OK, let’s get this out in the open. I like McDonald’s “McCafe” specialty coffees. Since my affinity for McCafes has become known, staff here at Hile have responded in a variety of ways, most of them uncharitable, including accusing me of being unsophisticated in my coffee tastes, or conversely, accusing me of thinking I’m “too good” for the regular brew most everyone else imbibes a couple of times a day. One staffer thinks it’s amusing to add the prefix “Mc” in front of regular words when talking to me, for example, “Monica, are you doing anything “McFun” this weekend? Very McFunny.

McDonald’s is trying to combat consumers’ preconceived ideas about their coffee by running television ads urging consumers to avoid “snobby” coffee shops and take advantage of McDonald’s. One such ad shows two guys sitting in a stereotypical coffee shop, classical music playing in the background. “We don’t have to call movies ‘films’ anymore,” says one guy when his friend tells him that McDonald’s has cappuccinos. “And we can talk about football.” “I like football,” says his friend, while peeling off his black “artsy” turtleneck. “I like sitting and watching football.” Read the rest of this entry »

“I am born.” So begins Charles Dickens’ classic novel, David Copperfield. And so too the Hile Design blog. But it might be better stated, “We are born,” since all our staff will be commenting on advertising, design, culture, and anything else that is currently stimulating our gray matter. We’ll also be interviewing other people in a wide variety of fields, from product designers to photographers and other creative people from around the world! Our intent is to stay active bloggers—several entries a week. We’ll keep our comments bite-sized, informal, and (hopefully) interesting. But blogging is a two-way street, so please feel free to let us know what you think.

Since my theme is “Birth,” I thought I’d kick off our debut entry by giving a history of the beginnings and growth of Hile Design over the years. So here goes: Read the rest of this entry »

Hile Design LLC has been selected to redesign the website of SurgTel of Ann Arbor. SurgiTel, a division of General Scientific Corporation, is a global leader in offering surgical loupes used in the medical and dental fields. The company’s emphasis has been on developing products that are not only visually superior but also ergonomically improved over competitor versions.

Hile Design LLC is pleased to announce that Katie Fogleboch has been selected for the position of Web Project Manager. In her new position, Katie will take responsibility for oversight of all Hile’s web projects, assuring they stay on task and on budget. Katie has most recently worked as a web and print designer for Hile and has a degree in graphic design. She will continue to serve as a staff designer for the company.