March 20, 2013 • Nathan Hoernig • Customer Service, People Skills
On Paper vs. In Reality
Copyright is a bit of a tough area for a lot of people. Understanding the scope of copyright, what it’s for and how it applies to us as business owners is a whole mess of confusion for those who haven’t studied law—and that’s in our own countries! This is Japan!
Sometimes laws are made, but not withheld in the same manner. This is especially prevalent in the case of something less concrete (to many) like a concept such as copyright.
This overview will lay out the terminology and application of copyright here in Japan, based on past cases and how they’ve been ruled. I wrote an article a few months back which gives a general overview of what copyright really means in the creative world of Japan and how it may apply to your projects and your business. Please take a look at that article as a predecessor to this one.
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November 19, 2012 • Nathan Hoernig • Customer Service, People Skills
What is copyright?
“Copyright” is a word that scares a lot of people. It has a tendency to put customers and uneducated designers on the defensive about what’s “theirs” and their rights. It’s the basis for a lot of misunderstandings, most of which, if I may be so bold, are unnecessary. It’s also one of the most difficult points when assembling a contract.
By the end of this article, you should have a solid understanding of how Japanese copyright affects you and the artwork you order through HBD or another design studio/professional (based in Japan at least).
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October 9, 2012 • Nathan Hoernig • Culture, Marketing, Packaging
Japan has a major drinking culture. It’s one of the only countries where alcohol is as much a part of business practice as the business itself. Add to that the social drinking culture (a force in itself), and you’ve got a country with a major love of alcohol.
The staple drink of choice: beer.
With beer so deeply rooted in the culture, it’s no wonder that beer companies want to optimize sales. In lieu of that, the following is Kirin’s Ichiban Shibori in a spectrum of sizes in hopes of hitting all types of drinkers and their relative cravings.
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September 10, 2012 • Nathan Hoernig • Culture, Marketing, Nature, Packaging
photo credit: Greencolander on flickr
This is a glimpse into how beer and “beer” companies cash in on the pre-winter, last-minute rush to enjoy the weather in one of the most gorgeous seasons of the year.
One of the biggest activities and something the Japanese love to enjoy is called kouyou (紅葉). Kouyou means “deep red leaves” and signifies the color-changing of the seasons. It’s this kouyou spirit that a lot of beer manufacturers like to embody in their packaging design.
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August 6, 2012 • Nathan Hoernig • Customer Service, General Design, Pricing
Why are some designers so expensive?
Pricing is one of the most difficult things to do in graphic design. Do a search on the web and you’ll find thousands of confused graphic designers out there wondering how they should price their work in a way that’s accomodating to the customer yet provides them with some sustenance! Every situation is different, every client is different. How can a customer get a logo for the price that they want to pay? How can a designer provide such service with respect to themselves as individuals/organization that have bills to pay?
This article will relate pricing not so much to money, but to it’s real underlying issue…
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