As Ferris Bueller (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) once eloquently stated, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Time seems to have a way of slipping through our fingers..
One minute you think you have all the time in the world, and the next, you are reminiscing about the past.
Through the years, IBI Scientific has gone through numerous changes – location, staff, products, and interestingly enough -company catalogs.
Catalogs might seem insignificant in today's digital landscape, however, they do help us see how far we’ve come.
Now let’s take a walk through memory lane together.
Picture this scene – IBI Scientific 17 years ago. Everyone at IBI is excited about what the future holds. There is an almost tangible feeling of optimism and hope that can be felt in the air.
Now let’s jump a few years since that pivotal moment. It’s the early 2000’s, and print is all the rage. So, what is a company to do to stay relevant? Create a new catalog of course.
IBI Scientific set out to do just that. Now, it is important to know that as a biotech company, catalogs served a much bigger purpose than simply being a product list.
Technical information is extremely important not only to researchers but also to scientists as well. As such, IBI made sure to include specific, relevant, and current product information. From part number to cost to features, scientific applications and, everything in between – IBI included it all.
All of this information in IBI catalogs made it that much easier for researchers and scientists to get the information they needed to make informed purchases.
Beyond technical information, as the print age slowly turned into the digital age, in which we operate today, IBI knew it has to change its approach with its catalogs. So instead of only emphasizing the technical information, the catalog's focus also came to include branding and graphics.
In other words, IBI catalogs then became a union of invaluable scientific information, as well as quality branding and design.
Speaking of branding, the IBI catalogs have also gone through significant and notable design changes throughout the years.
See below:
2001 - Purple & Black color scheme. The focal point is a purple outstretched arm with a dissolving DNA strand.
2002/2003 – Light Blue & Mauve color scheme. The focal points include a DNA strand in the uppermost right half of the catalog, as well as some molecules in the bottom, left half with a variety of items listed.
2004/2005 - Black with Blue and Orange accents color scheme. The focal point is a vibrant graphic showing a variety of IBI Products.
2005 - Orange and Black color scheme. The main focal point of the catalog is the large tiger graphic which spans the majority of the page. (A tiger was used to symbolize power and strength.)
2007 – Yellow, Orange, and Black color scheme. Significant design change from the previous year. The graphic focus in now on the IBI logo, and the color scheme.
2009 – Yellow, Orange, and Black color scheme. Less drastic design changes from the prior catalog. The focal point is still the IBI logo, except now it has been repeated for an interesting visual effect.
2010 – Yellow and Orange color scheme. The focal point has moved away from just the IBI logo and is now on specific IBI products. A multitude of ovals has been utilized for product display.
2011 – Yellow and Orange color scheme remains. The focal point has changed once again from the previous catalog. Instead of product emphasis, the catalog has now become design-focused.
2013 – Yellow and Orange color scheme still. The focus is now on IBI Scientific product selection. The goal was to promote a variety of science products.
Now that we have taken a trip back through memory lane, it is quite evident how much IBI catalogs have transformed over the years. From a purple arm in 2001 to a tiger in 2005, and a vibrant technical catalog in 2013, IBI catalogs have been through many changes – inside and out.
That being said, catalogs are just one of the many facets that have changed since the early years of IBI. Time has a way of changing right before our eyes, and it’s moments like this one- where we step back and reflect on the past, that truly give us valuable perspective.
And while catalogs are currently no longer a part of IBI’s digital identity, they will forever remain a part of IBI history.
Truthfully, IBI will never be able to evolve if we don’t take the time to appreciate how far IBI has traveled. The journey has been full of ups and downs, of course, but full of valuable lessons as well.
Furthermore, for IBI, to become even better, change must be welcomed. Sometimes change can be difficult, but ultimately change is necessary to be the best one can be. It was once said that “progress is an excellent deterrent for stagnation”, and that is the mindset IBI likes to adhere to.
Here at IBI Scientific, we care strongly about the various needs and potential concerns of our customers and community. We continue to strive to provide the best possible life science products for our global scientific communities. We also support positive change and making choices that will allow IBI Scientific to thrive for years to come.
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Blog Post Poll Answers:
Blog Poll 1
Answer: c. A tiger
Blog Poll 2
Answer: d. To create something that promoted electrophoresis products
Written By: Katie Draves
