Advertising Agency: Draftfcb, Caracas, Venezuela
Creative Director: Exequiel Rodríguez
Art Director: Nairobi López
Copywriter: Exequiel Rodríguez
Producer: Ciano González

The most intense colors are those we can remember, such as the red of a clown´s nose, the yellow of a rubber duckie, the pink of cotton Candy or the green of a swamp monster.Well, Clorox for Colors keep colors in that way.

“Clorox for colors. Keep colors the way you remember them.”

Advertising Agency: DDB, Colombia
Executive Creative Director: Rodrigo Dávila
Creative Directors: Juan Carlos Palma, Juan Carlos Espitia
Copywriters: Santiago Cuesta, Alberto Triana, Julián Urrego
Art Directors: Gustavo Zapata, Maria Paula Camacho, Humberto Franco, Wladimir Sánchez
Illustrator: Gustavo Zapata

Advertising Agency: DraftFCB, Lisbon, Portugal
Creative Directors: Duarte Pinheiro de Melo, Luís Silva Dias
Art Directors: Filipa Pinto, Ricardo Silveira
Copywriter: Viton Araújo
Photographers: Paulo Andrade, Jarbas Teixeira Alves
Producer: Manuela Fonseca
Art buyer: Paula Gomes
Account supervisor: Carlos Baptista

Advertising Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai, India
Chief Creative Officers: Abhijit Avasthi, Rajiv Rao
Executive Creative Directors: Anup Chitnis, Sumanto Chattopadhyay
Creative Directors: Anuraag Khandelwal, Satish Desa
Cpywriter: Satish Desa
Art Directors: Anuraag Khandelwal, Krishma Shah
Account Supervisors: Prakash Nair, Jennifer Desai
Illustrator: Nishikant Palande
Image Retoucher: Rajesh. M. Salodker

Advertising Agency: Bumbo Comunicação, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Creative Director: Marcos Pina
Art Director: Francisco Valle
Illustrator: Francisco Valle
Copywriter: Adriano Docconi

Advertising Agency: Woodong, Seoul, South Korea
Creative: Dongsoo Lim

Spring is finally here again, which means that people are getting back outside to hang out in the sun. But finding the right sunspot isn’t always easy, especially if you live in a big city where buildings are covering the sun. To show that Ray Ban is a brand that cares about their customers we introduced “Bright Light”, it’s an application that helps people to get the most out of the sun and their sunglasses.

Advertising School: Berghs School of Communication, Stockholm, Sweden
Art Directors: Eva Wallmark, Michal Sitkiewicz
Copywriter: Rickard Beskow

In this tutorial I will show you how to create a Tasty social Icons in Photoshop. We will be covering what’s new in Shape Tools options panel which is the new Stroke. Using this new feature we can now easily make stiches and we can adjust it whatever we want.

For those who don’t have Adobe Photoshop CS6 yet you can download the beta on their offical website. But if you’re excited to do this and you don’t have time to download you can still acomplish this tutorial by following the simple instruction.

So what we are wiating for? Let’s get started.

Things you will need for this tutorial:

• Social Icons 32px x 32px

Here is what we will be making:

Step 1: Setting up the Document

For our work space create a new Document in photoshop 570px by 470px and set the background color to #333236.

While selecting the background layer go to Filter – Noise – Add Noise.

Now that we have the background let’s add a light shade at the center. By doing this use Brush Tool(B) and brush it in the middle.

Make the layer mode to Soft Light and lower down the opacity by 50%.

Step 2: Working on the base Base Shape

Here is the base shape as you can see in the image below. Basically it’s just an 80px by 120px, #3b5997 Rouded Rectangle Shape with a 5px Radius. Then I modified it using Direct Selection Tool(A) and Pen Tool by making the top not rounded and adding an anchor point in the bottom middle and drag it downwards using Direct Selection Tool(U). If you followed my previous tutorial you will know how to properly modify the shape: Recreate Google+ Pages Using Adobe Photoshop.

Apply This Blending Option:

• Stroke: #7796cb, #7b97c6, #324579

• Gradient Overlay:

Here is the result.

Step 3: Adding Pattern

Create a new Docment in Photoshop make it 5px by 5px and make sure the background is Transparent.

Fully zoom our canvas by using Zoom Tool(Z) or by just pressing Ctrl + + on the keyboard. Now that it is fully zoomed use Pencil Tool(B) and make a pattern as shown in the screenshot below.

