200 College Students Study Themselves

Staggering. I have kept this post short. Because your attention span is small.


For those with a longer attention span: This is a short video summarizing some of the most important characteristics of students today - how they learn, what they need to learn, their goals, hopes, dreams, what their lives will be like, and what kinds of changes they will experience in their lifetime. Created by Michael Wesch in collaboration with 200 students at Kansas State University.

( via swissmiss )

New Reading Study: Americans Reading LESS

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announces the release of a PDF Report called To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence, a new and comprehensive analysis of reading patterns in the United States. The new reading study, To Read or Not To Read, gathers statistics from more than 40 studies on the reading habits and skills of children, teenagers, and adults. The compendium reveals recent declines in voluntary reading and test scores alike, exposing trends that have severe consequences for American society.

"The new NEA study is the first to bring together reliable, nationally representative data, including everything the federal government knows about reading," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia. "This study shows the startling declines, in how much and how well Americans read, that are adversely affecting this country's culture, economy, and civic life as well as our children's educational achievement."

To Read or Not To Read expands the investigation of the NEA's landmark 2004 report, Reading at Risk. While that report focused mainly on literary reading trends, To Read or Not To Read looks at all varieties of reading, including fiction and nonfiction genres in various formats such as books, magazines, newspapers, and online reading. Whereas the earlier report assessed reading among adults age 18 and older, To Read or Not To Read analyzes reading trends for youth and adults, and readers of various education levels. To Read or Not To Read is unique for its consideration of reading habits alongside other behaviors and related outcomes including academic achievement, employment, and community involvement.

Read the rest of the story here, and/or download the whole PDF or just the Executive Summary. In some ways, the fact that people are reading less doesn't seem too breakthrough to me.

My take: It's obvious people have more choices when it comes to news, entertainment and learning channels. For publishers, this represents an amazing opportunity to differentiate. For publishers with truly unique and distinctive offerings, this is a time to identify and leverage properties and opportunities. Product opportunities and communication opportunities. Storytelling has never been more in vogue, and good stories stand the test of time. Publishers who listen, communicate and respond to their current and potential consumers stand to gain brand loyalists. Loving a brand beyond reason (aka LOVEMARKS) is possible when relevant relationships are forged, and when a company not only delivers need but also anticipates and exceeds it. I look forward to being a part of creating opportunities for a publisher who sees this information with a lens of optimism. And who responds with a renewed desire to see good books, or in my case The Good Book, perform better than ever with new and exiting new avenues and communication methods.

(via The Penguin Blog )

UnderConsideration: The Design Encyclopedia

Speak Up, Brand New and Quipsologies are all by Underconsideration. Another gem they're responsible for is the design encyclopedia, a project powered by DocuWiki. It's too much to describe here, you just have to check it out. To say it's a valuable resource is a huge understatement. And because it's a Wiki, it's also a living, breathing document. Enjoy.

ARCHITONIC: Architecture and Design Source

ARCHITONIC is an excellent resource for so many things. Especially if you’re an architect, but also if you have any interest in furnishings, graphic designers, auction houses, furnishing suppliers, materials and much more. It’s an outstanding site for research, and they provide a catalog request option for a direct link to manufacturer catalogs. Very cool. Architonic’s goal is: the best products, materials, designs and concepts for the best in architecture - always up to date, impartial, selective. The result: more than 40,000 products from 4,000 designers and 1,000 manufacturers.

Internal Brand Building: Executive Buy-in

Interesting and rather comprehensive— a unique perspective on internal brand building obstacles and some ways to get executives to understand and support brand management from the inside out.

( via Brand Strategy: the Branding Blog )

Saul Bass: Not Coming To A Theatre Near You

Though I'm by no means a movie buff, I can't help but enjoy the work Rumsey Taylor puts into his "not coming soon to a theatre near you" site– which assumes a bias towards older, often unpopular, and sometimes unknown films which he believes merit a second look. For me the site has a particularly interesting section called Titles Designed By Saul Bass. With a well done intro by Rumsey, a review by contributor Jason Woloski and contributing editor Thomas Scalzo, the whole section is a great resource whether you're a Bass fan or a movie fan. Check out the entire notcoming site for yourself.

