Today’s front page Chicago Tribune headline reads: “Deal, then no deal.” The USA $770M bailout, an excellent example of how not to sell a concept has been bothersome all week. What immediately comes to mind? What would Saul Bass have done?
SB could present! He could fit the pitch for the occasion. Legend has it that in 1973 Saul asks United Airlines for $1 million for a new identity. A lot of money then. With check deposited SB lines up a theatre, clears out the chairs and replaces them with 200 Barcelona chairs. Then he hires “attendants and pilots” in freshly designed uniforms to seat the attendees. He places examples of the color palette, the ticket counter, brochures, signage, the logo, the airplane. Everywhere.
When everyone is seated the lights dim. The stage lighting warms up and out walks SB dressed for the occasion: a purple cape. He walks towards the podium with signature cane — the cane often used as a musical director’s baton. The stage lights dim. The rest is history. A long-lived identity program.
Research for this post lead to this YouTuber ” brooksy362436’s ” school project created as if Saul Bass animated the title sequence for “Star Wars.” The music is “Machine” by the Buddy Rich Band.
Is the bailout a good idea? I’m not smart enough to answer that one. But I wish someone would show up who can convince me it is.
more saul bass
We are alerted: World Animal Day is October 4. This post celebrates environment, design, fashion, and animals used in marketing efforts.
Here we feature a collaboration between Puma and Atmos NY, which consists of three pairs of Puma models inspired by three endangered
polar animals: the Harp Seal, Macaroni Penguin and Polar Bear. Each sneaker has its own unique design, but comes with the works of National Geographic photographer Mitsuaki Iwago featured on it, as well as a transparent outsole.
Each shoe in the collection captures the unique characteristics of a specific animal, and features Mr. Iwago’s photography on the removable insole. The name and habitat of each animal is on the reverse tongue and the outsole in both English and Japanese. The shoes were created in hopes of bringing attention to our impact on these endangered animals.
The third shoe shown in the Polar Pack is the PUMA x Atmos Polar Bear Clyde. Drawing direct inspiration from the polar bears of the Artic the shoe features an off white nubuck upper and fur collar, while the blue ice sole represents the Polar Bear’s natural habitat. The shoe comes with three sets of colored laces and have the Atmos “A” on the lace tips and heel. The Polar Bear is currently ranked as vulnerable and is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Found exclusively at Atmos as June 2008. via Pet Monologues —World Animal Day and Bless the Animals.
8 crazy experiments bold enough to change the world. Beginning August 22. Fridays, 9PM EP. (-0500)
They rounded up every scientist, inventor, engineer, and designer with the best sot at pulling off some of the biggest, boldest ideas about cooling the planet, gave them whatever they needed and turned ’em loose. They told the naysayers to kiss off.
Sunpower beam. Raining trees. Reflective clouds. Orbiting shade. Air scrubber. Glacier blanket. Ocean nutrition. Floating turbines.
More info:
Project Earth
It’s been a week since Earth Hour 2008. So we looked around to see what happened then, and if
anything since…
A student told us Google went black! Good for them. This is how we envisioned a black Google.
The normal Chicago skyline at bottom.
This taken from the Chicagoist…
Earth Hour officials indicate last year there were 2.2 million who participated in a one-hour effort to bring awareness to energy conservation. Yesterday, they estimated that number was around 10 million. In Chicago, the Sears Tower, the John Hancock, the Wrigley Building, and the Tribune Tower dimmed decorative lights, while 500 McDonald’s throughout Chicagoland turned off their golden arches. In the theatre district, marquees went dark, and Elphaba, the witch from “Wicked” turned out the lights with a dramatic “spell”. Navy Pier’s iconic ferris wheel went dark and nearly every store on the Magnificent Mile turned out their lights. (more…)
Value item: Tata Nano. A car christened “the peoples car” debuted in 2007 amid a lot of controversy. Its an unremarkable car if you don’t take into account that it’s sticker price is $2,500 USD. The negative is it is manufactured in India as an easy-entry into owning an automobile. Many feel that India’s densely populated cities, and streets, are ill-equipped to handle the additional emissions.
The car will have a 624-cc petrol engine generating 33 bhp of power. It will sport a 30-litre fuel tank and 4-speed manual gearshift. The car will come with air conditioning, but will have no power steering. It will have front disk and rear drum brakes. The company claims mileage of 23 km per litre. (more…)
Earth Hour 2007 was a Sydney, Australia event to fight global warming by saving energy and raising awareness. On March 29, 2008, Earth Hour goes global.
Just a few days left before Earth Hour—March 29, 2008. 8-9pm. Between now and then send a reminder to your blogosphere connections to participate. You can continue to remind people about conserving energy for the rest of the year too! Here’s how…
1. Forward this information or create an original. (The image in this post is a photo taken from one of the many posters, billboards in Chicago.)
2. Place your Earth Hour post on your blog along with these instructions…
3. Send a minimum of 5 bloggers—or your entire blogroll—to do the same. Notify them of the tag.
4. ADD your site to the list and place your blog’s name and url in a comment here to let DA know you successfully forwarded this info. DA will acknowledge your success with a comment in your post. Email webmaster [at] designapplause.com if you have questions. (more…)
Just about the time we should be thinking about 86ing our plastic bottled water habits we have a bottle story. We came across this art and artist via trespluscool The artist is Martine Camillieri, a french artist who works with colorful plastics. Trying to think of an adequate bumper sticker here. —No to trash. Make art!— You get the idea, help us out here.
see our post 21st century waterfall
animating water bottle recycling rates 2005 (more…)
Today at MoMA
February 24–May 12, 2008
The International Council of The Museum of Modern Art Exhibition Gallery, sixth floor.
In the past few decades, individuals have experienced dramatic changes in some of the most established dimensions of human life: time, space, matter, and individuality. Working across several time zones, traveling with relative ease between satellite maps and nanoscale images, gleefully drowning in information, acting fast in order to preserve some slow downtime, people cope daily with dozens of changes in scale. Minds adapt and acquire enough elasticity to be able to synthesize such abundance. One of design’s most fundamental tasks is to stand between revolutions and life, and to help people deal with change. (more…)