The Design Symphony Experience

Subtle Yet Effective

I saw an ad for this t-shirt today and was impressed with how few words it actually takes to say something.

The Best Creative Money Can't Buy

The interesting thing about the the video from will.i.am in my recent post is that it was created without any input, direction, or request from the Obama campaign.

As will.i.am tells it:

"I was sitting in my recording studio watching the debates...
Torn between the candidates...I was never really big on politics...
and actually I’m still not big on politics...

And then came New Hampshire... And i was captivated... Inspired...

I began making this song...
I came up with the idea to turn his speech into a song...
I wanted the inspiration that was bubbling inside me to take over...

so I called my friends...
and they called their friends...
in a matter of 2 days...
We made the song and video...

Usually this process would take months...
a bunch of record company people figuring out strategies and release dates...
interviews...
all that stuff...
but this time i took it in my own hands...
so i called my friends sarah pantera, mike jurkovac, fred goldring, and jesse dylan to help make it happen...
and they called their friends..
and we did it together in 48 hours...
and instead of putting it in the hands of profit we put it in the hands of inspiration...

You know you're delivering an impressive brand experience when your fans start creating their own ways to refer more business to you and promote your goals/dream/agenda.

After I sent out the video, my good friend and work colleague Berit sent me the following images created by Shepard Fairey - a well known artists of "Obey Giant" fame who specializes in the prolific stickering and flyposting of propaganda-style images.

Not only are these beautiful posters with powerful imagery, but once again, they were created by a "fan" who wanted to lend his own creativity to the cause. As he tells it:

"I first became interested in him [Obama] in 2004, after his speech at the Democratic convention and have been impressed with him ever since. I think I'm a pretty good judge of character and my feeling about Barack is he stuck his neck out by being against the war, he always seems to speak his mind whether it's the popular position or not and he just seems like he follows what he believes in, which impresses me. So I decided I'd support him and put up my own money to do so. Some people asked me why I don't wait until he's got the Democratic nomination, but if you want a candidate to win, why not try your best to ensure he actually gets the nomination? "

So here's the ultimate question: How many of your customers, supporters, donors, etc. would put their own time and money into creating amazingly creative campaigns to promote your cause?

If you struggle to answer that question, maybe you should start by thinking about how much you inspire them? Just a thought...

P.S. While the posters are sold out and there are no plans to print more, you can download a B/W version from Obey Giant here.

Yes We Can

Friends:

As many of you know, I grew up in a family full of politicians - so as you might imagine, I've been around this stuff for almost 35 years now... But I must confess, today is different from all the other days.

It's "Super Tuesday" and many believe that today has the potential to decide the next four years. I believe that today has the potential to decide the course of history for our planet...

I'm writing today to ask you to take 4 minutes to view this video:

Once you've watched, ask yourself this:
Do you believe that we can do better? As a people? As a country? As a planet? As individuals?
Do you believe that our country isn't as divided as people claim?
Do you believe that the differences between Republicans, and Democrats, and Independents, and those who don't even want to be labeled, aren't really that far apart?

The main think to ask: Do you believe?

I do.

I believe we can change.

I believe the time is now.

I believe Barack Obama is the best person to lead us.

I believe Barack Obama is the best person to inspire us.

I believe Barack Obama is the best person to help us believe again.

You may not live in a Super Tuesday primary state, but I imagine you know someone who does...

Call them.

Email them.

Right now - there is still time. (you can even forward this email if that makes it easier for you...)

Ask them to support Senator Obama for President.

Ask them to go vote today - or in the coming days if their state hasn't had a primary yet.

Ask them to believe.

To paraphrase, "I'm not just asking you to believe in Senator Obama's ability to bring about real change in Washington... I'm asking you to believe in yours..."

If not now, when will it happen?

If not you, who will do it?

Years from now, people will have the chance to look back on this election and say,

Today was when America changed the course of human history...

Today was when people started to believe again...

Today was the day that made all the difference...

Thanks for your time... Thanks for your optimism... Thanks for your hope... Thanks for believing that yes we can...

Joey

Dark Day for Design - London Edition!

The London 2012 Olympic Committee unveiled the official logo of the games today. It comes in a variety of colors including pink, blue, green, and orange.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said:

"When people see the new brand, we want them to be inspired to make a positive change in their life."

Organizing Committee Chairman Seb Coe said:

"It's not a logo, it's a brand that will take us forward for the next five years."

The cost of this logo? £400,000

Wow...

I work with companies and organizations to design logos and brand identities every day and I'm sorry, but this new logo just doesn't work.

* It's busy.
* It's confusing.
* It's cluttered.
* The "2012" numerals are hard to identify.
* The color combinations reflect some sort of Skittles binge-eating.

Not good.

With all due respect to Mr. Blair and Mr. Coe, I don't think it inspires "positive change" nor do I feel it is a brand that can take 2012 London forward.

The worst thing of all - the excuse that it's "all about the young people."

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said:

"This is a truly innovative brand logo that graphically captures the essence of the London 2012 Olympic Games - namely to inspire young people around the world through sport and the Olympic values."

Okay - let's be clear - young people around the world appreciate quality design and imagery more than any other generation living. And maybe more than any other generation in history. Just saying "it inspires young people" won't make it happen.

P.S. According to the BBC, the Committee plans to create a different logo for grassroots projects backing the Games.

Ouch.

Message to London 2012: If you're trying to build a brand from scratch - just create one logo folks. Don't complicate issues more than they already are with this original design.

No Thinking Allowed

"I almost rented that - but I didn't want to have to think"

On Friday I overheard a woman at Blockbuster say this in reference to the movie An Inconvenient Truth.

