While certain businesses are defined by their leaders or ideas, consumers generally recognize brands through their aesthetic features, rather than their commercial operations. In fact, recent studies into product design reveal that customers are more likely to choose aesthetically pleasing items from brands even if they’re not as functional as their plainer counterparts [1]. Similarly, […]
Here at Coal, we’re in the habit of taking on bright, fresh minds to add to our recurring roster of imaginative all-stars. Every year or so, we scour the lecture halls and libraries of Pennsylvania’s prestigious postsecondary institutions to secure interns to spice up the current creative concoction we have brewing. Interns bring cutting-edge ideas […]
In early July 2023, Meta launched its much-anticipated rival to X’s (formerly Twitter’s) fast-scrolling, small snippet format: Threads. As expected, the microblogging app was an instant smash. Over 100 million users got in on the action in the first week alone [1]. Threads is certainly shaking up app stores, but the question brewing in many […]
In the heart of Brooklyn, there’s a museum dedicated to the poorly executed ideas, the designs that make people squint and tilt their head, and the overhyped products that never shined. It’s the Museum of Failure, and design plays a central role in its exhibits [1]. Design aesthetics are tricky. Poor design is typically obvious […]
Cultivating an authentic company culture can benefit your business in many ways. Most notably, it can ensure that your top talent remains loyal and invested for the long haul. After all, 71% of employees say they would start looking for new job opportunities if their company’s culture deteriorated [1]. To provide insights into the topic, […]
The modern workspace is evolving. Workers are fleeing fluorescent overhead lighting, open floor plans and bumbling water cooler conversations for the comfort of at-home pajama pants and the sweet, sweet nothings of their own lo-fi Spotify playlist. And who needs coworkers when you have fluffy assistants to keep you company? While no one will judge […]
From elevator pitches to suit-and-tie presentations (complete with visual aids), sales pitches are part and parcel of getting your product in front of clients. But there are certainly secret ingredients to the perfect sales pitch — whether you’re persuading peckish passersby to visit your food truck or convincing a room full of grocery execs to […]
Today’s brands simply can’t avoid social media. Early 2023 predictions estimate that there will be 4.89 billion social media users worldwide by the end of the year.1 That said, customers are rarely spending their free time idling through shopping malls and food courts these days. Rather, utilizing socials provides you with a key opportunity to […]
Video content is dominating the internet, and the phenomenon isn’t new — video streaming accounted for 73% of internet traffic as far back as 2017, and the Cisco Video Networking Index predicts that this metric will increase to 82% by the end of 2022. But, statistics aside, consumers just like watching videos, so posting video […]
In 2022, building a new website has a lot in common with renovating your kitchen. You can do it yourself with kits, time and a ton of YouTube videos, or you can pay professionals to do it for you. Let’s assume for now that you want to do it yourself and start at the beginning. […]