One of the most often overlooked benefits of the holiday season is the plentiful of Christmas episodes our beloved sitcoms offer up each year. Some have failed, but plenty have offered up new lingo for our holiday cheer. Our office voted and here are some of our (more recent-ish) favorites, everything from this past week’s Modern Family (“Express Christmas”) to what is arguably the greatest Christmas, ahem… “Festivus” episode of all time. Enjoy.

Modern Family’s “Express Christmas” (2011)

Family Guy’s “A Very Special Family Guy Freakin’ Christmas” (2001)
“KISS Saves Santa”

Community’s “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (2010)

30 Rock’s “Ludachristmas” (2007)

Arrested Development’s “Afternoon Delight” (2004)

The Simpson’s “Santa’s Little Helper” (1989)

The Office’s “Christmas Party” (2005)
a.k.a. “Yankee Swap”

Seinfeld’s “The Strike” (1995)
better known as the “Festivus” (For the Rest of Us)

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What is your favorite? What did we leave off?

Enjoy.

The James Webb Space Telescope. Are you familiar? Named after the NASA administrator who served from 1961-1968, this telescope is set to replace the aging Hubble as our window into the furthest reaches of the universe. Hubble has allowed us to see further and learn more about our cosmos than any other device that I can recall. The JWST is set to build upon that legacy, and then some, with infrared instruments and a mirror that’s about seven times that of Hubble’s primary mirror.

Development and testing of the JWST is well underway, but the telescope is close to losing its funding entirely. Amid delays and cost overruns, the JWST is on the congressional chopping block. At some point, our leaders stopped dreaming.

Recently, this video from Real Time with Bill Maher was shared with me. Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Director of the Hayden Planetarium, gets fired up when Bill brings up the JWST and puts some of the congressional decisions in perspective (much more eloquently and passionately than I could).

I love the way Dr. Tyson talks so passionately about the dream that we’ve so carelessly let slip away after taking it for granted for so many years. NASA has the tools to tell the stories that will help inspire a new generation of kids that will grow up without a Space Shuttle. For instance, the #NASATweetups for Juno and GRAIL help tell the tale of an ever exploring NASA even without the Shuttle. Even administrator Charles Bolden is often outspoken with his emotions when discussing the Space Shuttle and future SLS programs – it’s a refreshing honesty and story that I wish more people in leadership positions would share. What will it take for the leaders in our government to start dreaming again?

I saw that beautiful sleek design of the tablet accessorized by the glorious smart case, coupled with so many delightful features and capabilities and quickly realized – it had to be mine. (Might have been channeling a little Gollum and let slip a “my precious” but don’t quote me on that.)

If I were to describe a typical week day with the iPad, it would go like this. There’s access to Google Docs for the morning production meeting. I’m using it to log onto the different 37 signals applications throughout the day in order to follow up on projects and clients. And, I’m able to walk to and from meetings with all my notes organized and easy access to my email.

At certain points of the day, I’m wired into all my various social media outlets and catching up on the latest news trends and happenings of friends and family. At home, I’ll sit down and pick up right where I left off on a favorite book, TV show or movie – chill out listening to music or unwind playing some games. Between updating my financials to working on spreadsheets and/or doing a little research, there’s many productive features as well.

The list keeps growing and it’s many uses is one of the reasons why I had  to question my response in the registration process. They asked me what my primary use for it would be. I had no idea how to encompass the millions of uses I had for it into one drop down answer.

What’s the difference between version 1 and 2? I like to think of like the difference between a child and adult. At the core they’re the same person but outwardly they’ve grown and refined. I imagine the next version is going to be even better and it should be.