Save this document as a pattern by pressing Edit – Define Pattern. Name it what ever you want. Now that we have the pattern apply it to our base shape

• Pattern Overlay:

Step 4: Adding Highlights

We need to add some flavor to our shape by adding some highlights on it. First thing you need to do is create a layer above the shape and Link it to the base shape by pressing the middle line between them.

Using a Soft Brush Tool(B) brush on the bottom part of the shape and set the layer mode to Soft Light and decrease the Opacity to 80%.

Add again another layer, Select Gradient Tool(G) Reflected Gradient, #fff and add it nearly at the top part of the shape. Set the layer mode to Soft Light and decrease the Opacity to 50%.

Add another layer again for this time we will create a darker shade. Use Reflected Gradient, #000 and add it at the top part of the shape. set the layer mode to Multiply and decrease the Opacity to 50%.

Step 5: Adding Stiches

Adding Stiches (Dash Stroke) in Photoshop CS6 is very easy, they improved how Shape Tools work and they added an additional option pannel for strokes and shape. Dont’t worry if you don’t have Photoshop CS6 yet, you can still follow this tutorial. But with Photoshop CS6 I will show you have handy it is. Here is the preview of the options panel of the Shape Tools

• Fill Option Panel

• Stroke Option Panel

To create the stiches first create a shape, the same process we did on the base shape but this time change the width to 70px.

You need to adjust the stroke by clicking the More Options and set the Dash to 5 and Gap to 6. Change the stroke color to #a4b1cf and when your’e done shut the fill color so that the only thing will show is the stroke.

For CS5 below user you can do this by manualy create using Line Tool(U) 5px each line and 6px gap.

We need to delete the top part stiches. You need to Rasterize the layer and erase the top part stiches.

• Drop Shadow:

Step 6: Adding Icon

You probably have the icons provided in the resource. Place the icon in the center of our base shape.

Apply This Blending Option:

• Stroke:

• Gradient Overlay: #dddddd, #fff

• Drop Shadow:

Add the icon name using Text Tool(T).

Dupicate the text layer, change the color to #2b406a and move it up once using arrow up key.

Step 7: Adding Shadows

Duplicate the base shape layer and make the fill color to #000000. Place this below the base shape. Now go to Filter – Blur – Guassian Blur.

Mask the layer and mask the portion that we don’t need. Refer to the screenshot below.

Using Linear Gradient, #000000 add a shadow as shown in the screenshot below.

Add this 1px #515055 line using Line Tool(U) and place it above the shadow.

Now finish this by masking both ends of the line and the shadow.

And finally we’re done. I hope you learned something from this tutorial. Also, I added 4 more social icons. You can grab the PSD file by clicking the download link below. Until enxt time. :)

Download PSD source file

Advertising Agency: DDB, Brazil
Creative Directors: Sergio Valente, Marco Versolato, Luciano Lincoln, Wilson Mateos, Guilherme Jahara
Creatives: Estêvão Queiroga, Daniel Ottoni, Fábio Benedetto
Art Directors: Daniel Ottoni
Copywriter: Estêvão Queiroga
Media: Patricia Muratori, Patrica Rosa, Marcelo Estevão
RTVC: Gilbinha Pires, Juliana Tangary
Account Supervisor: Maristela Correa, Tânia Pena, Caroline Pintarelli
Approved by: Dr. José Omar Medina
Animation Producer: Ink Animações
Sound Producer: Fábrica Sonora

Recently, I wrote an article about how Facebook is dominant on the internet. It is quite clear that Facebook is right now the most important social media tool and knowing how to properly conduct yourself, as an individual or a business, on Facebook, is crucial. Sure, it is much more important for companies to make sure they represent themselves properly, but you’d be surprised how many individuals actually care about their Facebook profile and follow some rules and guidelines too.

Social media is not just to have fun or to communicate with friends and customers. Social media is a huge opportunity for jobs and networking. It can have a positive impact on your career and personal life and it can also work the other way around if not used wisely.

Although I joined Facebook in August 2008, quite late in comparison with the early US users, I have done some work here in the past four years and I think I finally came up with the perfect Facebook guidelines for all of you out there who wish to be better at managing your profile, but do not know where to start. So, without further introduction, here are the two categories.

A. Etiquette for individuals

To do

1. Be the first to interact

In order for others to interact with you, you first need to interact with them. It is you, the social media soon-to-be-expert, that needs to take the first step. Statistics show that users who interact with each other often create better relationships on Facebook. Acknowledging others on Facebook will let them know you are aware of their existence (translated in posts, updates and shares). If you lack interactivity from others, it is probably because you don’t interact enough yourself.

