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Smith House Design

Creative Agency, Design Services, Branding, Social Media Strategy, SEO | Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona

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2020* ← Let’s Talk about that Big Fat Asterisk

August 25, 2020 By Matt S. Smith, MBA

2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

I would like to suggest that we always write the year “2020” with an asterisk. Every email, every social media post, any reference to this calendar year deserves a big fat asterisk.  Go ahead, try it. It feels good to put that asterisk at the end, and offer no explanation:  2020*  It feels good because […]

Filed Under: Technology and Culture

If You Love Art, You Should Hate the Art World

December 12, 2019 By Matt S. Smith, MBA

The $120,000 Art Basel Banana

In case you missed it, earlier this week a rich fool paid $120,000 at an art auction for a banana taped to a wall.  A few days later, an attention-starved “performance artist” invaded the gallery, and ate the expensive banana. The winning bidder refused to pay for an eaten banana. Then someone else bid again […]

Filed Under: Design

Secret: Some Logos are Easier to Design than Others

November 21, 2019 By Matt S. Smith, MBA

Some companies are lucky by having the right mix of letters in their actual name. Of the 26 letters in the English alphabet, some letters are blessed with good genes that make them visually balanced and interesting. Other letters are awkward and less fortunate. Who’s ready to nerd-out with me? These letterforms balanced. They are […]

Filed Under: Branding, Design

10 Life-Giving Work Habits

November 14, 2019 By Matt S. Smith, MBA

Sometimes it’s the little habits that you pick up that can have the biggest impact on your productivity. Here are my favorites.

Filed Under: Worky Worky

Redesigning Your Logo? 5 Most Common Branding Mistakes to Avoid

November 6, 2019 By Matt S. Smith, MBA

Branding Mistakes to Avoid

Designers can be very pretentious when they talk about their craft. This annoys me, so I am going to be authentic and approachable with this blog. No fancy words or fancy concepts. I genuinely want everyone to understand what it means to have a solid branding system for your company, your non-profit, for your big […]

Filed Under: Branding, Design

Designing with Restraints (or) Why Most Cars Look the Same

October 23, 2019 By Matt S. Smith, MBA

While on a family vacation over the summer, we took the kids to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, CA. I was unloading our kids from my trusty Honda Odyssey minivan, and noticed a strange sighting: 6 white SUVs parked on the same street. 3 on one side, 3 on the other. At quick glance, I thought […]

Filed Under: Design

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Recent Posts

  • 2020* ← Let’s Talk about that Big Fat Asterisk August 25, 2020
  • If You Love Art, You Should Hate the Art World December 12, 2019
  • Secret: Some Logos are Easier to Design than Others November 21, 2019
  • 10 Life-Giving Work Habits November 14, 2019
  • Redesigning Your Logo? 5 Most Common Branding Mistakes to Avoid November 6, 2019

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