The interesting thing? Making you think is exactly what that movie was all about - and even though this woman never saw the movie, she heard enough about its main goal (to make you think) that she self-selected out.

You marketing is working well when people know about your main purpose/message without ever experiencing your product. Congrats to everyone involved in the successful marketing of this movie.

P.S. If you haven't seen An Inconvenient Truth - go rent it - tonight. Seriously. And then "think" of just one thing you can do to help the environment and start "doing" it tomorrow morning. It is going to take the efforts of the people - not the efforts of governments or corporations - to save our planet and it starts with thinking followed by doing.

New York Times Agrees with Joey!

This just in from Roger Cohen at the New York Times (in support of Joey's earlier post on Brand Beckham):

David Beckham, Football Ambassador (January 20, 2007)

Becks is a self-made man, an image merchant, a constant reinventor of himself: in other words, he's American to the core.

Personal Brand David Beckham is on the way... Get ready America!

It's all about Mii

The new Nintendo Wii was the Christmas gift of the season. While the buzz on this product tended to focus primarily on the wireless controllers (and the "accidents" they were causing), an overlooked aspect of the gaming system was Mii.

Mii (pronounced "me") is the character you create for playing games on the system - your very own avatar. For all the non-gamers reading this, think of it as being able to watch yourself onscreen, playing inside a video game. Pretty cool stuff...

What I find fascinating about this is how personal identity is now invading the video game space. People have been able to create avatars in Second Life and other online worlds for years, but the Mii is the first to bring it truly mainstream, make is simple to create, and give it a funny and clever name. Not to mention that you can create characters for all of your friends so when they come over to play, they can use characters that look like the players look in real life...

In fact, if you check out Flickr you can see thousands of people posting their personal "Mii" and even creating celebrity Mii.

The possibilities are limitless...

U.S.A. Scores Soccer Brand

David Beckham - one of the best examples of personal branding in the world today - just announced that he is leaving Real Madrid this summer to come play soccer in the United States.

Beckham agreed to a five-year, $250 million dollar deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy and the sports world is a flutter with what this means for "football" in the U.S.A. (that's "soccer" for all you American readers in the audience).

What impact will Beckham have? Only time will tell...

Beckham in Hollywood seems like a perfect combination. Athletic, good-looking, superstar - and that's just his wife! (the former "Posh" of the Spice Girls) Beckham is also an athletic, good-looking, superstar who is extremely well paid and brings with him big endorsement contracts. While the same can be said of many of Beckham's new neighbors in the City of Angels, the last time an athlete of such international stature moved to southern California the impact was tremendous. Playing for the Los Angeles Kings, Wayne Gretzky brought lots of buzz, sold-out crowds, and national expansion to U.S. hockey.

While Beckham may not change America's opinion of soccer, he will surely provide a real-time example of a personal brand in action. On that note, I give it three years (max) before we see Beckham with a big role in a major motion picture.

The Ballot Experience

You can’t open a magazine or watch a newscast without someone extolling the virtues of good design. I couldn’t be happier ;-)

Now only if someone would give the slightest thought to design when creating a ballot for an election.

The ballot I used today in Washington, DC (when NOT voting for Representative or Senator mind you – but don’t even get me started on that) was better than the hanging chad debacle of 2000, but not by much. The ballot has a series of “broken arrows” and you make your selection by connecting segment to make a complete arrow.

I read in the news the other day about the elections in the Congo. Compare the DC Ballot to the Congo Ballot:

What a difference!

I’m not saying that we should model our democracy on the Congo. What I am saying is that in democracies all over this planet, election officials have figured out how to convey more than a name on a ballot. Let’s include a picture of the candidate. Let’s include the symbol/icon of their political party. Let’s include a brief bio on their background and experience. Let’s give every politician the chance to outline in three sentences what they plan to focus on if elected. That’s it – three sentences. If you can accomplish your three sentences during your term in office, you have the right to come up with three more for your re-election campaign! If nothing else this approach would give us the chance to see if a politician lived up to the last promise he/she made me before I voted for them.

It really shouldn't be that difficult. Let’s design a better ballot America...

The Election Experience

Tomorrow is Election Day 2006 in America. It is estimated that more than 10% of voters in U.S. elections decide who they are going to vote for the day of the election.

Wow.

A decision as monumental as how the direction the U.S. government is going to take is decided with less consideration than planning for a trip out of state. Follow my logic here: you book a flight at least three weeks in advance to get the best fare right? By default, doesn't that mean that a properly priced plane ticket gets more attention than a properly vetted candidate?

I observed many friends and family members making their decisions for Election 2006 in the final 24 hours before the voting began. What they could have used – and what it seems like no one is providing – is a clear, concise, well-designed evaluation of all the candidates.

Every voter has a series of “hot button issues” that matter to them – taxes, the environment, abortion, flag burning, the war in Iraq, and alternative energy sources to name but a few. What do the candidates think about these topics?

Good luck finding the answers.

Yes, the majority of candidates now have websites where you can go and research their opinions. Yes, you can watch debates and listen for the relevant soundbite that applies to your issue. Yes, you can read what critics, journalist, analysts, and even bloggers are saying about candidates and their beliefs. But is any of this presented in an easy-to-understand, clearly presented format that is readily available and easily allows you to compare different candidates positions?

Not that I've been able to find.

Why not create one template and make all politicians (local, state, and national) follow it? Why not make it easily available on a website everyone knows about and can find? Why not have the government mail it to every voter at the same time they mail the "how to find your voting place" document?

With more information available today than at any time in human history, with better connectivity across the country and around the globe, with information architecture receiving more status in our society - why can't we create a way to easily let people know about the people seeking their support?

Why not... and maybe we can redesign the voting ballots while we are at it!