Globally Relevant

"Ford was once one of the 10 most valuable brands in the world. They're no longer on that list, but Toyota now is. How did Toyota—and the other nine companies—do it? There are 5 characteristics that all top global brands have in common."

Why Global Brands Work

When In Doubt, Simplify. Then Simplify Just a Bit More.

"'Keep it simple, stupid.' That's the advice every executive has received on how to share strategy with employees. The subtext is often, 'Keep it simple, because your people are stupid.' But you don't need to embrace simplicity just so your people can comprehend your message. The point of simplicity is more fundamental: Simplicity allows people to act."

Analysis of Paralysis

This Would Never Happen on my Watch

Redesign of the Week

A BusinessWeek for a Busier World

Persuading the Functions

"Clearly, the job of building a design practice that spans a global enterprise like HP is at least as much about management as it is about design. Lucente has taken on the task with a deft political hand. 'At HP,' he says, 'it's all about persuasion -- making our best effort and then letting people decide whether they want to take us up on it.'"

Streamlining HP

Connecting Beyond :30 Intervals

"Many large marketers are taking huge chunks of money out of their budgets for traditional media and using the funds to develop new, more direct interactions with consumers — not only on the Internet, but also through in-person events.

"Adventurous companies like Nike have been experimenting with these alternatives since the 1990s. But now, even the most conventional marketers are making these alternatives a permanent — and ever bigger — part of their advertising budgets."

The New Advertising Outlet: Your Life

2007 MoD

Fast Company Masters of Design

Designing a Better Manager

"RitaSue Siegel, a headhunter who has placed myriad designers in upper management and executive positions, insists that all major corporations offer executive training programs to high-potential employees, including designers. She points, for instance, to Procter & Gamble (PG) where 'designers get training in memo writing, giving winning presentations, and finance for nonfinance managers.' As an example, she singles out Jon Denham, a former associate director of design for P&G hair care, whose broad business training helped him land a job as first-ever vice-president of design at another major consumer products company (a move soon to be announced)."

Wanted: VPs of Design

Onslaught

New Bravia Ad Multiplies Like Bunnies

When Bad Names Happen to Good People

A few words of advice for what not to do...

Seven Deadly Sins of Company Naming Changes

Fascinating Web Site ...

...for all design geeks. Brand New dissects corporate and brand identity re-designs. With an active roster of catty commenters, it can be a bit addicting. For a truly guilty pleasure, check out the reaction to the new 5/3 work.

Also great for case studies.

Brand New

Take Two

Chicago's Rising Star

Como se dice?

"The estimate worked up by the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies for 2007 is $928 billion. Those are dollars spent inside this country by Hispanic consumers, American-born citizens as well as green-card residents and the undocumented, on things they want or need: batteries, iPods, laundry soap, lawn chairs, motor oil, Bulova watches, new-home loans, Volvos, takeout pizza, cellphones, power saws, swimming pools, deodorant, airline tickets and plasma TV’s. It’s $200 billion more than was spent two years ago. Propelled by continuous immigration and larger family size, the dual factors that are making the Hispanic population multiply faster than any other in the United States, the spending figure is expected to top a trillion dollars within the next three years."

How Do You Say ‘Got Milk’ en Español?

Hey, Who Hi-Jacked My Brand?

"Throughout the day we asked three key questions: 1) What does it mean to no longer have creative control of your brand? 2) How does social media enable new forms of co-creation? 3) How can your customers become your biggest allies in the creation of new ideas? There were no easy answers, but two consistent and valuable themes surfaced."

Feeling Trashed on the Web?

Today in Logo Tweaks

NFL to revamp shield with redesigned logo

Your Moment of Zen

Almost, but Not Quite

Archives of history reveal failed uni designs

Design Matters

"There is, however, compelling evidence that in the aggregate, companies that excel in design kick some serious butt in the market that matters most to investors: the stock market. The data comes from the London-based Design Council, a publicly funded research organization that promotes the role of design in Britain. The Council reports that over a ten-year period, from 1995 to 2004, 61 "design-led" businesses outperformed the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 by more than 200%."

Proving Design Moves Markets
The Value of Design Factfinder

Tone it Down

"It's possible to take this Brand Voice thing too far, to the point where it feels like you're in some dodgy sci-fi movie (The Fifth Element? Total Recall?) where, to establish that we're in the future, when the hero wakes up in the morning in his futurepad, everything from his alarm clock to his coffee machine talks to him in a Star Trek computer voice."

could your brand voice please shut up?