Visual Insights

if you ever show up to ikea on a saturday morning for buy one...

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:48:48 -0500

if you ever show up to ikea on a saturday morning for buy one get one breakfast time in the cafe, you’ll know that it’s already established itself as a total family shopping/entertainment/dining destination. also in the cafe is free jarred baby food (gerber brand) for each baby present and an area of kid-size ikea tables and a tv. not only is there on-site babysitting/playland, they even supply FREE diapers in the bathroom in a few sizes. pretty smart, ikea.

“What starts here changes the world” In April 2012,...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:07:12 -0400

“What starts here changes the world”

In April 2012, the University of Texas at Austin joined a group of over 500 university across the country who have declared their campus grounds as 100% tobacco-free. Although these signs went up in late spring, the entering freshman class of 2016 will be the first to not have known the campus before it’s smoke-free days. With numerous studies showing that a majority of lifelong smokers can trace the origin of their nicotine habit back to their late teens and early 20’s, UT and like-minded college campuses have an opportunity to reach would-be smokers with an institutionalized anti-smoking message.

While smoking is ultimately a personal choice that will be made even with this non-smoking campus mandate, it’ll be interesting to read as the reports in the next 5-10-15+ years show the long-term impact of institutional change on a habit already on the fringe of social acceptedness.

with the taco bell doritos taco as the most successful taco bell...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:58:46 -0400

with the taco bell doritos taco as the most successful taco bell product EVAR (and it was delicious by the way!), i was delighted to find a bag of taco flavored doritos at the store.

Taco Bell Chief executive Greg Creed has called the Doritos taco a “flavor pairing just waiting to happen.”

it would seem that doritos returned the favor without the taco bell branding. while i was informed that doritos has had a taco flavored chip available for some time, i wondered if the branding boost doritos gave taco bell with the partnership, would doritos have gotten any lift in brand perception by featuring a taco bell-cobranded chip?

is it really possible to have a “healthy”...

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:49:00 -0400

is it really possible to have a “healthy” pre-packaged meal in a box? the website for gopicnic says, “no trans fats, no high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), no added monosodium glutamate (MSG), and no artificial flavors and colors.”

it’s a step in the right direction, considering how much scrutiny american diets are under at the moment. they’ve even thought of other special dietary needs and offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and kosher options.

at the end of the day, nutritious or not, the gopicnic meal-in-a-box concept is a reflection of society’s continued demand for fast, no-think, no-cook foods. the company just got a hair smarter about hitting those big food buzz words.

Have you ever gone through an airport checkpoint and forgot...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:33:00 -0400

Have you ever gone through an airport checkpoint and forgot something? Something very personal? Something very important? I have and it is annoying when you get to your gate and your beloved mobile phone is not where it belongs.

Of course, there were signs: “Check your belongings before you get to your gate,” or something along those lines, nobody actually reads anymore. But the other day, heading out of Dallas Lovefield some brilliant visual designer gave us his love with visual cues right when you get of the security lane.

No bullet point list, no language barrier, easy to comprehend; the only thing you have to do, is to go through you mental check-list. Simply Brilliant!

When you’re in want of medical attention, sooner is almost...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:06:35 -0400

When you’re in want of medical attention, sooner is almost always better than later. Maybe, that’s one reason people are turning to drug stores, which have an inherent connection to health and well being, when they’re unable to wait for a regularly scheduled appointment but don’t require a trip to the emergency room to the get the medical attention they need, when they need it. In these instances, clinics, like the CVS Minute Clinic, fill a valuable role.

While the waiting room leaves something to be desired, being able to walk out of a consult and straight to the pharmacy is a convenience and a comfort the health care industry doesn’t often offer.

The unlikely influencer. If you saw her walking down the street...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:19:35 -0400

The unlikely influencer. If you saw her walking down the street words like, “grandma,” “older” or “boomer” might cross your mind. You’d never guess she was hosting a roundtable on apps and iPad cheats to a group of chic boutique customers. Appearances are, as always, deceiving. She defies convention.

Buzz. That is really the first word that came to my mind when I...

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:05:00 -0400

Buzz. That is really the first word that came to my mind when I heard about the bacon sundae. The second thought was… I have to try this.

It is probably the most unhealthy dessert I have heard of in quite some time and in the distant wake of ‘Super Size Me’ I was taken back when Burger King announced the bacon sundae. What would consumers’ reactions be?

So far, what I have heard has been mixed. Either people are really on board or they seem to be very off board — leaving a few people with a large amount of skepticism.

Overall, the sundae wasn’t bad. I thought it had that salty sweet thing going for it (kind of like a Frosty and fries). I still wonder why BK introduced this sundae right after the launch of their healthier salads and wraps though? Will it negate the healthy vibes they were sending out?

Brand management is everyone’s responsibility, even the...

