An attempt to mitigate this problem and add context to web content is what is called the “semantic web.”  However, this idea has faced many problems and has never become standardized.

Metaweb has essentially created a solution to the problem of adding context by flipping the problem on its head. Rather than each content producer having to add semantic context to their content, Metaweb has created a huge database of already categorized content that producers can refer to in their websites.

One example Metaweb gives is the University of California, Berkeley. This university is also referred to as CAL, UCB, UC Berkeley and many others. Yet, all of these synonyms refer to the same “entity” – which is a lot like a noun — a person, place or thing.  Metaweb has cataloged this particular entity in its database, therefore when a person using their software refers to CAL or UC Berkeley it will point to the cataloged reference of University of California, Berkeley.

This “mapping” from plain text to “entities” provides many benefits including being able to better define relationships among web content, easier content updating and far better search features.

By acquiring this company, Google is making a statement that they support this technology and hopefully we will see it being integrated into their current product line. This could be a huge plus for not only web developers and content producers but also offer web users vastly more accurate search results.

A special thanks to all of our in kind donors: Southern Wine and Spirits , Publix, 71 Proof, In Tents Events, Target, Turkey Hill Farm,  Market Square Liquors, and New Leaf Market.

Check out our latest video to learn more about the “Sweeter Side” event.

At Onyx Group we believe that good design results in positive change. With each “Sweeter Side” event we, as individuals and a community, can work together to design a positive future. Check back in with us at  www.onyxcreates.com for information on our future “Sweeter Side” events.

Here are some useful strategies to help satisfy and motivate the new generation of employees:

Real-time Feedback: The traditional performance management process has become ineffective. Gen Y needs real-time feedback, positive and negative, in order to make necessary adjustments required for successful performance.

Communication: Gen Y is comprised of extreme communicators and is accustomed to using a variety of media to communicate. Taking advantage of social media tools can help centralize communication among the members of the organization and reinforce key messaging from management to staff.

Mentoring: By establishing a mentoring program, organizations present Gen Y with the opportunity to develop their career path within the organization and learn from experienced employees. In addition this allows for reverse mentoring to occur, as Gen Y can teach members of older generations how to use technology to increase overall efficiency.

Time/Place Flexibility: Shifting focus from hours-worked to results-achieved and allowing flexibility in location can allow employees to work at the time/place that best maximizes their productivity.

For additional management tips read the full  Developing a New Paradigm for Managing Gen Y article.

Onyx collaborated with the Georgia Peach Commission to create a website that helped to raise awareness of the beautiful and delicious Georgia Peach. The goal was to create a site that contained information about the health benefits and history of the peach, in addition to “The Peach Promise,” which allows customers to request Georgia Peaches in their local grocery store.

The Challenge:

The Georgia peach has been a model fruit – with its beautiful color, delicious taste and hardy qualities.  The challenge was to work alongside the Georgia Peach Commission to build a site that brought all of the local growers together to highlight the history, value and sweetness of the Georgia Peach.  Furthermore, the need to promote “The Peach Promise” was a main priority.

The Site:

The Georgia Peach website was developed around a new, simple brand; “Sweet Georgia Peaches.”  This slogan helped to carry the design of the site to be simple yet offer an array of resources to the peach connoisseur.  The site offers a variety of information such as recipes, history, information about the growers and about events happening during the agri-tourism season.

Design:

The colors: What other colors would be appropriate for the colors of the peach.  The peach and the burnt rouge colors along with a splash of green and the complimentary blue were used.

The image: Due the natural beauty of the peach and all of its delights, bold images of the peach were used for the graphics.

Content:

The copy emphasized the benefits of the peach.  Such as its well-rounded nutritional value, the great price and the durability of the fruit.  The content also focused on the history of the peach and the current growers, many of whom have a long history with the peach.

The Results:

The site offers a fresh and crisp design that truly reminds you that the Georgia peach is versatile, delicious and beautiful.  With recipes, nutritional information, news, events and history – the site reaches a broad array of interests and customers.

We have already raised over $3300 cash donations and over $1000 with in-kind donations. This is going to be a great event to network and to give back to a cause that is in definite need. There will be vast array of Pastries and Wine for tastings.

A few items from our menu:

• Vanilla Bean Goat Cheesecake with Citrus Tuile and Blackberry and Basil Compote
• Rosemary Pinenut Tart with Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise
• Earl Gray, Lavender + Vanilla Chocolate Truffles
• Chocolate Brownie Cookie
• Rosemary Foccacia with Grapes
• And a  variety of cheeses, crackers, fruit and wine!

Event Details:

Design is about optimism.

Designers are always looking for ways to improve how we live. From large-scale engineering feats such as new high-rise building techniques to the smallest microchip – good design has improved our quality of life remarkably.

Design is about learning from the past and looking forward. The Gulf Oil Spill has touched the hearts of everyone I know – but especially my friends and family who live in North Florida and across the Southeast. Fisherman, sailors, outdoorsmen, birdwatchers and even crunchy granola kayakers share the same sorrow. This is our common ground. It is also a chance to look forward in a positive way.

The oil spill is yet another reminder that good design is needed. It is another reminder that America’s roots as a world leader began with innovative minds that have spearheaded new technologies for centuries. We can still be that leader. It is another reminder that we, as Americans, need to look forward and design a better way of life – not just for future generations – but for ourselves. We are designers and we can design a diverse portfolio of new and old energy technologies that will bring us to a sustainable energy age.

I am optimistic that we can achieve this. And the Gulf Oil Spill is a reminder to us that we should not compromise on good design.

