A Perfume Organic

A Perfume Organic:

Via the dieline

Absolutely Fontastic

Absolutely Fontastic

How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer

How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer is a book compiled by Debbie Millman. Although the title is slightly deceiving, this book is still a great read so far. It is not a how-to-be-great book, but rather a compilation of interviews with some of the most influential designers in modern history. A lot of what these designers are saying really rings true for me and I just wanted to share a couple of excerpts.

I'm not too far along just yet, but already what I've read has been influential and inspiring.

Michael Bierut: "It doesn't matter if you didn't have enough time or if the client was an idiot. The only thing that counts is what you've designed, and whether it's good or bad."

This quote is the kind of slap in the face you need sometimes when you look around and realize all you've been creating at your job is rushed quick solutions to pushy clients' problems. You know, how most of the work you create at your job isn't the kind of stuff you'd put into a portfolio.

Milton Glaser (the guy who designed I<3NY): Question: how important was financial success when you first started out?
Answer: "Not at all. i never had the model of financial success as being the reason to work. For me, work was about survival, I had to work in order to have any sense of being human. If I wasn't working or making something, I was very nervous and unstable."

I love this response. Because this is exactly how I feel some days. Like if I go too many days without creating something I feel like I'm going to explode.

Mostly I like this book because, although she is interviewing design royalty, their thought-processes and beliefs are still very human and relatable. Reading it makes me feel like I'm somewhat in the right mindset for being the creative person I'd like to be. If you get a chance, you should definitely check this book out. It's an easy read since you can stop between interviews and they're mostly short and to the point responses.

Enjoy!
Suzy

IMO

...this would be a good ad for Alzheimer's Disease... or something of the sorts. Add in some good copy to round it out and you've got an ad. But as it stands, it is ridiculousity at it's finest.

via http://www.fubiz.net/2009/08/09/sedex-express-campaign/

Feminine woes but at last a woohoo (!)

The history of advertising for womenly products has been, well less than impressive. That is stating it lightly. I've never seen a spot or print ad that I have even remotely liked. The closest they have ever come to making me warm up to their brand is that commercial for the tampon-mini's that were being passed around like candy. I felt alright, they are going somewhere.

A fellow CW ad student (Leanne Amman) just had spot produced with JWT and I have to say I love it. It makes fun at the ridiculousness of the fem prod adv scene and then ends with the human truth that us ladies are always thinking: Why are tampon ads so awful? Finally something good out of the long long bad bad history of feminine advertising. The spot below:

I also have been wanting to post on another "woman problem" advertising wave: LBL (light bladder leakage) Again, something no one wants to hear or talk about, we'd rather pretend it doesn't happen. (When I was younger I saw SNL's "oops I crapped my pants" spoof and I was scarred for life. But I digress...)

Here is Whoopi's take on the situation, again poking fun and making light of this awkward phenomenon. What do you think of it? Are we there yet? Is this another product we need to push under the rug and not talk about? I watched Whoopi on The View speaking about her battle about this and I personally and immaturely said "Ew Whoopi just quiet down and put on a pad"... almost as if she were speaking directly to me, she said that there are silly people who think you can use a pad, when pad's are not equipped to welcome anything other than... well... aunt flo. The spot below:

VS

Twittersphere pollution

What does this say to you about our society? To me it is a beautiful ugly mess. On one hand I am so glad that there are people such as the Kardashians to blatantly pimp out products to unsuspecting followers (it's the American way!), but on the other hand HIS HOLINESS has joined twitter and is using this platform to reach an otherwise unreachable and new audience to spread beautiful thoughts, inspiring ideas, and to take from his own words "compassion". Should we take a note from his Holiness and make our tweets count for a little more than life changing sobetans? Perhaps a healthy balance of both is what is necessary, and something tells me His Holiness would agree.