The perfect ad—you’ve seen it before. A group of friends or a family; one brown, one yellow, one white. A utopian mix of races, genders, even lifestyles. For decades, brands have approached diversity (and inclusion) in this way, and it makes sense. In fact, a 2016 study found that 80% of millennial parents enjoy seeing… Read more »
Getting the Most Out of Conferences
I’m usually behind the scenes at conferences – helping clients find conferences to attend or speak at, or assisting with their presentations and booth set-ups. So whenever I attend a conference or large event, it makes me think about the differences between being an attendee and being a vendor, a sponsor, or a company with… Read more »
Innovate Authentically: The importance of purpose when trying something new
The below article was featured in The Economist’s 2016 Innovation Forum event summary. Blue Daring partnered with The Economist to host the Forum in Chicago this Spring. The Forum brings together today’s leading thinkers to envision how companies can transform and adapt to flourish tomorrow. While adopting a culture of innovation has many benefits like product… Read more »
The Company That Cried “Innovation” and a Ridiculous Case Study That Has To Do With Cats
People ask me to create messaging to drive others to engage with them. When I ask them how they would like to be perceived, the number one word I hear is (you guessed it) — Innovative. Innovate, Innovation, Innovating… any variation you like. But heed my warning — the word is in danger of losing its weight. While “innovation” is a potent… Read more »
How to Give Effective Design Feedback
3 simple tips for communicating actionable, honest, and objective feedback. Gathering and implementing client feedback is a huge part of a designer’s job, but it can sometimes prove a frustrating process for both designer and client. The internet is filled with designer-made memes like this poster series capturing the creative community’s favorite worst feedback: While I… Read more »
Language Leverage: Effective messaging starts with words
A few years ago, I made a mistake. It’s a common mistake that happens to the best of us, but I made it publicly and refused to recognize my error until it was too late. As a copywriter, I hold myself to certain standards of linguistic and literary abilities. I also entertain the notion of… Read more »
How to Create a Logo
Every designer has his or her own way of designing a logo. This year, I’ve paid particular attention to my own creative process. Partly to see if I could establish a more systematic way of creating, but also to archive the experience from start to finish. Most people only ever see the finished product, but there is so much… Read more »
Words Are Never Enough
While sitting at the Hyatt in Belgrade last month, I had an epiphany. My kuma Katarina, who I was meeting for coffee, walks in. We hug, say hello and she says: “You look good.” That afternoon I had my glasses on (which I never wear out of my home) and so I said “Are you… Read more »
Lollapalooza has Great… Sponsors?
Attending festivals is all about having fun, and the last thing you want to feel is that you’re constantly being hounded by sponsors promoting their newest product or services. This year at Lollapalooza, I noticed that sponsors kicked it up a notch, particularly Samsung Galaxy. From free swag to relaxing lounges, Samsung’s Summer Campground got consumers to gravitate towards its… Read more »
Values Always Win
Recently, my Facebook feed has been flooded with shares and likes of Always’ #LikeAGirl commercial. The three-minute ad explores our perceptions of what it means to do something “like a girl.” The moral being, acting “like a girl” should not be an insult. Although there is a part of me that wonders if this is… Read more »