What kind of world is your brand creating?

posted by Jordan Delapoer, Leave a Comment

This video is a couple months old now, but I’ve only just discovered it.

It’s a very introspective talk by Wilson Miner (of apple.com design fame) at the 2011 Build Conference.  His main point is that as designers, developers and creators of digital things, we may think of our creations as fleeting, but in reality their potential impact is vast and long-lived.  It’s a great talk, and if you’ve got 40 minutes give it a look.

But if you don’t, I’ll point you to the bit that struck me.  Check out 35:55 to 37:00.  Miner concludes with a quote that I love (which is really just an adaptation of a Marshall McLuhan quote).

“We make our world what it is and we become the kind of people who live in it.” (Italics for emphasis)

Miner was most directly talking about what we create in the digital world, but  more generally, as crafters of brand messages, as leaders of businesses, I think this quote is something we should all hold very closely.  We shouldn’t just market to people.  We should think about the kind of world we want our brand (and ourselves) to live in and do things that help to shape it.

I get that we might not always hit the mark.  And maybe a line body copy really isn’t going to change the world, but isn’t it a nice standard to keep in the backs of our minds?

What does your brand believe in, and how is it creating that kind of world?

North partners with Clif Bar

posted by NORTH, 5 Comments

NORTH is excited to announce a new partnership with Clif Bar and Company.

Clif Bar was looking for an agency to help expand their brand communications initiative, Meet The Moment.

NORTH was one of a handful of agencies invited to join in a competitive pitch to win the business, and we are especially pleased to have been chosen to partner with Clif.

Clif Bar cited NORTH’s branding philosophy and agency culture as deciding factors in awarding the business to them.

Said Rebecca Armstrong, NORTH’s Managing Director, “We’re honored to be given the opportunity to help grow such a prestigious brand. Not only has Clif created a great internal culture for its employees, they have become a brand steward for the environment while focusing on creating the best possible foods. We are very excited to begin working with them.”

Yakima Products partners with NORTH

posted by NORTH, 4 Comments

We’ve got racks!

Seriously. NORTH is excited to announce a new partnership with Yakima Products inc. Yakima is a major player in the design and manufacture of cargo management equipment solutions for outdoor enthusiasts. They’re partnering with NORTH to establish long-term brand marketing strategies and activation plans for the Yakima brand. “We were looking for a long-term relationship with a marketing partner,” said Bobbie Parisi, Director, Global Marketing, “and we have supreme confidence in NORTH in terms of skill set as well as cultural fit.” From NORTH’s perspective, Yakima perfectly complements their growing outdoor lifestyle practice. “We couldn’t want for a better fit,” said Rebecca Armstrong, Managing Partner at NORTH, “We’ve had our eye on Yakima for a while and were absolutely thrilled when they approached us.”