Restore a Voice
When you look around it is easy to find a number of great causes that we want to lend our support to. But often the first question is how do I know that this is the organization I want to help out? We all would love to help every cause we hear about but the reality is that we just can’t. Many times we choose an organization that is near and dear to us for personal reasons and sometimes we hear the story and are compelled to help. I came across Restore A Voice because I knew the founder, Larry Megason has been a great friend and has been involved with other organizations that have done and continue to do great thing around the world in effort to do his part.
The Color Factory was invited to the initial meeting to brainstorm the name and the beginning of the process to create the brand. As I heard the people in the meeting discuss the main purpose was not to be a drive by mercy mission but more of a hands trying to be part of the community type solution. I heard the passion behind the purpose and I saw that what Larry wanted to do was not a pie in the sky dream but a tangible plan to give people the voice that has been lost whether through a disaster, social economics or having their lives being snatched away through the hideous crime of human trafficking.
The first thing I asked was the same question we all probably ask at this crossroad, what can I do to help. The goal is in concrete but our plans are in sand and what I am finding out is that as tough as it gets we have a choice to step off this ride, the people that we want to help do not. Please visit our site @ www.restoreavoice.org and see if you are moved to help as well.
Quiet on the Set
Being able to say we were part of the Evil Wiener’s flight to success, even if it is in a small way, compares to watching my nephew score the winning touchdown. I could not be any prouder and look for any opportunity to tell anyone that they need to run down to 15th and Rio Grande and try one of any of the 15 signature dogs they have to offer. I can only imagine the feeling Jeff, Roger and Anna must have being asked to be highlighted on the Eat Street TV show. Instant national notoriety is what is in store for them when this episode airs.
We were invited to the filming for “Eat Street” that airs on the Food Channel some time in May. I watch these shows all the time and I often laugh at the corny one liners people use when the close up of the big bite comes along. Come to find out that there is no prep time for one to come up with anything but a corny one liner. As soon as we picked up our order from the window we were followed to our seat with the camera capturing every move we made. To be honest I am on a personal quest to find my favorite hot dog but I still have a few to try before I can honestly say which one it is. So when the camera guy asked me a couple of questions after every bite I froze when he asked me which sandwich was my favorite. So I can only imagine what will come out on TV after the editors get a hold of it. One thing I know for sure and that is the Mary’s line will be aired with zero cuts, everyone busted out laughing including the camera guy after they asked her what she thought.
Being a film maker myself I love the filming process, the boom mic, the camera and light, all the commotion that goes on to get the right shot makes for one exciting time. Couple all that with the fact that this was all for some good friends and one day I can look back and say “I remember when Roger and Jeff pulled into the Starbucks parking lot with the retired FedEx truck with an amazing vision” and after an hour or so they decided to give me a chance to be part of this great ride.
Don’t forget Wiener Lover Wednesday’s, come on down you’ll fall in love at first bite.
Found Fusion
On my initial meeting with Tanya with Found Fusion, I could not help but notice just how cool of a person she was. Her hair alone tells you just how cool she is. Part of the logo design process we have at the Color Factory is to interview our clients and try to get a true feel for the vision, mission of our clients but also a better understanding of who they are. After our initial meeting I thought I knew what we were going to work up for her, but during my research I found that my ideas had been used several times before. So a second meeting was needed.
The second meeting was a charm, using the blend of materials and the idea of creating art with items that would probably be overlooked by someone else was my inspiration. Her jewelry is true art, so the logo created I wanted to to display a sculpture like icon that can stand alone and maybe one day be a piece she creates as a necklace with two different types of metal.
The Evil Wiener
So one of the newest crazes in the culinary world here in Austin ” keep it weird” Texas is curbside cuisines. Why should this make you want to take notice? There are a few out there that are amazing. One of these happens to be a client of mine.
I met Jeff and Roger at a Starbucks and I noticed that they pulled in on a FedEx truck. They laid out the idea for the Evil Wiener and the first thing that caught my attention was the lengthy thought behind the menu. The Evil Wiener will be a hot dog truck like none you have seen before. The menu consists of 15 specialty hotdogs that are going to blow you away. The challenge for the Color Factory was to design a logo for the vision that they have, again this is Austin. They did not want a cutesy dancing hotdog, they wanted a design that would bridge the generation gap between the gen x student and the seasoned attorney who will walk up to the Evil Wiener Mobile. I learned the hard way that there are wanna be’s and true chef’ these guys are legit. Follow them on twitter and Facebook and check them out at www.theevilwiener.com. And don’t be afraid of the Wiener.