DOT ON ROAD

Já com saudades da excitação e até nervosismo antes de uma viagem? Só de pensar, sente formigueiro nos pés pela promessa de aventura, do novo e extraordinário.

Viajar é tão bom que demos à luz o nosso DOT só para o mandar viajar pelo mundo fora à procura de histórias para contarmos. Experiências de novos sabores e estéticas, monumentos, pormenores, pessoas diferentes, natureza selvagem e criativa, espaços e criação de memórias, novos sentimentos e emoções.

Do Bombarral ao Dubai, o nosso DOT ON ROAD já escalou montanhas, saboreou chaminés e ginginha, fez jeep safari no deserto, visitou as melhores exposições de arte e design de Budapeste e Bruxelas, viajou de barco, avião e bicicleta, foi atacado por um exército de Stormtroopers e subiu ao Burj Khalifa para ver o mundo do ponto mais alto.

Se os seus olhos começaram a brilhar de curiosidade porque partilha da mesma paixão por viagens, faça uma pausa e siga as aventuras do nosso DOT (pequenino, mas ladino!).

ON VACATION AS ANIMALS

Let us tell you a true story (which you probably already know) to read before or during your vacation:

In 2007, an unusual group of castaways washed ashore in northern France: rubber ducks had just completed an epic 15-year journey that began in January 1992, when a ship, traveling between Hong Kong and the United States, lost part of the load during a storm. One of the overboard containers had 28.800 toys, some of which had appeared years earlier off the coast of Australia and the east coast of the United States. Others crossed the Bering Strait and the Arctic Ocean, reaching Greenland, the United Kingdom and New Scotland. 


Each year, approximately 10 million tons of waste end up in the planet’s seas and oceans. Plastics, such as non-reusable beverage bottles and bags, are by far the main type of debris found in the marine environment. And the list goes on: broken fishing nets, ropes, sanitary towels, tampons, cotton swabs, condoms, cigarette butts, disposable lighters, etc. 

The oceans cover about 70% of our planet’s surface and there is marine litter practically everywhere. This threatens not only the health of our seas and coasts, but also our economy and communities. Most of this waste comes from terrestrial activities. How can we stop the flow of garbage that invades the seas? The best place to start solving this global problem of the sea is on land. And it starts with you. 

Therefore, we ask you: Go on vacation, enjoy the sand and the sea, behaving like a real animal! Because animals don’t litter on beaches, humans do! And if you see a plastic duck lying around lost in the sand, don’t kick it. Pick it up to recycle. Happy Vacation!

REDCYCLED XTMAS

2020 was a sh*t year! We all know that. Less work, less travel, less socializing, less kisses and hugs … It was a year that made us stop, have more time for ourselves, look back and into our closets, remembering everything we have already created. In memory of this year, which was “less” in almost everything and more in “time” and “reflection”, the desire was born to thank all those who until now have trusted us, offering them some of the works they have ordered over of the years, transformed into a new piece. 2020 inspired us to RECYCLE.

We discarded Santa Claus. It’s all his fault… because he doesn’t exist! If he existed, he wouldn’t let us feel so bad. So, we folded and cut hundreds of pages of catalogs, brochures and magazines to make Christmas trees. We turned brochures into origami stars; we wrapped branches to make Christmas crowns and transformed unused CDs into decorations.

We believe that a gift cannot be a mere object of monetary exchange. The personalization and motivation to develop something unique is what makes the experience special. It is possible to do a lot with little, just some imagination and a personal touch: by cooking, drawing, writing, singing, DIY, gardening or simply wrapping a gift. All we want is for the recipient to realize that he is not just another one on the list, but someone to whom we have dedicated a good part of our time. We want to provoke reactions, emotion, and send a positive, motivating and joyful message.

We recall some of the creative gifts that we have developed over the years and were based on simple objects such as washing brushes, blue soap, pipe cleaner, wooden pallets, tea planted by the RED team, lamp-shaped cups, an edible DOT, hot water bottles, HOT DOT special edition organic coffee, etc., etc.

Get inspired, give Father Christmas a rest and get to work!
If you have questions, or need help, we are close by, always.

RED TEAM

The importance of typography

TYPE IS WHAT MEANING LOOKS LIKE.

