The sentiments on the power of storytelling continue to emerge.
Point is, who cares to listen?

These days, dozens of friends, colleagues and client send along snippets to the power of the story, well told.
The image above comes from our friends at Voda Studios. We’d partnered with them on the digital alignment, management of brand assets & photographic content for our
union bay website strategy.

Girvin, P&G, the first brand | storytelling presentation, the 90′s
When we first wrote and presented the concept of brand and story to Procter & Gamble, in the 90s, at a P&G Brand Creative Summit in building one, one of a series of “lectures,” Cincinnati P&G HQ, downtown. Then, I was very nervous about the proposition — first time, GIRVIN | VIRGIN. Story and brand, then, were not synchronized, even theoretically. Presenting the subject to the team there, as a possible topic, the response was — “what?”

Our supposition is that a vital brand has a series of characters that evolve, intermingle and work together like a “plot.” They are a spinning [or better still, to the negative character of the word PR and "spin"] — spooling or reeling. They proceed in the beginning of the telling, the move through the life of the brand — which could be long, or short. In fact, our power reference to positioning stories syncs to relevance. Relevance, then resonance, in building relationships.

Key to attraction is how the story is told — what voice, and how pertinent is that voice to the experiencer.

I’d call the framing of listening to a story [and yes, this is a personal reveal to my own, and current, childhood]
that a story well told
is told in the voice, the hearing relevance of/to/for the listener. Will they, literally, lean in, list, to the hearing and the telling?
My teachers, Ms. Jones, or Ms. McCormick, at Hamblen Elementary [Spokane] — they aligned conceptions of “story time” with napping and reading — “go to the library and lie down, take a nap…and listen –or ‘put your head down on the table’. Listening, attuned to just that — first, the voice, then the mind and image building.”

Actually, there was something powerful to this “presenting format” — dreaming presentations — the idea of listening, then using your imagination to wholly visualize a story.

That technique builds a dramatic bridging between the semi-conscious, the listening and the imagination. That stringing was profound for me.
And unforgettable. In a manner, the notion of being alone, and drifting into the listening of story, voiced in the layering of plot, subplot, character, environment, friends and foes, good outcomes, hard outcomes, challenges and pleasant meanders –
these are all story weavings that can be:
imagined and dreamed

experienced and live sensed

visualized, transcribed and retold.

Again and again — the patterning renews itself, the rhythm flutters.

There is a yearning for story — it’s how we recount the moments of the metronomic ticks of the heart beats of our lives.
The ups, the downs, the rounds, the yes, the no, the maybe so — each steep, there is that question — “where will this take me to?”

Like strategy, these days, the gathering of the army, the best laid plans of humankind
hold no lock on the truth of what might be coming -
- it’s simply there, out there, coming next.

Every exhalation of the story, told, breathed — can murmur a new nuance on what lies before the path coming, the journey that lies before.
In all the strategic planning of every move — jags in the journey, the ways of discovery, will change things.
Nothing seems as expected, there are turnings in the road, the route well planned.

Go ahead, lean in, listen.

tim | the Old Queen Anne
Elementary School Studios | Girvin Queen Anne

—-
Girvin Cloudmind | http://bit.ly/eToSYp
TEAM-BUILT STRATEGIC INNOVATION WORKSHOPS

Answer would be yes.
Happy Mother’s Day, Daphne.
Image above, below — of Daphne.
from DarkBlues.

Might be, that the mission, the promise of Daphne is about celebrating design
and creativity
[which is really what the Mother is all about, creativity, doesn't it all, really, come from the Mother?] -
- all clothing, all accessories by the selected genius[es]
of her worlds, whorled in the whizzing of
her brilliantly art-directed intentions.
….

In NYC, an earlier run -
- I went to a show at FIT | Fashion Gallery
with Cristina Espinosa, from the NYC GIRVIN office.
This show was about Daphne Guinness,
later blogged by Girvin,
the heiress that is spectacularly self-obsessed,
but kind of fascinating, in her narcissist condition.
She’s a fascinating woman, really – [a human brand, as it is]
- in the kind of fascination that comes from spells and witchcraft.

And, I believe,
in celebration of today,
she is a Mother
[which I can only barely imagine].
Explore
as you
will.

A current interview & reference here.

Girvin blog, here.
TSG
…..

G I R V I N | INNOVATION WORKSHOPS
CREATING STRATEGIES, PRODUCTS, IDEAS FOR CHANGE.
http://bit.ly/vfzyEU

The word, the work, that optimizes

Working in NYC, I was rifling through my wallet, heading downtown to the office, I pulled my subway card — which I’d noted in an earlier overview. Optimism, the MTA card There’s a word, that word — placed — says more than the word alone. It is the message.

