The Silicon Valley Business Journal is San Jose’s leading source of comprehensive business news and in-depth analysis….and we are very happy that this week they decided to feature Liquid Agency in the Small Business profile section. The article mentions a bit of our history and some of the work we’ve been doing for HP. In fact, the campaign we’ve been designing should launch next week in the highly anticipated “Person of the Year” issue – and will also appear on the online version in the form of a highly interactive digital campaign.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

For almost a decade, Silicon Valley technology companies have tapped Liquid Agency when they need help with branding, marketing and advertising, from setting up an eye-catching booth at a trade show to reaching out to consumers over Twitter. Its clients include HP, Microsoft, VMware and Intuit, as well as non-tech businesses such as Adidas. Liquid – its name refers to how a brand is “liquid” and ever changing — was founded by Scott Gardner and Alfredo Muccino. They started afresh after their previous firms were acquired during the dot-com bubble. Gardner was at Image Network and Muccino was at Muccino Design Group. They have since expanded by opening an office in Portland in June 2008, where they service Adidas and Microsoft among other clients. Most recently, in early November, Liquid merged with Marty Neumeier’s Neutron LLC, a digital think tank in San Francisco. Although not a large agency, it still manages to compete in the big leagues. Gardner, the CEO, said its clients reap the benefits of employing a high quality team and getting better access to the senior staff — at a lower cost than a large agency. “We’re one of the few agencies that has been really able to work consistently with the big brands on significant projects,” he said. “Those companies are coming to us and have faith that an independently owned, medium-size company can handle jobs that typically might go to a large global agency that are extremely expensive and, in some cases, extremely slow.”

You can read the entire article in the News section on our site….and don’t laugh at the picture!

Author: Alfredo Muccino
Category: Brands in general

WSDIA: A very talented group of people that take design seriously.
On a recent trip to New York I was introduced to a small, but very talented firm: WSDIA.According to their website: “Our name WeShouldDoItAll (WSDIA) is simply a goal. Designers and all other professionals alike should not feel constrained to some singular expertise. To survive our own creative game, it is imperative to know that there is not one absolute solution to a given problem. To immerse oneself within different avenues of creative production and mediums forces you to consider the otherwise unconsidered. It’s that method of working that’s exciting and motivating to look forward to the next transition.”

Nice people. Lots of talent. And plenty of ambition.
I was introduced to Jonathan Jackson & Sarah Nelson, two of the three principals at WSDIA, by my very good friend (and also very talented designer), Chris Vivion. In the course of my travels and my work I meet a lot of designers. Sometimes I meet people who are exceptionally talented…on occasion I meet folks who are really smart…and at times I meet designers who are very nice people - alas, they’re personality does not always match up to their work. Meeting Jonathan and Sarah was refreshing because they represented a combination of the best qualities I find in true designers: talent, curiosity, passion, intelligence and ambition. On top of all these great qualities, they struck me as unassuming, approachable, and extremely nice people. BTW: By “ambition” I don’t mean a drive to make a lot of money. No, no, no. I mean the ambition to keep pushing the limits, and the desire to do bigger, better, more interesting and more meaningful projects. That’s the kind of ambition that people that end up being really, really good must have. And the folks at WSDIA have plenty of it.

New Practices New York
Jonathan and Sarah shared with me several projects that I thought were really smart and exceptionally executed. I really enjoyed the New Practices New York exhibition design.

This project exemplifies the firms ability to create striking solutions that blend the aesthetics of architecture and graphics in a combination that is visually fresh and dimensionally interesting. I learned that WSDIA is made up of people that come from backgrounds that include architecture, graphics and fashion…which may explain why their work is so multifaceted. I love the physical nature of the signage and the attention to detail that went into the execution.

Young Guns Live
Another project I really liked is the Young Guns Live project for the Art Directors Club of New York.

For this assignment the team created a set that they photographed as the key visual for the marketing materials. The typography was created from brown fabric and stuffed with cotton (now named, ‘Gotham Stuffed’). The end result is whimsical and sophisticated…and although it is definitely avant-garde, it evokes a certain level of craftsmanship that is not all too often part of today’s design aesthetics…which is what makes it so special and fresh.I look forward to seeing what this talented team will be designing next. In the meanwhile, if you have any thoughts, please feel free to share them.

