Creative Media & Digital Culture

Rockstar Dene Grigar, Director and Associate Professor at WSUV asked Tribe2 to join the advisory committee for the Creative Media & Digital Culture Program (CMDC) at WSUV.  


This is soo freeekin cool!


Think about the direction the world is heading - A half a billion people use Facebook on a daily basis; there are more Tweeters online than songbirds in North America; 42% of Americans regularly use a smart phone app; and, everyone... and their mother...are blogging, using websites, building websites, searching websites, or are generally online doing something. And, you know what? It's not going away.  


The Creative Media and Digital Culture program (CMDC) at Washington State University Vancouver (WSUV) is ahead of the curve and helping students imagine, create and get out there, get involved and make real positive changes in the world in the world of digital technology. 


Here's how...
The CMDC, home of the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Digital Technology and Culture (DTC), integrates critical thinking, creativity, and computing skills with course work in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, MIS, and Computer Science to offer a broad-based, interdisciplinary degree that prepares students for a culturally-diverse, technologically-complex 21st century.

It's HUGE!  
Dene's not turning out robots here. In addition to CMDC courses, students also study Anthropology, MIS, Computer Science, English, Fine Arts, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.  She's helping students see the roll they play in a larger realm and longer time-frame. CMDC gives them the opportunity to effect change in the real world and the ethics to do it for the right reasons.

Directed studies and internships encourage students to gain real world experience and engage in projects aimed at serving the community, both of which help students with professional career networking and developing a commitment to public service.

Along the way, the CMDC provides an intellectual environment comprised of some really sweet events like: lectures, residency programs, performances by internationally known artists, and field trips to media arts shows and exhibits. And, the program offers its students state-of-the-art computer labs and studios to work and learn.

To learn more about the CMDC Program, visit their website or contact Dr. Dene Grigar, dgrigar@vancouver.wsu.edu, or call 360-546-9487.

Website design: Content Creation

Tribe 2’s developing team of professionals Part 1

Designing and constructing an efficient and effective website is a multifaceted process. From logo development (branding) to launch, a web design team has numerous milestones to achieve before the website is launched “live.”

For over six years Tribe 2 Studios has provided graphic art and creative services to clients in SW Washington, the Portland, OR Metro area and beyond. Website design is at the forefront of their creative services. As such, the guys at Tribe design and construct websites that create a powerful connection to the brand the website represents. Furthermore, the website’s soul purpose turns a transaction into an experience and a customer into a fan.

The Tribe 2 motto, ‘Show Your Soul’, represents their faithful determination to capture a businesses’ personality, voice and character. Attracting customers to a website is difficult. Moreover, keeping customers engaged, interested and, in some cases, entertained with a web presence requires experienced web design professionals.

Tribe 2 excels at web design. They create websites that evoke a visceral and emotional connection to customers. Determined to uphold and sustain their unique approach to web design, the guys at Tribe are collaborating with local and talented individuals who understand the Tribe 2 web design process.

Keeping up with content

A key component to any web design project is content. Content is King!

But why is content so important to the web design process?

1. Written content is the fuel that search engines run on
2. Compelling and easy-to-scan content fulfills a website user's needs
3. Words and images are necessary for flawless website navigation

Feed the Machine

Feed the machine

Search engines need fuel to run on, and words are the fuel. Despite how visually stunning and aesthetically pleasing a website can be, a website is ineffective without written content. And, search engines only recognize words. A website must be searchable if it’s going to attract customers (traffic). Therefore, SEO techniques must be employed into a website design project.

But what is SEO exactly? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the strategic use of keywords, written content and web code. SEO is woven into the architecture and infrastructure of a website optimizing the website's searchability.

The acronym SEO has affixed itself into the web design lexicon. Savvy website designers either ‘have the know how’ or work with others who know how to employ SEO techniques into the architecture and infrastructure of a website. The guys at Tribe understand the value of SEO; moreover, they are collaborating with a professional web content developer who provides this essential service.

Website users scan they don’t read   

It’s true, website users are fickle. The next website is only one click away. Web usability experts agree that a website visitor’s attention span is six seconds!

In the next six seconds I will explain why this is true.

A website visitor needs to know subconsciously who you are, what you do and how to navigate your website. Times up!

That’s the attention span of a typical website visitor. The next website is one click away.

Image from Steve Krug's website usability book
"Don't Make Me Think"

This being the case, the guys at Tribe work closely with their content developer to address this paramount website design and usability issue.

Every picture tells a story

Images and words make up most of the content on websites. However, both of these crucial content elements must serve a purpose.

The guys at Tribe are imagery experts. They work hard to capture the perfect imagery that represents their client’s brand. Their design process is about inner discovery and outer expression, Show Your Soul.

Their professional web content developer collaborates with them every step of the way. The web content developer carefully crafts the written words so they compliment and support the images used on any website design project.

Images and words help website visitors navigate through a website. They should guide the website visitor seamlessly, flawlessly and subconsciously. The bottom line, don’t make the user think!  

Growing and knowing how to please clients

Tribe 2 is a growing graphic design and creative services firm. They want to continue sharing the love, and showing the love, with their rapidly growing client-base.

To better serve their clients and the community (our Tribe), Tribe 2 is collaborating with artists, writers, savvy web coders and other local and talented individuals who will share and contribute to the Tribe 2 business paradigm.

