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Tag: PR trends

Top 3 (free) graphic design tools of 2018

Top 3 (free) graphic design tools of 2018

August 14, 2018January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relationsdesign, Graphic design, PR trends, technology, Technology TrendsLeave a Comment on Top 3 (free) graphic design tools of 2018

With an increasing need for visual content, companies and organizations are becoming reliant on graphic designers and videographers to promote their campaigns. Luckily, there are dozens of free programs out there that can do the heavy lifting for you!

I scoured the interwebs to find the hottest design softwares that are available at no cost. I tested 10 different websites and programs to determine which three provide the best interface, toolset and quality. To accomplish this I spent about 20 to 30 minutes on each one to see what I could create. (Caveat: By no means am I a professional graphic designer; so please show some grace with my designs.)

easel.ly

Just as its name implies, easel.ly is a simple tool that focuses on graphics, shapes and colors. Its “drag-and-drop” feature makes adding images, shapes and graphics a breeze. The design tool’s best purpose is creating infographics. The website has hundreds of templates and samples to start, making the process quick and easy. You don’t even have to download anything, and everything is labeled very clearly. As with any free software, there is a premium version that gives you access to its entire library of templates and illustrations. If you are in need of a stat sheet or a quick poster, I would highly recommend it! easel.ly can be run right from your browser! (Not to be confused with ease.ly.)

GIMP

GNU Image Manipulation Program is an open-source graphics editor used primarily for photo editing, free-form drawing and reformatting images. GIMP looks pretty overwhelming at first with a lot of grey sidebar buttons and dozens of tiny tabs. However, every tool in the program is available with just a right click of the mouse! The software has so many different features that you could spend a whole day applying new filters, transformations, pathways, color scapes and more to your photos.

A variety of color applications and functions are offered in GIMP, which was my favorite part. While it may take a while to learn everything, the professional features available in GIMP make it a go-to for picture editing. You must download the software before using it.

Gravit Designer

I will finish the list with the most impressive software I encountered: Gravit Designer. Available directly in your browser, this all-in-one tool gives the user a wide range of creative space with an intuitive interface. The program is capable of graphics manipulation, creation and illustration. The screen is your digital playground in Gravit, and it was easy to find the tricks I wanted to employ. It has great functionality and allows you to develop shapes in a simple way. I would highly recommend using this for poster design, presentations and illustrating. It is available to download for any platform as well.

 

While these are my top three suggestions, the best program is the one YOU like the most! Below all are the programs I tried. Find the one that is most suited for you! Share your favorite programs with us on Twitter!

  • Vectr
  • Canva
  • Inkscape
  • Pixlr
  • Snappa
  • Blender
  • Piktochart

Cover Photo Credit: © [Redpixel] / Adobe Stock

Written by intern Nathan J. McDaniel, a senior at Western Carolina University.

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Real Estate: Trends to Watch in 2015

Real Estate: Trends to Watch in 2015

July 8, 2015January 31, 2023 Jasmin SessomsBlog, Real Estate PRPR trends, real estate, real estate PR, trends

The future of home design is looking more and more well-organized, compact and personalized. At Clairemont, we love our real estate clients, and we are well versed in master planned communities as well as the industry’s leading developers. Whether you are buying new or looking to spruce up your old home, here are a few tips from the team that we are watching as the hot trends for real estate in 2015.

Freestanding Tubs: Imagine the luxurious amenities of a spa-like experience in the comfort of your own home. Now, you can dip into your own freestanding tub after a long day at the office. Although they may evoke mental images of the Victorian age, the newest designs from companies like Kohler show modern twists to an age-old idea.

Heated Floors: Stepping out of a warm shower onto the cold tile bathroom floor is a thing of the past. Heat your bathroom floors and bask in the warmth and the comfort of your bathroom. Not only does radiant floor heating keep your feet warm, but it also ensures that the rest of your body will be toasty as well.

Open spaces: An open floor plan may feel like old news, but it’s proving to be a trend that is here to stay. Homeowners are knocking down barrier walls in their homes to offer larger spaces. Airy living rooms and open kitchens are all the rage for 2015.

Charging Stations: In this day and age, we are lost without our smart devices. With the size of our electronic devices shrinking and the huge explosion of Wi-Fi, the need for a separate home office is diminishing by the minute. Homeowners are seeking spaces for charging their devices conveniently all around their homes. The new trend: wall outlets that are catered to Apple chargers and Android devices alike. Change the way you think about sockets and outlets and have your home almost ready for the Jetsons.

Outdoor living: Private dog washing stations, outdoor showers and hot tubs are all trends exploding for 2015. Families are flocking to the idea of taking the living room outdoors and outfitting patios and porches by enhancing and utilizing the natural exterior space.

What new trend will you use to spruce up your home? What are some features that you can’t live without?

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Trends Tuesday: Doorstep Delivery

Trends Tuesday: Doorstep Delivery

March 17, 2015January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Trends2015 communication trends, communication trends, customized PR, PR trends, Raleigh PR, subscription boxes1 Comment on Trends Tuesday: Doorstep Delivery

The trend kicked off circa 1910 with the Wells Fargo Wagon, a legendary red coach that hand-delivered goodies to America’s townsfolk. Nearly a century later, the doorstep delivery concept has emerged as one of the nation’s leading economic trends. America has shifted from the traditional brick-and-mortar shopping experience in favor of online subscription delivery services, a new business model that curates and tailors a box of items to fit your preferences. Best of all, your personalized package appears weekly on your porch, as if by magic. Voila.

