In this Issue:

Viewpoints

Fossil: The Sifting of Trends for Brand Initiatives

DMI Conferences

Trends/04: Insight From Trends for Design Leadership
Pushing Beyond: Brand New, Brand Stories, & Brand Myths

DMI Education

Upcoming Seminars
The DMI Senior Executive Workshop

Free Download of the Month: What’s Next? A Preliminary Resume of the Past Decade of Digitalized Communications

 

Featured DMI News

Five New DMI Advisory Council Members

Resources of Interest

Marketingsherpa.com
Trendwatching.com

News & Events Around the World

Viewpoints

From the beginning in 1984, Fossil sought to be a brand and company that was above all, relevant to the contemporary consumer not only in developing products with creative appeal, but equally important, in building a bridge, an emotional connection, that resonated with the consumer. From 1984 to 1989, the company experimented with a variety of imagery and product schemes that were successful, in part, by gaining recognition for creativity but lacked the groundswell effect of tapping into something deeper than superficial trends of the day and the market at that time. Then, perpetuated by product success in the vintage direction and the general observation that 40’s & 50’s Americana was appearing globally as a fashion theme, the brand latched onto a direction that became the resonating soul of a brand; a heart that resonated with the philosophy and content of everything from business practice to design mantra.

So for a run of some 12 years Fossil wrapped itself in a blanket of all things retro and Americana. In some ways the brand began to feel like it had been around since the 1950’s. And while the brand imagery, though constantly evolving creatively, stayed consistently tied to this core concept, the product, for need of staying relevant to the market trends and consumer interest, progressed outside of the bounds of brand imagery. And while the conflict of the brand imagery vs. the product was a recognized point, it was creatively managed up to 2001, when it was obvious that it must be addressed for multiple reasons related to distribution, brand discipline, and the need for a fresh direction to address the unification of the brand across multiple categories of development.

Read the complete article

Article submissions are welcome; please contact jtobin@dmi.org.

DMI Conferences

Trends/04: Insight From Trends for Design Leadership
The 8th European International Design Management Conference

March 21-23, 2004
Barcelona, Spain, Barcelona Hilton

Time is running out to sign up for what promises to be among DMI's most successful European events to date. Registration has been extremely strong, with nearly 90 individuals signed up, and registrations still being received on a regular basis. Some of the organizations represented include BIC Corporation, Caterpillar Inc., Coca-Cola, Danish State Railways, Design Continuum, Electrolux Home Products, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, Karo Group Inc., LEGO, Michelin, Océ-Technologies B.V, Samsung Telecommunications, Siemens VDO Automotive, and Philips Design. Some of the countries represented include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and USA.

Attendees can also look forward to these additional events that will held in conjunction with the conference. On Sunday night, there will be a special reception and dinner sponsored by the Barcelona Center for Design and the Government of Catalonia/Investment Promotion Agency. On Monday evening, there will be a meeting of DMI Europe, sponsored by OHIM (Office for the Harmonization in the Internal Market: Trademark & Design) and the Barcelona Center for Design. On Tuesday evening there will be an optional tour of Barcelona design studios organized by the Barcelona Center for Design. The tour will feature five local studios and a reception.

Immediately following the conference will be an optional seminar, Using Design Research for Product and Brand Innovation, taught by Darrel Rhea, Principal, Cheskin.

Don't miss this important international conference! For more information, visit the program, schedule, registration, and hotel pages on the DMI Web site.

Pushing Beyond: Brand New, Brand Stories, & Brand Myths
16th International Brand Design Conference
June 2-4, 2004
Vancouver, Canada, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

When can brands be new? Does every brand have its own story? What role does design leadership play in creating brand stories and when do stories become brand myths? Have we become too attached to brands or brands to us? Have brands pushed our culture to evolve or to devolve? And when, if ever, is the story over? Have brands become vicarious extensions of who we are?

The goal of this conference will be to challenge the status quo and push beyond our preconceived notions about what brands are and how design shapes these notions. The speakers will endeavor to thoughtfully, intelligently, and creatively address how brands provide meaning and value to those who wittingly or unwittingly absorb and interpret them.