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:29:23 -0400

Brand management is everyone’s responsibility, even the guy who swaps out the lightbulbs.

A follow up to the earlier hunger billboard post a week or so...

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 19:53:30 -0400

A follow up to the earlier hunger billboard post a week or so ago. Very good question creatively - is it more effective to show the problem (the sad face of a hungry child), or to build a bridge between the problem and the audience. I think this answers the question. I was much more inclined to look further into it.

On the other hand, that Sarah McLachlan commercial pretty much makes you want to cry. Maybe this is just a billboard specific question. So, to be more specific, I think this answers the billboard question.

Clever little bag indeed! I had seen this bag before but while...

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:07:47 -0400

Clever little bag indeed! I had seen this bag before but while out shopping this past weekend I was reminded just how cool this “shoe box” is. Not only is Puma doing things “out of the box,” they are talking about being more efficient and earth friendly with all of their initiatives — including shirts, shorts, etc. I never used to think of Puma as an eco-friendly brand, but I most certainly will from now on.

We share things with Google, we wouldn’t share with our...

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:13:50 -0400

We share things with Google, we wouldn’t share with our closest friends

Even in the most public of places - a city bus, for instance - we’ve come to share a sense of intimacy with our devices that somewhat nullifies the existence of strangers sitting behind you reading that you’re Googling “what is jicama.” Our computers, smart phones, and tablets are more than utility. They are our security blanket in awkward situations, our long-term memory, and our deepest confidant.

While it seems a bit antiquated for an Internet group to use...

Mon, 28 May 2012 15:11:22 -0400

While it seems a bit antiquated for an Internet group to use traditional advertising, I noticed Fight for the Future put up this billboard here in town recently. Curious what “Paid for by the Internet” meant, I discovered the nonprofit dedicated to defending online freedom crowd-funded donations for the billboard here in Austin and also placed one outside Texas representative, and sponsor of the infamous SOPA bill, Lamar Smith’s office.

I found it fairly amusing that this particular billboard is off Lamar street and is also owned by Lamar Advertising, making it so the billboard reads “Don’t Mess with the Internet”… Lamar.

I have seen signs like this before for hybrid vehicles or people...

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:31:00 -0400

I have seen signs like this before for hybrid vehicles or people that carpool but never one for employees. This was one of the closest parking spots to the store. Arguably just as close as the handicapped spaces. Does Best Buy want us to know that its employees are forward thinking and are smarter than the average associate? I think the answer is yes. Too bad the space was empty when I took the picture.

See what a brand that understands itself can do. This cost...

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:39:00 -0400

See what a brand that understands itself can do. This cost nothing, wasn’t an annoying barcode to enter to win some ridiculous contest and regardless of whether I felt powerful (which I sort of did) it told me this brand knew itself well. Hats off to Steaz.

Dostoyevsky said, “The degree of civilization in a society...

Sun, 20 May 2012 19:37:00 -0400

Dostoyevsky said, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.”

I think the same can be said about billboards. I was stopped at a light, staring at this board and it amazed me how compelling the message is but how little effect it had on me. I was neither more or less inclined to try to get involved. And I’ve volunteered time, money, etc. for causes as far back as I can remember. I passed a blazing Shock Top beer billboard one block down and it made me want a beer. Is it just the medium? Or is it us?

I will not be forgetting these doors for awhile. Well played BK.

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:00:00 -0400

I will not be forgetting these doors for awhile. Well played BK.

Welcome to Preston Idaho. Where “3G” is more like 2G...

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:16:00 -0400

Welcome to Preston Idaho. Where “3G” is more like 2G and “High speed” Internet is relative. As I struggled to watch Facebook videos and keep up with work email (can we say loading screen!) I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the people who lived there that didn’t have the great technology that we have and enjoy here in Austin. Towards the end of my trip though I came to the realization that the great technology just wasn’t as relevant to them. There was no need to feel sorry because the people weren’t sorry. They were perfectly happy because they didn’t see any need to have all of the great technology. It is all a matter of perspective.

This is a watering bag you velcro around trees and fill with...

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:36:00 -0400

This is a watering bag you velcro around trees and fill with water. The water slowly drips out over time to water the tree. Cool branding opportunity for an ecofriendly brand to make a bunch of these and fill city parks with young, newly planted trees branded with their logo. BTW, never mind my dog.

A look inside the new Microsoft store. Guess what, there’s...

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:37:00 -0400

A look inside the new Microsoft store. Guess what, there’s people in it just like an Apple store. And they look engaged. Before you say that it looks like an Apple designed impostor I’d check it out. It’s pretty cool and there were a lot of products on display you forget are powered by Microsoft. It’s located at the Domain. I also like seeing a tablet that was compatible with a mouse. Maybe Apple hasn’t thought of everything after all.