I was working in a client questioning and listening session, in Seattle — the bridging between the power of the person, and the personal, the brand, the soul, the presence.

In looking into the soul of brands, there is love, warmth, passion, insight. Brands, their stories, are invariably about humans. Humans make them for other humans. If they love their work, then what they make — will be love[d]. People, love…love.

During this listening, an emergence: a brand character — optimism. What is that word? From the Latin — optimus — simply: “the best.” To the idea of the best — to doctrine, holding to the principle, “the best of all possible worlds,” in which the creator “accomplishes the most good at the cost of the least evil.”

Good will prevail.

If the core intention is to make, or to do, something good, then the ultimate turning will bring this power, this outcome, into play.

And, in a manner, the craft of making — brands or otherwise — will be about “construction” a constructive move to building. To pile, to build together, accumulate.

Make: create, to form, do, prepare, arrange, cause, behave, fare — and finally, transform. And this link, to work — which, to engagement in action, the making, ties to the ancient word for urge — the need to create.

Brand syncs: the fire maker.

tim | Madison Park GIRVIN | NYC
—-
Girvin Cloudmind | http://bit.ly/eToSYp
TEAM-BUILT STRATEGIC INNOVATION WORKSHOPS

During the development of a theatrical advertising campaign -- motion picture branding -- the best path is to meet with the film crew, the director, the production designer. That is something to be savored in any creative relationship, the sync to the "live" driving force. Meeting, listening and working live is far more powerful and committed to building extraordinary outcomes -- than the call, the conferenced assembly, online.

Meet live and you'll sense more, learn more -- listen, and lean in -- more to the future of engagement, marvel, and the wonderment of doing something together that might be astonishing.

That's what we're all looking for -- astonishment. Spectacle. Marvelment.

These are the unforgettable moments -- that drive momentum to magic.

Working on the film, Doug Trumbull's Brainstorm. I went to visit him, see the opening rough footage, and hear the story from him -- and the link here, to this blog, brandstory, is Trumbull's stance as a "legendary filmmaker and visual effects pioneer." He was the primary effects supervisor for "2001: A Space Odyssey.[along with others]” Hence, the monolith design. He also worked on “Close Encounters,” “Bladerunner” and “Silent Running.” Aside from his technological wizardry, his optical effects became a stylistic innovation, which were also used in Brainstorm — his slitscan / “showscan” techniques become the established visualization, for example, for “wrap drive.” The design of Ridley Scott’s future / off world promotional “Bladerunner” advertising dirigible came from Trumbull’s opening imaginative design spins.

Doug Trumbull, on meeting him, is an impassioned man — genius, generosity and genuineness. So, too, Kubrick. Supremely detail-oriented and persistently tweaking elements in his production visualizations, talking about the “hardware” of his mind-recording equipment, or the renderings of his dream translation embodiments in “Brainstorm,” striding up and down the aisles of the screening theater, extolling the nature of his cinematic telling.

Great creative empowers the legacy of the story — which isn’t merely the story that is about the work, but more so, the story about the person, the personal and the work.

In my life, my journey, my explorations, that is where the magic is.

The story on the story,
around the story,
in the story.

TSG | THE WEST QUEEN SCHOOOLHOUSE STUDIOS | GIRVIN
…..

G I R V I N | FASHION BRAND STRATEGY
CLOTHING, RETAIL + STORY: THE CARTOGRAPHY OF LOOK
http://bit.ly/szZeT0

NYC uniqlo | holiday | 2011

I embrace attitude.

I like people that have attitude. Employees, friends, clients. And brands.

I ponder, what is attitude?
300 years back, it was “posture and disposition.” Push further back, in the etymological string of meanings, and it becomes — “promptitude or aptness.” That ring of meaning is — “apt.” A natural capacity to learn. That’s openness. That’s beginning mind. That’s uniqlo brandmind — so young, so open. So agile.

That sense of layered intelligence lends itself to a rich personality — and the richness of relationship. I am you, you are me — we are sharing — connected and reflective, if not reflexive.

And not only brands that could be loved, but brands that seemingly love back. Uniqlo has a kind of enchantment with people, what they do, how they contribute, the nature of engaged, eccentric and reflective experience. Uniqlo celebrates their audiences. People love them, Uniqlo loves them — they love the swirl of consumer, relational culture around them.

Traveling and working in Japan — I savor the micro-cultures and places — the sheer sense of activity.
http://www.uniqlo.com/calendar/

Being in NYC, at the new Uniqlo flagship, I marvel at the detailing of this micro-cultural experience — big store, laden with micro places to study, watch — and savor.