At Onyx Group we are hosting a fundraiser to benefit Apalachicola Riverkeeper (www.apalachicolariverkeeper.org), a non-profit organization with a mission of finding solutions to preserve and protect our local waters. The event is called “The Sweeter Side” – because we believe that good design results in positive change. We, as individuals, a community and a nation have a lot of work ahead of us – but we will get there because deep down, we are all designers.

Event Details:

http://onyxcreates.com/the-sweeter-side ]]> http://onyxcreates.com/2010/05/the-sweeter-side/feed/ 0 http://onyxcreates.com/2010/05/facebook-crowned-top-ad-publisher/ http://onyxcreates.com/2010/05/facebook-crowned-top-ad-publisher/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 16:05:35 +0000 nick http://onyxcreates.com/?p=1976 With the vast array of possible places to spend your advertising budget online, Facebook has topped many other ad publishers to take the crown as top ad publisher. In the first quarter, Facebook beat Yahoo by over 40 billion ads, nothing to laugh about.  With over 400 million users, it’s no wonder why Facebook is seeing such high numbers. Learn more on Facebook’s rise to the fame as top ad publisher.

www.inc.com

www.facebook.com

Onyx collaborated with Ziffer Stansberry Public Relations to create a brand and website for a statewide project to educate Floridians about reducing, recycling and reusing their retail plastic bags. The goal was to raise awareness of the useful lifecycle of plastic bags.

The Challenge:

The iconic plastic bag has gotten a bad wrap. The majority of people are not aware that they can be recycled through retailers who offer public collection bins outside of their stores. Consequently, the bag is often discarded after arriving home – instead of being dropped off for recycling and thus, given a second chance to be useful.  While some people may reuse plastic bags around the house, they oftentimes don’t realize there are a plethora of other uses for them.

The challenge was to work closely with the client to create a high profile brand and a fun, interactive and educational website that could be used for a statewide educational campaign to attract and inspire people of all ages to recycle and reuse their plastic bags. Key requirements were an easy-to-use locator for plastic bag drop off via zip code with mapping, a mobile app, and Video Contest capabilities through You Tube, a news update feed and social networking.

The Brand:

A Bag’s Life was created to bring the plastic bag to life — giving it an identity and emotional connection. The human-centered approach to design was carried through in the copy on messaging, including the website, where the bag appears to talk in first person, and by creating facial expression imagery on the bag itself.

Design:

The colors: A light blue was chosen to keep a friendly atmosphere with the bag’s personality. An icon on the website was designed to take on a life of its own, smiling when it’s happy, frowning when it’s not. Website copy suggests that individuals should stop up and do their part to address litter and waste rather than blame the bag if it’s not being recycled or reused.

The logo: The bag, with its personality, became the brand. In addition, dotted playful type was used to further bring the brand to life.

The typography: It was essential to be bold with the messaging: “Don’t Treat Me Like Trash” and “Gimme A Second Chance.” There should be no question that plastic bags deserve another life and not be needlessly discarded, when other useful opportunities await it.

Content:

The copy emphasizes the benefits for reducing, recycling and reusing plastic bags. A handy locator tab that is constant on every page allows the user to plug in their zip code and find the nearest recycling drop off site within 10,  25 or 50 miles and then Google maps drives them to the location. A Video Contest for state residents also is designed to get participation from the public and further the emotional connection, so that people could tell their own stories.

The Results:

The design was based on clear marketing objectives and resulted in a strong professional yet human-centered presence for A Bag’s Life.  There was a successful launch on Earth Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee where the brand appeared on buttons, bags and even a pirate ship playground made from recycled plastic “lumber.”   Several high-profile partners, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Retail Association and the Florida Recycling Partnership have joined the effort.

1. Focus on the eyes – It’s that simple. The eyes are the most important part of the photo – so make sure they are tack sharp. Manual focus will help you get the results you need.

2. Framing – Do not center frame everything. Diving into some photography ‘rules’ – you want to practice the “Rule of Thirds.” Imagine the picture with a tic-tac-toe board over the frame – you want the focus to be on a “line” or “corner” in  1/3 or 2/3 of the frame. This example will help you imagine the lines.

3. Separate the subject – While on-location portraits are also about the environment the main focus is on the subject. Separating the subject from the background will get your great results. This is achieved by using a longer lens; 50mm or ideally 80mm+ achieves great results. In conjunction with a long lens, a shallow depth of field is achieved with the use of open F –stops i.e. ƒ1.8, ƒ2.0, ƒ2.8. Here are examples showing the difference.

4. Click & Process – Once you have your settings dialed in, focused on the eyes and properly frame – release the shutter. After the picture is taken, that isn’t the end though. Upload to your computer, open your photo-editing software and being processing the image. A few basic things to enhance the image – contrast, sharpening, saturation, color temperature. See below images for before and after.

I hope this has given you a little insight on getting better on-location portraits. Small increments make the big differences, but there is a lot to keep on your mind when you’re ready to release that shutter. Happy clicking!

We believe that business and creativity must be balanced in order to achieve marketing success. Regardless of the buzz around a certain approach the major question should always be, will this be profitable? So, have you been wondering if social media really is worth your time?

According to the 2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report the answer is a resounding YES! The study’s findings show that social media use can be both profitable and effective as a marketing strategy.

Social media was identified as being instrumental in closing business deals. In fact 74% of small business owners who were early adopters say it’s helped them close business.

Additionally, social media use increases overall web exposure. Respondents reported higher traffic to their sites and 73% of respondents reported a significant rise in search engine rankings.

Finally, the study show that social media is increasingly cost effective. Almost half (48%) of respondents said social media reduced their overall marketing expenses this is and increase form the 35% who reported savings on last year’s survey.