BRANDING IS DEAD- #3 in the VIBE series

Branding is dead- maybe not dead, but really ill. Brand, Branded, Branding, Branded Environments, Brand Equity....Brand has become a a hollow word. So many people hanging their services on this simple word, but its not truly part of their practice. Brandwashing. Of course, there are agencies and firms that do excellent brand work- do your homework if your looking for services in this arena. 

Here is our perspective- 

Why do we include it in our four pillars of design strategy? 
Because true brand development is really important. 

 Curating your Brand is not only important, it's an imperative. But your brand is not simply something you hire a designer to make, it is not a design exercise like your identity. Your brand is a living, evolving organism, and it has two distinct hemispheres. 

 We believe the brand is the single most important component of a successful organization.

First-the two hemispheres:

Internal- The culture, gestalt, the day to day experience you, your peers and the people who work for you and the people you work for create. This is your internal brand, and it is the key to creating engaged members, retention, inspiring innovative and creativity, and doing powerful work. This 'brand' starts with the leadership and when done well, becomes the domain of every member of the organization.

 External- This is viral, organic kind of brand. It's an opportunity to extend the reach of your vision well beyond your circle of influence.  Its directly linked to every single touchpoint in your client and personal interactions. It lives in the court of public opinion and can be very powerful.

Second- how to curate your brand.

There are pages and pages of writing on this subject, some of it very smart. Here is the way we look at it, in simple terms:

 Get your language right. Everyone will tell their own version of the story of you- give them as many of the key words so the core message is consistent and tight.

 Live your brand, and make it genuine. Your authentic self is truly an awesome thing if you let it be. If you talk the talk, walk the walk.

 Don't be afraid. Your brand should be something you are a maven about. Not as a sales tool, but just because. Sales, revenue, that will follow. you just need bring all the energy you can muster to the dance.

 Align the two hemispheres. If your internal and external brand attributes do not align, its trouble. Confusing your audience is just a bad idea. Make a promise to your clients that is consistent with the promise you make to your associates.  

Third-  How do I deal with my brand?


 Take a minute and consider why you do what you do. Is it so your family can have security and a good living? Are you curious and like to solve problems? Are you a systematic maven and want to build the perfect machine or are you a romantic creative and want to embrace all that is beautiful in life?

 What sort of organizational environment is perfect for you? A benevolent dictatorship or an entrepreneurial think tank. Open, closed? Song or dance? Chaos or Order?

 If you've spent time developing your Identity, think about it. Outside of identifying you or your organization, it speaks volumes about the brand expectations.

Action- What should you do?

Live your personal brand to the fullest and be a champion of the brands you represent- your voice is powerful. If you can't be a brand ambassador of your organization, you're in the wrong place

 Find three to five key qualities you espouse, your brand pillars. If you honestly consider the why of what you do, these will become apparent. Lead with them inwardly and outwardly.

 Honestly, branding is easy- just look yourself in the mirror- its all there.

 Giving it a voice in an understandable, distinct way requires some thought.
If you need help building your brand, don't be seduced by snappy identity work. Find a consultant that asks good questions, listens and connects your Vision, Identity, Brand and Environment.

Who are you? IDENTITY The second in the VIBE series

IDENTITY

 As a father of three teenagers, I see my children's identity develop over the course of years. But really, their identity was authored long ago, in their early years. It's in their teen years that it begins to be articulated and expressed outwardly. 

 Companies and organizations are remarkably similar. New organizations establish their identity almost immediately, and mature ones merely need to look deeply to see their true core that has been lost in the layers of time. 

 Here's the hard part- like the awkward teenage years can be. The outward expression and articulation that is authentic and individual. Connecting the dots of your new Vision or restoring life to the core tenets that started it all. This is a wonderful creative opportunity, and we enjoy walking our clients through the process.  There are dozens of ways to get to a Identity design, here are some things we do in the process:

 We ask character questions- like are you song, or dance? or both?? Order or chaos? Tucked or untucked?  These seek to get to the familiar character- what would your organization be like among friends.

 We ask benchmarking questions- like what kind of watch are you (Timex or Rolex, or maybe Swatch?) How about a car, or a chair? These are things that have broad, common outward definition in the marketplace. They are not prescriptive, but certainly descriptive.

 Last (sort of) we ask energy questions- balanced or dynamic? Walking, running or sprinting? A ball of energy or a measured dose? These start to give clues to the internal culture and how that might lend to the design.

 Last, (really) we get subjective. Cruise the interwebs, places like Pinterest. Find stuff you love, for whatever reason. There is a lot out there- some of it is really good, most is marginal. But its worth spending time there.

 With all that in our hands, we go to work. The process is chaotic by design, with an overlay of system. Studies range in media, color, character and form. Trying to describe how we get across the chasm to a solution would be impractical, it just happens. Maybe it's magic.

 Final notes: be adventurous, rigorous and engaged in the design process. You'll wear your identity everyday, it's got to be right.

 Here is some process work we have in the studio right now. 

