Just for Fun
USMC Toys for Tots
December 10, 2011
If
you’ve been reading my blog or have seen the
current promotional
item for Lime
Creative, you probably already know that I have a
thing for blimps. Not just any blimp, but the
iconic Goodyear fleet of blimps — those are my
favorites and one of the many reasons I love
living in Akron. Last night, as part of the annual
US Marine Corps Toys for Tots toy collection
campaign, local residents had the rare opportunity
to drive through the Suffield Township Wingfoot
Lake blimp hanger and see Santa himself in the
gondola of the Spirit of Goodyear. For the
admission price of an unwrapped toy, visitors are
greeted with a path of lights, animated
decorations, inflatables and the blimp’s mooring
strung with lights in the shape of a Christmas
tree.
If you have the chance, I encourage you to visit the Wingfoot Lake hanger this weekend. Not only will you enjoy the lights and splendor of the spotless hanger and the majestic blimp, but you will help a child in need still believe in the kindness and generosity of others. While you’re there, please be sure to thank the members of the US Marine Corps Reserve for their continued service and dedication. And of course, don’t forget to wave to Santa, too!
If you have the chance, I encourage you to visit the Wingfoot Lake hanger this weekend. Not only will you enjoy the lights and splendor of the spotless hanger and the majestic blimp, but you will help a child in need still believe in the kindness and generosity of others. While you’re there, please be sure to thank the members of the US Marine Corps Reserve for their continued service and dedication. And of course, don’t forget to wave to Santa, too!
Rockford had it right.
July 30, 2011
If you
grew up in the '70s like I did, you probably recall a
television show called The Rockford
Files. James Gardner played
Jim Rockford, a private investigator who was known
for taking on impossible cases for $200 a day, plus
expenses. There were the usual car chases and an
occasional gunfire exchange, but what I remember so
fondly about the show was its creativity. Every
episode started with the sound of Jim's voice on his
answering machine saying, "This is Jim Rockford. At
the tone, leave your name and message. I'll get back
to you." (beep) And sure enough, a message would
start about a check not clearing at the bank or his
library card being suspended until he returned a
long-overdue book. At the start of every episode the
15 second message was different, and it provided rich
insight into the overall development of his
character. Every message provided another personal
detail of his flawed nature, yet we liked him anyway.
Rockford also drove a very sweet ride, a metallic gold Pontiac Firebird that was known for its 180 degree turn while traveling full speed in reverse. It was called "the rockford" or the "J-turn" and every kid in my neighborhood performed it with their Matchbox® cars with a high-pitched screech that simulated tires peeling out. But while my brother was dreaming about owning this incredible car, I was dreaming about owning what was in the back seat— a small offset printing press that allowed Rockford to make business cards on the fly.
Rockford knew that to build instant credibility, he had to have something to show others that proved he was exactly what he claimed to be. No one wanted to talk to a private investigator, but they would talk to someone with a business card claiming to be dry cleaner or a shoe salesman. Before each stop to interview a witness or to talk to a likely suspect, Rockford would align the type with an alias and job title, insert a blank business card, and then pull the lever. The process always ended with Rockford dragging his thumb over the type to make sure it was dry before putting it in his pocket. Now THAT was a cool machine!
At least once a week, someone will hand me a business card that they obviously designed and printed for themselves. And it makes me smile, not because of their choice of font or an uneven margin I might detect. It makes me smile because it reminds me of Jim Rockford and how badly I wanted that little printing device from the backseat of his car. And then it dawns on me, I got what I wanted: my own personal printing devices and so much more. I have access to inks, papers and presses that can produce the most amazing results. Indeed, it is a great time to be a designer.
Rockford also drove a very sweet ride, a metallic gold Pontiac Firebird that was known for its 180 degree turn while traveling full speed in reverse. It was called "the rockford" or the "J-turn" and every kid in my neighborhood performed it with their Matchbox® cars with a high-pitched screech that simulated tires peeling out. But while my brother was dreaming about owning this incredible car, I was dreaming about owning what was in the back seat— a small offset printing press that allowed Rockford to make business cards on the fly.
Rockford knew that to build instant credibility, he had to have something to show others that proved he was exactly what he claimed to be. No one wanted to talk to a private investigator, but they would talk to someone with a business card claiming to be dry cleaner or a shoe salesman. Before each stop to interview a witness or to talk to a likely suspect, Rockford would align the type with an alias and job title, insert a blank business card, and then pull the lever. The process always ended with Rockford dragging his thumb over the type to make sure it was dry before putting it in his pocket. Now THAT was a cool machine!
At least once a week, someone will hand me a business card that they obviously designed and printed for themselves. And it makes me smile, not because of their choice of font or an uneven margin I might detect. It makes me smile because it reminds me of Jim Rockford and how badly I wanted that little printing device from the backseat of his car. And then it dawns on me, I got what I wanted: my own personal printing devices and so much more. I have access to inks, papers and presses that can produce the most amazing results. Indeed, it is a great time to be a designer.
Is it OCD or am I just German?
March 04, 2011
This morning I tweeted
"TGIF! What a crazy-busy week. Looking forward to
getting my desk back in order this morning. My OCD
can't take it anymore!" To my surprise (not only
because people were actually reading my tweets!), I
learned that my self-diagnosis of OCD (Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder) is a huge inside joke among my
friends and former colleagues. I took a lot of ribbing
this morning, but my favorite response came as an email
attachment that really got me to thinking. I'm not
really a compulsive person — in fact, I tend to
over-think most of my decisions — so the OCD is really
not an accurate description of my behavior. However, I
am German! And this ad for Bank Forum, designed by
Ogilvy & Mather (Ukraine) brilliantly sums up what
being German truly means.