DMI is proud to announce the complete roster of speakers for the 16th Brand Design conference:

Keynote Speakers
Experience the Myth, the Magic, the Wonder of Umpqua Bank
Ray Davis, CEO, Umpqua Bank
Steve McCallion, Creative Director, ZIBA Design
Flock and Flow: How to Read Dynamic Consumer Taste and Preference
Grant McCracken, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, McGill University

 

Featured Speakers
Massive Change
Bruce Mau, Chairman and Creative Director, Bruce Mau Design Inc.
Insight Roadmaps
Christopher Ireland, CEO, Cheskin
Sarah Zuberec, Director of User Experience, Mobile Devices Product Group, Microsoft Corporation
In the Global Market, No Place is Like Home
Ken Delor, President, Delor
Evolving an Icon Brand
Larry Bloomenkranz,Vice President, UPS Global Brand Management & Advertising, UPS
Igniting the Brand through Organizational Transformation
Martin Gierke, Corporate Identity Manager, Global Brand Management Group, Caterpillar
Deconstructing Visual Identities, Reconstructing Brands
Jerry Kuyper, Senior Partner, Lippincott Mercer
Building Global Leadership Brands by Design
Jerry Kathman, President and CEO, Libby Perszyk Kathman
Mind over Meaning: A Manager's Field Guide to Stuff that Matters... Genetics, Identity, Culture and More
Jeannette Hanna, VP, Brand Strategy, Spencer Francey Peters, Inc.

For more information or to register for this highly-respected conference, visit the program, schedule, registration, and hotel Web pages.
 

DMI Education

Using Design Research for Product and Brand Innovation
March 4-5, San Francisco, USA
March 24-25, Barcelona, Spain
Taught by Darrel Rhea, Principal, Cheskin

This seminar empowers design managers to integrate research into the design development process with confidence. It will give managers the tools to become advocates for research that actually produces better design and supports innovation. By knowing how, when, and what kind of research to use in the design process, managers can maintain control of their programs, and produce more effective products and brands. Early registration is recommended, as the first three sessions of this seminar have sold out. More information.

"Darrel is a fantastic speaker and the information/value of his insight will be put into motion ASAP within my organization."
—Gerry Squires, System Designer, Nestle Product Technology Center

Managing Design for Strategic Advantage
March 4-5, Chicago, USA
May 13-14, Montréal, Canada
Taught by Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant

Traditionally, design has been viewed as a service within an organization—not as a strategic business resource. But this traditional view of design is rapidly changing in the fast-moving, highly-competitive business arena of the new millennium. Design managers and designers now need to rethink both the processes of managing design and the ways in which they communicate the strategic value of design to the success of the enterprise. More information.

"The subjects discussed are actionable on a daily and strategic level. The seminar was concise and relevant, and I will be able to apply the techniques directly in my work."
—Thomas Peters, Advanced Design Director, GM

Managing Strategic Creativity & Innovation
April 1-2, London, UK
August 12-13, Boston, USA
Taught by Alison Rieple, Professor of Strategic Management, University of Westminster-Harrow Business School (UK)

Designers are visionaries with important roles to play in the innovation process, and are key drivers of organizational success. And yet innovation, and the creativity that underpins it, is notoriously hard to manage. This seminar will explore why this is the case and how participants can work to overcome some of the problems inherent in bringing about something new in their organizations. More information.

“The seminar was very well organized, and the instructor was extremely knowledgeable and full of timely info.”
—Brenda Parkin, Chief Color Designer, Nissan Design America

Creating the Perfect Design Brief
April 22-23, New York City, USA
Taught by Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant

A well-crafted design brief can function as a contract, an easy-to-follow road map for the entire design process, and an invaluable tool for securing project approval at the end of the process. This seminar explores all of the critical components of a design brief and how to use them to assure the success of any design project. More information.