SVA Podcasts: MFA Designer as Author

Podcasting design issues of all types by way of the School of Visual Arts NYC. The likes of which include noteables David Rees, Rick Poynor, Keith Godard, Neil Powell, Christoph Niemann, Milton Glaser, George Lois, Matthew Carter, Stuart Bailey, Joyce Rutter Kaye, Paola Antonelli, John Holmstrom, Steven Heller, plus SVA grad students. Great resource. You can grab the direct RSS feed or subscribe via iTunes.

( via GraphicDesignBar )

History of Branding Website

Historyofbranding is a nice resource for all things brand. The site's been around since 2005, and seems to be gaining steam. In addition to showing hundreds of logos with histories, the site also has Unique Branding Ads, Popular Commercials, Popular Print Ads, Branding Books, Branding Quotes, Branding Slogans. A favorite quote I found on the site is:

"Any damn fool can put on a deal, but it takes genius, faith and perseverance to create a brand." - David Ogilvy

( via Thats Right )

Adobe Inspiration: Stories

Adobe presents stories about how their technology's helping revolutionize how people engage with ideas and information. This is another great micro site on the content rich Adobe family of sites. Their DesignCenter micro site is yet another. One of my interests in producing BarryBlog is to share what I find interesting in the event you do too. These Adobe sites are one's you know about perhaps, but are too busy to pay attention to. Hum...too busy to pay attention. That's something worth discussing in the future.

AIGA: Artist Video Series (HillmanCurtis)

Reading about fellow designers and seeing their work can be inspiring. Hillman Curtis, by way of the AIGA main website, for which I'm a member, allows us to experience leading designers through sound and motion. The Artist Video Series has been available for a long time, but only recently was able to find time to watch these great videos. You might also enjoy exploring the rest of the HillmanCurtis site while you're there.

If you want to save time and follow my recommendations, my favorite is this. Also try Sagmeister, Carson, Glaser.

( via AIGA Inspiration )

Big Picture Thinkers: 7 Secrets

Thinking big is an ability of mine. This can be annoying to many and an asset to others, but in either case is related to the way I was fearfully and wonderfully made. Fortunately for me, thinking big was modeled well and often in my career as a communication designer and strategist. The ability to think big first hit home in my early career as a result of the tutelage of Lauren Ciesa of the design firm of Ciesa & Associates in one of my formative design experiences in East Lansing Michigan. Lauren taught me what design can do for a companies' bottom line and the difference between strategy and decoration. Later, under the guidance of Jim Thomas of the JD Thomas Company, I learned how design and content were one. He taught me how to think big, and how great design thinkers are valued and compensated professionally as a result of the value this adds to a business model.

So being interested and involved as such, I came across an article which in theory shows how you might also become a better big picture thinker.

Here goes:

From CEOs to independent professionals to work at home moms, Big Picture Thinkers inspire others and lead the way in their fields. Without their insights and actions, our world would be lacking in innovation, new products, and fresh approaches.

Now there is a way for you to connect with your larger vision and see it through to success. You can bring out the creative thinker in you by following these seven success tips. Whatever direction you're headed, these strategies will help you move forward and make the most of your natural strengths and great ideas.

1. Catch your ideas
No matter how outrageous or silly, catch your ideas and revisit them from time to time. You might have a diamond in the rough that you can't yet see. Write it down, tell it to someone, draw a picture, pace the floor, use whatever technique helps you remember and develop your ideas, use it!

2. Understand your strengths
There is an old saying that goes something like this: Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD. A big challenge for creative people and entrepreneurs is concentrating your efforts on what comes easily and effortlessly. To pinpoint your strengths you can take a formal assessment, but I often ask clients to start with a simple question and jot down whatever comes to mind: If I could devote my life to serving others- and still have the money and lifestyle I need- what would I do? How would it look?