How has you’re smart phone or tablet enhanced your everyday life? Do you feel more connected and organized?  Are all these electronic ties a bad addiction? Look what happened to Gollum but then again Frodo survived…

It’s not an “official” tradition, but more than not, our family sits down together to watch a movie (most) Friday evenings. And having a 10 year-old, 8 year-old, and a 4 year-old, each Friday is proving somewhat challenging to decide upon a movie that everyone enjoys… okay, let’s be honest, one that I enjoy and/or willing to watch. This Friday I finally talked the crew into watching the Japanese animated, and Oscar winning, film “Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi” (Spirited Away, 2001) directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki.

Honestly, it is one of the imaginative, meaningful, and spiritually rich (animated) films I have ever seen and arguably the best animated film of the last 10-15 years. (Before you Pixar fans scream foul, know that Miyazaki’s work, including this film, has served as creative inspiration for John Lasseter’s team at Pixar.) But let me table my own opinion on the matter in favor for what has truly intrigued me about the film – my 10 year-old daughter’s (Grace) utter captivation of the story. Of course, this response made a little more sense to me after I read the following interview with Miyazaki soon after the film’s release:

“The most important thing for me in making this movie was to persuade the 10-year-olds that this movie was for them. I wanted them to be able to recognize themselves in the characters. I think I would like them to leave the movie theater with a sense of humility about the complexity and difficulties of the world we live in.”

So, rather than waste time with my own thoughts on the film, I find it more appropriate to hear from a 10 year-old’s perspective. Here is what my daughter Grace wrote on her blog about the film (unedited):

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Spirited Away

Summary

Chihiro’s family is moving to a new house and a new town, on the way, they explore a little and find themselves at a abandoned amusement park. Suddenly strange things happen to Chihiro like some boy on a bridge who tells her, “you shouldn’t be here! It’s almost night! Go!” Chihiro runs back to find her parents but finds them as pigs. She tries to run back and away from the park instead there’s water blocking her. Soon,the boy, Haku, comforts her and tells her to go to the bathhouse and get a job, he also warned her about the witch, Yubaba, who turned her parents into pigs. When she gets her job, Yubaba takes her name and changes it to Sen. Through out her new life in the bathhouse, Sen makes new friends and meets more creatures who help her get back her parents and remember they’re names. But will she help Haku as well?

Opinion

Really good story!!!!!!!!! So deep and imaginative and it makes you explore the world in you’re mind and…. (I’m starting to sound like one of those American Idol Judges who ramble on, aren’t I)

Genre
Fantasy/Adventure

Questions and answers for people who’s seen this movie:

What do you think the writer/director was trying to to say?

I think he’s trying to say that these days so many people are really selfish and it could take one selfish person who’s not being friendly to others to turn lots of people selfish – as well, but it can also take one loving and friendly person, anybody, to turn things around and to change peoples life’s. Also, the rest of my answer is also my answer for the below questions.

What does the movie/Chihiro’s character say about being 10 years old?

That it’s hard being a 10 year old and it’s hard getting more privileges, like Sen getting a job. And sometimes people just don’t pay any attention or listen to you when you know something fishy’s going on, like the tunnel. They think everything’s under control and they have more experience so what’s a 10 year old gonna do to change their minds? But you don’t know if your next experience is going to be exactly like you’re others. Also, 10 year olds can focus on loving others a lot. And younger people, (no offense seniors), can love easier than others because they can relate to how they feel. And trying a new thing that you have no idea about, like Sen’s new life at the bath house, or some 9-10 year old going to a new school.You just have to collect yourself, be strong, try to do the work that everybody else is doing. But still remember who you really are.

What do you think the director is saying about adults or parents?

Adults think their so perfect, but they’re not as pure as they think. Swearing, yelling, stealing, (I mean, do you ever see a first grader running around with a black mask around their head and a bag full of money? No. Probably not.) People like Yubaba could make you forget all the good things you learned, and who you really are right smack dab in the middle of your heart. And you’ll try anything to have a chance to become you again, be happy, and forget all of the bad stuff ever really happened. Adults can be really selfish. You might think not,”Hey, I gave 5 cents to that one guy over there, right? I need to take care of myself and that dude should be able to as well.”