"A one-of-a-kind seminar that is much needed for designers and marketing alike. Eye-opening."
—Marie Macaspac, Graphics Manager, Sony Computer Entertainment America

The New Marketing: Understanding It, Working with It
May 6-7, Boston, USA
Taught by Bruce Clark, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Marketing Group, Northeastern University

It’s not just the “four P’s” of marketing anymore. It’s not just “brand” anymore. Over the last ten years, marketing has been inundated with new ideas that are changing the way marketers and designers need to do their jobs. Simultaneously, the end of the 1990s boom has put new pressures on marketing managers that only increase their demands on complementary functions such as design. This seminar outlines the new marketing practices resulting from these trends, how the new marketing affects design and other functions, and how to build and maintain effective relationships with marketing in this environment. More information.

Strategies for Designing Meaningful Brand Experiences
May 20-21, New York City, USA
Taught by Dave Norton, Ph.D., Vice President, Experience Strategy and Research, Yamamoto Moss

Creating meaningful brand experiences is the key innovation that will drive growth and new value for your brand over the next ten years. This seminar will prepare your brand to engage in—and profit from—the most important shift in consumer demand: a desire for experiences that really matter. Designed to make you a more strategic thinker about branding, experience design, and value creation, this seminar will unveil key consumption trends and detail techniques for creating meaningful experiences for your target audience. More information.

“Dave is great, he knows what he is taking about. Great content and tools
that I hope to apply in my future projects.”
—Laura Baez, Brand Manager, Ernst & Young

Marketing Graphic Design Services
June 11-12, New York City, USA
Taught by Cameron S. Foote, Principal, Creative Business Newsletter

Without regular and consistent marketing, a firm often finds itself on a feast-or-famine roller coaster at best, and at worst, struggling for its very existence. This seminar has a practical, real-world approach that's ideal for anyone who wants to improve his or her marketing ability, learn techniques for prospecting for new clients, needs to know more about hiring and motivating sales personnel, or would like to achieve a higher success rate in converting presentations into projects. More information.

“This seminar was extremely valuable. The ‘open forum’ format was particularly appealing because I was able to learn from the comments made as well as the instructor.”
—Lisa Viramontes, Creative Network Account Executive, Abbott Laboratories

The DMI Senior Executive Workshop:
Strategies for Developing, Maintaining, and Sustaining a
Powerful Brand
June 16-18, London, UK
Led by:
Stephen A. Greyser, Richard P. Chapman Professor (Marketing/Communications) Emeritus, Harvard Business School
Peter L. Phillips, Design Strategy Consultant

Among the most daunting tasks faced by senior executives in any enterprise is to develop, maintain, and sustain a powerful competitive brand in the global marketplace. The brand reputation of the company is one of its most important assets, and must be strategically managed at the highest levels.

The creation, and management, of a powerful brand requires an equal partnership between both strategic marketing and design expertise. This Workshop has been tailored specifically to address the problems faced by senior executive managers responsible for creating—or recreating—their company’s brand identity and meaning to multiple stakeholders. Participants will leave with an arsenal of new strategic management tools and state of the art knowledge of effective brand management. For more information and for an application, please visit www.dmi.org/executive.

“A great overview of brand, voice, and related issues. The case discussion format was wonderful and allowed the other smart people in the room to contribute insight.”
—Steve Rodden, Partner, Director of Marketing, Fiori

DMI Publications

Free Download of the Month
What’s Next? A Preliminary Resume of the Past Decade of Digitalized Communications
By Christine Hesse, Hesse Design, and Klaus Hesse, Chair, Conceptual Design, Academy of Art and Design
Design Management Journal, Fall 2003, Vol. 14, No. 4

Peering into the future, Christine and Klaus Hesse see a challenge. Distinctions between supplier and user, medium and media are disappearing. The segmentation of markets is ever growing. The pace in cycles of information and meaning is speeding up, and experience is coming to be more valuable than the word. It is a bafflingly dynamic context in which the task is to discover what must endure amid all the things that change.

This free download has expired. Click here to read the executive summary for this article and the opportunity to purchase the article for direct download.
 