Subscription Boxes: All the Rage
With manageable shipping charges and forgiving return policies, subscription boxes have permeated nearly every sector of retail. The stalwart Birch Box, for example, boasts nearly 800,000 active global subscribers who enjoy its grooming and lifestyle products. Pet owners pamper their pooches with customized collars and flavored toys from Bark Box, while Lego fans stock their arsenal with Brick Loot‘s specialty items. (Bonus tip: Check out this review from a special Clairemont friend, Pugnacious10.)

What’s the Draw?
What happened to the traditional haul to the mall? Our harried schedules combined with our waning attention spans drive consumers to seek instant gratification. But this burgeoning trend reveals even more about the American psyche. Forbes.com suggests that consumers may thrive off of the adrenaline of a weekly surprise or crave the ego boost of hand-picked packages.

Customize Your Com
Communication trends, too, must respond to the public’s yen for customized experiences. Apple’s app, News360, allows users to hand-craft a newsfeed, and Facebook personalizes its infamous ads based on the user’s recent internet searches. (No doubt my newsfeed will be jammed with Loot Crate‘s promos after this blog.) Our audiences won’t settle for the traditional “spray and pray” public relations methods. From media pitches to tweets, effective communication stands on the three-legged stool of specificity, individuality and tailored timing.

For a Little Retail Therapy…
Then again, some of us just plain like to shop. And if that’s the case, check out these top 20 box picks. Our favorite, however, is our own client’s freshness in a box . Papa Spud’s is a North Carolina CSA (Community Supported Agricultural) service that delivers local, seasonal groceries straight to your door—from fresh produce, dairy and meat to granola, chocolate and jams.

Timely AND tasty!

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SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc (client) today, and rumor has it that @blah2voila has already been hamming it up with Dell! We know you want a selfie with Dell to post on Pigstagram, too!
We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of P We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of Public Relations Consultants Group, allowing us to offer clients expertise and support across the country! Clairemont founder, Dana Phelps aka @blah2voila, recently attended the PRCG conference in Oklahoma City.
2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Comm 2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Communications! Visit our blog for the full 2022 year in review!
As communications professionals, we wear a variety As communications professionals, we wear a variety of hats to meet our clients’ needs.
 
We’re writers, social media managers, photographers, marketers, editors, content creators- the list goes on and on.
 
Check out our recent blog post to learn what @olivia.noles , account coordinator here at Clairemont, does on a weekly and monthly basis.
#communicationsagency #communicationsmajor #pragencylife #pragency #raleighpr
This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voi This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voila , will be speaking at the 2022 @nc_prsa Strategic Communication & MarCom Conference! Phelps is a repeat presenter at this annual conference, and this year she is leading a session called Growing from Communication Technician to Strategic Counselor during which she will share three of her coined concepts: knowcasting, morecasting and collabolighthing. Visit our blog for the link to register for the conference!
@clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative g @clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative go together like the bacon and eggs! And speaking of bacon and eggs, have you been to @therainbowluncheonette yet? YUM!
Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc, a master-planned community just 15 miles from downtown Raleigh, will welcome @parksideraleigh, a Raleigh-favorite restaurant known for its fresh, made-from-scratch dishes, to the community!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Parkside.
“What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we “What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we get this question often, we have a series on our blog where we dive into our recent projects to give you a look at what a PR Agency really does.
 
For example, a statewide resource for small businesses recently hired Clairemont to devise an executive visibility campaign to help position the organization and its director as the leading small business resource in North Carolina.
 
Head to our blog to read what exactly an executive visibility campaign entails and to learn more about our services!
So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let us tell you about our new favorite @drink321coffee ! If you are in Raleigh, go see Paul, the other Paul, Emma  or whichever smiling faces are working today. We LOVE this place and the coffee! ❤️❤️❤️
Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest mas Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle, closed on its first age-eligible rental community plan, Arden at Wendell Falls, that will offer 140 open-concept units and exclusive onsite amenities!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Arden at Wendell Falls.
Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by client @vitaviteraleigh for good snacks and great wine!🍷 Both locations are open normal hours Friday-Sunday and closed on Monday.
You never know who might be hanging out at The Cla You never know who might be hanging out at The Clairemont House. Thanks to @yellowdogcreative for helping save this buddy. Notice that we speak lizard. Or skink. Or gecko or whatever he is. Or maybe it’s the extra caffeine before our client presentation.
Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh
Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting?
Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street South @raleighwineshop ! @blah2voila was there today representing Clairemont at the grand opening festivities and enjoying the @grandchamphospitality sandwich pop up. Yum! 🍷🥪
It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers ar It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are needed more than ever! Many organizations with scarce resources rely on volunteers and would not exist without them. Visit our recent blog post to read about the organizations Clairemont has supported and how you can make a difference in your community!
Authenticity is trending, and research shows that Authenticity is trending, and research shows that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic. Read our recent blog post to learn about UGC, how it can benefit your brand and how to use it in your marketing strategy.
From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 has left an impact on every sector of life, including marketing. Read our blog on marketing in a post-COVID world to learn how things have changed and how that should impact your business strategy.
We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned eight awards, five gold🥇and three silver🥈, at this year's Sir Walter Raleigh Awards hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society!🎉 We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends!
This spring, Ali de la Vega is joining the Clairem This spring, Ali de la Vega is joining the Clairemont team as an intern! Ali is a Junior at NC State who prides herself in being a daughter and a Christian as well as an amateur athlete, overachiever and older sister. Learn more about her background and how she found a love for PR on our website!
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