3. Avoid “overwhelm”
Overwhelm can be described as either having too much on your plate or PERCEIVING what you have to be too much. The first step to take is getting real with time management. If your time management skills are poor, then you will feel overwhelmed and it will zap your energy and your focus. Next, learn how to say "No." Accepting too many responsibilities will burn you out, blur your focus, and zap your big picture thinking gifts.

4. Listen
What do you hear people asking for? What are they NOT asking for? What are they griping about? Become a great listener in all your interactions. Ask open ended questions (ones that can't be answered with a yes or no). Keep your ear to the buzz and maybe you'll zero in on the next big thing.

5. Develop your intuition
Learn to trust your hunches and listen for inner nudges. Your next great idea may already be inside of you yearning to break free. Visionary thinkers often act on these hunches. Become best friends with your intuition and see new possibilities come to you.

6. Talk about your ideas
Create a personal board of directors: a supportive group of people who you respect, trust, and encourage you. Ask for their honest feedback, brainstorm with them, or call on them when you need help.

7. Give your mind time to wander
If you're sitting in front of a computer frustrated because a solution isn't presenting itself, then change your location. Take a walk. Get out and play. Get out and do something (anything!) other than what you SHOULD be doing. Studies show that the most creative, innovative thinkers are not slaves to the desk. They add variety to their lives and keep their minds sharp by enjoying all the gifts the world has to offer.

Big Picture Thinkers have the natural gift to see the potential in just about anything. When you sharpen your visionary skills, you too can enjoy success and joy in all aspects of life and business.

( via Nancy Marmolejo @ comadrecoaching )

Self Publishing Favorites

Self-Publishing is something that interests me. Over the last year or so a couple websites have piqued this interest, and I've slowly begun experimenting with a few. Some are significantly better than others, but they're all fun to experiment with in different ways. I generally consider the site a "best" if the account side of the user experience is easy to use, and if the commission is reasonable, among other things.

A recent conversation with a colleague prompted me to share these with the BarryBlog community. Those I'm sharing are just the tip of the iceberg—there are hundreds more out there. I would really enjoy hearing about other ones that you know about, with any background you have working with them. Leave a comment on this post and let me know about them.

So, here they are: Etsy, prickie, threadless, LuLu, ZAZZLE, moo, cafepress.

Business of Design: Business Upturn

According to Gordon Kaye, editor of GRAPHIC DESIGN USA newsletter | March 07, one of the dark little secrets that everyone who writes about design knows is that graphic designers tend to be pessimistic by temperment, and to downplay their successes and prospects in business. But the conventional wisdom is turned on its head by the upbeat findings of a Winter 2006-2007 survey by The Industry Measure.

Specifically: 78% of all creative professionals reported that business conditions are as good as or better than in the past 12 months. And the number who said business was poor or very bad fell a few percent.

Solid and positive all around, even a bit sunny. Not to worry, though. This was all before the recent stock market slide so, hey, relax; you can still find something to fret about if that makes you feel comfortable.

Fellow blogger and graphic designer Chris seems to mirror this finding in this recent post as well as this one regarding new work.

( via GDUSA Newsletter )

Marketing to the Hispanic audience

So a Puertorican, Cuban, Colombian, Argentine walk into a bar. Nope, this isn’t some cheap, tasteless joke about our newfound multiculturalism. It’s everyday at one of the top Hispanic agencies in the US.

Unless you’ve been living in Kuala Lampur, you know the Hispanic market has enjoyed a boom over the past few years. Clients are familiar with the research and charts all showing the growth in purchase power over the next few years coming from the Hispanic market, so most are interested in buying into this “new trend” which has been happening for the past 20+ years.
(FULL STORY)

José Reyes is partner and creative director at Turbulence, an award-winning creative shop in Miami focused on revitalizing brands by building culture not just advertising.

( via ihaveanidea.org )