Thoughts on VISION. The first in the VIBE series


VISION


Vision, in pure literal terms, is the ability to see. In the creative world, we think of the word VISION as having the ability to see beyond the apparent. To see possibilities, or even impossibilities. This is an asset of real value to companies, organizations and individuals as they seek to grow an idea. The visionaries of the world are revered for their bravery and innovation- Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Tony Hsieh, etc. 

We think having vision is paramount. Here's why we think so, and some ideas to spark visionary thought-

Vision draws from your personal construct. You are your own best point of competitive distinction. By that I mean, your authentic self brings a unique component to the game, and its something that cannot be replicated. Step one, make your vision personal.

A strong Vision is a little bit frightening. But easy is already done. Easy has been tested and is a proven down-the-middle strategy. Problem is, its crowded there, and is a commodity, price driven marketplace. Pushing into a quality driven position requires a little (or a lot of) risk. Step two, unnerve yourself a bit with your audacity.

Vision is foundational, strategy and tactics are dynamic. Your vision needs to be rock solid, and non-negotiable. How you achieve the vision is an ever changing conversation as the marketplace shifts, your brand matures and the vehicles of commerce evolve. Step three- do yourself a favor and spend the time needed to get it tight and right.

What you do may not be visionary, why you do it sure ought to be. What your core business offers may be a commodity (think Zappos) but why is the key. Look up Simon Sinek- he'll explain it better than I ever could.

Here are a few things we do with our clients to get them to give voice their vision:

Ask 'who cares' and 'why does this matter'. You should be a maven for your vision, and passionate about its importance. You must believe your vision will change the world, even in s small way. If not, its commodity, not visionary.

The 5 why's. Make a vision statement.  Write down why it is important. Then write down why that answer is important. Lather, rinse repeat- 5 times to each subsequent answer. I guarantee you will get to a very personal definition of why your vision matters. 

Test it. Start with friends and see how it sounds. Friends are safe, they are generally easy on you. Then try it on some peers- people you know but are not close with. Last, if you are feeling bold, try a perfect stranger. I dare you. It wont hurt, and I bet you'll have to work hard. Good.

Don't get stuck. Move forward all the time. Its ok to try and fail and use these experiences as a way to define the vision. The thought that you can't get to work until you solidly land the vision is noble, but might put you into analysis paralysis. 

Walking the walk- absolutely. Here is the 37 vision.


We are designers. We love design, we are relentlessly creative, we believe it matters. Our work continually seeks to secure the prosperity of the next generation and leave this earth better than we found it. Design can save the world, give me five minutes, and I'll tell you why.

Without ice cream...

(Almost) everybody loves ice cream. We do, and have fun helping our clients Gelati Celesti deliver the best ice cream we have even had. The next chapter in the legacy is this upcoming location. They're building fast. you'll hear about it's opening pretty soon. You can keep tabs on them at www.gelatiicecream.com
A little taste of what is coming. this is their Bon Air location



Ok. it's not much to look at right now, but you just wait...


Full Circle

We are watching a house we designed come out of the ground. It is a rewarding and exciting experience. Each visit reveals something new and unexpected.  As part of the project, we selected a handful trees to mill into lumber, and have just begun that work too. We'll use this material in the house for some doors and furnishings. Count this as a triple win- the owners get some beautiful material that is connecte to their land, we learn many new things about wood and woodworking, and some material get repurposed rather than shipped off somewhere.





Stay tuned as the project unfolds!

Homework

The opportunity to help build a personal vision is a design honor. We saturate ourselves in the minutiae of details and materials, all in an pursuit to make a place of memories, meaning and legacy. We love every design project, but reserve a special place in our hearts for the places we call home.












What do you see?

Taking the opportunity to snap some images on the way to a meeting at VCU, I thought about what we see. As adults we filter much of what is presented in the visual spectrum- there is just too much competing for attention. I am amazed by how perceptive my children are, picking up the most minute shapes, objects and arrays. We should all look at bit more, I think. These are some of the things I saw on the way. What do you see?











A Study in Contrasts

Wow, what a weekend. Imagine you could experience the cultural spectrum around a single, unified passion. Imagine too, that you shared the passion-to some extent-at each intersection. That was my weekend.




Started with a visit to the Team Natures Path/3Sports criterium at the Richmond International Raceway. A hundred or so riders showed up for an early season race. We watched our friend Dave from Endorphin Fitness keep his break on the pack to win the race and watched the guys from Richmond Pro Cycling take off in the 1,2,3 race.

Moving on, we ventured to the National Handmade Bike Show, where we were seduced by the craft an artistry of the most beautiful and inventive bicycles in the country. Sure these bikes perform, but really we were well into the art of it at the show. Saw our friends from Tektonics, Alan, Engin and lots of builders I have never heard of.

The trifecta was the Cog Magazine/Kazani bikes aftershow party at my studio. With an energetic crowd and more fixies than I have ever seen in Richmond, the place was like a club, the beverage of choice was a few kegs of PBR. Almost everyone arrived on bikes- and you could tell they truly used these bikes in the most literal way- transportation, livelihood, lifestyle.

Richmond has a robust cycling community spanning diverse interests and demographic profile. Its a great part of our city.

