Dignity of the Human Person

When people think of design, we often think of style, maybe glamour. Words like “designer” conjure up images of lifestyle and a prestigious profession. In this blog, I want to go in the opposite direction. These are real stories about how designers themselves have used their talent to create a world that is more human and fraternal.

Cool Office Ideas - Rethinking the Places Where We Work

The concept of "the office" has never been more vague. After 2+ years of working from home, Americans have done "work work" from just about everywhere but the office building itself.

Designers Having Fun, Optical Illusions in Ordinary Life

So it's been a pretty serious couple of years, hasn't it? Let's have some fun. Here are some designers having fun and bringing a little bit of magic too! These are fun illusions and playful products that bring delight and mischief into ordinary places.

How to Spot a Conman, Part III - The Internet Business Guru

This is the final blog in my 3-part series on conmen. This series doesn't fit on a company website. But I'm tired of seeing these characters in and around my industry. I want to shine a light on their schemes. We'll all be better for it. You have 10 minutes to save the world, right?

How to Spot a Conman, Part II - The Guru / Motivational Coach

In the last blog, I warned young people about the conmen that float about in trusted circles--in your community, around the university, and even your church. This blog is different. I want to expose younger, savvier conmen who use social media and our modern tools to scam people out of money. You'll never meet these people in real life, but you've already met them online.

How to Spot a Conman, Part I: The Networker

This is an open letter to young people. I want to warn you about the conmen you will soon encounter in your professional life. These people are confident, charming, and seem very successful. But they are posers. They will bring you down. They can ruin your dreams.

If You Aren't Being Judged, You Are Being Ignored.

A great many of people never outgrow the self-doubt that began in high school. It may not show up in that high school topics and interactions, but it's still there throughout adulthood. It's what makes adults vulnerable to political pressure, or to be agreeable to others even when it means abandoning our beliefs.

Will A.I. Steal Your Job?

The hype around technology moves faster than the technology itself. Perhaps your job is doomed, at least the job you have today, but you have time to move along to something new. Maybe something even better?

Unintended Consequences

Our great leaps in humanity never land us softly in Utopia. We land hard, and when we wipe the dust from our eyes, we see new problems that we could’ve never imagined.

Electrification and the New Golden Age of Automobile Design

Designers of electric vehicles aren’t obligated to round off every corner to reduce drag. Designers can carve vehicles with confidence and audacity. Proof? The ridiculous Cybertruck from Tesla.

No Title will Suffice

This was going to be a blog summarizing what we've been up to since the pandemic upended life as we know it. For anyone keeping score, it's been 14 months and only one blog post to our website. In fact, this is my fifth attempt to write this blog. The other four blogs are still marked as "drafts" here on our website, that holding place for incomplete ideas. Let's instead talk about those...

2020* ← Let’s Talk about that Big Fat Asterisk

I would like to suggest that we always write the year "2020" with an asterisk. Every email, every social media post, any reference to this calendar year deserves a big fat asterisk. Go ahead, try it. It feels good to put that asterisk at the end, and offer no explanation: 2020*

If You Love Art, You Should Hate the Art World

We suspended objective judgement of beauty, now we are unable to separate the artists from the con-artists. It was an outrageous 100 years, but it’s over.

Secret: Some Logos are Easier to Design than Others

Some companies are lucky by having the right mix of letters in their actual name. Of the 26 letters in the English alphabet, some letters are blessed with good genes that make them visually balanced and interesting. Other letters are awkward and less fortunate. Who's ready to nerd-out with me?

10 Life-Giving Work Habits

Sometimes it’s the little habits that you pick up that can have the biggest impact on your productivity.

Redesigning Your Logo? 5 Most Common Branding Mistakes to Avoid

Designers can be very pretentious when they talk about their craft. This annoys me, so I am going to be authentic and approachable with this blog. No fancy words or fancy concepts. I genuinely want everyone to understand what it means to have a solid branding system for your company, your non-profit, for your big dream around the corner.

Color Trends: "Battleship"

Later in the blog, I want to illustrate a completely unexpected color trend of today, but first let's dispose of this idea that 1) color trends are constant and that 2) color trends are predictable. They are not.