Robert Bringhurst

As designers, we are the ones who determine how we convey a message, whether by using an image or text. It is true when we say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but it is equally correct to say that a sentence is worth a thousand images. The quality of the content is fundamental, but it is very important to know how to bring the text to life and this is where we designers have a lot to say. To make a message appealing, we combine fonts, colors, sizes, alignments and word positioning. We have summarized some rules for the effective use of words in written communication:

 

Character

When we meet someone, we take the “pint” out of first impressions, and almost immediately we are able to assess whether we like the person or not. However, we cannot or should not always judge the book by its cover. The typography works in the same way: when we think something is not right, we have to deconstruct and build again until we can give personality to the message! Each one of us communicates in his own way and screams differently, the same goes for the sources, we just have to give them a different format to obtain countless variants.

 

Unforgettable

There are people who are part of our life, who are fundamental, but who are almost imperceptible. The same happens with the sources, if we do not realize that they are there, it is because they are well applied. In situations where we look at a message and what is most evident is the font, which ends up distracting us from the main message, we assume that something is not right. The message must be as clear and perceptible as possible, in any type of environment in which the source is inserted.

 

Meaning

The choice of a font should not be influenced by momentary popularity. It must be decided taking into account the meaning and the creative and commercial purpose of the brand. An excellent example of this is Coca-Cola, Nike or Adidas, timeless brands, which if they had chosen to use Helvetica or Arial in their logo, certainly today would not be so successful.

Versatile

Being more digital influences the way we consume information, with more and more content being transmitted through screens and mobile devices. This leads to the need to understand whether the typography we use in printing works the same way on different platforms and screens.

 

Direct

Whatever the language in which it is written, the typography linked to a universal image ends up not needing many explanations. Transmitting a clear, simple and direct image, in addition to saving the user time, will certainly be in everyone’s memory.

Fun

Behavior is a general language perceived by every human being. Therefore, describing it with typography can be an incredible way to be able to communicate effectively, playing and giving the meaning it well deserves. In the image below we leave an example of a simple idea, easily understood by your client. Therefore, use and abuse the fonts, which well combined can bring a great visual advantage to your work.

Hierarchy

Choose what you want to be more evident. When fonts with the same visual impact are used, you are not highlighting any particular information and therefore you are unable to get the right message to your customer. Using the upper case and the “bold” may be a chance to communicate correctly.

TYPE IS A DANCE AND THE DESIGNER IS THE CHOREOGRAPHER.

Richard Lipton

GET INSPI(RED)

RED is the color of blood. In Europe and the United States it’s the color of passion. In Asia it’s the color of joy and good luck. In Africa, since 2006, it’s the color of hope.
Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver, (RED) aims to raise funds to fight AIDS, a disease of the human immune system resulting from infection with the HIV virus. Although Covid-19 snatched the credit for attention to the number of deaths worldwide, only last June did it exceed the number of deaths from HIV, which rose to 6th place. (RED) creates partnerships with people, companies and the most iconic brands in the world, such as Apple, Danone, Beats, Durex, Primark, among others, that until now have contributed more than 650 million dollars in the sale of products and experiences (RED) for the Global Fund.

Images and products (RED) https://www.red.org/

These products are created in the image of (RED) and gain greater prominence, not only for what they symbolize in helping thousands of people, but also for the visual impact that the color and the word RED transmit.

And that’s why we also like to be RED (DOT). We work every day with the same spirit as (RED): giving life, injecting new blood that rejuvenates brands, institutions and, most importantly, people. We are faithful to our own RED color communication vocabulary: REDESIGN, REDEFINE, REDCREATE, REDISCOVER, REDCONNECT, REDFLECT, REDTHINK, REDNATURE, REDHEART, REDACTION, REDDREAM. We don’t hesitate when the challenge is to help (even in PRO BONO mode) organizations to innovate the way of communicating. In our veins there is a continuous desire to EVOLVE and REDVOLUTION!

Gratitude Day

Another year passed and our Pot is filled with Gratitude again. In 2018, we created this pot in order to make us see and appreciate the good side of life and people. It is a stopping point and reflection in the middle of the avalanche of a normal working day. Throughout the year, we gathered small notes of thanks to all those who at some point contributed to making us happier or, in the most difficult moments, made us believe that our work is important and we have someone to count on.

Yesterday, September 21, the Day of Gratitude was celebrated again. We opened the Pot with the curiosity of a child who was promised a candy, to finally read the thank you messages throughout this year. Yes, despite 2020 being a difficult year, we still found much to be thanked: to our customers who allow us to be creative and out of the box; to our suppliers who helped us put out fires when something didn’t go as expected; to our partners who continue to bring us good contacts; and our team, which after being put to the test, working from home for months, has not lost the fighting spirit, support and innovation.

Thank you to everyone who this year contributed in some way to filling the pot and our hearts. We count on you to make the next year more special, richer and more RED!

PS: by the way, THANK YOU too, who took some time to read this mail.

We do care about bags.

