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a new story by American bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer

In September new London publisher Visual Editions launched with their first book, a re-imagining of the literary classic Tristram Shandy. This month, they have done it again! Their second book, Tree of Codes, it was published in November 15th 2010.

With a different die-cut on every page, Tree of Codes explores previously unchartered literary territory. Initially deemed impossible to make, the book is a production first – as much a sculptural object as it is a work of masterful storytelling.

Tree of Codes is a new story by American bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer, and is quite literally cut from the pages of Safran Foer’s favourite book, The Street of Crododiles by Bruno Schulz.

Visual Editions founders, Anna Gerber and Britt Iversen have put a short teaser film together too, capturing some public’s reactions to Tree of Codes too. Brilliant!

more: http://anamorphosis-kate.blogspot.com/

http://www.visual-editions.com/our-books/book/tree-of-codes

People think that the BMW logo is based on a rotating airscrew. The origin of this interpretation is the cover of a BMW aircraft magazine.

 A logo idea that made me smile…

Brief:
To design the corporate identity for an organ donation initiative. Since it was our only tool of communication, the design had to instantly convey the message of organ donation. Whatever we designed had to strike an emotional chord and subtly prompt people to open up to the idea.

Creative execution:
When you pledge an organ, you gift someone a new life. We simply brought this insight to life through our design.

The Committee of Organ Donation in Lebanon is an organization dedicated to gifting organs from donors to people in need. Their identity centers on what would be a grisly concept if it was not so tastefully done. A bit more information can be found here.

Seen on Ads of the World. By Dubai-based ad agency DDB. Via Brand New.

Graphic Design | CreativeReview Advertising, design and visual culture

Re-Inventing Brainstorming – Ten Tenets for Better Idea Generation

by Kevin Eikenberry on July 7, 2011 | in Creativity,Leadership,Solving Problems

Brainstorming – the creation of new or possible ideas – is a critical part of any problem solving or creative process. We all know it. We know that we must have ideas in order find solutions to problems. We even know that the more ideas we find, the better chance we’ll have of creating the best possible solution.

Yet our brainstorming processes fall woefully short.

Not because we don’t know the “rules” of brainstorming – every group will tell me those:

– no evaluation of the ideas now (we’ll do that afterward)
– the more ideas the better
– it is ok to build on other people’s ideas
– there are no dumb ideas

That isn’t the problem (though even these rules sometimes aren’t followed and that can be a problem as well).

The problem is that we try to brainstorm without a clear problem statement, in the middle of a long meeting, when people are already tired, and they are sitting in a relatively (or totally) sterile, uncreative space. Then, as if by magic, people who for the most part, don’t consider themselves to be highly creative are expected to create the ideas that will make a difference with the product, process or problem.

It may not be impossible, but the deck is certainly stacked against us in these situations.

I believe we need to re-invent the brainstorming process at work. Here are my tenets for this re-invented process.

1. We brainstorm only after we have a collective understanding of the process or problem.

2. We provide the needed clarity with a clear statement of the problem. (Most often this may be phrased as a question.)

more: http://blog.kevineikenberry.com/creativity/re-inventing-brainstorming-ten-tenets-for-better-idea-generation/

By JACQUELINE TAYLOR | HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Q: What’s the latest in Web design? I’m working on a new website, and I want it to be cutting edge.

A: Social media have had a big effect on Web design. You may have noticed the icons for Facebook, Twitter and the like on many of the most up-to-the-minute websites. The idea is for visitors to share the site’s content with their friends and followers. It’s no longer enough to have a visually appealing website that people will notice; you need to provide compelling content for them to share, and you’ll want to include features that will keep them coming back.

The best new websites invite interaction and give users something to do when they come to your site. Icons for sharing are one way of encouraging the user to engage, as are other features such as videos, polls and surveys, opt-in newsletters or an invitation to leave comments.

Blogs and online discussion forums can keep the content fresh and interesting. But be careful of overloading your site with flashy designs or features that can frustrate. Visitors will be distracted by blinking or scrolling text, pop-up windows, or autoloading videos and sound.

Images that take too long to load, pages that are too lengthy, or content that requires too many clicks will discourage them from staying to see what you have to offer. Simpler is better: You want your site to be easy to navigate, your key information easy to find and actionable features easy to use.

Something else to remember is that visitors to your site won’t only be viewing it on desktop computers. They’ll be using notebooks, tablets and smartphones as well, and you’ll need to consider that when developing both content and design.