Believe it or not, sometimes adults need children instead of children needing adults – for comfort, joy, and having someone to love. (This doesn’t have anything to do with the topic, but it’s like in the book The Lost Hero where the gods loved being needed by the demigods, but hated needing the demigods.)  Without children, adults would forget how to love. These days, adults would do anything for some gold. I mean, isn’t the great depression over? I’m glad the writer had the guts to admit that grown-ups can’t give that well.

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So, what are you thoughts on the film? The most insightful and imaginative animated film of all time? According to IMDB’s Top 250 list, only Toy Story 3 (#31) and Wall-E (#47) have nudged their way past Spirited Away (#49). Weigh in on your own thoughts here…

And for more “perspectives” of a 5th grader, I invite you to check out Grace’s various opinions on books and film at: gracedavidson.wordpress.com (she love’s comments!)

It finally happened! As some of you may recall, way back in September I was selected to be a part of NASA’s tweetup for the 39th and final launch of Discovery. Long story short, after 115 days, Discovery finally lifted off on her way to the International Space Station on February 24, 2011. We were fortunate enough to be invited back by NASA and their amazing staff to witness the launch from the press area. It’s about three miles from the launchpad and, from what I’ve been told, just about as close as you can safely be to a launch.

As the countdown clock ticked down, everyone was getting situated in their spots for the launch. The edge of the press site was lined with on-lookers both Tweetup and press related. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many DSLRs in one place before. I was armed only with my iPhone 4 camera and a desire to just soak it all in.

I still cannot quite find the words to describe the launch. It was an incredible experience to witness firsthand. I was lucky enough to share it with over 80 of my newest friends while we all stood cheering as Discovery soared into space. The launch wasn’t without its drama though. During the final minutes of the countdown, a Range Safety computer error threatened to delay the launch. The issue was resolved and Discover was able to launch with only two seconds left in its launch window.

The one thing I know I’ll never forget is the sound. The video I took below somewhat captures the feeling, but it was so powerful. The launch begins eerily silent as you see the SSME plume begin to build, quickly followed by the SRBs firing. Then, in quite possibly the brightest glow I’ve ever seen, the shuttle begins to move. Within seconds it’s cleared the tower and performs its roll maneuver. Then you can feel the sound begin to roll toward you. It’s like a thunderstorm of firecrackers and sparklers all tied together. Then it hits you. It’s loud. The crackly rumble is strong enough to induce a little shaking on my part as I feel my shirt move in the wake of the sound waves. After a little while, it fades slightly as the shuttle continues to climb. The plume continues to grow as the shuttle shrinks in the distance. After two minutes, the SRBs separate to another round of applause and the shuttle begins to appear as though it’s heading downward as it goes beyond the horizon.

And that’s it. Eight and a half minutes later the shuttle has reached orbit and we’re all there left in awe. In awe of the fact that we just saw six men and women go into space. We exchange hugs and already look back on what we just experienced. It’s a mix of elation and reflection. Some people are in tears while others shout – but it’s all in joy. This launch stood for more than just shooting people into space. It stood for the experiences that we, as a tweetup group, have shared together. It stood for the hard work of thousands of people through the course of the year to get her ready to fly. It stood for human ingenuity and resilience. It stood for our desire to reach beyond what we can see to learn more about this universe we’re a part of.

It’s a shame that there are only two more launches remaining. More people need to be excited about our exploration of space. I heard mumblings that an estimated 2 million people were in the area for the launch and that is exciting for me to see. I believe we need another “Apollo” to get Americans excited about space exploration again and I hope that these final launches are enough to fuel some enthusiasm. NASA has been doing a great job sharing the joy, and I truly hope it continues.

Oh, and if you’re interested, the Kennedy Space Center currently is allowing people to register for the opportunity to purchase STS-134 launch viewing tickets. Space that close is limited, so if you’re interested, I say go for it. You won’t be disappointed!

