The great Italian polymath, Leonardo da Vinci comes to my mind as the master of subtle suggestion. He aggressively exploited the technique of sfumato (the fine shading that produces soft, imperceptible transitions between colors and tones to form a smoky effect) to bring forth this power of subtle seduction. His fabled work, Mona Lisa is a masterful manifestation of this technique. Da Vinci was well versed in the seductive power of limiting knowledge. He recognized that when things are open to interpretation, we are driven by our imaginations and our creative interpolations. The result: the bliss of an eternal enigma; Mona Lisa.
Mathew May, author of Shibumi Strategy says "Leave something to the imagination by limiting information". He says, because human spirit is indefinable the power of suggestion is exalted as the mark of truly authentic creation. Finiteness—dotting every "i" and crossing every "t"— is thought to be at odds with nature, implying stagnation and loss of life. In Zen terms this is the principle of Yugen. As Mathew puts it Leonardo Da Vinci and Steve Jobs both recognized the power of Yugen in art and business. The mysterious smile of Mona Lisa seduces us to arrive at different interpretation every time we look at her because, of the missing definition of her mouth. Leonardo was a master in blending light and shade. He used light to define forms, model them and create the illusion of depth. His softened sfumato contours dissolve into the shadows and into light. May goes on to mention, when Apple launched iphone, Steve Jobs only demonstrated it once at Macworld 07. It did not go on sale until June. In between there was this long silence. The bloggers and Apple loyalists took over and interpreted with creative modulations. The iPhone "tipped" over even before it went on sale. Rest is history. The seduction of suggestion is very evident in the design of Pivot Point Regatta Pop Up trade show booth. It seduces the viewer into fancy contemplation. It creates a sense of informal restlessness. It entices the viewer and acts as a silent prompt to engage in a conversation with the booth staffer. The Art of design now becomes the Art of Business!
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The Tree of Life is venerated symbol in nearly every culture. With its branches reaching into the sky, and roots deep in the earth, it dwells in three worlds- the heaven, the earth, and the underworld, uniting above and below. It is a symbol of abundance, reflecting the immortality of the cyclic ebb and flow of cosmic life. It is a union of the feminine and the masculine. Artists and Philospers have talked about it since ancient past. "It is a universal symbol, which transcends time and space and seek out deeper reality, expressive of the universal consciousness." Psychologist Carl Jung calls our "collective consciousness". I believe, when the India Pavilion was designed for the Shanghai Expo 2010, the Tree of Life played an important motif in the engineering and the architecture of the space. The highlight of the pavilion was dome structure, modeled after Sanchi Stupa, an ancient Buddhist temple built about 24 centuries ago. In a nod to sustainable architecture, the dome's roof is covered by grids and wires that allow herb trays and solar cells to be mounted on it. The solar cells and wind turbine generates enough energy for the self-sustaining show exhibit and the herbs acts as a carbon sink purifying the surrounding environment. The 115 foot-diameter structure is now considered the world's largest bamboo dome. Articles you might like
As we are emerging from the Great Recession of our times, the salient question that is often asked, how important is the brand proposition. BrandZ Research shows as the S&P declined, the value of illustrious brands increased. Over the past 5 years the value of BrandZ Top 100 Global brands have appreciated by 40%. This is striking. To be more analytical, measured against the S&P 500 during the same five-year period, the BrandZ Top 100 Portfolio has grown by 18.5 percent in value compared with a decline of 11.5 percent for the S&P 500. What is it about indestructible brands that transcends price and perception even during the challenging times? Of the various features below, the heritage factor comes across strong to me. To illustrate the Legacy factor, I could not find a better example than the Reichstag Building in Berlin. With the proclamation of the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles on Jan. 18, 1871, Berlin acquired a new role as capital of the Empire. The Reichstag, the Imperial Parliament, (dates back to the Roman times), needed a larger, imposing building. The new Reichstag, an elegantly proportioned Neo-Renaissance palace, was designed by Paul Wallot; the foundation stone was laid by the Emperor himself in 1884 and the building completed in 1894. After a century of tumultuous history, it is now the permanent seat of German Bundestag. Articles you might like
In 1977 intangible asset value were roughly comparable in value to tangible assets. By 2007 intangible assets were worth three times that of tangibles, reflecting our move to a post-industrial world where intellectual property and services drive the global economy...[that is the potential of your brand.] Source: Millward Brown Optimor analysis A Brand is a Pledge, a Vow, a Guarantee, a Promise. A Brand is a Hallmark of Trust. “A brand is not a product. It is the sum total of everything a company [school] does — the good, the bad and even the off strategy — that creates a large context or an identity in the consumer’s mind.” Scott Bedbury. An established brand is a living, breathing abstraction. The brand AT&T is the case in point. In 1984 AT&T Bell System ceased to exist. It was chopped up in 8 different units. After turbulent 10 years, SBC Communication (disruptive innovation at work) acquired the brand AT&T and re-established the brand in it's former glory. A Brand Promise is supported by Positioning, Communication and Operation.
