Ideas, insights and inspirations.

Politics aside… what do design, branding and political experts really think of President Trump’s “Make America Great Again!” red trucker hat? Some call it the worst design of 2016, while others say it was the most hated and most loved symbol of the 2016 election. But most industry designers and branding experts agree that the hat was horrifically designed but terrifically effective. Here is a sampling of thoughts and comments from industry experts and political players on the topic of President Trump’s red trucker hat: Lindsay Ballant,  Adjunct Professor – Maryland College of Art “In a way, the fluke success of that hat was a rejection of ‘design thinking’ and ‘design strategy’ as a whole.” She added, “Designers should really think about that, because we’ve built a whole economy around that as a practice. We’ve sold ourselves on the premise that this is how things should be done.” Ballant concluded, “It should be something that designers think about. Good design … Continue reading

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You know, the creative business is an odd bird. Anyone who has a creative bent knows what I mean. My uncle was a welder but when he came home, he was welding crazy little metal sculptures, (which later on became crazy big metal sculptures) transferring what he did at work, welding, into art… his art. The tension between mind (his working as a welder) and heart (his desire to create) did exist. At the time, I didn’t really didn’t understand how a welder could be a sculptor, but I do remember his enthusiasm for doing it. For him it fit…being a welder and an artist. An inner drive to create and to make. He resolved the tension within. Pure happiness. Oftentimes throughout my career I have been asked how we, as designers, arrive at the solutions we present. How do we arrive at solutions that speak directly to the mind and hearts of our clients. Much like my Uncle Jim, … Continue reading

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Perhaps this is already old news, but I see sign all around us that we have now entered the age of visual thinking. Here are a few signs: Infographics are everywhere now Target, with its focus on affordable yet well designed objects, keeps expanding Cultural institutions such as museums, botanical gardens, aquariums are now all creating visual experiences Architects are the new rock stars New books on visual thinking keep getting published every few months Designed experiences in upscale foods, coffees, clothing, shopping, computers, cars and other home gadgets are commonplace Design and visual thinking are being democratized. Mass class is now truly here. Design is the new cool now.

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