The Smoke: The Brands That Will Die.
Twelve brands that will die: the beauty in transmigration, dissolution and carnage. There's a metaphor that where there is smoke, there will be fire -- and finally, in the fire, the smoke clears, and who will be there; what will be left? Fire is a kind of...
Brand Culture | The spirituality of TATA
The concept of cult, culture and brand | spirit integrated. "I have a dream to devote major portions of my busy life to poor community." Ratan Tata I've spoken about the concept of the cult of the brand, and the tribes that follow it. And others have followed it, too,...
Branding Buildings | Building Brands > The Context of Identity in Making Place
Imagining a new identity for an building icon. The World Trade Center There are layers in play in the experience of the procession of how people connect with buildings. Buildings do, for the most part, one thing. They hold people. Interestingly enough, it's not (that)...
Cool mapping: the geography of hip
The idea of place, community and the acculturation of coolness. What about that, the idea of opening with a chart that's about the crashing of the tech stocks? Well, in a way, that's a two fold gesture, one's here, to our friends at Tableau and their new tools for the...
The Star Trek Logo
J.J. Abrams and a return to the authentic identity of Star Trek Eventually, we all go back. In looking to the heart of the work, we turn again to that upon which our heart first opened. And for me, the exploration of my practice, the efforts of examining the nature of...
Human Brands | The power of the feminine | retail gurus: Geraldine Stutz and Dawn Mello
Designing experiences and retail strategy | enlightening presence in the power of feminine visionaries. Right now, Girvin, the firm, is comprised mostly of women. And over time, I've found that women, as team partners, are superlative creative resources. And, from 35...
True Brands | Exploring the truth in Microsoft’s Lauren
When presumptions of documentary hold, truth be told? All the world's a stage, so inferred -- As you like it. And, to that, we are all mere actors, exiting, staging, right, left? And finally, off the stage? Advertising, by its very positioning, is, essentially,...
Film Branding | Luc Besson
"I did. I do what I do because I want to do it, because I want to explore, go looking for things." ~Luc Besson A directorial style, branded, explorations of cinéma du look. I met Luc Besson in Paris, a number of years back, when I was working in Paris. And it was in...
Burj Al Arab | Luxury, storytelling, design in place-making
The string, in storyline and experience: Jack Larsen, Pat & Dale Keller and Khuan Chew Interesting, the networks. And how, in connecting, the listening, the community -- it reaches out and reaches in. One meeting, means another, if you're paying attention. Just...
The new Starbucks store prototype: Heritage @ 1st & Pike | Seattle
A return to the spirit of store one. I've worked in the Seattle coffee brewing experience for several decades. And all the while, I've been a lover of coffee -- and the coffee sensate experience. There are two favorites for me. One, coffee made, "cowboy style", in...