Stephanie Studer

So, “vexillology” means what now?

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment

‘S a great word, isn’t it? Vexillology. Nice and pointy. It’s the study of the history, symbolism, and design of flags. I bet it’s an outgrowth of heraldry, but don’t quote me on that.

Now. Why should you care? Because vexillology is a microcosm of design. And design is a huge, honking part of branding.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Check out this 2014 TED Talk by Mars Roman and you’ll get a crash course in aesthetics, the philosophy of design, and some really ugly flags. Then take a few minutes to consider how you present your brand visually.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=pnv5iKB2hl4%3Fsi%3DCq-lNhmHK7hBrsCF

So, how old are memes?

/ Editrix Steph / 2 Comments

The Content Management Institute routinely puts on great events, and loads of ‘em are my favorite price: Free Ninety-Nine.

Just before Thanksgiving, I was able to drop in on their two-day Masters of Marketing: Visual Storytelling webinar. And I was stoked, y’all — Catch + Release luminaries Analisa Goodin and Thomas Christmann were leading off the first day.

I took a lot of notes. Like…a lot. I won’t repeat the whole thing here (you can still register and view it on demand here) but one thing gave me goosebumps.

Continue reading →

So, what if you don’t own your own stuff?

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment

Recently I had the opportunity to swing by an old site upon which, in the early Triassic Period, I had sprinkled my content fairy dust. I won’t tell y’all which company/organization/evil circus/cult said site belongs to, because…oy.

GIF by hoppip - Find & Share on GIPHY
It’s…it’s bad, kids. It’s raisins in potato salad bad. You can so clearly see the line between my copy and the copy that’s been added that it gives what can only be described as “tone whiplash.”
Continue reading →

So, it’s been entirely too long.

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment

SFSlogo

You know the old saying. The cobbler’s children are always barefoot. No, I don’t make shoes — but I do make content. Lots and lots of content. I’m deeply fortunate that I get to make a living as a writer, but that does mean that sometimes my own projects take a back seat. Like this blog.

But y’all, I saw this, and I was slapped upside the head with the huge, shiny halibut of inspiration.
Continue reading →

So, I’ve been a little busy

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment

Storytelling for Success LogoI am officially a Bad Blogging Blogger. In my defense, I got a job, got a better job, assisted with State of Search, and well…

Engagement Ring

Check out that vintage engagement bling, y’all.

However, I owe you an apology. I feel like we were about to have a moment, then I buggered off for months. So take me back, baby. Those other blogs meant nothing to me.

Besides, there’s some Big Stuff™ on the way.

So, this will totally be unbiased, right?

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment

SFSlogo

Look, I love Coke. I used to cram my dorm room mini-fridge with the 12-packs, and hoarded those precious, precious buy-one-get-one-free coupons like Smaug hoarded gold. I mean, me ‘n Coca-Cola go way, way back.

But I haven’t been drinking as much of it lately. Because…calories. And high-fructose corn syrup. And beer. Look, you live in the same town as Cobra Brewing and try not to enjoy that deliciousness, ok?

Turns out, I’m not alone in cutting back on the soda. In the U.S., consumption is down for the tenth straight year, with more folks drinking water, even sugary water-type beverages, than diet pop.

But hey! No worries! Sure, we’ve all been told both diet and exercise contribute to health and well-being, but there are some researchers out there saying that what you eat and drink really isn’t that big a deal!   Continue reading →