We are not going to teach anything new, but we also couldn’t let this day (International Day Without Plastic Bags) pass.

ABOUT 1 MILLION LIGHT PLASTIC BAGS ARE USED IN THE WORLD, per minute.

IN EUROPE CIRCULATES 100,000 MILLION BAGS each year.

PORTUGAL IS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES IN EUROPE THAT USES MORE BAGS (1 time and for only 25 minutes).

Production, transport and treatment of those high quantities of bags in circulation, are responsible for the CONSUMPTION OF MANY RESOURCES, including water and oil.

In the garbage they mix with the remaining residues and end up in landfills or in the environment, where they STAY FOR MORE THAN 300 YEARS.

They are the 2nd WASTE FOUND ON THE SURFACE OF THE SEA.

On land and at sea they are ingested and CHOKE ANIMALS, reducing biodiversity and entering the food chain. *

For all this and more, we DO NOT LIKE PLASTIC BAGS! We like paper bags, which we reuse and reuse until they tear apart. Only then do we free them for recycling.

We treat each paper bag with the respect it deserves, due to the knowledge that comes from the profession’s defect: we design and produce bags with cardboards that come from sustainable forests and are printed with ecological inks.

Spend another 5 minutes and visit our BAGS page.

We DO change. Because we DO care.

Change is part of our lives. But when it strikes us, it’s like taking a punch to the stomach. The word “normal” never made much sense to us, because we are part of a group of misfits that like to see the world upside down, to wake up at 3 in the morning to take notes of ideas and spend hours doodling in the company of a pen. However, we are starting to think that the abnormal is entirely normal. The normal today is going out with a mask on, greeting colleagues with a pat on the elbow, thinking twice before kissing a family member, avoiding get together with friends, daydreaming about the first dish we will be able to order at a restaurant. No one knows exactly what to do, but we keep on saying that everything is going to be okay. It is okay! It must suffice…

It will never suffice!! The truth is that almost everything is out of our control. And what we can’t control, we are better off avoiding, embracing the abnormality with positivism. We didn’t stop being RED, but in this world where life drags on in a black and white deadlock, we decide that we want to be more: 

We redefine the important points and renew the image of our DNA, setting it free from the cobwebs of time and painting it with other colors, just because!
Red is the blood that runs in our veins and connects the points of what we do with passion.
Blue is our safe Porto in an explosive mix of inspiration and focus.
Yellow is the color of our souls, cheerful and optimistic.
Pink, besides being stylish, is our affective and warm capability to care for another.

But don’t be fooled! We don’t care about what others think or say about us. We only care about what we do. And we DO.

13, The luck of the draw

Dear friends, clients, suppliers, competitors and so on, “Poor things” you may be thinking, “bad luck turning 13 years old on one of the most unlucky years in the history of humankind!” Well, it is true, from this historical fact we won’t get rid. Today we make 4749 days, 678 weeks, 156 months, 13 years, damn! And we have to celebrate this day in a scenario of “monsters” without “cookies”, in a blind fight against an “invisible enemy”, where clients disappear and partners desert.

But don’t fool yourselves. We may be bombarded from everywhere, take a stray bullet, be forced to crawl and beg for shelter… Stoping, never! We lick our wounds with spit and crawl forward.

13 is just a number. And because it is ours, lets  finish him by taking the best of both: the 1 is for courage, initiative and wilingness to take chances; the 3 is the selfconfidence and optimism to believe on a better life. Gibberish? No, it is simply our way of being and continuing to be and making the difference. Each on her corner, in a silent retrospective work, we prepare the future the best way we know.

“They don’t know, they don’t even dream, that the dream commands life”. But I know creativity extrapolates the dream.

It is time to sit, meditate, inspire and expire Or simply let the nature speak… And read, a lot. I have chosen 13 essential books for my mental and creative balance: CHANGE, since this is the right opportunity to finally do it; GARFIELD, because it makes me laugh; AUTUMN, because we draw it tenderly; TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and THE GREAT GATSBY, classics to read one more; DITOS BURRIQUITOS because it was offered to me a long time ago by an artist friend of mine and I hand’t had the time to read it yet; HISTORY OF FILM, because why not? I’m addicted to films; DISEÑO DE INVITACIONES e DICIONÁRIO DE TERMOS ALFARRABÍSTICOS to activate the technical knowledge; THE FIVE THINGS WE CAN’T CHANGE, tips to overcome evils that fall on our lap; THE WORLD WHERE I LIVED and THE WHY OF LIFE for a spiritual reflection. At last, and by irony of fate, NO ONE IS ALONE. We are isolated, but together in the same dream!