19 films in three and a half days. This was the experience both Justin Ahrens and I (alongside our friend Eric) had at the Sundance Film Festival this past week. And if you’re curious what it takes to get 19 films in within this amount of time, let me put it this way. At 2 a.m. Sunday evening/Monday morning we were still in the Q & A session with Pfife of A Tribe Called Quest (“Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of Tribe Called Quest”) and at 6:20 a.m. the same morning, we are in standing in line for “My Idiot Brother.”

This was my fourth trip to the festival in the last five years and continue to return home with the same reflection/realization… Ironically, the festival is not about seeing movies. It’s about the conversation, about what is being “said.” There is no doubt that the festival’s leadership team views their role as somewhat of a cultural guide – point viewers to “stories worth discussing.” In fact, this was the sentiment after (almost) every film. Someone in the audience would ask the director something like, “So, what’s your position on environmental terrorism?” And the director would respond… “Well, we simply want to have a conversation regarding. This is why we made the film.”

So, what’s in store for this year’s cultural conversation? Here are a few films we saw worth discussing…

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“If a Tree Falls: The Story of the Earth Liberation Front”

Documentary filmmaker Marshal Curry set out to ask the question of… Whether or not (environmental) change can take place “within the system” or if revolutionary type action is necessary to effect systemic realities? And if the latter is necessary, is it worth breaking the law?

“Connected: An Autoblography about Love, Death, and Technology”

Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain set out to explore the “connectedness” of not so much technology, but humanity. Why do we “link” together through various mediums? What was technologies intended purpose? Are we utilizing for these purposes?

“My Idiot Brother”

Even the dysfunctional comedies such as Jesse Peretz’s “My Idiot Brother” explored the questions of human interaction. In a society that operates with the assumption that everyone is simply out for themselves and/or most people are innately “corrupt”, Peretz suggests otherwise. What would happen if we simply trusted each other and assumed humanity was innately good?

“The Greatest Movie Ever Sold”

In what is (in my opinion) Morgan Spurlock’s best documentary since “Super Size Me,” the realities of product placement midst the entertainment industry is explored brilliantly through product placement in his own documentary. What is the branding/advertising process within movies? What are the narrative/artistic compromises being made today through advertising? Is product placement worth it? What does it mean to sell out? These were all questions being asked in “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.”

“Higher Ground”

Spirituality was a common topic at Sundance this year with roughly half of our films dealing with on some level, but maybe none more than Vera Farmiga’s “Higher Ground,” which ultimately asked the question of whether or not God is real and active. Both faith and doubt were explored midst both the absurdities and beauty of the Christian faith.

“The Details”

Jacob Aaron Estes’ dark comedy(ish) film “The Details” very well may have been my favorite dramatic film at Sundance this year. Dealing with an uncomfortable blend of (dis)honesty, marriage, love, and generosity, Estes’ ultimately asks the question… “Is it worth it?” And when it is (or is not)… “Are we worth it?”

“Homework”

In the adolescent “coming of age” story of Sundance this year, Gavin Wiesen explores the reality each of us have dealt with at some time or another… “Who am I?” And “What will it take to… well, be me?” Wonderfully done.

“Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest”

Tribe Called Quest is arguably one of the most influential hip-hop groups of our time. But this film is not about music. It’s about the complexities of (working) relationships. By investigating the “on again off again” friendship of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, director Michael Rapaport explores both the history and progress of not only hip-hop, but the group as a whole. Interestingly enough, Phife was at the premiere while Q-Tip decided not to support the film. The film and reality seemed to be playing out right in front of our eyes.

“The Redemption of General Butt Naked”

Yes, this was the actual nickname of Joshua Milton Blahyi, one of the most notorious warlord’s of Liberia’s 14-year civil war. Directors Eric Strauss and Daniele Anastasion set out to ask the question(s), “Is it possible for a murderer of thousands to change?” And if so… “Is it possible for his victims to forgive?” A conflicting story of evil, forgiveness, and faith.

“Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles”

A fascinating story of the mysterious “Toynbee Tiles” that have been appearing around both North and South American since the early 80s… What do they mean? Is it street art? How were the placed on the street? Why? While these questions are certainly interesting, this story is not so much about the Toynbee tiles, but the investigating trio that set out to discover its creator.

“Cedar Rapids”

What might have been the funniest movie we saw this year, director Miguel Arteta set out to explore the awkward realities of industry conferences – in this case, an insurance conference in “Cedar Rapids.” With an all star cast of Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. (The Wire), friendship is explored midst both unpredictable circumstances and unlikely colleagues. But this film did not have to be “serious” to tackle a worthy set of questions… in this case, ones of authenticity, trust, and acceptance. Already set to be release mid-February.

Other (Short) Films Seen:

• The High Level Bridge
• Bike Race
• Small Change
• The Hunter and the Swan Discuss Their Meeting
• Andy and Zach
• Pioneer
• AWOL
• Diarchy

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If you were to read my bio here at Rule29 (or one of my recent blog posts), you’d find that I have a particular obsession with music videos. And if I’m honest, on occasion, I imagine my life to actually BE a music video. This was the case again this morning as I drove through to work through some light snow flurries. The song?

“Snow” by the local Chicago based group Sleeping at Last.

This experience “might” have something to do with the fact that I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the group last month on the video itself  (ended up handling all the post and editing for the project). Consequently (having seen the video 100+ times), the sight of snow is forever connected to the video and song. Fortunately, I not only love the song, but loved the concept behind the video…

“What images come to mind when you think of winter?”

This was the question posed by the duo (Ryan O’Neal and Dan Perdue) last month in order to not only inspire the video, but to actually populate it. In short, the band decided to welcome their fan base to respond to the question via (video) images. This simple concept is brilliant: embrace (and trust) your community. In fact, throughout the process, I was taken back by a) the community’s quick response (only gave a few days notice) and b) the band’s desire to utilize everyone who submitted something. While the latter made things somewhat of a challenge in the editing process, the decision to utilize whatever “shows up” says something about the band’s commitment to both their community and the creative process that we all could benefit from.

We often forget that others and/or our community are one of the primary reasons we create in the first place. We want others to experience our art. And vice versa, we want to be a part of experience the art of others. Why do you listen to music? See a film? Go to a museum? The pursuit of art and beauty is embedded into our DNA. Consequently, its all the more beautiful when an artists invites others into the creative process – and trusts it! Check out the video above and see what “showed up”… Enjoy!

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Sleeping at Last is Ryan O’Neal (voice, guitars, pianos) and Dan Perdue (bass, pianos) – a group that has been playing together since 1998 in the Chicago area. After gaining a strong local following around Chicago, they begin to open for bands such as The Appleseed Cast and Switchfoot – which eventually attracted the attention of Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), who got them signed to Interscope Records in 2002. The band has since released 3 full length albums and numerous EPs. The duo is currently working on their most aggressive project to date entitled “Yearbook” – releasing a mini-EP-of-sorts each month with three new songs release on the first of every month. This project began in October of 2010 and will continue through this upcoming September. We highly recommend.

As promised in my post recapping the recent #NASATweetup, I wanted to post a few photos that I took with my iPhone while in Florida. This was definitely one of the best experiences of my life—even without witnessing the actual launch—and I’d never pass up the opportunity to geek out and share some of the experience. So, check out the photos from the trip after the break!

I always think it’s interesting to see how a two-dimensional logo can be interpreted into three dimensions in sculpture and signage. This NASA example is from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

I spent the majority of my first full day in Florida touring the KSC Visitor Complex. This poster was part of an exhibit on the future of the NASA space program. Entitled “Exploration Space“, the exhibit provides a look at space exploration beyond Earth.