Ex Libris- Book Three







The third in the series, this book comes from my personal history. I grew up in Doylestown, it is classic Americana at its best. I was fortunate to live right next to Fonthill, Henry Mercer's revolutionary residence and the Moravian Tile Works . This book was a gift to my parents from Betty Bendiner, the wife of noted Philadelphia artist Alfred Bendiner.

As for the book, I love the craft of construction- feels a bit home made but also charming. The local advertisements reflect a much simpler approach to typography and design- but not without care or regard for composition. The programme is a romantic, inviting outline, I can only imagine such an event today.


Ex Libris- Book Two






The second book in the series is a somewhat obscure title: Various Dwellings Described in a Comparative Manner. The Author is Richard Saul Wurman and it features drawings by fifteen second year architectural students of the School of Design, North Carolina State of the University of North Carolina in Raleigh.

This is not a book I consult regularly, but the quality of the drawings, simplicity of typography and elegant layout are notable. Like the Tufte books, I use this when considering the communication of ideas, but unlike Tufte, this book displays austerity and frankness and very few words.

Sometimes Green has a Metallic Edge...





A visit to Stratton Metals (900 Brook Road, right near I-95 & Chamberlayne) to recycle some old steel leftover from our studio gave me a sharp perspective on sustainability. This business thrives on our refuse and leaves nothing behind. You bring it, they recycle it. Oh, and the 600 lbs of steel yielded $24 in my pocket, leaving me happy to boot.

The notion of relevant sustainability has been on my mind for some time. Businesses, construction, products that are more than green for green's sake. The key to successful environmentalism lies in making it meaningful and useful and fiscally sound.

Stratton doesn't even consider itself 'green' but sites studies showing recycling centers to me among the most green enterprises, and they are proud of the efficiency of their facility.

Outside of being impressed by the facility, I thought the stuff was cool to look at- here are a few photos from the visit.

Trash or treasure?




In the process of submitting the Part 2, Part 2 amendment and Part 3 of the state and federal tax credits for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, we were printing images of the studio before and after construction. The gloss photo paper did not agree with our printer (much delay and frustration), but we ended up with some great effects in the prints. here are a few. Wish us luck in the tax credit submittal.

Event: Visual Strategy #2: A Creative Workshop



Building on the success of our initial workshop, we held our second session in collaboration with Floricane and Ansel Olson. Working with a group of key influencers from the city, we presented the same premis- think differently and we offered a few tools to facilitate that work. Over a few hours we engaged the group with these tools to expand on the subject of Richmond’s assets.
As always, we were intrigued by the results. Pushing through the convenient and facile solutions, the group expanded to some visionary territory. 

The notion of Richmond as an incubator and generator of business and creativity as well as a place that reveres and creates history are not necessarily new. The narrative we found the around the character of the environment was an exciting revelation- the physical composition of the city was revealed in a dynamic way.

We will continue our investigation and share the work. The results- well, we don’t know yet. What we do see is inspiration and that is a great path to follow.

Inspiration: Sketch Book

I was revisiting some old sketchbooks the other day and realized the power of previous explorations. Our projects afford us unique opportunities to saturate our minds with the things that have impact. It's why we build the blog around people, places, things and ideas that inspire us. These transformational components make good things great, everyday magical and improve our world. Revisiting the sketchbook was refreshing- it brought me right to a place of transformation and I realized this little block of paper is my archive, the way I remember and communicate experience.

I encourage everyone to tap into a vehicle like this. Some like photography or writing, others music or stories- they are all great. Take a few moments to savor the qualities of experience, I bet you will find yourself looking a little deeper each time.

Ideas: Hospitality & Design



We were invited by NEWH to present our case study- Revolution not Evolution to a group of professionals in the hospitality industry. The event was hosted by the Charles Luck Stone Center and was held at their studio location. We challenged the group by suggesting this premise- I bet you are not in the business you think you are- and challenged them to imagine the way hospitality and design professionals can capitalize on their expertise in this shifting emerging economy and culture.

Hospitality has long understood the nature of a brand promise and delivering on this promise consistently in every facet of your business or organization. We were thrilled by the response. This attentive group embraced both the big concept as well as the specifics. We feel rewarded when presenting to such an audience, feeling confident that thinking differently and elevating the quality of design and experience will ultimately improve all our lives.

People: Photographing the Photographer





I went to the completed Mountain Lumber showroom yesterday with collaborator Ansel Olson for a photo shoot yesterday. He is an excellent photographer and while my SLR setup does well for process and inspiration, its clear that Ansel is much better suited for final documentation. He has a great facility with the equipment and an excellent eye for composition. Can't wait to see the final shots!

Place: Building Anticipation







The excitement for the opening of the Charlotte location of The Charles Luck Stone Center could not be dampened last week although literally, everything was damp. Sometimes wet, sometimes thoroughly soaked.

The last few days had an army working on the the studio and they yielded amazing results. We had to depart before the cleaning crew arrived, but I hear they did an amazing job. This is one of the best parts of a project- the point where all the design work is realized and comes together as a whole and it gets turned over to build on the vision.

We captured a few shots but look forward to better ones of the finished work.