Cheese? Ham? Bacon? I know whatever made its way into these ‘Lean Pockets’ surely ain’t very healthy, but do I want ‘brand’ in my sandwich? ‘A brand stuffed sandwich’ – sorry, but help me out on this one because I am quite puzzled. I do promise, in return, that this is the only, and last post about anything to do with nasty frozen sandwiches. Promised.

On my way to work I heard that the last report on NPR (National Public Radio – for our friends from around the globe) was brought to me by:

FIJI Water.

‘Giving back to the environment with every bottle’.

Ouch! That hurt my ears in so many ways, especially since I was driving down beautiful PCH, a highway known for its spectacular ocean and nature views. Also, because there was a great article I read in a major publication (which one slipped my mind) a couple of weeks ago, talking about the tremendous environmental issues that come with bottled waters, and it specifically mentioned Fiji as a prime example of the issue. Shortly thereafter I read an opinion-piece on going for tap water in The New York Times, stating that it does not only make sense to do ‘the switch back’, but it’s also quite good tasting, contrary to public belief.

So hearing Fiji water, who so very obviously (it comes from Fiji afterall, not Catalina Island) are not a ‘green’ choice, toot their horns on ‘being green’ really rubbed me wrong. Before going on my rampage (for which I really should not have any time on a very busy thursday morning at my agency), I wanted to look up their site to see if I was missing something. And surely I was: Fiji just launched a major campaign called ‘Fiji Green‘ where they talk about how extremely ‘green’ their water is. Ouch, again.

A couple of open questions to that idea:

1. Although an obvious choice, do I really want my water to be associated with the color green?

2. If the entire world just recently heard the news on Fiji Water having a major negative impact on the environment, is it really a good move to create a campaign around being the opposite, or should it rather focus on the brands’ strengths and quietly act and hit the market with good news, rather then the idea that ‘good news is in the works’?

3. I am not a copy writer, but I do know a bit about the do’s and don’t's since I work with them on a daily basis. ‘Giving back to the environment’ by giving it a bottle is surely not a very sure-shot statement, or does ‘giving’, ‘bottle’ and ‘environment’ really sound like a positive statement together?

4. Launching an open platform is very 2.0, but it makes sense that the very first comment that the campaign received on its blog, in reply to the post ‘Welcome to the FIJI Green blog’, fired right back (‘I read a compelling article a few months back about bottled water, and Fiji water was highlighted as one of the worst performing bottled water companies with respect to carbon footprint…’). The comment that followed Fiji’s very lengthy defense comment brings my thoughts on a strategy gone bad, to the point:

As a side note on the same subject, my girlfriend and I did a water tasting-test of all the bottled waters out there half a year ago. We were not necessarily bored, but curious, and a bit nerdy, I agree. We bought around 8, or so, bottles of waters, from France (Evian) all the way to Fiji, and we threw in a couple of local ones. We put them in cups that we labeled on the bottom and we did a blind tasting test. The winner was Crystal Geyser (actually the Trader Joe’s custom-labeled version, bottled at the same source), an inexpensive water from California. A big blow on a very design and brand focused couple, but great news altogether.

Regardless of our findings, we stopped drinking Crystal Geyser soon thereafter and opted out for filtered tap water, and we surely don’t cry tears after the Evian’s and Fiji’s of this world.

I just received an e-mail from a job applicant. I do not want to mention his name, because who knows if he is currently employed and I don’t want to get him into trouble. I did not have the time to get too much into his work yet, but I love how he only features one line of copy above his work. It’s the one thing, next to his logo mark, that remains constant. So it is a line of copy that better be really brilliant. And brilliant it was. A quote, seen above, from the sculptor Claes Oldenburg that, to me, describes the beauty of graphic design, or as I like to refer to it, communication design. It relays the magic of why I feel that design is the most amazing profession to be in.

Although things got extremely busy around the office this week and I have a hard time finding a moment to dedicate to the blog, I still want to leave you with a little something. I hope that you a) have not seen this great viral already, and b) find it just as funny, smart, creative and educating as I do. A viral well done.

Domino Magazine, ‘the guide to living with style’, did something quite interesting in their current issue. An ad insert features sticker flags (think post it-flags) with different categories on it. It engages the readers to utilize their content as a shopping inspiration while leveraging their advertisers’ buys. On top of that it promotes their online registry and web site in general once the flag is removed. Quite a lot of marketing tasks fullfilled on one single page. And above all, it transforms a passive experience into an extremely engaging active experience. Bravo.