The first day of the Tweetup took us to the KSC press site that is adjacent to the Vehicle Assembly Building. At 52 stories tall, this iconic building is overwhelming to say the least. The building has served as the final stop for both the Space Shuttle and the Apollo programs before heading to the launch pad.

During the first day we got to see an up-close demo of Robonaut 2, one of the 2 in existence (the other is currently sitting in Discovery’s payload bay waiting to go to the International Space Station). This joint venture between NASA and General Motors is a marvel of engineering and technology. While the partnership with GM may seem odd, much of the technology that went into this robot will likely see application in the automotive assembly plants in the future.

A group shot of many of the Tweetup attendees shortly before the official group shot in front of the big countdown clock.

The Saturn V Center is, without a doubt, a must-see when visiting KSC. The main attraction, obviously, is this full size, fully-restored Saturn V rocket. It’s so incredible to see in person and almost impossible to fully capture in one photo. We got the chance to visit the center at night so I was able to just sit for a moment and appreciate this marvel of machinery that took men to the moon.

In the Saturn V Center, there is this amazing ‘vault’ of artifacts from the Apollo program. The highlight for me was this capsule. This is no back-up or reproduction. This is the actual capsule from the Apollo 14 mission.

My favorite photos from the trip are all of this beautiful example of a space shuttle. Underneath the Rotating Service Structure lies the orbiter Discovery. It’s kept covered until the night before the launch. You can see the ET and Solid Rocket Boosters however. Unfortunately, since the launch was delayed, I never got to see the orbiter itself sitting on the launch pad. But knowing it was right there, about 500 yards away, was still awe-inspiring.

There were many more great people at the Tweetup taking photos with much more capable cameras. You can check them out on Flickr.

That pretty much sums up my trip to KSC. Every time I look through these photos (and the better ones from my fellow Tweetup attendees), it reminds me of both the experience I had and the great achievements that NASA has made over its years in operation. Their outreach to their followers on Twitter is possibly the best example of a business/organization utilizing the medium as a place to truly offer a new way to connect. It’s put a personal face on an organization mired in political/budget troubles.

Hopefully, more companies will begin to see the work NASA and others have been doing on Twitter and other social networks and begin to utilize them in the same way.

As a graphic designer, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my craft. I feel like the drive to further a career is crucial to any profession, but it’s especially true for one that changes and evolves as quickly as visual communication does. Being almost three years removed from college has left me in the precarious position of having to now go out and be incredibly ambitious with my learning. No longer is my education structured and pre-determined.

Because of this sometimes daunting responsibility, I thoroughly enjoy the various design conferences I’ve had the joy of attending in the past year or so. Granted, they have the dangerous potential of being nothing more than shallow “inspiration,” or rather, a thousand dollar pep-talk. But with the right mindset, design conferences can bring you closer with your peers, show you what is happening in the design world, and – among much more – maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.

All that being said, I had the joy of attending the Brand New Conference a couple weeks ago in New York City. This conference was a bit different than the last two I attended (AIGA in Memphis, and HOW in Denver) in both its structure and its content. As the title (and the website which the name is from) reveal, this conference was all about branding. Not only was this a  fresh contrast to the “big-picture thinking” of other conferences, the topic was one of the least discussed aspects of my education. That’s not to say that I don’t understand branding, but the anecdotes and processes vary so much from designer to designer that it creates an interesting dialog throughout the course of the day.

The morning began with Michael Johnson from Johnson Banks in London and then moved to Michael Lejeune representing the Metro Design Studio (LA’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority). The two Michael’s had different perspectives due to the nature of the work they had done, but you could see the same passion for communication excellence in each. Lejeune covered the process of rejuvenating a tired and oft-forgotten brand over the course of years — an excellent reminder that great brands aren’t built over the course of a few days or weeks. The Metro brand is a living, breathing, evolving creature. He demonstrated the crucial understanding of anticipating where the brand would be going in the future without overlooking the reality of addressing the current design problems facing the organization — a valuable consideration when looking at branding from a 30,000ft perspective.