5 Things Nobody Tells You About Work / Life Balance

A constant storyline in your life and within our society is figuring out how to reconcile work and life. How can we be successful and live a good life? If getting crazy rich isn't an option, how do we have a good work/life balance? Although there are many answers, I am convinced that most of what we've been told is insufficient. Even worse, it undermines our ability to enjoy life.

The World Agrees: Emojis are the Best / Worst Thing Ever

Today we are overwhelmed with the written word. Websites! Social media! Emails! Apps! Messaging! I'm going to guess an average adult reads 40,000 words each day. All this flying across multiple screens through each minute of the day. This is unlike anything in human history. Because it is impossible to comprehend such a volume of words, we need a new visual language to enhance what we already have. Emojis allow us to quickly grab attention and communicate emotion in a way that we never could before.

10 Fundamental Differences Between Design Gurus and Legit Designers

To become legit at anything takes time, passion, and humility. It means caring about something long after everyone around you has lost interest. It may not bring quick fame or fortune, but your gifts have tremendous potential to mend a society and culture that has battered by greed and vanity.

2020 C8 Corvette, a Harvard Case Study without an Ending

I really didn’t want to write a blog about a Corvette. As a designer, I respect the Corvette’s beginnings, back at the 1950s and 1960s when we were flying into Outer Space and flying down the roads in Space Age cars. But, I came of age in the 1990s, and by then, the Corvette didn’t inspire me at all. They decided to sell it for under $60,000.

For Social Networks to Survive, They Must Solve the Problems that They Created

In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg painted a picture Facebook could become: a place where people could connect online in new and powerful ways. We could stay in touch with friends, and make new friends easier. We arrived at that future, and now we've gone past it.

Hope for Entrepreneurs, Dispelling the First-Mover Advantage

I have some words of encouragement for ambition souls who are eager to graduate college and start a business. Or for young professionals who want to skip out of their full-time job and create something of your own. Ready? Here it is: YOU HAVE TIME.

Office Drama? Understanding the Difference between Disagreement and Disobedience

Disagreements can be essential to your company’s success. However, disobedience can undermine your team, and ultimately lead to failure. Know the difference between people who disagree, and those who disobey.

Understanding Productive Tensions

There’s a beautiful, productive tension between fundamentals vs trends. This tension informs everything that we do here at smithHOUSE, everyday.

Lessons in Adulthood: You Don't have to Put Up with Jargon

After years of effort decoding jargon and buzzwords, you realize that 90% of it is unnecessary and even meaningless. And anyone who adorns their language with jargon is usually a poser.

Summer 2019: Fun Changes to the Website and the Blog ?

We recently launched Version 3 of smithhousedesign.com, and we want to tell you about what we changed and why.

Aunt Becky Goes to Jail, Rigging the System Makes Everyone a Loser

Earlier this year a bizarre news story broke about Hollywood celebrities bribing officials to admit their children into top universities. The most famous name attached to the scandal is Aunt Becky on "Full House," IRL the ever-pretty actress Lori Laughlin. She and her husband Mossimo (1990s fashion icon) apparently paid their child’s way into the University of Southern California.

2020 VW Bus: It's Okay to Believe

VW’s emotional comeback video might make you a believer.

The Problem of Inspiration

Inspiration has never been more accessible. With Instagram and Pinterest, we are flooded with inspirational quotes juxtaposed with a selfie or an epic sunset. This trend spilled over into YouTube, where armies of pretty people are ready to inspire and life-coach you to achieve new heights in life. We are in a Golden Age of inspiration. All this inspiration is so lovely, yet so useless.

Bold People Need Encouragement Too

Today's singular American Tale goes something like this: be bold, step out and be you, and your reward is glory and success. It may be the last awesome, inspiring story that our culture knows how to tell. Tragically, this story is rarely true, and it even neglects what it means to be human.

Bold Decisions are Rarely Met with Encouragement. Make Bold Decisions Anyway.

When I look at the richest stories of the people I know best, and the grand stories of people who I wish I knew, there is an undeniable pattern--their life stories are defined by bold decisions.

Be Brave: Ask the Hard Questions

I am afraid that in most meetings, even in high-level meetings, people spend too much time posturing themselves to look cool. It’s different than “looking cool” that we all practiced in high school, but the motivation is the same. We want people to like us and think we matter.