Los Angeles has a lot of bad things about it, but it also has something most cities do not have: An extremely influential and innovative radio station. I am talking about KCRW of course, and when you think KCRW you immediately think of Nic Harcourt, the influential host of ‘Morning becomes eclectic’. Nic broke acts such as Coldplay, Norah Jones and David Gray (heard of them?) by giving them a chance to perform in KCRW’s basement studio in Santa Monica. Last Sunday I caught the weekly show ‘Sounds Eclectic’, which basically is a show highlighting the best music of the past week. I caught it half way through as Nik was interviewing an unknown band by the name of ‘Salt & Samovar’. I was tuning in and out as they were chatting about the band’s line up, their influences et cetera, when suddenly he told them the naked truth about how they actually made it onto the show that so often transforms fairly unknown acts into stadium bands: Their CD Packaging stood out from the hundreds of submissions he received that week. It was a different format, and then it was very well designed, so he picked it out and gave it a listen. He liked it. He invited the band. Voila. I am sure the music rocks, but it is a nice little story of how crucial of a role design can play, even, or especially when you don’t expect a return in your investment. Rock on to the power of design.

The California Community Foundation, one of California’s Largest and Most Active Philanthropic Organizations, reached out to us to play an integral role in a large rebranding effort that nicely becomes one of our prime examples of what we call ‘brand atmospheres’. We just finished the last touches on the new Identity and will, in the months to come, roll it out over the entire spectrum of the foundations’ visual communications. You will see the outcome on our site, but until then I want to present the new Identity to you and share a bit of light onto the concept behind the visual:

Incorporating the new tag line ‘Building the Future of Los Angeles’, the new Identity and corporate design system repositions the foundation as pioneering new solutions to social problems thus creating positive change in L.A.

The Identity design represents an upward-thrusting structure conveying both boldness and stature. The 5 light rays breaking out of the conventional structure are a metaphor for the foundation’s priority areas and the innovative ways in which the foundation addresses root causes of L.A.’s biggest challenges. With the use of green, the analogy of a wave, and a solely positive upwards movement, the mark makes an energetic symbol for positive action.

You can compare our new creative effort to the current, and soon to be old, logo on their site.

As an interesting side note I learned that the old logo has been created by the same designer(s) who designed the Tree People’s logo, and at around the same time, which seems peculiar to me. But then again maybe it’s just me who sees the similarities, and maybe the whole story is just a myth.

As I received an announcement of a dubious creative award show, the Dubai Lynx, I was surely intrigued enough to open the link. I found out that it is Dubai’s 1st International Advertising Festival and that the winners have just been announced, well, or in the few sections that actually did have winners. Needless to say I did not spend a long time looking over the winning entries, yet this outdoor campaign promoting ‘Natural Colors’ stood out to me. Yes it is strange to have gradient hair, but the concept of a dye-cut billboard surely deserves some attention.

Is it because the copywriter was not in touch with the folks in the art department? Most likely so. Either way it surely made me smile when I received it in the mail, and it might do the same for you, and that’s worth something.

I think we might, hence I designed these tote bags (Yes, 100% organic and pricey as hell) for our clients as a holiday gift this past December that read ‘If I hear the word ‘Green’ one more time I swear I will switch back to plastic’ on them. In my hobby-occupation of a photographer, my (then) agent urged me to switch my frames to 100% sustainable as she was promoting ‘the greening of fine art’. It would be a big hit, she suggested. It rubbed me wrong. Why would I create and sell a strictly limited photographic print (which in itself is not ‘recycleable’) with the thought of making it into fertilizer? Don’t we have to stop somewhere and make priorities, like combining errands when taking the car or using less paper during the work day? But does a photographer really need to lower the overall quality and vision by having the framing material be made out of hemp instead of wood? I don’t think so.

The same question came up within my team at Geyrhalter Design. We have always been a forerunner in the belief that ‘doing good means good business’. That motto was put into full effect when we joined ’1% For The Planet’, giving 1% of our profit back to NonProfit Organizations that help protect our environment, but it was also reflected in simple office purchases and a strict recycling policy, as it was always important for me to talk the talk, and walk the walk. That’s when we raised the question about our business cards.Our cards won a whole lot of awards and we receive love letters about them on a weekly basis, not to mention the countless ‘how’ and ‘where’ questions when it comes to the printing process. They embody our brand in a very unique and successful way and what makes them even more special is that – and here is the issue – they are made out of plastic. A very unique printing process, where we lay several layers of ink on a completely transparent sheet of plastic. It’s truly amazing being on press when they are printed to such detail. It’s also a commitment to our brand since each card ends up costing $1.30 in the end.

All that said, there is one thing our cards are not: they are far from ‘green’. As we sat in the office one afternoon and I brought up the fact that i feel Geyrhalter Design is not walking the walk, it started a heated and productful discussion that resulted in the same conclusion I made earlier about sustainable frames for high-end art: ‘No one would trash that card, it really is a unique piece of art, something to hold on to’, someone said, and all nodded.

A mind set that works until the next print run of cards, where we will find a way to make them more environmentally friendly. By a kick-butt design, but also a more sustainable material choice. Until then we will ensure the ones who receive our $1.30 card won’t trash them.