To complete the Michael filled morning, Michael Bierut joined Paula Scher for a sit down chat with Armin Vit (the event organizer and curator extraordinaire at Brand New/Under Consideration). These two, and the rest of Pentagram, are no strangers to branding. Their insight goes back years and spans about as many industries as possible. I could sit and listen to them tell stories all day, but oddly enough, the one thing that stood out to me the most was that – as designers – they don’t have it any easier than we do when it comes to selling the work they create. I suppose I had it in my head that clients go to Pentagram to have Pentagram create whatever it is they’re going to create. But, unless we’re just hearing the horror stories, they work through the same hurdles and challenges as design firms a fraction of their size.

Contrasting the big NYC personality and style of Pentagram was Christian Helms from the Decoder Ring Design Concern. I found it interesting that Christian was once one of Michael’s interns because I definitely see the disciple and strategic aesthetic that makes Michael so great. It’s just manifested differently. Not sure if this was intentional, but it really spoke to the idea that we can all find “our place” doing the work we are passionate about – even though it may be stylistically different than our peers.

After a quick slice of New York ‘za (which was incredible), we headed back to the auditorium to hear Tom Dorresteijn from Studio Dumbar and then Connie Birdsall from Lippincott. Again we heard the varied perspectives and approaches to branding that were all reflected in different executions but were fundamentally similar. Connie spoke to the reality of the often struggles through big-business branding while Tom painted sweeping mental landscapes of beautiful, conceptual projects.

After that, Armin sat down with Jordan Crane and Karl Heiselman from Wolff Olins. An interesting setup, for sure, considering the recent reactions in regards to the London Olympics and AOL logos. Poised and confident, they provided a lot of insight into their thought process behind the execution of those brands and more. It’s exponentially interesting to see their take on how a brand can be a shifting and ever changing object. It lends itself to being constantly compelling regardless of the application.

Erik Spiekermann finished up the conference in a way that only Erik Spiekermann can. Full of personality and Bravado, Erik led the attendees through his process and the importance of a good typeface within a brand. It was interesting to see that in Spiekermann’s world, a custom typeface can be the brand. It can sometimes represent the company better than a mark ever could.

(It’s worth noting that I tweeted the good memorable bits from the conference to the @rule29 Twitter account. You can also see everyone’s tweets by following the #BNConf hashtag.)

At the end of the day I didn’t leave especially fired up to design more brands. And I was thankful for that. I took away so much insight to both consider and evaluate regarding the way I go about branding that it was almost overwhelming. The conference wasn’t so much a rally-cry as it was a look behind the curtain of some of the world’s best branding firms. I didn’t leave with things to do or try. Rather, I have things to think about. Things to consider.

And now, almost two weeks removed from the event, I am still thinking about those concepts and processes that were discussed, which, I suppose, brings me to my “big idea.” This post is just as much about the importance of attending design conferences, workshops, talks, outings, happy hours, etc… as it is about the specific event I attended. These events only solidify the culture and network that designers are naturally wired to embrace. New friends are made, and old friendships are rejuvenated. Fresh perspectives are shared while tired and trite memes are beaten and buried. Speakers provide an glimpse at perhaps something new or perhaps merely expanding on a common theme. Regardless of it’s nature, you leave with something (hopefully many things) – and you’re a better designer for it. I know I am.

Anyone else head to NYC for the conference, or have been to a different one recently?

(As an aside, I’ll be at my alma matter this Saturday (the 20th) for Seek – a great student organized one-day conference at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. It’s only $35 if you sign up online. And don’t be fooled, just because it’s the capital of corn doesn’t mean there won’t be some great speakers. Among others, Kevin McConkey from Grip Design and our very own Justin Ahrens will be speaking. To wrap it all up, Eddie Opara from Pentagram will be delivering the keynote. Hope to see you there!)