Wow. I finally have a name for it.
Wow. I finally have a name for it.
A Toast to Mona Lisa
January 15, 2011
For those of you that
know me well or have been following this blog, you know
that I have a special affinity for the Mona Lisa and
all of the millions of ways she has been rendered and
reproduced over the centuries. This morning I was quite
please to have discovered a new addition to my
collection — a story about toast artist Maurice
Bennett's latest creation, posted on
DezineBlog.com.
Time for a new logo?
October 06, 2010
Are you wondering if
it's time to update your company's logo? Well, the
folks at Logo Lounge had this posted on their Facebook
page today to help make the decision a little easier.
The Madmen of Brazil
September 08, 2010
Just this month, the
Brazilian agency Moma Propaganda stepped back in the
Don Draper era of advertising by creating these
almost-authentic vintage ads for today's social media
sites. The campaign was designed to promote Maximidia
Seminars with a tagline of "Everything Ages Fast." Now
who said there's no truth in advertising today?
A Latte Mona Lisa
June 19, 2010
The folks down under
are quite creative when it comes to their coffee. Last
year, at the annual The Rocks Aroma Festival in Sydney,
Australia, event organizers for the Sydney Harbour
Foreshore Authority created their own 20'x13' version
of the famous woman with the mysterious smile
— and their medium: coffee! It took the team of
eight a little over three hours to complete the
masterpiece, using 3,604 cups of coffee and 564 pints
of milk. The various sepia shades in the painting were
achieved by adding different amounts of milk to each
cup. You have to hand it to coffee lovers. They are
indeed, a special breed.
From the bookshelf
May 10, 2010
With so
many books available today on the subject of
operating a business, it's not very often that we
come across a find that is as fresh and insightful as
this one. If you're looking for an interesting read,
we would like to suggest Rework
by Jason
Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the founders of
37signals. Released just this past March, the book is
a collection of essays that the software company has
posted over the years depicting their experiences of
breaking almost every traditional rule regarding
business operations and ownership. Below is an
excerpt entitled "Ignore the real world" and it sort
of sums up our own feelings as well. We hope you
enjoy it.
"That would never work in the real world." You hear it all the time when you tell people about a fresh idea.
This real world sounds like an awfully depressing place to live. It's a place where new ideas, unfamiliar approaches, and foreign concepts always lose. The only things that win are what people already know and do, even if those things are flawed and inefficient.
Scratch the surface and you'll find these "real world" inhabitants are filled with pessimism and despair. They expect fresh concepts to fail. They assume society isn't ready for or capable of change.
Even worse, they want to drag others down into their tomb. If you're hopeful and ambitious, they'll try to convince you your ideas are impossible. They'll say you're wasting your time.
Don't believe them. That world may be real for them, but it doesn't mean you have to live in it.
The real world isn't a place, it's an excuse. It's a justification for not trying. It has nothing to do with you.
"That would never work in the real world." You hear it all the time when you tell people about a fresh idea.
This real world sounds like an awfully depressing place to live. It's a place where new ideas, unfamiliar approaches, and foreign concepts always lose. The only things that win are what people already know and do, even if those things are flawed and inefficient.
Scratch the surface and you'll find these "real world" inhabitants are filled with pessimism and despair. They expect fresh concepts to fail. They assume society isn't ready for or capable of change.
Even worse, they want to drag others down into their tomb. If you're hopeful and ambitious, they'll try to convince you your ideas are impossible. They'll say you're wasting your time.
Don't believe them. That world may be real for them, but it doesn't mean you have to live in it.
The real world isn't a place, it's an excuse. It's a justification for not trying. It has nothing to do with you.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
May 05, 2010
It's a
perfect day to be a lime.
Although I could make many references to how important the lime is to the celebration of Cinco de Mayo, what really connects with me is how Lime Creative can (somewhat) relate to the origins of the holiday. Back in 1862, Mexico was a young nation struggling to exist in the New World. They had suspended payments of a loan that was taken out during a previous regime from France, Great Britain and Spain. Considered the most powerful military powers in the world at the time, these three countries united to force Mexico into paying back the money it borrowed. But upon arrival to Mexico, instead of just recovering the money they were owed, the three countries decided to take occupation of Mexico. The French had a particular interest in the mining resources of northwest Mexico.
On May 5, 1862, Mexican forces pushed back the French military and defended the city of Puebla. Although the French suffered heavy casualties that day, they eventually continued their invasion and by 1863, they had taken Mexico City. But for one day — the fifth day of the fifth month in 1862 — a young nation struggled to maintain its independence from the old ways of the old world powers — and they won.
So, as you raise your margarita glass today to make a toast, don't forget to say a little something kind for the underdogs. You never know when they might just surprise you.
Although I could make many references to how important the lime is to the celebration of Cinco de Mayo, what really connects with me is how Lime Creative can (somewhat) relate to the origins of the holiday. Back in 1862, Mexico was a young nation struggling to exist in the New World. They had suspended payments of a loan that was taken out during a previous regime from France, Great Britain and Spain. Considered the most powerful military powers in the world at the time, these three countries united to force Mexico into paying back the money it borrowed. But upon arrival to Mexico, instead of just recovering the money they were owed, the three countries decided to take occupation of Mexico. The French had a particular interest in the mining resources of northwest Mexico.
On May 5, 1862, Mexican forces pushed back the French military and defended the city of Puebla. Although the French suffered heavy casualties that day, they eventually continued their invasion and by 1863, they had taken Mexico City. But for one day — the fifth day of the fifth month in 1862 — a young nation struggled to maintain its independence from the old ways of the old world powers — and they won.
So, as you raise your margarita glass today to make a toast, don't forget to say a little something kind for the underdogs. You never know when they might just surprise you.