old ads that crossed some lines...

22/Jan/2008

There are some pretty outrageous ads represented here... click the pic for more Read More...

step by step logo creation by chuck green

12/Jun/2007

Step-by-step logo creation

"I don't know about you but I love to see examples of how other designers work—they reveal better (or worse) ways of doing things and allow me to gauge whether my methods are mainstream or totally whacked-out. “If anyone finds out how I obsess about this stuff,” I tell myself, “they'll stick me in a home.”

The problem is that step-by-step examples are rare. Why? Mainly because unless you are interested in sharing such information, there isn't much reason for recording it. And even if you are, detailing the steps can get in the way of the process." click the sketchbook to see the steps. Read More...

Brand Autopsy - a Branding Blog

21/Mar/2007

For the past decade, John Moore has made his mark in the marketing world by creating, championing, and implementing marketing ideas and branding ideals for Whole Foods Market and Starbucks Coffee. His blog is mostly writings about big brands and what has gone wrong (including his beloved Starbucks). click the pic for more.
Read More...

Rassak.com branding commentary blog

25/Jan/2007

Gotta admit, I've never heard of them, but what do I know? Nice insights. Read More...

Model of a Brand and other info diagrams

03/Dec/2006

Dubberly Design Office (DDO) have just posted a small sample of concept maps they’ve designed within the last 7 years. Each map takes a difficult—almost mystical—subject and attempts to rigorously map out its many complexities and relationships. There are six maps, each answering one of the following questions:

1. What is Java technology and its community?
2. How does the Domain Name System (DNS) work?
3. What is a brand?
4. How do organizations track customers to retain them longer—and acquire more?
5. What is Internet search?
6. What happens during a heart attack?

The maps apply concept mapping principles introduced in Learning How to Learn by Novak, Gowin, and Kahle. DDO uses those principles in combination with a graphic design sensibility to create an utterly mesmerizing series of maps. Here’s how DDO describes the role of concept mapping in design activities.

click the pic to get the maps Read More...

IGOR Naming Guide

01/Oct/2006

Igor is a naming and branding firm. I don't know a lot about them, but I have read and completely worship their free Naming Guide. Yes, it's true. They publish their process and make it freely available to the public.

"We created the Igor Naming Guide in order to demystify the naming process. In it we show how and why great product and company names work, when focus groups and standard ways of thinking about them might have predicted otherwise. Igor's own naming process is presented in excruciating but logical detail."

Brilliant. It really speaks to the idea that the real magic is the people who can use the process, and the process is just the structure that those smart and talented people use to get to the end product. Read More...

The Handy Reference Guide to Corporate Identity — Revised.

24/Sep/2006

Funny (and true) dissection of Corporate Rebrandings. Click the pic to go get the full sized version(s) Read More...