saul bass is a graphics legend, bringing us many of the logos of familiar brands

and his work in classic film title design.

it is no wonder that the man combines all of this experience in a design pitch to a client:

in bass’s nearly thirty minute video pitch, much of the time spent isn’t even showing the design updates; it is spent educating the client on why they should change, on how they should change, and how their brand is currently perceived and differentiated in the respective environment. the bell logo was in commission from 1969 to 1984 nationally, and could even be found regionally as late as 2009. so by all means this design was a success, but did the overall success start at the beginning with successfully educating the client on the place of design in respect to their company, and that entity’s goals – present and future? did the broad stroked adoption of this identity system, by regionally marginalized branches, stem from the approach of the pitch?

how much time do you spend with your client sharing your research and educating them on the value of design in your pitch?

this time of year is notorious for being slow, with vacations and budgets winding down, little seems to be going on. so if you are looking for ways to keep yourself occupied and sharpen your design skills, here are a few games to occupy your time:

when you see great design, it can be inspiring. when you see a company consistently making a commitment to great design it really makes you stop and marvel. general electric is one of those companies that habitually offers its consumers great visual communication. there are several partners GE has consistently relied on to bring their designs to life:

BBDO is responsible for GE’s broadcast advertising efforts,

camille kubie notes that GE works with “several different designers on data visualization and infographics. primarily ben fry and his company, fathom.” for more information on data designers you can visit GE’s data visualization blog,

and the GE show is developed by the barbarian group.

we asked camille about GE’s design policy and strategy, and here is what she had to say: “we definitely do seek exceptional design as part of our over-arching brand strategy. the GE brand is all about imagination and innovation that make a real difference in the world. great design is key to communicating those elements of our company. more generally, great design is important in telling any story. people are so inundated with content, if yours isn’t visually compelling, people won’t spend their time with it.”

here are some other links to notable GE projects:
1 // ted installation
2 // GE’s ecomagination site
3 // MOMA talk to me exhibit
4 // VSA partners work with GE

oh what a world it would be, if all brands saw the potential great design can provide.

it is rather common to hear across the media that print is dying. with the popularization of technology like tablet e-readers, this harbinger does not seem so remote. while you can find evidence for, and debate both sides of the argument, it is interesting to look at the ways the print industry is trying to cope with this projected “imminent doom.”

one of the ways the book industry is attempting to stimulate interest in a new release seems to be taking cues from the movie business. more and more often you will find a trailer promo for books that are featured on websites and passed around blogs. only time will tell how successful these tactics will be at staving off extinction. do you feel more inclined to seek a printed copy of a book when you see a video promotion? what adaptations do you think are working for the print industry? what do you think the industry should do to stay relevant, or should it be allowed to become the product of the past?

here are some promotions for the printed word:

as a creative i can appreciate thinking outside of the box; but a lot of the times while on the job we’re required to come up with more practical solutions. so should our major selling tools like business cards break the mould, literally? here are some collections of unique business cards that don’t all hold fast to the 3.5 by 2 inch rectangle.

1 // oh hello friend
2 // creative bits
3 // graphic fetish
4 // ibrand studio
5 // web design booth

what do you think? is it ever more impressive to find clever solutions within the box or bust outside of it? should we assume that others will understand that if we are able to push the boundaries that we also respect those same boundaries and know how to successfully maneuver within them? do these unconventional business cards act as a selling point or a potential scare tactic?

there’s nothing like a new perspective on technologies that we can’t imagine life without, to make you take notice of how quickly they change. Here is a collection of ads that place our everyday items in period advertisements. What do you think will replace the artifacts of today?

if you are a designer, i am sure you go gaga for type, fonts, and the like. here is video of a sign-painter who is celebrating typographic roots and the tradition of craftsmanship. To see more lettered lovelies you can visit dusty on his site.

Dusty Signs from Hunter Johnson on Vimeo.

Dusty Signs from Hunter Johnson on Vimeo.

we have noted in the past how infographics have become a prominent tool to convey complex information. now infographics are taking on a life of their own, literally. they have grown from stationary charts and graphics to commerical-sized clips with integrated moving parts and voice-overs. is this current evolution adding value to the message? does the emotional invocation caused by music and voice inherently bias the information? sure they look great, but are they making the information more accessible? here are some well executed “infomercials” to demonstrate the grey area where information meets campaign:

we’ve all been there… the creative burnout, the desire to do something new. the question is do you do something about it or is it just a fleeting figment that will pass or settle in the back of you mind? amanda love met this same turning point and chose a change of direction. love in the kindle era is a video by grant slater that introduces you to amanda’s second career – loveleaf press, and the process of exploration she took to get there.

Love in the Kindle Era from Grant Slater on Vimeo.

as designers we can appreciate a well designed business card. david deasy has taken the idea of a business card to a whole new dimension, turning a standard 2 by 3.5 inch piece of cardstock into an experiential campaign, that if you’re lucky, may find its way to your mailbox [i know, not likely, but there is always wishful thinking.] to see more about this self-promotion, visit fpo.