Thanks,
Alfredo Muccino
Chief Creative Officer
Liquid Agency

Author: Alfredo Muccino
Category: Brand Extension, Brand Identity, Brand Personality, Brands in general, Environments, Events, Logos

AOL turns into Aol.
The company that used to be called AOL, and was recently spun off from Time Warner, is shrinking in size in order to survive…and now its name and logo are shrinking as well. Perhaps as a reflection of its intention to cut about 2,500 jobs, AOL has changed the UC treatment of the acronym to one that includes an upper case “A” and lower case “ol”. And, in an attempt to communicate that the company is in the internet space, it is adding a “.” after its moniker. “AOL” is now “Aol.”

Brand identities need to be refreshed every so often. This can be motivated by the fact that, over time, design aesthetics change and it may be necessary to refresh a design that starts to feel dated. However, changing a brand identity can also be symbolic of a change in the company’s focus or structure, or a change in the marketplace situation. In the case of AOL (oops, Aol.), the change seems to be motivated by the changes in the company’s structure and a desire to re-introduce itself to its audiences.

Is “uniquely dynamic” the same as trite and playful?
According to Tim Armstrong, the company’s CEO, “Our new identity is uniquely dynamic. Our business is focused on creating world-class experiences for consumers and AOL is centered on creative and talented people - employees, partners, and advertisers. We have a clear strategy that we are passionate about and we plan on standing behind the AOL brand as we take the company into the next decade.”

The new look was created by Wolff Olins, the same firm that also designed the much maligned 2012 London Olympics logo, and most recently the fairly unpopular NYC logo. So far, the new Aol. identity is not being embraced with much affection. Take a look at a recent article in Fast Company or read the story on CNet .

I think the new Aol. is awkward.
In my opinion, the new identity may very well be “dynamic”, but it seems to be trying too hard to look young and energetic. The playfulness seems out of line with the announcements about layoffs, and the seriousness of Aol.’s financial situation. Changing the font to lower case is a simplistic attempt to look friendlier and more accessible…while at the same time, the lower case “l” looks like an upper case “I” (which is visually confusing). In fact, I think the whole thing looks a bot awkward…and I find that the addition of the “dot” is trite - while at the same time it poses all sorts of problems when writing out the name of the company in text form - AOL simply looks and works much better than Aol. (Wait…at the end of a sentence should I add another period after the dot?). And this commentary has not even begun to take into account the backgrounds from which the letters Aol. are reversed out. What is that pink cloud? Perhaps a bit of cotton candy? And, what is the green scribble? I find that the is dot hard to read in that version. Do you? BTW: In Italy the hand image stands for “cuckold”…I think that’s pretty funny.

I don’t like it. Do you?
OK…it’s obvious, I don’t care for the new Aol. identity. I’d love to hear what any of you think of the new logo? Is this what you would do to help AOL change the way that people think about the brand?

I’d love to hear your opinion.

Ciao!

Alfredo Muccino
Chief Creative Officer
Liquid Agency

Author: Alfredo Muccino
Category: B2C, Brand Identity, Brand Personality, Brand Relevance, Brand Strategy, Brands in general

Talking and Thinking about Design Thinking.
On Wednesday night I attended an event at the Thomson Reuters center in NY featuring Roger Martin, the dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto; Tim Brown, the CEO of IDEO; and Will Setliff, VP of Strategy, Insights and Innovation at Target. The three panelists were joined by Bruce Nussbaum, from BusinessWeek – who helped moderate the conversation, often making it more interesting through humor and memorable anecdotes.

The conversation centered around the topic of “Design Thinking” - which is also the subject of a new book by Roger Martin, titled “The Design of Business”, and also another book by Tim Brown titled “Change by Design”. I have not yet read the books, but look forward to doing so, and I will share my thoughts about them. For those not familiar with the term, design thinking are the words used to describe a process that balances the exploration of new ideas with current knowledge to drive innovation and generate value for companies.