REGINA

Tea or coffe, hot or cold, I don’t care! I only need it to be strong, true and delicious. I brought home the team habits, and along the day I choose the best company for my mood: the MORNING COFFE awakes all the senses; the DETOX TEA burns the negative energies; the COFFE WITH MILK is perfect to mix concepts; the mighty EXPRESSO COFFE decodes any briefing; the LONG BREAK and AMERICANO gives me time to create; the GREEN TEA releases all the toxins from the 5 o’clock snak; the BLACK TEA gives me force to keep going; the CAPPUCCINO is the right excuse to a bit of conversation with my cat; the MINT TEA refreshes my ideas; the hot MOCHA sweetens my thoughts; the biological LEMON TEA makes me more positive; at last, the CHAMOMILE TEA relaxes me after a day’s work. 13 addictive nectars that make me drunk of joy because, in the end, I know everything will be alright.

INÊS

To be happy you only need a piece of paper and a pen. I pity how may try to take my ability to write and draw! I wouldn’t be able to scratch at my work as designer without a scribble and a paper for every occasion: I draft on the RECYCLED; I use the IOR for black and white prints; the COUCHE MATE I leave for the avant garde clients and the  COUCHE GLOSSY for all the others who want cheap luxury; on boxes i use the CORRUGATED PAPER; for an artistic finish I choose the KRAFT; the color trials in PHOTOGRAPHIC paper; the FINE ART paper seduces me for the colors and textures without end; the NEWSPAPER is the only for its own purpose; the WALLPAPER for big layouts; the TRACING paper for technical tasks; the TRANSFER paper for objects. At last, the TOILET PAPER, true companion of every day that in the right moment eclipses all the others. Its basic simplicity remind us that there is no need to spare suffering and worry for a future that is not here yet, because that is like design on a toilet paper and then clean the we-know-who over our most noble ideas. Let’s make a positive role!

ANA

The best gift I can give to someone is time. And my time dedicated to communicate and draw continues, at the distance of a single pixel.

07h13 is time to wake up, reminds me my cat Gaspar with a lick; 08h13 é exercise the body because the skeleton was not made to be kept sit; 09h13 starts the day with a new project; 10h13 the neighbour knocks on the window asking for sugar; 11h13 I have a videoconference meeting with the team; 12h13 I go back to draw a website; 13h00 pause for a chickpeas and avocado salade; 14h13 an urgent call from a client; 15h13 I read again the briefing and I do some creative work; 16h13 the postman rings twice; 17h13 time for myself and my aromatic water; 18h13 I send a proposal  and update the planning; 19h13 time for the family.

Says the popular wisdom that for major maladies, major remedies. And the best remedie is to give time to time. Every second is time enough to change everything, and for the best.

JULIANA

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT KEEPS BELIEVING IN US…
THE ONES WHO DON’T BELIEVE, BAD LUCK!

See you soon.

Uma série de quarentenas

Everything is strange! Work, the supermarket lines, socializing with friends, the online gym… As much as it may cost us, the social distancing is the key for this pandemic. But, between you and me, when everything gets back to normal, some people could well keep a distance of 2 meters (even without the virus)…

Did you think staying at home was the same as paradise? It know that you intended to read that book, do more exercise, renovate that chair and learn how to play the guitar….  But, after enduring the kid’s whine, cook and doing 5 laundry machines in a single day, any paradise turns in a leaving hell and you even miss the old office routine!

We “assaulted” the supermarket shelves for him. It is also him whom we look at in times of “affliction”.  Be it the newspaper, a letter, the supermarkert leaflet, a kid’s drawing sheet or toilet paper, it is in times like this we give it real importance.

“One hand washes the other”…and with both we finish the enemy! Each wash is like a stab in Covid. It is the perfect crime and, in this case, without trial or imprisonment, only water and soap – the perfect weapons for a “clean” execution.

Drag the right leg, then the left. Between dragging comes a grunt. We extend the arms and slowly reach the so desired door… of the refrigerator! When hunger strikes, we enter in zombie mode and the damage is complete. The victims are our pantries and refrigerators, which are decimated in this withering attacks!

The kitchen is now a mess hall. The living room a gymnasium. The bedroom is now the office. The balcony hold school hall C, where the Portuguese classes are held. During quarantine times, the spaces adapt and we only have to pray that the dog won’t bark, the kid won’t call us, and the neighbour won’t yell while we are in a conference call!

Tip: click on the link below and get in the spirit with the theme of the series: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evf-U8he-6o&list=PLrRwF9_dIWUqrPAtXYo8jpd8FdOqNeeqp