April 9, 2008
Logo Design: When 'We' Becomes 'Me'
It’s an incredibly simple logo. And therein lies its power. It appears, at first, to be just one word: “we,” but flip the letter “w” upside down, and it becomes “me.” This clever we/me balance perfectly captures the “think globally/act locally” philosophy that’s at the heart of the We Campaign.
March 10, 2008
Successfully Managing 'Frenemies': An Interview with Target’s Interactive Creative Director
Question for agencies: Can you collaborate with a competitor? And will you — if a client asks? Lance Thornswood, Interactive Creative Director at Target, talks about his success leading campaigns when multiple best-in-class agencies — or “frenemies” — are responsible for the work.
January 2, 2008
How Marketers Will Collaborate in 2008: As “Frenemies”
My vote for a business word we’ll hear a lot in 2008? “Frenemies.” Attributed most recently to Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and CEO of WPP, the word “frenemies” (a blend of “friends” + “enemies”) perfectly captures the competitive collaboration that will increasingly define the way marketers and businesses work.
December 6, 2007
White Bread and The New Yorker: Bread-Brand Confusion?
I just had to buy this loaf of white bread. It matches my New Yorker. Yes, below is the famed New Yorker typeface on a rather gaudy plastic bag of Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Bread. (Now there’s a brand mouthful.)
October 30, 2007
Art or Logo? How a Familiar Four-Letter Brand Affects Perception
I did a double take as I entered the gallery. What was the DKNY logo doing on the wall of the Walker Art Center? Is this art? Or branding?
October 10, 2007
Trying to Encourage Innovation? Watch Those Interruptions
“Interruptions are the enemy of productivity,” says Jason Fried, founder of 37signals. “Interruptions break your day into small, incoherent pieces and prevent you from getting in the zone.”
September 21, 2007
'What’s the highest compliment a product can receive?'
Peter Merholz, President of Adaptive Path, asked this question in his presentation to the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) last week.
September 10, 2007
Innovation: Full Speed Ahead
Certainly by now you’ve heard: Innovation is being heralded as the key to business success in coming decade. “No matter what business you’re in, your future will be shaped, even determined, by innovation,” writes Michael Michalko in Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative Thinking Techniques.
August 28, 2007
Junk-Mail Gems
Yes, of course spam is a nuisance, but it can also be a source of inspiration. Take five minutes to scan your junk folder, and you just may find the marketing headline you need. Or at least the start of one.
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