Didn’t expect to write two posts today, but more coolness came along that I couldn’t resist. Today’s Google Doodle is just too fun.
In honor of (what would have been) guitar legend Les Paul‘s 96th birthday, you can actually “strum” the strings. Of course, you won’t be able to play that Leo Kottke song like my brother did a few posts back, or recreate a Les Paul lick, but what a cute bit of ingenuity!
“The word spectacular would be an understatement.”
These were the words of Cupertino Councilman Orrin Mahoney after hearing Steve Jobs’ presentation about plans for a new Apple Headquarters.
As an appreciator of everything Apple, this is exciting news. But regardless of your own personal relationship with “everything Apple”, this will be a stunning architectural feat in its own right.
For example, by moving the parking underground, the grounds will lose the asphalt and double the number of trees, including the addition of an apricot orchard. The campus will be efficient, beautiful and of course, state-of-the-art.
Another example of coolness-meets-practicality. Gotta love that!
Brand makeovers are all the rage. And as a designer, I often see the value. But honestly, in this case I’m missing the point.
You wonder sometimes what drives a change like this,” when it ain’t broke”… unless it is. Or somebody with clout says it needs to happen, and it becomes more about what’s on the cover than what’s inside. Hmmm.
Not that the new label isn’t a good one. Thankfully it doesn’t kill the brand by overly modernizing, and I admit the cleaner look is attractive. I just don’t know why they bothered. The old label was just … so … Jack Daniels. Classic JD, forever, the way it was…. until now. Cleaned up and more refined. (Only Jack Daniel’s isn’t supposed to be refined, as I recall?)
new
old
I have to admit though, that reading some of the articles about it were pretty interesting. For example, I never knew that Jack is brewed in a dry county. That’s a little crazy.
As for the label, they got rid of a lot of the text, including fun details like the population count of 361 (so what if it wasn’t accurate? ~ it was an interesting historical tidbit). Gone is the folksy description of how they achieve the rich flavor. They’ve also removed the claim that Jack Daniel’s is America’s oldest distillery, and they took off the name of Lem Motlow.
Now as I’ve learned, Motlow inherited the distillery when his Uncle Jack died in 1911. Motlow promptly put his name on the bottle and kept the company alive throughout the dark days of prohibition and through the controversy arising after he drunkenly shot a man dead while riding aboard a train in 1924.
This is great stuff. But maybe legends are passe’ now.
Even Jack Daniel’s portrait boasts a new name: apparently his real name was Jasper Newton. Okay, that’s cool to know, but since he’s been called Jack since 1866, I wonder what he’d have to say about that.
Oh well, the deed is done, but the vote is out. The label is still very black, and I assume the whiskey is still quality Tennessee sour mash, and at the end of the day, no one will really care that the label got a facelift. Of course, they wouldn’t have cared if it hadn’t, either.
…………………….
Afterthought: If no one cares either way, and the company isn’t suffering, maybe they did it … under the guise of updating and being more “honest” (ie, population, possibility that JD might not be the oldest distillery, etc.)… but really and simply, just for the heck of it?
“52 weeks of peace” has gone to press… stay tuned!!!
Beautifully interpreted by the very gifted David Saxton …
Actually, I love them. Adore them.
Complex, soft, immaculately designed ~ and so free-spirited! A living work of art, and all I have to do is admire them. Aren’t they just exquisite?
“Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.”
~ Bishop Reginald Heber
I’m not a big soda drinker. (“pop” for you midwesterners)
But the other day while filling up at the gas station, enjoying the first sunny day in forever, I realized it was downright hot outside. As I reveled in the solar warmth, the green green trees and blue blue skies, my eyes wandered over to a lonely looking soda machine. And quite suddenly, I was struck with desire. I wanted a soda. I just really wanted one.
So I got change from the attendant, put my shiny coins in the slot, and wa-la! ~ down tumbled a beautiful, cold bottle of Coke.
Yes, definitely a Coke. Because to me, if you’re gonna have a soda (or a “pop”), it should be “the real thing”. I might even want to teach the world to sing… in perfect harmony….
You probably get my point… Coke has real brand recognition. It’s strong. So much so that I remember their ads from 20 years ago, maybe more. They’ve made (and continue to make) an impression.
So, you say, yea, well, they’re big guns. They’re a big deal with a big name and big budgets and a big audience. What does Coca-Cola’s great advertising have to do with a small business or an entrepreneur?
A lot.
Take away the “big name” and all the trappings that go with it and you’ve essentially got what branding is all about: Consistency and integrity.
Coke’s example is this: a steady graphic look since its inception, modernizing with the times, but never losing its core visual ~ AND a steady message that’s upbeat, positive and rings of authenticity. By keeping both their look and their message consistent, they maintain the vital quality of integrity.
Branding isn’t just a logo. It’s not just a website. It’s not a twitter account. It IS everything you or your business presents to the public.
Every word and every image in every medium and circumstance speaks on your behalf. These are your “brand”. They represent you in person, and when you can’t be there (which is most of the time), they represent a virtual reflection.
So if you have 3 different websites with 3 different looks, if you have people with different voices handling your social media, if your visuals look clean and sharp in one place and sloppy in another, you will confuse your audience. And confusing your audience is not something to take lightly in a world where so much is vying for people’s attention.
So, yes, your brand, your “identity”, is a big deal. Keep it consistent and let it walk, and talk, with integrity. More on integrity and authenticity in “part two”… For the time being, let’s just say, make it the real thing.
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
Thank you ~ for your bravery, your love, your principled, unselfish courage ~ from the wells of our hearts, with a gratitude that knows no bounds.
“Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours.” ~Wallace Bruce
“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
What a fabulous treat to have stumbled upon… Philosophy, books and film in tribute and reverent reflection of the great Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Emerson’s writings have been a mainstay of inspiration to me since my early teens. So I was really pleased to see the always interesting BrainPickings site acknowledging Emerson’s 208th birthday with a terrific post about his life, work and timeless value, including a link to a new publication of Emerson’s famous Self-Reliance by Seth Godin’s Domino Project.
Also included, the marvelous documentary film “Emerson: The Ideal in America” by David Beardsley. I have to tell you, it makes my spirit glad to spread this information. I hope it’ll inspire you to revisit some of the works of one of the world’s truly great thinkers.
[gigya width=”400″ height=”300″ src=”http://www.cultureunplugged.com/swf/embedplayer.swf” quality=”high” flashvars=”video=http://cdn.cultureunplugged.com/lg/EMERSON_THE_IDEAL_2881.mp4&m=2881&u=0&thumb=http://cdn.cultureunplugged.com/thumbnails/lg/2881.jpg&sURL=http://www.cultureunplugged.com&title=Emerson: The Ideal in America&from=David Beardsley” salign=”b” align=”middle” wmode=”transparent” allowScriptAccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” ]
All that rain, and I forgot to walk in the garden. Lifted my head today and saw what the rain did… or I should say, what it couldn’t stop.