Ecosystems and Business Strategy

We are all familiar with ecosystems. We learned about them when we were young, and most of us remain curious about ecosystems wherever we go. It’s a fascinating way to observe the world around you. It turns out that an ecosystem is a powerful way to see your company, and your long-term competitive strategy.

Rule Number 1: No Mind Reading

We all know that “mind reading” doesn’t work. Life is hard enough as it is, so it’s silly to take on the additional burden of having to decipher one another’s emotions and actions to pick up clues on an unspoken tension.

4 Signs of a Dysfunctional Workplace

I’m really embarrassed when I stumble into the dysfunctional parts of adulthood. Particularly, dysfunctional teams at companies. I wish there were a better word than “embarrassed,” but it’s the best word I have. It’s a blend of surprise, shame, and disappointment.

The Problem of Blame

It’s easy to blame others for your problems. This is true in your personal life, and in your professional life too. However convenient it is to blame others for you problems in the short term, there are long-term effects that are toxic.

The Last Blog You Should Ever Read about Millennials

Discussion about the "Millennials at Work" has become an obsession within our culture. This could be casual talk at the coffee shop, or elaborate articles in form respected news outlets. Where ever you go, there is some sort of fact or insight lifted up for all to read, yet it all the talk seems incomplete. So my goal is to end the chatter right now.

The Problem of Hindsight Bias

Hindsight bias, somehow, seems to be woven deeply into the fabric of many professions. If you expose your financial track record to a financial planner, he'll tell you all the things that you did right and wrong. This has happened for decades.

Models for Predicting the Future: Geoffrey Moore's "Crossing the Chasm"

Ok so I’m writing this blog series about models for predicting the future. Now that I’m here in Part III, I’m fully aware that the series theme of predicting the future is a bit sensational.

Models for Predicting the Future: Gartner's Hype Cycle

Everyone enjoys the hyping up technology. When that tech fails to deliver, we love to dis the tech. What goes up, must come down? Not really. With this model, you chart tech visibility with time, and you begin seeing patterns emerge patterns emerge. Those patterns are mind-blowing.

What the Internet of Things (IoT) Can Teach Us About Echo Chambers

The topic of the blog today is about hype. Trends. Predictions. If you dare make predictions about the future, you will inevitably find yourself embarrassed by your own predictions. Mostly because predictions are made in the excitement of the present moment, often when we are surrounded by like-minded people.

A Bullet-proof Strategy for Relaunching Massive Websites

Avoid unnecessary drama when relaunching your website. Our intuitive, 3-phase approach gives your powerful options to align resources for a successful project.

Wordpress or SquareSpace?

Which is better platform for building websites? Wordpress or SquareSpace. Understand the pros and cons of each platform and find what's right for you.

Digital Marketing: Where Are We Today? Where Will We Be in 5 Years?

SEO has played an outsized role in digital marketing. Is SEO important? Yes. But SEO only solves 10% of your problems. The other 90% is what matters most.

SEO in Plain Language: How has SEO changed since it became a thing?

There is a lot of confusion around the subject of Search Engine Optimization, and I hope to help out the Internet by having the audacity of speaking plain language.

SEO in Plain Language: Keyword and Key Phrase Strategy

Using keywords is obvious. But knowing which keywords are the most valuable to boost your website up Google search results is not obvious. Here's our process.

SEO in Plain Language: Once you are on Page 1 of Google Search Results, do you stay there?

Maybe. But as soon as someone else comes along wanting to be on Page 1 as well, you have to prove that your website deserves to be ranked higher.

SEO in Plain Language: How long does it take to see that SEO is working?

You should start seeing your website move up in the Google search results within a couple of months, and absolutely within 6 months.

SEO in Plain Language: When I hire a company to build my website, will they optimize our website for search engines?

Know that there was a time where SEO seemed like some sort of digital voodoo. Do not accept this! You should know what you are paying for and how it SEO works.

SEO in Plain Language: What does SEO mean? What are examples of SEO?

There is a lot of confusion around the subject of Search Engine Optimization, and I hope to help out the Internet by having the audacity to speak about a technical subject in plain language.