Here are a few insights from the panel discussion.

Today’s business practices are too “scientific”.
Some of the discussion hovered around the notion that today’s business models are “too scientific”, according to Mr. Martin, who suggested that the need to “prove in advance” the success of an idea makes it practically impossible to innovate. Companies that are driven by analytical thinking strive to create predictable results based on past experience and rigorous quantitative analysis. These companies typically fail to support the kind of innovation that – by definition – introduces whole new ways of solving existing challenges. Design thinking is advocated as the practice enabling business to strike a balance between analytical thinking and innovation – which, the panelists argued, is essential to create a sustainable competitive advantage

Design thinking has many challenges to overcome.
According to the panelists, design thinking is already embraced by innovative companies (like Apple, Google, Target, Toyota, etc.) however these companies are the outliers in corporate America. Part of this is due to the fact that design thinking is not what is taught at most universities, and the tens of thousands of MBAs that enter the business sector annually are trained to use analytical thinking and scrutinize data to arrive at decisions….ultimately killing ideas that could make a big difference if they were explored further before being dismissed because they are “unproven”. Mr. Martin reminded the audience that if Steve Jobs had run Apple as an analytical company, such innovations as the iPod and iPhone would have never seen the light of day.

The current business climate is another challenge – as many companies will choose to “re-trench” instead of “re-think” - and according to the panelists this creates opportunities for those companies willing to apply design thinking to explore new, innovative processes, products, markets, distribution channels, etc.,

We need to question the question.
One of the most interesting topics of the evening was posed by Tim Brown, who suggested that not enough emphasis is placed on the question that initiates the design process. Being a designer, Tim has been trained to start with a “brief” - a document that outlines the objectives, audiences, requirements, etc. Designers are often handed the brief as a way to begin the design exploration. Tim not only suggested that designers should write the brief instead of the client, but should question the intent and need that necessitated the brief to begin with….he referred to it as the need to “question the question”. These comments made me think about the fact that we are in fact trained to strive for the answer…and perhaps generating more questions will lead to more interesting ideas.

Where does design thinking start?
Mr. Nussbaum asked “where and how do we start incorporating design thinking into a business?”. Will Setliff of Target said that it is important to find what he called the “locus” or central place where to start incorporating design thinking into a company. He said that it is important to change processes and not just products and services. Target of course, is a company that has become synonymous with design and innovation – and this is true not just in terms of the products they sell or how they operate their stores, but how they run their business. One example that Will shared with the audience is that at Target they take new hires and immediately put them through a process designed to reinvigorate their sense of creativity and set aside some of the stuff they learned in business school. This indoctrination into design thinking can be very impactful and invigorating for many of the business people – who, according to the panelists – often will resist going back to the old analytical approaches. Personally, I think that change must be championed at the top – and I am willing to bet that most organizations that embrace design thinking are led by CEOs who are visionary, independent thinkers who cherish innovation and who constantly challenge the status quo.

What does this mean for agencies like ours?
Creative agencies are typically started by designers – people who are trained to solve problems using a process that includes defining the problem, exploring a variety of different solutions, prototyping, testing, and adjusting to ensure that the final result solves the problem in an innovative manner. However, most agencies have not been very innovative in designing their own businesses. Most agencies have become victims of the pressures placed upon them by corporate America and as a result they don’t “question the question” - to borrow Tim Brown’s terminology – and they churn out advertising that is uninspired (both in terms of the creative or the media that is being used), branding programs that are developed in silos (packaging teams don’t talk to digital teams) and use processes that seem a bit antiquated (brand platforms that assume the company owns the brand in a world when consumers shape brands more than ever). It is time for agencies to re-think their business models. I feel that Liquid is in this category…however, we are painfully aware of it, and are hard at work, changing what we do and how we do it. That is one of the reasons for the merger with Neutron, and one of the benefits of having Marty Neumeier on our executive team. He’s constantly challenging us to think ahead of the curve and focus on innovative solutions.

