This past weekend marks another year when companies pay boocoos of money for spots to advertise during the Super Bowl, but it was also the first year the NFL has offered free, live-streaming of the game online or via mobile phone.

Live Streaming

I only watched a small portion of the game, but I did give the live-streaming a go. Although the quality wasn’t up to par with watching the game on a big screen, the live-streaming interface had lots to offer (besides being legal and free). There were multiple camera angles to choose from, a “Twitter Battle” poll that displayed the hype of which team was being rooted for, in-game Q&A via Twitter, sideline tweets, and of course—the ads.

The Ads

In all, there were roughly 60 Super Bowl commercials for products, services, auto dealers, & TV/movie promotions. Although I feel like the Super Bowl commercials are loosing their creativity, some still retain a bit of humor or focus. You can watch all the Super Bowl 46 commercials here.

Other Super Bowl tid-bits:

1. It’s likely only the instant-purchase products notice a direct increase in sales due to Super Bowl advertising—namely Doritos, Coke, Pepsi, & Budweiser (versus auto industry ads, or service-related spots).

2. It seems the Super Bowl will be nixing the custom host stadium logos and going with a standard logo that will only get updated roman numerals. Semi-unrelated—commenters note the awkwardness that Super Bowl 50 would read “Super Bowl L”.

3. The highest Tweets per second #SuperBowl peak came at the end of the game: 12,233. 2nd highest was during Madonna’s performance: 10,245. Via Twitter.

Your Thoughts

So, did you watch the game? Were you happy with the outcome? What do you think of live-streaming being offered? And, what was your favorite Super Bowl commercial this year?

#3 Curlz

Curlz is a font you see on invitations for events that are supposed to be fun and exciting, but its overuse has caused it to look silly and amateur.

#2 Papyrus

With its rough edges and antique look, you’ll notice Papyrus used in the massage and spa industry, for (Mediterranean) restaurants and menus, representing jewelry shops, and on organic food packaging. Papyrus has become so commonplace that it’s a poor choice for any company wanting to stand out.

#1 Comic Sans

Originally designed as imitation comic book lettering, Comic Sans is one of the most overused fonts created—there are even sites dedicated to banning the font. Comic Sans is childish, immature and never taken seriously.

The fonts listed above should never be used to represent your brand, but the list goes on… Click here for a full listing of fonts to avoid »

Why does it matter what fonts I use?
Choosing an unsuitable font makes your brand:

• convey the wrong message
• look unprofessional
• illegible and unreadable
• look too generic
• confusing and unmemorable

What if I can’t find the perfect font?
Hire a design firm, because:

• design firms have tens—if not hundreds—of thousands of fonts at their disposal
• designers are aware of trends and fonts that may soon look dated
• if a perfect font can’t be found, a custom font or type treatment can be created
• design firms work hard to make sure your brand is unique and conveys the proper message

So, whether you’re flowing content into your website or typing up a document to be used in-house, refrain from using the fonts listed above and you’ll find yourself a few steps closer to a more professional, memorable brand.

1. Your online presence, captured in a single QR code
There’s more and more talk of using QR codes these days. This short video shows a great way to put QR codes to use.

2. The Fold Exists but Does it Matter?
What do you think of “the fold” when it comes to websites? Are you a designer or strictly a web user?

3. iClip lite
A super handy widget that allows multiple clipboards for all your copy/paste needs. Especially useful when flowing content from a client or storing various links and images to reference throughout a project.

4. Five Copywriting Errors That Can Ruin A Company’s Website
A great article that discusses ways to improve your website and blog by focusing on quality content.

Some favorite tips:
• Set a “word budget”
• “A well-written category-level product page talks a bit about features, a little more about benefits and a great deal more about the experience.”
• Highlight your lead sentence
• Add some meta data
• Create a call to action

5. How to Make WordPress Easier for Clients By Removing Unnecessary Menu Options
This article explains ways to make WordPress more efficient for you and your clients by removing extraneous menu items.

6. A Graphic Design Primer, Part 1: The Elements of a Design
Even if you’re a pro at design, it’s necessary to re-review the basics from time-to-time. This refresher course contains lots of great examples to browse as well.

Noteworthy Resources:

7. Letter Count
Simple, but useful. Great for pre-tweeting and also includes character limits for various online tools, e.g., Google AdSense. The Word Counter is great for practicing your word budget too.

8. Convert Case
Ever get content from a client that’s in ALL CAPS? You can thank us later.

What interesting links/resources have you run across recently that you’d like to share?

Download the GNOi App.

The main website incorporates the same list of recent apps while bringing in Touch Studios’ Twitter feed and incorporating a new blog as well as more information on the company.

The new website features a wealth of information about becoming a CPA and houses the notes from their board meetings. The design is a major improvement from the old website design that was Mardi Gras themed and dated as well as hard to update. The board now has the ability to update their entire website via a WordPress CMS.

Although Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was before my time (1954), my dad was a fan so I remember watching it when I was young. It may be time for a refresher though.

Google Street View

Hospital Aleman

DHL Online Tracking

Direct Ski

The Guitar Store

This is Ultimate Solutions second website with Design the Planet; the first being developed in 2006. The new website design incorporates the new logo and brand look-and-feel that we developed. The website design also has a personal touch and focuses on the company’s experience with key clients and NAICS classification.

The website highlights the company’s testimonials and services while showcasing their work with before & after images of past projects. The new website integrates the company’s social media channels including Facebook and Twitter. The team also blogs about recent and ongoing projects on the website to maximize search engine optimization.