Job Opening: Entry-Level Web Designer at smithHOUSE

smithHOUSE is a young Phoenix-based creative agency that focuses on branding, web, and mobile. We enjoy the sweet spot that is in the intersection of design, technology, and business. We have an opening for an entry level Web Designer beginning January 1, 2017. This is a salaried position with benefits.

18 Years Later: 10 Ironic Things About “You’ve Got Mail”

Technology, society, and business have changed since the 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail” suggested you could find love online. Here are the most ironic details of the film that look ridiculous today.

Five Innovative Brands Part 4: Digital Marketing and the Power of the Tribe

There is way too much advice online for basic social media strategy. But what does it take to get to AWESOME? Today, I reveal 2 brands who are showing the way.

Five Innovative Brands, Part 3: Collaborations We're Dying To See

Great companies collaborate with one another to create something new, useful, + cool. Boost your brand's value, bring in new customers, generate perfect buzz.

Five Innovative Brands, Part 2: How to Disrupt an Industry

Each of our 5 fresh companies recognized changing climates and responded with disruptive strategies. What does this mean for you?

Five Innovative Brands, Part 1: We Have a Lot to Learn

There is a lot of noise out there about digital marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, branding and innovation. You could read 100s of blogs and just as many books, and still feel like you are missing something. This is because you’re reading about methodologies and strategies, but because these aren’t anchored in real-life examples, nothing is really gained.

Branding Phoenix: 5 Winners

Give credit to the creative visionaries who have boosted the brand of of Phoenix. Some you know, others you do not. Together, we're reshaping this city.

Branding Phoenix: 5 Losers

This blog is about singling out five places that are branding Phoenix that need some love from designers. We have seen things that we love, and we also see things that drive us crazy.

Marketing Graduates: 6 Essential Skills for a New Era of Marketing

What does it take to have successful career in a new era of marketing? How do you stay relevant in an industry in flux?

Designing a New Logo? Lessons Learned from 3 NBA Teams' New Branding

Sports teams are some of the most recognizable brands in America. One by one, college and professional teams are rebranding. Pay attention and you'll find inspiration for branding your own team.

4 Reasons Why Barack Obama Had the Perfect Visual Campaign

Do we vote on principle? Or is there visual science that persuades our votes? A close look at Obama's two campaigns reveal his statistical advantage.

Website Redesign RFP Process and RFP Template

How to find the right website design agency. Understanding the website redesign RFP process. Download a website redesign RFP template too.

What to Look for in a Website Proposal

You are ready to launch a new website for your company. You've received a website proposal from an agency. What should you look for? Tips and a free download.

Why a Website Redesign RFP Process is Like The Bachelorette

Making a new website? Which selection process will bring the write web design agency? A referral? Online research? The website redesign RFP process?

The New Logo from Instagram Marks the Beginning of the End of "Flat Design"

Contrary to social media and news reports, the new logo from Instagram challenges a core ethos of Flat Design.

Reinventing an Icon: 3 Lessons Learned from the New Converse Chuck Taylor II

Chuck Taylors are the most iconic shoe that nobody wears. That’s all about to change.

6 Reasons Why LinkedIn Sucks. As Told Through Memes.

LinkedIn has become an "essential tool for business," yet we all secretly hate it. Here's why.

8 Logos that Should Have Been Better

Each of these 8 companies had logos that are underwhelming at best. Let’s discuss their ugliness, shall we?

4 Concepts That Every Project Manager Should Know

Most of your job will be defined by projects. How well you run those projects will define your career. These 4 concepts will lift your chance of success.

Internships: Computer Science, Marketing, Graphic and Web Design

Smith House is a young Phoenix-based creative agency that focuses on branding, web, and mobile. We have internships!

Hello Apple Watch. Goodbye Fossil. Well done Shinola.

The Apple Watch is here. The wristwatch industry has to rethink itself in a brave new world. Winners. Losers, and what they can do to save themselves.

iWatch - Release the Designers

The iWatch should release the designers: graphic designers, industrial designers, experience designers.

iWatch + Health + $55 Billion in Venture Capital

Apple, I See What You Did There. Health isn't just a cool feature within iOS8, it points to Apple's next device--the iWatch.

iWatch - Make Us Fun Again

The iPhone is cool and very capable. But it has created cultural problems that we can do without. Perhaps a new device from Apple can bring back social graces? We need an iWatch.