Comments on: Special Assignment: Men With Pens Blog Design – It’s Dying Time

By: Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

Michael Martine, Blog Consultant — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:13:05 +0000

@BTG – At least you acknowledged it and were nice about it. I won’t delete your first comment, but I will change the name in it. Thanks for coming by and commenting! Hope you stick around.

By: BTG

BTG — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:56:48 +0000

Aw jeez sorry I read the comment policy while submitting. Guess I’m just plain ol’ BTG now.

By: BTG

BTG — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:56:01 +0000

An very informative, helpful story, and very well told! I’m revamping BTGNow.net’s logo in a month or two, and you post is making me think about some things!

By: Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

Michael Martine, Blog Consultant — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:22:09 +0000

I like the word “themery!”

By: Amy Derby

Amy Derby — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:19:37 +0000

This was a ton of fun to read. Even on a Saturday.

I’ve always wondered about the shooting from the hip thing. I get what it means, because I get the whole Pen Men shooter imagery. But I’ve wondered if people who don’t know the guys and their themery (new word) take it the wrong way. I did when I first found their blog, before I knew them.

By: Janice Cartier

Janice Cartier — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:07:02 +0000

James-As you say. And yes Michael, very subjective. I think this touched a point( groan) though, that “twist”, that’s exactly where the USP comes into design. That can be fun, tricky, but fun.

Good discussion guys.

By: Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

Michael Martine, Blog Consultant — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:02:43 +0000

James, I glad you agree in principle! I’m really stoked at what you guys will come up with! Don’t hide the prototypes from me! Happy to lend a pair of eyeballs when you need them.

By: James Chartrand - Men with Pens

James Chartrand - Men with Pens — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:50:38 +0000

I agree with Michael. Cliches can work, and the way to make them work is to fucking embrace them with everything you have. There’s *nothing* uncool about cliches. Love ‘em.

That said, it’s not the right cliche for us.

As to the rest, I love it, Michael. Thanks for this in more ways than one, and we’ll take your suggestions into consideration. Everyone’s comments this time round have been cool to hear. Some we knew, some we didn’t, and some we’d never considered from the different angle, so it’s all valuable as hell.

Cheers!

(Oh, and I’ll be drinking Shiraz late into the night… chin-chin!)

By: Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

Michael Martine, Blog Consultant — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:50:24 +0000

Janice, I absolutely acknowledge and understand what you’re saying. Thanks for furthering the discussion! I view my suggestion as doing exactly what you say: more than obvious and with finesse (it’s all in the twist). This is all very subjective, of course! This is only my opinion.

By: Janice Cartier

Janice Cartier — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:46:15 +0000

Michael,
Positioning would be all wrong. That is IF they want people like me as clients. For someone who is claiming to be extraordinary with content and design, it takes something more than the obvious. It takes a little more finesse. That is just me though.