In Line at Starbucks: Brand Interaction Dunkin’ Donuts Can Learn From

If you are a westerner with a pulse you have most probably been in a Starbucks.  With its over 11,000 stores in the US alone, Starbucks has grown to become the assumed go-to location when someone says, “let’s get a coffee”.  In fact, they might even say ‘I want a Starbucks”.  Very few brands can [...]

Restaurant Naming: Jonathan Benno’s Hype Meets Reality

On May 25th the New York Times reported that chef Jonathan Benno’s new restaurant being built at Lincoln Center for the Patina Restaurant Group did not yet have a name.
The next morning I sent a letter to Nick Valenti, head of Patina with a suggestion for a name I thought would be fitting for the new [...]

Hello? Chiquita Banana Sticker Contest

I know it’s kinda silly but I couldn’t resist submitting an entry for the Chiquita Banana Sticker Contest.  Judging by the entries that are already posted I am not even sure if this is a real contest.  But the only issue for me is that the submission requirements are slightly limiting.  The Chiquita website allows [...]

Fancy Food Show 2010: ‘Design Thinking’ or ‘Stomach Thinking’?

I took the opportunity recently to speed through the Fancy Food Show, the great confluence (purportedly) of all things gourmet and culinarily high-brow held every summer at New York’s Javits Center.  At first blush the floor of the show looks like a mash-up of Disney’s Epcot Center, Whole Foods, The Euro-Zone Dairy Farmers Union, an [...]

New York Toy Fair 2010: The Hello Kitty Jungle

The Toy Industry Association’s Toy Fair 2010 was just at New York’s Javitz center.  As the show was open during President’s Day I had the opportunity to run through it unfettered by babies or schedule conflicts.  I have been to many design fairs over the years but this was my first Toy Fair.  I was not [...]

2010 Super Bowl XLIV Commercials; A Brief (Or Just Briefs) Critique

After watching the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV I have a few initial thoughts on the ads.  In no particular order.
The subliminal winner, in true ’speak-of-the-devil’ fashion I think, was Louis Vuitton.  In a Hyundai ad about making ‘luxury’ avbailable to everyone, a close facsimile to the Louis Vuitton pattern was seen on a basketball.  High-end brought down to [...]

Louis Vuitton – So Trashy.

I have been thinking about the new ‘Raindrop Besace’ bag by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton.  And I think I love it.  Well… to clarify… I love it… because it is so confusing. 
It is, literally, a trash bag.  Except that it is not.  A neo-realist representation of a trash bag.  But done in glossy treated [...]

Apple’s Branding Gets ‘i’Awkward

Apple, under the guidance of Steve Jobs, is one of the smartest brands out there.  Laser focused on the user experience, the incorporationof design and maintaining its message and identity over the entire scope of the brand.  Which is why the announcement of their latest product seems so surprising. 
I have always been a proponent of [...]

Cutest Millennium Falcon Co-Pilot Ever!

My creativity was weened on years of Star Wars obsession.  How can you be a kid in the 80’s and not love Chewbacca??  I also think Hello Kitty could be the cutest thing on the planet.  I couldn’t resist exploring this convergence of science fiction and cuteness.

Coke’s ‘Keep It Going’ Ad Makes The Abstract A Little Too Real

Coke has been airing a commercial recently as part of its new ‘Keep It Going’ ad campaign.  The idea behind the ad is that when you are finished drinking a fine coke product and place the empty container into a recycle bin that someone else will then get to enjoy another fine coke product based on [...]