Cyprus Calls for Consistency

Even countries need consistency in their design and branding.

After 45 years of different independent flag makers adding their own touches, this country has regained possession of the design guidelines to apply the right shade of copper.

While it's important to be precise and adhere to one's guidelines, remember why the guidelines were constructed in the first place. In this case, Cyprus historical attachment to the metal.

Did you know that Cyprus is the Latin word for the metal: "Cuprum" or "ore of Cyprus."

Hilton Midtown, NYC Rocks!

Long ago, a study was done with young boys and waitresses. I know where you're going -don't. Young boys ordering a meal at a table were more likely to remember bad service than good.

Well, when one receives fabulous service, one remembers. All those times I have overlooked personal articles in the hotel room have left me sullen and depressed, conceding to the fact that I'd never see them again. Today, after 24 hours of decompression from our work hard/play hard trip to NYC, I realized I have a number of clothing pieces missing from my luggage. It was also the first time I decided to actually use dresser drawers for my personal belongings.

I am elated to have received a call from the Lost and Found department of our hotel, Hilton Midtown, indicating that they've found the articles described in addition to some others not described. Don't get me wrong, I am excited my clothing is being shipped back to me, however, Andrew and I found a very large underwire bra that clearly wasn't mine, hooked over the bathroom door upon one of our late night returns. I also knew it wasn't Andrew's, so we tossed it; I just hope it doesn't come back to me like a bad dream.

BTW, Hilton Midtown is a great hotel and we seem to score the corner unit overlooking Central Park each time we're in town. Love that!

Services Rendered Revisited

As I sit and post blogs this evening, I watched City of the Century: Chicago (Part 3) on the Discovery Channel. I recalled a moment when Andrew and I sat at the Butterfly Grill in Greenwich Village this evening enjoying dinner and noticed a cab waiting at a red light.

The top of this cab had an LED programmable sign affixed to the top with scrolling advertisement. One advertisment caught me by surprise:

McDonalds Delivers Happy Meals

Over 100 year ago, a woman's consortium marketed a service that provided working mothers food to take home to their families. Unfortunately, this service failed because of two reasons:

1. The mother's main focus was to provide dinner for the family
2. The menu contained dishes atypical to the Polish family sensibilities of kielbasa and spegetti.

I believe that the consortium was definitely on to something, but unfortunately, disregarded their demographic, specially as segregated as it was.

Tonight, looking at the advertisement on the cab, I was completely astonished by the very fact that McDonald's caters to kids AND their parents, or is it the other way 'round?

Design Thought Strategy Have you thought of ways you can service your clients with a happy toy -the answers may surprise you. Talking to your clients about their daily issues may just provide you with the happy mic nugget on which to capitalize.

Echoes

Six AM this morning, I awoke to hollow steel pipes being dropped on cement as vendors erected tents for the street fest on the Avenue of the Americas. It's amazing how the echoes of preparation resonate up to the 23rd floor of our hotel. The echoes made me ponder how one's sixty second intromercial resonates with potential clients minutes or weeks later.

A few days ago, I was asked my profession. Having recently 'inc'd our business, I realized my priorities had shifted -and consequently, I stumbled.

Design Thought Strategy Whenever you have a slight change in your business, be sure that your script includes that information as you never know with whom your intromercial will resonate.

FIELD TRIP Baby: NYC!

So, the executives have planned an outing, a field trip, if you will, to NYC. We absolutely adore NYC and now that we can enjoy tradeshows on a whole new level, the writeoffs are great. Don't tell the IRS.

Seriously, we've talked about NYC before and to recharge our batteries after months at the grindstone -yes, we LOVE the grindstone- but it is imperative that we see new sights to restore our creative juices.

It's 9:07pm as we collapse our bodies on the beds, we are exhausted, no doubt about it. Because we haven't written in awhile (too busy preparing for SURTEX Gallery this year), we thought we'd oblige you with some personal experiences and recommendations for those seeking a guided tour within NYC by yours truely.

If you've never been start by taking a guided walking & eating tour in Greenwich Village. You'll fall in love w/the culture and want to purchase the nearest flat.

Andrew insists on hitting SOHO to hit a few of his favorite haunts (Pearl River) and now that he has acquainted me with Malaysian cuisine, I begin to smell the aromas of Penang in SOHO in my very kitchen days before arriving. Enjoying Mango Shrimp/Chicken is a must on my first day of arrival. I've got photos, but you'll have to wait a few days -so check back.

Oh man, I'm craving the appetiser Roti. Yum.

Sixty

Usually the terms coffee table and business book are mutually exclusive. Business books are something you put on a shelf in your office or living room for people to see. Well for the first time I can remember, there is now a business book you're going to want to put on your coffee table: Tom Peters' Sixty. This is a brilliant compilation of Tom's 60 TIBs (This I Believe's) in large format with a lifetimes worth of insight, wit and wisdom. If you're looking for the perfect business book to give as a gift, this is a great choice.