Is it wrong to like a sports franchise based on their visual identity? Most die hard sports fans would probably say yes. But I think a team’s brand identity is often indicative of a much larger clubhouse philosophy and can reveal a lot about the mindset of the front office.
Take the New Orleans Hornets (look here and read here). This is a team that always manages, through attention to detail and consistently smart updates, to appear fresh and exciting. Being assertive with their brand shows that this is an active franchise. They care about how they are perceived and want to continue to engage fans and lure free agents. They never allow themselves to gather dust. This approach works for any business. Keeping in step with (or better yet, stepping ahead of) you surroundings goes a long way. I know the fans in New Orleans appreciate the efforts.
3 years ago
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This product isn’t for everyone. It doesn’t seem to have any major advantage over the 8,000 or so other tiny Internet gadgets on the market. But I do think it is an interesting and refreshing step away from the stark white utilitarian approach of the iPod and others. Here’s why: the modernist movement has a tendancy to isolate emotion from the concept of functionality. As if naked usability alone was our primary need. But we can’t forget that, as humans, emotion is a major part of how we function. We could have all the facts in the world, but sometimes we’d rather hear a story.
I don’t think the Chumby is a groundbreaking device. It’s not even particularly useful. But it does tell a story. And it is a friendly reminder that technology has the power to, while improving our efficiency, also acknowledge our emotions.
3 years ago
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I am often blown away by the amount of inspiration to be found out there. What is especially surprising is the frequent obscurity of the source. If you’re paying attention, digging deep and constantly thinking, you realize that everything is a potential resource for knowledge and inspiration. The store clerk. That scrap of paper. Shark Week. Tapping into obscure and everyday resources can help you develop your originality, originality that goes beyond the inspiration found in design magazines and (even) the Internet. Become open to new ideas and they start pouring in. Just remember to keep looking.
3 years ago
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The recent online leak of Walmart’s new logo was followed by a collective eye roll from self-respecting designers nationwide. The idea alone of Walmart (tightened from Wal-Mart), an immobile giant rooted, much like the Republican Party, in the indefinite concept of value, updating its logo seemed wrong. Forced, almost. And the new logo itself did little to curb the scorn. Having been compared to (very) generic web startup trademarks and even described as clip art 2.0, the mark has very little to say. But I think the deeper problem, and what makes the logo sadly appropriate, is that Walmart as a company has very little to say.
Don’t blame the logo. Aside from its lack of originality there is nothing inherent in the shape that makes it drastically worse than, say, Target’s target, a mark not only generic but painfully literal. A logo is the face of a franchise but the differences usually take place behind the scenes. What matters is the methods through which the image is expressed and more importantly the ideas and inspiration behind the image. The idea behind the adjective. We may be looking at a brand’s visual attributes but we are usually seeing the soul of the company expressed through its identity. This means that, despite our best efforts, good design alone cannot redeem a bad and insincere brand.
Walmart’s image reflects a middle of the road brand strategy. Ignoring innovation and fearing distinction, Walmart tries to be everything to everyone. And in doing so it becomes nothing to anyone. Being safe is risky says Seth Godin in his differentiation manifesto Purple Cow. Ironically, a brand that plays it safe in order to be liked runs a strong risk of being disliked. The Walmart brand tries hard to not offend anyone. What they fail to realize is that market conformity is the most offensive crime of all.
3 years ago
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A brand’s growth is an unpredictable, abstract and even mysterious process. Much like parents have specific ideas to which they steer their child’s maturation, so do a brand’s parents strive for what they think is best, in terms of sale goals and market position. In utero, the stage is set. Instead of investing in cribs, wallpaper and toys, the parents set up demographics, campaign messages and points of differentiation. The logo, of course, pink or blue, depending.
But specific ideals held by parents for their offspring, however well intended, rarely stick. Like children, a brand is raised not only by parents but also environment. An unintended demographic may latch onto a product. Suprising associations such as it’s so stupid it’s funny or it’s so weird it’s cool might arise. But parents of both children and brand should not fear the unexpected. In fact, nothing should be unexpected. Like children, a brand must find its own way. And it is often the audience and the democratic nature of capitalism that shape the brand’s public identity.
Brands, like people, often fall into a rut. While good brands enter the marketplace with a flexible character, ready to adapt to cultural and economic conditions, bad brands can be too obedient, failing to seek independence and individuality. They stubbornly abide by tired principles, remaining out of touch while limiting their own potential. Modernist poet Ezra Pound knew how to avoid staggnation. Make it new! he repeated often, refusing to let his creativity gather dust.
Too many good brands become complacent, spending years gathering dust. And while the keywords traditional and reliable have a large part to play in the ad world, these concepts need a breath of fresh air in order to retain meaning. Only by remaining open and flexible while constantly asking what is it that makes us unique? can a baby start-up company grow into a well-adjusted, meaningful and captivating adult.
3 years ago
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