Thanks for the inspiration to make some changes.
I left the conference rejuvenated and inspired. I would like to thank Roger Martin, Tim Brown, Will Setliff and Bruce Nussbaum for delivering an engaging and stimulating discussion. I also would like to thank Sandra Blevins of the Brand Collaborative for inviting me to attend. I returned to my hotel room with my head buzzing with ideas, anxious to work on the transformation that will help us deliver better work for our clients and create a better firm for all that work at Liquid. As I’ve said before….expect big changes.

Author: Alfredo Muccino
Category: Brand Management, Brand Relevance, Brand Strategy, Brands in general, Reading List

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That is big news! We’re very excited about sharing this information with our clients and partners. We’ve been working on this merger for a while. We wanted to make sure that it would benefit our clients, and we’re certain that it will. In fact, the combination of the strengths of Neutron and those of Liquid definitely yields more than the sum of its parts.

Liquid now can boast one of the most respected thinkers and authors in our industry as part of our senior team…which will help us forge new paths and provide a higher level of strategic consulting to our clients. At the same time, Neutron’s clients now have access to world-class creative talent…which lives up to Marty’s definition of logic and magic. Everyone at Liquid is thrilled to work with Marty, and we’d like to welcome him onboard!

Welcome, Marty!

Take a look at the News Release - and, for the few of you who are not familiar with Marty’s work, take a look here.

Author: Alfredo Muccino
Category: Brands in general

A great title from a good writer.

Austin Howe is a writer that was referred to me by Dave Williams, Liquid’s Creative Director in Portland. We were pitching a job for Microsoft, and we needed a writer on the team. Dave suggested Austin, and also told me about Austin’s recent book, “Designers don’t read”…which I bought and started reading immediately.I love this book. It is funny and it hits home. However, I think that Austin gives designers too much credit. Unfortunately, most ‘designers’ that I know live up to this title all too literally - sadly, too many really don’t read. They browse magazines and study the most insignificant details in the tiny pictures that document design projects in magazines like Communication Arts or ID. Occasionally they may read an article hoping to learn some gossip on the latest ‘hot’ design firm…but it is a very rare designer that might read an article about design theory, history…and even less designers will read an article about business.At some point in his career, Marty Neumeier, our Director of Transformation, published a magazine called Critique. This was a beautifully designed publication with lots of pretty pictures…but it was published to start a critical conversation about design. Unfortunately, the magazine is no longer around - a victim of the lack of interest in reading.In my opinion, too many designers treat copy as “the stuff that you need to have in a layout to balance out the visuals”. Half the time they barely read it. It drives me crazy! Well…I hope they will make an exception for this short, inspiring book. A book that is nicely laid out, by the way - but has no pictures. Just smart and funny words that make you think…and will leave you inspired.Check it out on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/yzusazrIf any of you have read it…let me know what you  think.

Author: Alfredo
Category: Brands in general, Reading List

Alfredo Muccino writes about what the London brand means.
Below is an article written by Alfredo Muccino for CorpComms Magazine - the only monthly magazine targeted at the in-house communicator. The magazine offers advice and informative articles on a range of topical subjects, such as social and digital media, internal communications, sponsorship and CSR. Based in London and published by Hardy Media, the publication is edited by Helen Dunne, who contacted Liquid to get our thoughts on the London brand, since Boris Johnson, London’s mayor recently announced that he wanted to re-brand the city.

Having just returned from the British capital, Alfredo Muccino, Liquid’s Chief Creative Officer wrote a short article which appeared in the latest issue of the magazine.

Here’s the article. If you have any comments, we’d love to hear them.

London: The intersection of old and new.

“Some destination brands are easier to define than others. Las Vegas is defined by What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas, and the brand promise is very clear. Vegas is a place where you’re invited to be wild. Everyone who goes there knows what to expect, and they immediately belong to the tribe. And, of course, Las Vegas delivers. In Vegas you are transported into a surreal landscape of make-believe palaces and landmarks, adult entertainment, gambling, bars and dancing girls. The value proposition is clear and anchored in truth.

