Neocon and The Big Three

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Ugh...Ford, General Motors and Chrysler are kinda IN THE NEWS lately, so for those who never heard my perspective on this, here it is (again).

( Begin original post from June 11, 2008 )

So I'm in Chicago at NEOCON 2008. Everywhere I look, I'm amazed. And it made me think. People are genuinely friendly, knowledgeable, and seemingly happy to see me as I walk into their space. I'm not asked if I'm "looking for something special." I'm not immediately apprised of sale items. I am not even asked for my email. Well in a couple I am.

All that said, "The Big Three" come to mind. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. But also the Furniture Big Three– Herman Miller, Steelcase and Haworth.

These Big Three couldn't be more different.

I'm reminded of how amazing the contract furniture market is. It is so obvious that the Furniture Three see design as THE product they sell. They are selling experience and story. Unlike Pontiac's Driving Excitement®– the Furniture Three are genuinely excited and passionate about furniture. So much so that talking to them about it is more like going to lunch with a friend than arm wrestling a car salesman would be.

The thought that keeps coming to mind is how amazing it might be if the Auto Big Three would begin to be more like the Furniture Three. As I shared before here. Even though we find ourselves in tough economic times, it is apparent the Furniture Three have not cut back. Yes, there was noticably way less printed brochures and flashy food, but the commitment to design quality seemed to have been taken up a notch. Everywhere I looked, I was blown away by the thinking, the execution, and the delivery of the products they were just then bringing to market. It was an amazing showcase of design ingenuity and commitment to high design.

I realize I have been picking on The Auto Big Three unmercifully here, some of which is unfair generalization, but the point of all this jabber is to point out one thing.

Those who see design as a function and process will lose. Those who see design as core to what they do, how they do it, what they sell, and who they are, will win.

If the automakers saw the world through the lens of design, and by design I don't mean this year's body-style, then I would likely be driving one of their products. Instead, I buy the product that promises me an experience, that I see as relevant, and that I want to see succeed.

NEOCON is amazing. It is a tangible example of why the furniture industry is a leader in so many ways. Design thinking, business strategy and marketing communication, product innovation, environmental impact, sustainability, and so much more. I maintain that the best marketing is simply doing business well, consistently and with integrity, and with the understanding that nobody cares about your marketing as much as you. Herman Miller gets this. As does Steelcase and Haworth. And each of these three companies, although they are part of a struggling economy like everyone else, rise above the rest and are able to ask a premium for their products. A fact that when you attend NEOCON you will begin to understand why this is no big mystery. It's truly a cradle to cradle way of thinking. A renewable enterprise.

Tuesday at NEOCON: Kid In A Candy Shop

Most graphic designers I know attend design seminars and conferences all over the world on a fairly consistent basis. I have not been for over 7 years. What I can recall about going is the sense of community it builds. And the energy and ideas and possibilities it fosters. But they're expensive and take time away from work. So for any number of reasons at this point in my career I have not been able to attend any of these. With one exception. NEOCON. As I have stated in a previous post, NEOCON is the SuperBowl to me. It's also free, and in my backyard, so it's very doable. I absolutely love furniture design. Contract and residential, and for that, nothing beats NEOCON. So I'm at NEOCON today. A kid in the candy shop.

Here's my previous post about NEOCON, and a slight rant about one of my favorite all time graphic designers, Alvin Lustig.

Neocon, Alvin Lustig, and a Design Realization

Neocon is just another furniture show to many. But to me, it's the Superbowl of design. Something I look forward to for months ahead of time. It's an experience that for me is way more valuable than any other design show in terms of charging my creative batteries. And for those who know me, being creative is not generally one of my deficit areas. But something's different about Neocon.

It inspires in a totally unique way. I see colors. Shapes. Materials. Applications. Human enthusiasm and possibility. Execution and good old fashion trade sales. Real ideas being pitched and sold for real money. Not just great ideas, but great ideas with legs. Ideas that are going places. Ideas with schedules and agendas. You get the idea. Rubber meets the road, if you will.

Anyway, in my weekly design group meeting today I spoke to the team about my enthusiasm and perspective regarding the show. I recently received approval from my supervisor to take the whole commercial design team to Neocon so they too can experience this magnificent event. Shortly after discussing this but in the same meeting designer Alvin Lustig came up, as I referenced having posted about him in an article in BarryBlog just the day before. Out of both discussions came a vivid realization regarding the value of design.

As I thought of going to Neocon, I pictured myself back in time and walking the show with Alvin. As we walked together, his presence was felt everywhere. Why? Well, Alvin designed the timeless furniture in the Knoll booth– a tradeshow booth he himself also designed. Continuing further through the Merchandise Mart we notice the catalogs, advertising and collateral pieces being handed out at the show, that as it turns out, he too conceptualized, designed and produced. As mid day approaches and we begin to consider lunch, we're guided to the food court area by Lustig's comprehensive signage system. Pretty much anywhere you look, you see his design influence. One person with such an over arching perspective and skillset, in addition to the ability to think big.

One other important factor in Lustig's sucess was the fact that he was often hired by clients who trusted him, and by trust I mean the fairly rare kind of trust where the client has the confidence to step back, and to step away from preconception. A client who has a vision for something bigger than themselves. A vision so big not any designer could accomplish it. This is part of why he was so successful, aside for a tremendous intellect, drive and talent. If clients really want their result to have, well, results, they will get out of the way of strategic thinkers and innovators and let them do what they are gifted to do. Any designer can conduct themselves in a karaoke type of service to the end product, but only when a client trusts a designer can true innovation and break through work actually take shape with true voice.

I literally had a dream about Neocon the other night. This from a person who barely ever dreams. But it's people like Alvin Lustig who lead the way with projects that not only get results, but inspire. To dream. To build. To take the bar a notch higher. And who in the end serve the entire process best through genuine creativity, guts, big picture thinking and ultimately value to a companies' bottom line.

See ya' at Neocon. June 12. I can't wait.