Featured DMI News

Five New DMI Advisory Council Members Announced
DMI's advisory council consists of prominent individuals that support the Institute in its programs and outreach. Recently five new individuals were appointed to the council:

Philippe Picaud, Design Director, Decathlon
As part of his current position, Philippe was given the mission to create an identity for each of Decathlon's seven sporting brands. Prior to this job, Philippe was Design Director for Philips Consumer Communications. Philippe holds a MA in Industrial Design from Syracuse University.

Robin Edman, Chief Executive, Swedish Industrial Design Foundation
Prior to taking his current position, Robin was Vice President, Design for AB Eletrolux. Robin holds a BA in Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design.

Judith Gloppen, Design Management/Business Consultant, The Norwegian Design Council.
Judith has exentisve marketing experience and holds an MBA in Design Management for the University of Westminster, UK. Among her past projects include strategy for the “Flotoget” Airport Express Train project.

Jerry Kathman, President and CEO, Libby Perszyk Kathman, Inc.
Jerry is recognized as a leading authority on branding within the industry. His global experience has provided clients insights into both the opportunities and pitfall so taking a brand beyond national boundaries.

Freeman Lau Siu Hong, Partner, Kan & Lau Design Consultants
Freeman has won over 200 awards in overseas and local art and design competitions. He has been a partner in Kan & Lau Design Consultants since 1996, and has been a committee member of the Hong Kong Design Centre since 1989.

Resources of Interest

Marketingsherpa.com Web Design Business Kit

Want to grow a healthier, more profitable Web design business? This two-binder kit includes: how to get more revenue per client; how to land new clients more easily; 221 sample documents from bid sheets to contracts; and 33 web design business case studies. Info: www.sherpastore.com.

Trendwatching.com

TRENDWATCHING.COM scans the globe for hot, emerging consumer trends and insights, to inspire marketers, designers and product developers. Working with a network of 1,500+ trend watchers in more than 70 countries worldwide, TRENDWATCHING.COM reports their findings in a monthly newsletter, which is free to business professionals. Visit them at www.trendwatching.com.

Design is Visible: A Special Design Exhibition at CeBIT 2004
March 8-24, Hannover, Germany
For the first time at CeBIT 2004, design will be made visible in a special way and on an impressive scale in this exhibit. Info: www.ifdesign.de

Re:Charge Safari 04
March 12-13, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
A day-and-one-half of creative exploration and discovery on the campus of the University of North Florida, co-sponsored by the UNF Communications and Visual Arts Department, and the Jacksonville AIGA chapter.
Info: www.rechargesafari.com/2004

The Art Center Design Conference: Stories from the Source: Design Excursions Out of the Ordinary
March 18-21, Pasadena, California, USA
The first Art Center Design Conference will probe deeply into the ideas and issues that are core to design innovation today. Info: www.artcenter.edu/designconference/programprogram.jsp

Face to Face 04
March 19-20, Stuttgart, Germany
Co-hosted by AIAP, the Italian Designers' Association; BDG, the Federation of German Graphic Designers; and ADG, the Alliance of German Designers. Info: www.design-center.de/face

The Marksman Design Award 2003-2004
Deadline: March 31
The Marksman Design Award challenges students of industrial and architectural design from all over the world to design an innovative and original business gift: Info: www.marksmandesignaward.com

Faces & Voices of Recovery National Contest
Deadline: April 12
Faces & Voices of Recovery, a national campaign based in Washington, D.C., is organizing the competition to develop a symbol that can be embraced by all recovery-oriented organizations and individual advocates. Info: info@facesandvoicesofrecovery.org

2004 IDSA Catalyst Award
Deadline: April 22
Open to any gold, silver, or bronze Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) winner from 1999-2001. Info: www.idsa.org

Smart Questions Workshop
May 20-21, Los Angeles, California, USA
The content will be based on the new book by Gerald Nadler and Bill Chandon: Smart Questions: Learn to Ask the Right Questions for Powerful Results. Info: www.breakthroughthinking.com

Sappi Ideas that Matter
Deadline: May 31
Sappi Limited, through its annual Ideas That Matter grant program, has awarded grants to graphic designers around the world to design projects for the non-profit organizations of their choice. Info: www.sappi.com.