Brand Jacking and Subvertising

Brand jacking and subvertising are authentic responses to advertising's role in our culture and resonate in ways that advertising simply can not, a post-modern response to consumerism.

TED: Ideas worth spreading

The annual TED conference -- TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design -- is happening this week. TED aims to bring "together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes)." And TED usually succeeds in that mission.

Here is a thought-provoking talk author Malcolm Gladwell gave at TED2004 on spaghetti sauce, of all things. Check it out.

Change Comes to White House Website

The inauguration of President Barack Obama has brought change to America and to the White House website, whitehouse.gov. Considering that Obama ran a web-savvy campaign and built an enviable political brand, it's not surprising that the new presidential website is smart, stylish and user-friendly.



Mindy Wagner at Viget Labs writes ("Change Web Designers Can Believe In"):

The redesigned WhiteHouse.gov site uses many of the same gradients, backgrounds, subtle shadows and text treatments that made Change.gov so eye-catching. It's great to see that the consistent branding used during the campaign has not been abandoned. Instead the designers toned down the vibrant colors and icons, replacing them with more whitespace and softer flourishes to create a site that feels serious and trustworthy without losing its modern edge. And all aesthetics aside, things like the addition of maroon for headlines, an identifiable primary nav, and a more organized linkfest in the footer should all make this site less confusing to visitors.

For me, the new site shines because of the small touches that were lovingly addressed. A quick look at the White House logo used in the headers of both sites illustrates the difference in attention to detail. The old logo has an unrealistic "shiny button" effect applied to it. The new treatment features very subtle shadows, an eagle seating it in the navigation bar, and a row of gray stars flanking either side. It looks elegant and carries more significance.

For a critique of whitehouse.gov during Bush's tenure, check out Andy Rutledge's "White House Redux."

The Obama "O" Logo

Graphic designer Sol Sender talks about the "O" logo he designed for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign:

When we received the assignment, we immediately read both of Senator Obama’s books. We were struck by the ideas of hope, change and a new perspective on red and blue (not red and blue states, but one country). There was also a strong sense, from the start, that his campaign represented something entirely new in American politics — “a new day,” so to speak.

Various vendors needed to reproduce the mark on signs, banners, and they needed some rules. So our initial concern was compliance and consistency. Having said that, we did think it was a strong mark — strong marks have the potential for broad successful application and viral growth — and we were cognizant of its possibilities. We saw (and visualized as part of the creative process) buttons, billboards, ads, Web banners, T-shirts and hats. We did not foresee the scope of the variations and the personal “ownership” that emerged, though.

We never saw the candidate as being “branded,” in the sense of having an identity superficially imposed on the campaign. The identity was for the campaign, not just for the candidate. And to the degree that the campaign spoke to millions of people, it may have become a symbol for something broader — some have termed it a movement, a symbol of hope.

The design development was singularly inspired by the candidate’s message. Like any mark, the meaning and impact really come from what people bring to it.

Picateers on CBS 5 Morning Show

Susan Doherty, Co-founder and VP of Marketing for Picateers, was featured this week on the CBS 5 (KPIX) Morning Show.

Picateers is a San Mateo-based business that "makes it possible for schools, teams and organizations to run their own portrait programs while raising money at the same time. Parents get outstanding pictures that are spontaneous and natural. Schools and organizations get 50% back on all photo sales." We've enjoyed designing marketing collateral for Picateers since the fall of 2006.

At the end of the interview, Susan manages to squeeze in a plug for Picateers.com and show off the corporate folder that we designed.



Great work, Susan!