7. Creative Food For Thought

Legendary Creative Genius, George Lois offers some Damn Good Advice.

DIG IN.

And if you haven't yet been inspired by the incredible legends of Advertising in the documentary Art & Copy, then get to it. (It's available in parts on YouTube and streaming on Netflix)

6. Not Your Typical Typography

I'm a sucker for good typography. It's something I notice everywhere I go, no matter the context. I appreciate that almost "organic" feel of hand-drawn words. I've always been captivated by the way the words themselves create an image of their own. Typography represents total creative freedom and endless possibilities. Over the past couple months I've noticed that two of my favorite brands have used typography in a way that emphasizes brand creativity and a youthful culture.

Chipotle:

Almost everyone can attest to enjoying a good meal at chipotle. To my surprise, food wasn't the only enjoyable discovery I made. I noticed that the "to-go" bags were completely covered in a beautifully flowing display of typography. Chipotle could've easily produced a lifeless brown paper bag with a word or two printed on the front, but they didn't. Instead they came up with a brilliant way to say something in a way that made it worth reading. This discovery led me to check out their website, where I found even more examples of creative typography. I never thought I'd want to spend time checking out a website for quick-service mexican food, but because of the typography that caught my eye, I did just that.

Trader Joe's:

Grocery shopping is something I enjoyed doing ever since I got my driver's license. I loved the freedom of being on my own, choosing where to go and what to buy. I had my usual route of Trader Joe's, Safeway, then home. Trader Joe's is what I call a brand with personality. If this so called Trader "Joe" was a real person, I'd describe him as creative, earthy, healthy, casual, probably retired, with a whole lot of great life stories to tell. On every single occasion that I entered that store, I would notice some new item in bright colored packaging with a youthful typeface. This packaging is often what influenced my purchasing decisions, and sometimes conveniently led to the discovery of my new favorite snack. I never went to Trader Joe's with the intention of getting "Pita Puffs", but because of the packaging, I did just that. Maybe my strategy when it comes to grocery shopping isn't exactly what most people would consider normal, but that's not the point. The point is that typography matters; maybe not to everyone, but it matters to enough people to make a difference. Trader Joe's uses typography in a very creative and intelligent way, demonstrating a good lesson in creative strategy and consumer awareness.

You don't even need to know what
 Quinoa is to appreciate this design!

5. What's in a Name?

Names are important in any industry, but i think they are especially important when it comes to advertising. Why is it that brand name products are so much more popular than the wide variety of almost identical products, that are often much cheaper than the brand names? The success of the brand comes down to the creativity that goes into it. It's about what the brand really means to the consumer. I think it often has a lot to do with status, and the image that brand name represents to the consumer.

Take Nike's "Just Do It" campaign for example. This is a perfect example of having implicit and explicit meaning, both contributing to the brand's overall success. This simple tagline carries enough context to relate to any athlete, in any sport. In fact, it can relate to any person in any situation. It creates an image; It says: 

don't complain, just do it.

don't give up, just do it.
don't procrastinate, just do it.

no matter what, just do it.

This tagline speaks Nike, it embodies Nike, it is Nike.

Because of campaigns such as this one, Nike is not just a name.

4. Don't Just Zipping Sit There

There's no denying that Zipcar is a brand with personality. It encourages people to "be a part of the solution". With slogans like:

"Un-zipping-believable"

"Zip it off the list"

"Zip out of the bored room"

"Zip off the Grid"

What audience couldn't they reach?! No wonder this newcomer is so successful. This company has clearly done their research. Their site is full of information on how taking part in the Zipcar endeavor would greatly benefit the environment and your wallet. Who wouldn't want convenience when it's spelled out that simply. They address three main target audiences on their site: Universities, Business, and everybody else. I think it's safe to say they've got their bases covered. It's true, zipcar is un-zipping-believable!

3. 72andSunny Gives Us Clever & Catchy

I Love the Whole World is an advertising campaign launched by 72andSunny for the Discovery Channel in 2008 in promotion of their new tagline: "The World is Just... Awesome". Though technology and innovative ideas have certainly progressed within the past 4 years, there are 3 main reasons for why I believe this is a great example of successful advertising:

1. It's Creative.
2. It's Catchy.
3. It Gives Me Chills. 

It's a tune that almost everyone is familiar with, whether you sang it around the campfire or on a family road trip across the country. There's no denying its catchy! 72andSunny did an amazing job of creatively visualizing this catchy tune and providing the viewer with a  sort of "eye-opening" experience that certainly gave me the chills. It left me thinking about how enormous the world is and how vast the experiences are of the people who inhabit it. It addresses my curiosity about the world by providing me with the ultimate perspective. In this two minute advertisement, 72andSunny has inspired my creative drive for adventure and discovery.

2. "The Happiness Factory": Still one of my all-time favorites

I don't even remember what movie I went to see or how long ago it was, but what I do remember is this coca-cola commerical. Now that's what I call successful advertising! I saw this before I had any clue of what Wieden + Kennedy was, or what they did. Now after learning that they are one of the greatest advertising agencies in existence, it's easy to understand why. This commercial illustrates the creative process at it's finest. I love thinking about all the little details that went into this project, from its original storyboard to its final production. It has always inspired me to stretch my imagination far and wide because these are the kind of ideas that don't come from just anybody. They come from people who dedicate their lives to seeing the world in the most creative and imaginative ways possible. That's how great ideas are born. 

1. Fail Harder

Because failure is arguably the greatest teacher you'll ever meet. It's that simple.

Thanks for the inspiration, W+K.

Similarly, I appreciate the words of Randy Pausch in The Last Lecture who said, 

"Don't Complain; Just Work Harder".

If you haven't read this book yet, you really should. It's the source of most of my inspiration.