Crossroads of the World book

Here is the teaser for my Crossroads of the World book. Its finally finished, bound and ready. While every page is great (hey i'm the designer i have to say that), I've taken the 220 pages and boiled it down to an easier to manage teaser. If you want to see the rest of the book give me a call and maybe we can arrange something!

Pepsi Throwback

Dear Pepsi,

Can you take those packaging ideas for your new Pepsi Throwback line and just keep it for your regular branding? Its much stronger than anything you've had in the past 20 years, especially that new ultra minimal concpetual branding thing based on smiley faces that you currently have.

Seriously I love the design for the throwback Pepsi and Mountain Dew. It hints back to their heritage but is new and fresh. The good news is that since Pepsi re-brands itself every 2-3 years we won't have to deal with the conceptual smiley faces that much longer.

The Art of the Exchange

TOKYO, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 21: A man gives his business card to a robot at Japanese employee supply company Ubiquitous Exchange during a press review on November 21, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. Ubiquitous Exchange has bought the Japanese robot from maker tmsuk to dispatch for YEN105,000 (roughly US$890) a day. The robot is able to automatically walk, guide, understand words, talk and project images and movies. Photo: Junko Kimura/Getty Images

One last chapter in this business card craziness. If I were doing business in Japan, the ritual of the business card exchange is very serious indeed. Via the Daily Heller & ehow.com

The practice of exchanging business cards in Japan is incredibly important. In Japan, business actually cannot take place until these cards have been exchanged with the utmost respect. A business card establishes a person's station and status in Japan's intensely hierarchal culture. Not having a business card means, in a very fundamental way, that you simply do not exist.

Step 1
Use both hands when presenting your business card. Your card should be printed on both sides - Japanese on one, English on the other. When presenting your card, the Japanese side should be facing up.

Step 2
Bow as long and as low as befits your station - being foreign, young, female, and/or unaffiliated with a corporation means you must bow very, very low.

Step 3
You receive a business card in the same way, but you should bow even longer and lower than you did before. Say thank you, or 'Hajimemashite,' as you accept it with both hands.

Step 4
Study the business card intently, even if you can't read a single line. At the very least, remember the giver's name. They will remember yours.

Step 5
If you are receiving multiple cards at once, you may leave them in a neat stack in front of you until the end of your meeting. If not, retrieve your custom-made business card holder, and slide your new aquisition inside - carefully, like it were a piece of art.

The Dark Side is Sustainable

I've never been one for white space. Negative space sure, but white space...meh. Its always nice to see that a personal design aestheic can actually be good for the environment.

The guys over at BLACKLE, a black themed google believe that web pages such as theirs which use dark colored backgrounds used less energy than a site like google which is predomidantly white. If you remember your basic color theory that dicates that black and white are not really colors morever black being the abscense of color/light and white being the complete prescence of color/light, this idea seems to make sense.

Simply put white screens need more energy so precious whitespace that so many of us designers love is actually bad for the environment.

That smell...

If there is one thing that is a great conversation starter over the years is the natural smell of my car. It is a smell that every owner of my car, A 2001 Volkswagen Jetta will instantly agree with as they have it in theirs as well. As soon as you mention it there will be laughter followed by a "me too!!!!!". Yes ladies and gentlemen. That smell is that of Crayons.

If you google the phrase "jetta smells like crayons" you'll get a phone book of forums and websites talking about it. Every single person who's ever gotten into my car has noticed the smell within the first few seconds. It is undoubtedly a chemical smell...combinations of plastic, vinyl and synthetic fabric appolstery creating a reminiscent smell of crayola. Car interior designers should conduct focus groups with materials to see what smells they crate.

As an artist it's always been quasi fitting. Tonight my GF and I had Tapas with another couple. When it was uncovered that he too owned a 2001 Jetta, i just had to ask the question....

"Stop me if this is a weird question but...does your car smell like crayons?"

hilarity ensues. friends are made. good times.