The Power of Design

There are times when the internet really allows a non-linear thinker to explore and find something of value. Today I found an older but still revelent article on CEOs using design to better their companies.

Decline of Green Spaces

I was shocked to read in the NY Times that the Nature Conservancy (whose mission is to preserve plants, animals, natural communities and to protect land and water) is logging on its newly purchased 161,000 acres of Adirondack wild lands. Touted as a modern deal, logging and selling parts of the land to the state and private developers are part of the $110 million plan. Executive Director Micheal T. Carr claims "there is enough room for everyone".

Have you noticed that the drive from any major city in America has become longer in the effort to find a pristine piece of nature to commune with? I was shocked to discover in my travels that the US is regarded for its wealth of natural beauty. An Australian was in love with the fall colors of New England and was sent on the special pilgrimage to feast in the beauty. Fun loving Germans were driving from San Francisco to Texas to hike the canyons of the southwest, deserts of the south and the Pacific beaches of the West. Will this remain true as land becomes more developed for business and housing purposes? Forests continue to be logged despite being owned by a nature conservancy? What will be the new brand for the US?

The eyes are upon us

Clear is a new service that allows you to bypass security lines in participating domestic airports because officials have already fingerprinted and cleared your identity. Aimed at frequent business flyers, I was stopped and interviewed by Fox 5 at SFO last week. My impression is that it's worth the $100 to bypass security but I do not trust that my DNA information is secure. Has anyone used it and would like to share their thoughts?

Superheroes in Union Square

Have you ever noticed while transferring from the L to the 4/5/6 train at Union Square that there is a video projector for advertising? Asics, the official sponsor of the New York marathon, buys most of the ad space in Union Square subway station during the month of October. This year they added a nice interactive element that allowed commuters to throw fireballs by detecting their motion. It certainity kept us busy for a few minutes but I am not sure how many pairs of Asics we are going to buy though.

The Gateway Drug

Is there a link between Reality TV and blogging? The "ME" generation raised on a diet of The Real World, Survivor, Trading Spaces, Apprentice and Project Runway has made the average person just as entertaining as the professional. By making "reality" the star, the drama of making it and the promise of learning something has cultivated a new audience. An accepted D.I.Y. culture that trumps the stale uniformed voice of authority. Would we feel so comfortable living our lives online (Facebook,MySpace,Flickr,Twitter) if it wasn't already normalized with reality shows?

Pretty in Pretty

Danielle forwarded this article about women-only cabs in Russia and the Middle East. Designated by their pink exteriors and female cab drivers, this micro trend is spreading to areas where women feel safer traveling together. Another positive side effect is that it has created opportunities for women to travel more freely and work a less traditional job.

You've come a long way, baby

TBWA Chiat Day | LA does amazing work and has been the mastermind behind most of the Apple campaigns (1984, Think different). So it surprised me when the iPod ads started to go downhill. The iconic black silhouettes against color backgrounds were perfect in 2001 and through the years it has morphed into something else. As details crept in to give texture and variety, it became a very un-Apple brand: this graffiti slinging, punk rock wannabe. For a client that is so proud of its advertising history, I know it can be challenge to keep a campaign fresh but this is going in the wrong direction.



As for the PC vs. MAC TV ads, they not only alienate the slightly-nerdy-but-still-cool-in-their-own-way-MAC fans but they are a simple positioning ad that is straightforward and linear.

What's in a name?

Ok, I admit. My publishing background makes me more analytic than the average reader. When strolling through the magazine racks, I noticed Everyday Food (a Martha Stewart publication) side-by-side to Everyday with Rachael Ray. In a crowded market, Hudson News probably does not realize they are competing titles since the names are so similar. I think someone needs a redesign or to pay a little extra to be placed separately on the stands.

C train

I love living in New York but I have to say could the subway notices be better designed. Maybe even make C train riders only transfer trains once not 4 times.

VW Rabbit is Back!

I am among one of the many fans of Crispin Porter + Bogusky but the VW rabbit campaign got stale as I traveled from city to city. Let's start with the New York. Public nusiances, turned city mascots, the rat and the pigeon are side by side with the Rabbit. In Boston, the lobster and clam welcomes Bostonians to Rabbit. I think this campaign could be more interactive. Having lived in both cities, I do not feel like the animal choices really correspond with positive relationships or a strong emotional connection.

H20 brand

How Magazine's article in this month's Business issue talks about the branding of water. There are loads of fun factoids including a useful explanation of water processes.

(Picture: NYC gallery Exit Art created a recent show "The Water Project" to allow artists to explore the effects of water. This artist painted the labels of bottled water.)