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It is the passion and the vigor of the designers that breathes life into products. It is the authencity and comfort that matches people's desire, makes the product momentous. "Really successful brands have cultures people can partake in." Ron Pompei. Some brands like Anthropologie, Apple or Whole Foods have made that leap. The Portfolio Retail Design Luminaries Awards this year was presented to three outstanding individuals who have demonstrated unparalleled creative excellence, exemplary professional leadership and unwavering personal commitment to the design industry—lighting the way for others, inspiring us all with their accomplishments and visionary guidance. The Luminaries are: Ron Pompei, Ken Nisch and Andrew McQuilkin. As shown, the product designs above, will be a splash of freshness in the trade show industry. The ever popular pendant lights takes a new form with this à la mode Poppy Lamps designed by Hive Mfg. Co. Inc. Lounges, that are current in trade show gatherings can be enthralling with the handmade Bloom Armchair designed by Kenneth Cobonpue. It is these design visionaries that light the path for others to follow. They move the masses and leave a legacy that which is unexpected. This piece is my tribute to them. Articles you might like
Seth Godin, famed author of Survival is not Enough does not have a birthday anymore. He gave it away. In a single splash of marketing flair, he brought into forefront how each one of us can be the saviors of our Blue Planet. I was introduced to Charity Water. This piece is my salute to our combined energy in bringing clean water to all of us. What is so genuine about this organization is that 100% of public donations go directly to water projects. All operating costs are covered by a group of private donors so every dollar goes towards uplifting lives and enriching life stories. One dollar {or 4 quarters} a day for only 20 days can bring clean water to one human being for 20 YEARS. That is the power of your dollar and the vastness of your heart. Enjoy it. Being in the forefront of creativity we are the ones to impact a change. Spread the word. Seek a campaign. Partner with trade show exhibitors, retail giants and media masters. Make a difference. "Elevate yourself from the wretchedness of grabbing to the magnanimity of giving." The Hopi prophecy says: "We are the Ones We've Been Waiting For." Create your community. Be good to each other. And do not look outside yourself for your leader. Articles that might interest you
My love for Denim has enticed me to delve further into this texture which I believe is the building block of our planetary culture. From the runways of high fashion to some obscure assembly line in India, the gift of denim is frivolous and creative. Denim is that gift that keeps giving. Denim, “a heavy, Z-twist, twill cotton for jeans, overalls, and other work and leisure garments,” typically blue came into existence in the late 17th century from French serge de Nîmes, denoting a kind of serge from the manufacturing town of Nîmes. In the 18th century, it hit the shores of the New World. Trade, slave labour and cotton plantations increased: workers wore jean cloth because the material was very strong and it did not wear out easily. A century later the gold miners wanted clothes that were strong and did not tear easily. Manufacturing of denim started and in 1853, Leob Strauss started a wholesale business, supplying clothes. Strauss later changed his name from Leob to Levi. Twenty years later, Levi Strauss & Company began using the pocket stitch design and rivets in pants for strength. May 20 1873, U.S.Patent No.139,121 gave birth to the concept of "blue jeans." Fast forward to the pop culture decades of the 50s and 60s, Denim became the favourite of rebellious teenagers. The hippies did their share to introduce it to the non-western countries in the 60s and 70s and jeans became the prized possession of the far east. It symbolized western decadence. In the 80s denim forged ahead to be in the coveted class of high fashion. Since then, this fabric of our lives is on its own mission to become the fabric of our planet. Articles you might like
It is cold winter on the dock at Hamburg, Germany, with gaint ships and tankers swaying in the cold northern winds and sea birds circling the grey skies above. Not exactly the kind of place one would expect to experience experential ad marketing. This is larger- than-life ad that leverages the environment in which it is placed and it creates warm smiles on thousands of bundled-up tourists and residents passing by. Thanks to the immense creativity of German agency Jung von Matt, ropes that tied a few of the ships to the dock were transformed into pasta–hand-made Mondo Pasta, to be exact–and the ships themselves became happy pasta eaters. This interplay with the environment ehances the value proposition of the product in display. Next time, for your trade show or event marketing, please remember, how compelling of a reason it is to interact with your environment. Articles that might interest you
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Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. Franz Kafka |