Source: ANA / Forrester | Marketing Today

Seventy-eight percent of marketers feel that TV advertising has become less effective in the past two years

New York, NY (March 22, 2006) – A new survey, released today by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR), found that 78% of advertisers feel that traditional television advertising has become less effective in the past two years. The survey also found that marketers are exploring emerging technologies to help bolster their television advertising spend.

The joint survey asked 133 national advertisers about their attitudes towards TV advertising and what impact new technologies, such as digital video recorders (DVRs) and video-on-demand, will have on their TV advertising budgets. Those surveyed represent more than $20 billion worth of advertising, including marketers from Charles Schwab, Colgate, Dunkin’ Donuts, Johnson & Johnson, Mattel, Pfizer, and Verizon.

“As DVRs look to climb above 30 million households in the next three years, advertisers are finding themselves forced to reconsider their media mix,” said Josh Bernoff, Vice President, Forrester Research, who presented the findings today at the ANA Television Advertising Forum in New York. “Television networks continue to publish research that traditional TV advertising is potent as ever, but national advertisers aren’t buying it and are seeking alternatives to enhance their budgets and move them beyond the customary 30-second spot.”

more: http://www.marketingtoday.com/research/0306/tv_advertising_less_effective.htm

Στους κλάδους που έχουν πληγεί περισσότερο από την ανεργία, συγκαταλέγεται αυτός της Ενημέρωσης και Επικοινωνίας, σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα σχετικής μελέτης της ICAP Group.

Στις παρούσες συνθήκες παρατεταμένης μείωσης της οικονομικής δραστηριότητας και εντεινόμενης ύφεσης, η ICAP Group επιχειρεί να δώσει μια σαφή εικόνα των εξελίξεων (με τη χρήση στοιχείων από την Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή (ΕΛ.ΣΤΑΤ.), όσον αφορά στην απασχόληση και ιδιαίτερα την ανεργία, η οποία εκτινάχθηκε σε επίπεδα ρεκόρ για τη χώρα.

Ένα από τα βασικότερα συμπεράσματα της Μελέτης αφορά στη διαπίστωση ότι για πρώτη φορά οι απασχολούμενοι είναι λιγότεροι από τους μη οικονομικά ενεργούς. Σύμφωνα με τη Μελέτη, ο μέσος αριθμός των απασχολουμένων μειώθηκε κατά 2,7% (120 χιλ. άτομα) το 2010 σε σχέση με το 2009. Επιπλέον, το εργατικό δυναμικό των 5,01 εκατ. ατόμων της Ελλάδος αντιστοιχούσε στο 53,8% του πληθυσμού εργάσιμης ηλικίας (άτομα ηλικίας >15 ετών), ενώ ο αριθμός των απασχολουμένων, ο οποίος διαμορφώθηκε σε 4,30 εκατ. άτομα (Δ’ Τρίμηνο 2010) αντιστοιχεί στο 46,1% του πληθυσμού εργάσιμης ηλικίας. Από την άλλη πλευρά, 4,31 εκατ. άτομα (το 46,2% του παραγωγικού πληθυσμού) δεν είναι ενταγμένο στην αγορά εργασίας, είναι δηλαδή οικονομικά μη ενεργό, ενώ το πρώτο τρίμηνο του 2011 η διαφορά διευρύνεται περαιτέρω.

more: http://www.advertising.gr/Article/1940/Epipeda-rekor-gia-tin-anergia

Are Your Presentations Powerful Or Pathetic? 4 Persuasive Presentation Preparation Tips

BY FC Expert Blogger Lisa NirellWed Jun 15, 2011

This blog is written by a member of our expert blogging community and expresses that expert’s views alone.

Over the past month, I attended three conferences. Each one brought together some of the greatest minds in B2B sales and marketing. Sadly, some of their presentations distracted us from their important messages. A chronic case of PPD (Pathetic Presentation Disorder) surreptitiously sabotaged their agenda.

PPD symptoms abound at technical and B2B conferences. According to Jerry Weisman, presentations coach and author of Presentations in Action, “The way that most business people rehearse their presentations is by clicking through their PowerPoint slides and saying something like, “‘OK, with this slide I’m going to say a bit about our sales revenues…and with this one, I’ll talk about our path to profitability…and then I’ll show a picture of our lab and talk a little about R&D.”

Jerry, I feel your pain when I am sitting in the audience! I was agitated enough to ask my friend Guy Kawasaki for advice. Guy’s keynote at the Allegiance Summit enchanted everyone. Guy is the global expert on building customer evangelists. He is equally known for his uplifting presentations and just launched his ninth book, Enchantment.

more: http://www.fastcompany.com/1760265/are-your-presentations-powerful-or-pathetic-5-profitable-persuasive-presentation-preparation?partner=rss