Great sites inspire me and give me ideas on what I’d like to do differently. Here are some awesome websites that I’ve seen in the last month. Check them out!

There are tons of applications and resources for creating your own website these days. Many web hosting companies even offer “free” or “discounted” websites included with your hosting fees. So why would you want to pay a professional to create something that you can do, or get for free?

Free things or things that are marketed as “so easy, anyone can do it” are rarely so. There are commonly hidden fees associated or complicated tasks involved later on that many people can’t complete on their own. And is anything that is free really worth it anyway?

Your website should project your very best side to your consumers. It could be the only communication you have with a potential client/customer. Your users could be people that are thinking of buying your product, or using your services. Do you think a free website will project the right image to capture their business? You might justify the cheap website by saying you don’t have much money for marketing. But is it worth it to waste your money or time on a cheap site that doesn’t reach your customers?

You pay professionals to complete certain tasks that you can’t or shouldn’t complete yourself. You might have the means and the willpower to build your own house, but a professional builder has the resources, the experience and the knowledge to get it done right. Why risk the money to do it yourself if you aren’t a professional? I believe building a website is falls in the same category. Web designers have resources and knowledge that comes with experience. Trust the success of your website to a professional.

We don’t always say what we mean and what comes out sometimes is far from what we intended on communicating. These marketing mistakes were mostly the cause of bad language translations, and are way too funny. Check out this post on the worst slogan translations.

One of my favorite types of design is package design. There is something to be said about tangible objects and being able to feel shapes, textures and surfaces. I love the idea that a package doesn’t have to follow the same rules that it always has. Coffee beans don’t have to come in bags, they can come in jars if the designer wants. Most gum came in long flat sticks in a flat pack of 5 pieces until Orbit decided that they wanted something different and they changed the package. Now, gum companies are thinking in different ways and coming up with new ideas. Walk through a grocery store and you see products in many different shapes with many cool and fun packing styles. People judge a product largely based on its package, why wouldn’t companies put a lot of stock into the package, the design, the label? Well I’m no different than the rest, I judge wine bottles on their label coolness and only buy great looking labels. Here are a few bottles that caught my eye.

These pictures were taken from TheDieline.com, a great site with lots of awesome packaging.

I just love the Superbowl and living in the Phoenix area, I was especially into watching this years game! Although I’m sorely disappointed the Cardinals lost (they were soo close!) the ads this year were outstanding and I was way pumped about the great quality I saw. I think it’s especially noteworthy that they were great since money is obviously tight this year and some companies were still willing to go the extra mile for the Super Bowl. Some of my top picks: GE’s capture the wind ad, the Taco Bell superfast date, Hyundai’s everyone knows our name, the Coke picnic heist, the Clydesdale that had to show off with a bigger stick.. and now for my top 3!