Tribe 2 and their developing team of professionals love their work and they want to share the love with you!

What's in a Name?

We figured it was time...
Time to create a place where we can share our thoughts, experiences and passions with you in a casual setting cause that's how we roll—if you don't know by now. We hope to give you a little something to inspire you, maybe change your perception and actually help your business. 

With this first post, I think a good place to start is with our name—Tribe2. To quote the double rainbow guy, "what does it mean?" We get asked this all the time. And like our work, it has several layers of meaning.

Tribe speaks to community. We stay active in our community, donating hundreds of hours of pro-bono and volunteer work for causes and projects we believe in. We also love elevating the image of Mom & Pop shops. Their people like us, pursing their dreams, pouring their time and passion into their businesses and offering an alternative to chain and box stores. It’s much easier to find truth and love in the work of small businesses. It helps us sleep at night knowing our work isn’t a vehicle for some mega-corporation to sell you hollow, soul-less, mass produced shit. 

That’s why we feel like we couldn’t be in a better place. Our region is rich in Independence, adventure and culture, from Powell’s and Upper Playground in Portland, the beautiful Washougal River, the serene Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge to the oak lined Officers Row next door. This place kicks ass! Our community, our city, our tribe. 

Beyond the fact that it was started by the two of us as our own little adventure breaking away from the man, 2 is an alternative way of seeing things. We’re not as interested in the bottom line as we are in helping to make a difference. In a world of templates and clipart we are artists first, primarily self taught. We have learned to run our business through thinking about what makes sense for our clients and how we can do what we love and help people at the same time. It’s been hard at times, but also rewarding beyond belief. We look for more than the win-win, we hope that we can produce work that’s good for the client, good for the audience, good for us and good for the planet as a whole. Maybe our ideas are lofty and this might not be the best business model, if you could call it that. We’re not going to be rich anytime soon, but we are happy.

What the hell is "Land Here, Live Here" anyway?

Last spring a small group of business and community leaders decided to start a long, much needed conversation: How can we shine a light on this area to attract employers and jobs?

The conversation continued and over 200+ businesses got involved: ports, cities and schools. It became clear something had to be done differently. Tribe2 competed against 5 other design firms, and we won the opportunity to 'represent' for our community.

And represent we did, we worked closely with Identity Clark County, The City of Vancouver, The Port of Vancouver and Amplify Group Inc. We helped conceive and execute the start of a campaign that you're bound to hear about. We developed a logo, campaign-style, a voice including print materials, banners, shwag and a basic website.

After the launch of the campaign, the press did what the press does best: get the story wrong. With headlines like "Re-Branding Vancouver", and brilliant posts like this one, it' no wonder the public is confused.  Suddenly, this was about changing the name of Vancouver, Portland vs. Vancouver, and T-shirt battles?  WTF? Oh yeah...controversy sells.

Here are some facts to help clarify what we're doing and why.
The Land Here, Live Here campaign is a regional grassroots effort to promote the Portland-Vancouver  Region to employers looking to expand or start a business. 


Why “Portland-Vancouver USA”?
This is the name of our Metropolitan Statistical Area, or MSA.  This is how local economic development agencies and company site selectors describe our region.  The U.S. Census Bureau's definition for our MSA is all of the following counties: Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill Counties in Oregon and Clark County and Skamania County in Washington.

Why should I care?
Economies don’t  adhere to the boundaries of a city, county, or state line. Each community contains unique assets that make the whole region, as a sum, more desirable to business.  To grow, we need to work together as a region.   For each new job created by a company (e.g. manufacturing), it generates 3 new jobs in service, retail and construction throughout the region.  When a company grows or moves to the region, everyone benefits, not just the immediate community where the business is located.

Tell your story.  G­row your business.  Get involved.
We’re looking to work with business leaders who want to share their story and promote the region as  a place where you can grow your business and enjoy an amazing quality of life.  From Ads in trade magazines and banners for conventions, to using the logo on your e-mail, print and web communications, you can help us share the opportunities we have to offer with the people who are looking.

www.LandHereLiveHere.com
Visit our website or Contact Ginger Metcalf with Identity Clark County (360) 695-4116 or ginger@identityclarkcounty.org

Keepin it Normal

Anyone who has been around the region for a while has no doubt seen the ubiquitous "Keep Portland Weird" bumper sticker.  While living in Mississippi and later Alberta over the years, it just started to make me laugh.  I thought about how most of the "weirdos" look like they are trying pretty hard...not all of course, but most. ...my old roommate being one.    ..If everyone is being weird to fit in, is it still weird?  Sure, why not.

It made me think of the perception of Vancouver.  You've got a strong and growing demographic that wants to see a more hip, relaxed Couve, and the old schoolers who are afraid of The Crime Train and Esther short park (unless they're packin).  RIPE for sarcasm...and an interesting social experiment.

Hence the bumper sticker was born. 

I had visions of me riding around my neighborhood and slapping normal stickers  right over the weird ones, and wondering how long it would take people to notice.  As far as I got was making the stickers.  I'll leave the rest to you.  

What's really awesome is that most folks don't get it.  They actually take it serious.....  Take the recent Columbian piece. or the facebook fan page that was created by an anomaly of a group if I've ever seen one...younger kids who actually DO want to keep Vancouver normal.

Really?..Now that's  weird.


If you feel like rockin one, click the image to purchase through paypal, or swing by our studio.