So how can we define the brand for a city like London? What sets London apart from other cities? Why should I choose to visit London instead of Paris? What does London deliver? Is it the Royal family and Buckingham Palace? Is it the sense of tradition and propriety? Is it the punk movement that today feels rather traditional? Is it the pub culture, the warm beer and fish and chips? I think that these are outdated stereotypes, and in my opinion London delivers a very different experience today. The brand should capitalize on that.

Today, London is a vibrant multi-cultured centre where the modern provides a great contrast to tradition. You see this in the people, the architecture, the music, the food and the fashion. I find London to be sophisticated and energetic, filled with people who are creative, interesting, highly educated and extremely cosmopolitan. The city is not just a destination for business people but for visitors who seek a dynamic, entertaining and inspiring experience. In my opinion the London brand should leverage the idea of modernity challenging the past. It is in this contrast that lie the refreshing ideas that make London exciting and memorable. London is the cross roads of old and new…past and future…tradition and rebellion. This is something worth experiencing and something that London delivers with plenty of charm.

Author: Alfredo
Category: Brand Differentiation, Brand Management, Brand Relevance, Brand Strategy, Brands in general, Global Branding

New book includes an interview with Alfredo Muccino, Chief Creative Officer for Liquid Agency and projects for Olive and City of San Jose.

A couple of projects produced by Liquid Agency are featured in the recently published book,”Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising and Marketing” by Mark Shaw. Published by Laurence King, a company focused on the creative arts, with a global reputation for books that are acclaimed for their quality, vision and erudition, this book makes a nice addition to any library that includes books on commuications, marketing or branding.

Mark Shaw ran across some of Liquid’s work in the process of doing research for his latest book and called Alfredo Muccino to discuss potential inclusion in his new book. Alfredo and Mark chatted on the phone…Mark calling from London while Alfredo paced his office in California. The result of the conversation is a few pages focused on the approach that Liquid took to develop the brand voice and tone for Olive Media. Additionally, Mark decided to also include one of the posters that Liquid designed for “Music in the Park”, the annual music festival that takes place in San Jose.

“Copywriting” is a great book, and I say this not because Mark has included our work, but because well written copy and a clear brand voice are absolutely necessary in order to establish differentiation from the competition and accomplish communication and marketing objectives…and anyone that is interested in producing effective work should keep this in mind!  Mark ought to know…he is the founder of Jupiter Creative, a very successful creative communications agency specializing in retail and consumer brands….and one of the best in England (and beyond).

To purchase the book on Amazon, just click here: “Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising and Marketing” by Mark Shaw.

Author: Alfredo
Category: Brands in general

Between March 23rd and 25th, Las Vegas became the destination of choice for the most influential retail marketing people in the world, as they gathered for GlobalShop, the industry’s biggest expo and conference. GlobalShop is where retailers and brand managers go to find retail design, in-store marketing, and technology solutions – and it is where Alfredo Muccino, the Chief Creative Officer of Liquid Agency delivered a timely presentation addressing how brands can leverage technology to stimulate sales at retail.

This year’s event was a definite reflection of the state of the industry. More than other sectors, retailers are feeling the effects of the economic downturn, which means that with lower revenues and decreased spending, many people that usually attend the show decided to eliminate this year’s trip from their budget. The crowds were thinner, yet the atmosphere was far from somber and while organizations like POPAI – The Global Association for Marketing at Retail – celebrated the growth in their membership, retailers looked for ways to create more impact for less money.

Alfredo Muccino delivered a one hour presentation titled “How are brands using technology to drive sales” that was attended by a cross section of retailers, brands and their agencies. The presentation uses a variety of case studies (including best practices from Apple, adidas, Intel, Starbucks and Nike) to illustrate how savvy brands are incorporating social media, mobile technology, RFID, widgets, e-couponing and other technologies to create traffic, drive sales and promote loyalty.

We’re making the presentation available here, so feel free to download it and let us know if you have any questions. Download: The GlobalShop 09 Seminar Presentation. If you have specific questions, please contact:
alfredo@liquidagency.com

Author: Alfredo Muccino
Category: Brands in general