2. Develop rapport with others

The only way to develop rapport with others is to like and comment on their updates and shares. Facebook gives the fast option of “liking” any post, share or update, and allows you to do this with a single click. You will notice that creating an online rapport to people will many times extend out into the real world too.

3. Remember important events

There is no excuse for people who are always available on the internet if they forget about someone’s birthday. With the events reminder clearly visible on the right-hand side of the screen, forgetting about somebody’s birthday is something many will not forget or forgive. I, personally, even removed some of my Facebook contacts after my birthday a few weeks ago. Not only because they forgot my birthday; that was just the icing on the cake. With no interaction at all between me and them and not even a short message for my birthday, why would I want to keep them in my Facebook contacts list? My Facebook profile is not a popularity contest. I would rather have 200 real friends than 4500 fake ones.

Remember people’s special occasions and make sure they know you acknowledge it. Facebook makes our life pretty easy sometimes, we just need to know how to use it to our advantage.

Image by freakgirl.

4. Recommend links

I am not talking about sharing good articles on Facebook, but about linking common friends together. There is no reason for not recommending friends to connect with each other on Facebook, if they both have accounts and are willing to list each other as Friends.

5. Share

This is a key step in having a good relationship with your network. If you know something interesting, make sure to share it, others might be interested as well. If they notice you always share interesting links, they will more likely visit your profile more often or follow you closer than other contacts. Also, sharing an interesting link might stir up a conversation, which means interactivity will be better on your profile.

If you have many designers in your list, post something regarding design. If there are many developers, offer them links to interesting sources for web developers. Briefly “analyze” your audience and come up with the things they are most interested in. By sharing those things you will be one of the centers of interest in their friends list.

6. Update your profile

By keeping your profile updated, including your work and education information, you show others you are active on Facebook and take care of your image. Control the privacy settings on your profile and decide whom you want to be seen by and whom you don’t. There might be some information you don’t want to share with everybody and this is totally understandable.

Not to do

1. Add unknown people

One of the things that bothers me most on Facebook is people adding other contacts only for the sake of having many friends. Without the slightest interest in following their updates or shares, they just add people to show they have many friends. This is something I never do. My Facebook profile has less than 300 friends, which I revise once per month. Most of the times I delete older contacts, which I do not interact with, in order to “make room” for new ones.

Moreover, adding strangers can also be dangerous. It happened a few times in the US that people leaving on vacation posted information about their departure time on Facebook and their homes got robbed while they were away. If somebody wants to add you as their contact, it’s a good idea to send a message and ask for more information about him/her before you proceed in accepting their request.

2. Leak confidential information

You can post your phone number and Yahoo! ID on your profile, but don’t go way too far by posting something like your address, credit card information, passwords and so on. You might think that only because you add your close friends it is not dangerous, but it still is. Not only can they prove to be less friendly than you thought, but their accounts can also be hacked and strangers will immediately have access to your confident information.

3. Post without thinking

It is never a good idea to post updates including personal issues, salaries, professional issues, relationships and so on. You may think that you only post them on your best friend’s wall, but by posting there you actually post the information for the whole network. Revise your privacy settings before starting to post.

Every video or picture you post on your profile can easily be downloaded and later used against you or even used to misinform others about your actions. Depending on how you decide to maintain your own Facebook profile, pictures from the last Friday’s wild party might not be welcomed on your profile. This is the main reason behind me never adding business contacts or prospects on my Facebook profile – I do not want them to have an insight into my personal life, which might be proper or not for a freelancer. But it is entirely up to me if I want to share this or not.

4. Play with fire

Avoid clicking on all applications your friends “liked”, as they might be viruses. Some applications are harmful even on Facebook and avoiding them will only ensure your computer will not be damaged and you will not suffer data loss.

B. Etiquette for companies

To do

1. Maintain activity

Especially since the new timeline profile was introduced, companies whose Facebook profile is not active suffer. If you look at brand pages without activity in a specific month, you will notice how bad they actually look. This should encourage you to keep your page active and interact with your audience and followers. Engaging your users will make them come back to your brand page, as they know activity is at its peak there. Users usually lose interest in pages without activity. Don’t own one of those.

Also, try to maintain consistency. If you post an offer on Twitter, make sure you don’t post it on Facebook two days later. People’s trust in the importance of your Facebook page will decrease and your followers will not be as interested in your brand page anymore.

