Exploring the signature, brand story, the drawn line and den röda tråden
I was working in Sweden, last week, with the CEO of a remarkable company, Hästens, and our discussions ranged around the nature of human experience — from the spirit of sleep, rest and recovery, deep solace and quietude in the brand sentience of the bed — particularly, the Hästens bed, handmade by artist-craftsmen — from the visionary leadership of the human brand, Jan Ryde, to the entire team and enterprise that works there, crafting their products in Köping. More to be found — and explored — here.
We talked about the idea of brand being a fire that infuses experience — some who connect with meaningful brands will find them that way, as warming hearth points of experience — the fire as a storytelling gathering place. Sharing — the story, the experience, the presence. I’ve called that conception in the past, a snapping line — a linear thread that ties everything together, and in exploring that idea — considering the stringing of experience for the community that’s attached to Hästens, holistically rendering all the ways in which a person touch the brand; it’s the red chalk line of brand experience management. A line, a circle, a knot. It snaps. Interestingly enough, the Swedes have an expression for it — den röda tråden. The red thread.
That idea of a stroking line that has experiential power is a crossing line — pardon the pun — for me extends to the heart of another idea, the drawn line and the energy that exists within it, as an artist. As a calligrapher, as well as a designer, I recognize the power of a single stroke — as an artist, a single stroke can mean a great deal. One line is the beginning.
For one, the idea of the signature is emblematic of the designer — it is the signing. For another idea, calligraphy in identity is about reaching into the heart of motion — and emotion — to gesture the snapping line of beauty and humanity, both to the notion of words and the spirit that lies within.
More so, the idea of the script itself — scribble of the mind. All to the hand, and the written — and that story told. Finally, all of this relates to the concept of the capturing of energy — that’s the clue that links all of this together. Energy.
A friend of mine, Brian Danzig, suggested that I should check these out. And I did. The idea of gesture — the red thread that lies in the heart of experience — the living stroke — can be explored in this grouping. Explore these renderings by Digital Domain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1kbzpYRogg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoTArsn7LhQ&NR=1
Looks like this:
I like energy, eternal delight — brand, story, illustration, expression. And I like to draw it.
tsg | köping, sweden
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