2. Remember to use the “IF, THEN, ELSE” method

Companies should have a different user approach than individuals have. Difficult situations should be properly managed and the method named above looks like a fitting one. Use it for a scenario like the following one: IF users have concerns, THEN find out the reason and solve the problem, ELSE try to explain to them the situation. By doing everything methodically you will ensure that you do it the right way. Having to deal with different user behaviors is not an easy task and you can only manage to keep up with everything if you are organized and methodical.

3. Monitor user posts

Being able to be 24/7 on your Facebook page doesn’t happen unless you are a big company with financial resources assigned to the PR department. But in either case it is crucial to be able to follow the user posts on your Facebook page and answer them immediately. KLM/Air France has, for example, an excellent Facebook response time. They actually use their brand page to solve client problems. I once had questions about their Flying Blue program – it was late afternoon. I got the answer within two hours. Enough said.

4. Follow trends

It is always a good idea to follow trends on other pages. If it is trendy to use humorous updates, don’t be afraid of doing it. If people are more interested in seeing a video than reading a large chunk of text, then make a video and share it. You don’t only need to know the audience you send the message to, but also the trends, so this step is something that might require further research.

5. Boost some user ego

Basically, all you need to do is make the user feel good on your page. Make them feel important, wanted and appreciated. Acknowledge what everybody says, like their posts, thank people for sharing interesting sources and so on. It is not about you there, it is always about your customers. If they feel good, they will come back and do more business with you. Otherwise they will probably leave you for your close competitor who has a more positive approach.

Not to do

1. Making it about you

Companies use social media to broadcast information to customers and prospects. If you communicate through a one-way flow of information it can get boring and unattractive. It takes a very long time to build rapport, while it only takes a short time for people to lose interest. Failing to properly communicate with your customers will likely cause your Facebook brand page to fail too.

2. Ignoring negative feedback

If positive feedback might as well be ignored or requires only a short amount of time to answer, negative feedback is crucially important to be taken as it comes. A company should not answer negative feedback with anger or negativity. It is the worst thing a company brand page can do.

The first step you need to take is to acknowledge the feedback and assure the customer you are already on it. Then, try to search for clues and see if there is a problem or you’re just dealing with a difficult person. Require immediate answers from the ones responsible. The solution should always come together with an apology showing the company actually cares. The faster the problem is solved, the happier the user will be. What many companies don’t get is that users don’t have anything against businesses they have an issue with, as long as it got solved in a timely manner. They have huge issues with companies that can’t or won’t solve problems.

If you manage (and you should!) to create the impression that you care for your customers, they will be back next time to do business with you. If not, they will not only avoid your business, but will also spread negative feedback about you wherever they can. Remember that all of us have a list with companies we like and don’t like. You don’t want to be on the ‘don’t like’  list, so improve service quality right away if you feel there is a need to.

3. Posting off-topic

If you have a web design company, posting about how Obama won the Presidency in the US will not interest your audience. It will actually more likely make followers think that you are not serious about your brand page. We all know what this usually leads to.

4. Being part of arguments

It is not a good idea for a company to be part of arguments on their Facebook page. If users want to fight with each other over a specific topic, let them burn their energy, but don’t get involved, as this will damage your brand image. If you want to do something about it, you can engage in a one-to-one private communication and solve the issue with the persons involved, but don’t ever get involved in unnecessary arguments with, or in between, your followers.

Image by gilmarcil Ong tay.

5. Deleting your updates

It takes few seconds to delete updates. If you released a incorrect piece of information, apologize for the inconvenience and release the right information. If you acknowledge your mistakes your users will see you are responsible and serious about your business. It is only human to make mistakes. I usually think twice before posting. It is better to think longer first than to think even longer afterwards, in order to solve a problem.

6. Turning sales into the main focus

If you consider sales to be the focus on your brand page, you are mistaken. It shouldn’t be like that. The Facebook page should be used for communication mostly, then for sales. If most of your updates are linked to offers on your website, users will likely lose interest in your brand page. And why wouldn’t they? Basically, you send the same information twice: through the Facebook page and through your website. Why would they follow both of them?

Use the brand page to interact with people and draw their attention and use the website for selling stuff. Doing business the other way around is not something many have been successful with.

7. Getting involved in conflicts with competitors

If engaging in conflicts with your followers is wrong, then doing the same with your competitors is even worse, as this will damage your brand image significantly. If the competitor has an agenda, let him do whatever he wants. Being able to show diplomacy and avoid conflicts is a skill not everybody has today – show it and your customers will reward you.

Bottom line

With Facebook unquestionably being the most important social media tool in today’s web, it is crucially important to know how to use it. Following this guide should make your profile or brand page better and will improve the interactivity and benefits you get from it.

Is there a tip you have? We would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.