In a way, a store is a story, which is a multiplicity of tellings — these are experiential tellings, and guided journeys of impressions and attitudes. Being there — the journeyer — should get [and either "hold" or discharge] the story — and most importantly, the why.

Why am I there?
What is the story?
Who’s telling it?

Why should I care?

It’s clear that uniqlo cares about its community. And — they care, they tell stories, about their connection with them.
Reflex brands — they go out, they reach out, they come back.

That, too, is how the story works. I tell you a story, then it’s your story [from me to you] and you share it — it’s “your story” that is “my story” that is yet another’s story.

Onwards, it goes.

TSG
…..
G I R V I N | DESIGNING MOVIES
THEATRICAL BRANDING + ENTERTAINMENT
IMAGINATION: AND THE TOOLS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
http://bit.ly/seAMZf

Tim Girvin | founder + principal
mobile direct. 206.890.0621
teams: New York City + Seattle + San Francisco & The Bay Area | Tokyo

A friend of mine, type and design hunter, blogger and musician, Stuart Balcomb [Los Angeles] pointed this reference out — the font.

Earlier in my career, working on a puzzlingly abstract product concept — a development for software branding, I partnered with a woman, leading that effort for Wall Data.

During a working session with her, I noted, on the wall of her office was this [above] engraving by Escher. She bought it from a mysterious broker of Escher’s, based in Seattle. [Having dinner with him, he said "no one really owns an Escher -- I'm just leasing them."]

To her, it was the symbolic exemplar of the product ideation — and ultimately, its branding “sequence.” From name, to identity, to UX to packaging and ultimately, the delivery to the market. To her and to our take, the archetypal symbolism of the branding effort speaks to finding the inner meaning [the deeper "why"] of the brand story, excavating the soul [the characteristic psyche and heart of brand dimension] — intentions, spirit and values — to build the underlying principles of culture and cult for the brand.

Designing brand patterning, for the strategically founded, authentic opening story and visualization, there is what is seen, and what — in scene — is unseen; defined, but not necessarily what is immediately visible.

In a way, the parable of our naming strategy for John Wall and his leadership team, we voiced into life: Salsa, Tango, Rumba [and others] — all built as a conceptual string on the allegory of dance.

The inversion of the Penrose triangle folding gracefully rounded space, in a flip/flop of perceptive curiously “impossible” typographic grace — designed by Hungarian Martzi Hegedüs, the font, Frustro, on Behance.

So too, the design strategy of Frustro — a font that wheels back and forth in the planes of time, folding space unto itself.

More, here, the wondrous typographic site of Jeannie Jeannie [to ply her journey] explore:

The imagery below, from the site noted above:

In working with clients at Girvin, as well as Girvin team members, I’m perpetually curious about what truth lies behind the bend of transitioning time — every nuance, a proverbial story, told.

Authentes, the true self will be, finally, shown freely to the world — but, invariably, there is depth, contrariness, and layering of meaning and content beneath the surface.

TSG | ISLAND STUDIOS | GIRVIN DECATUR
…..

G I R V I N | SOCIALITY + MEDIATION
DESIGNING BRAND STORYTELLING IN HYBRID MEDIA
http://bit.ly/sJ4IjO

Just got back, last week.

[all Imagery, Girvin, Apple iPhone]

Wherever I go, I look for[ward] to a focused walk — that is a walk that focuses down to the street level, as attentively tuned in and as watchful as I can be — looking for details, like street furniture, signing and lighting, doors, portals, and knockers and handles, building fixtures and merchandising display. Being in a place, it’s the best way to learn.

The directive of the Seminarium
This time, in Lima, Peru. This was a global conference on retail — design, strategy, story, positioning and messaging. This session, involving about 800 participants, represented developers, retailers and store owners, strategists, marketing people and sales people. We came to watch Dawn A. Clark, [I, bodyguard] who presented the international evolutions of Starbucks. Her presentations offered — and asked — a series of questions — about time — the transient nature of procession [in retail sequencing and living], evolution: the persistent necessity of change, spectacle and seeing, impact and what lies beneath the core of people’s sense about the power of retail as a kind of retelling, the potency of holistic experiential messaging and positioning for how people can understand the depth of retail design and the implications that lie in the intentionality of “why.”

The point of retail: a retelling
What is the point of retail, beyond the mere telling of commerce; it’s more to the principles that guide brand, brand and personal ethos — culture, it’s about engagement, retelling retail, experiential storytelling, beauty and solace, comfort and nurture, brand relevance and enchantment. These elements, conjoined and interwoven, form an interlacement of holistic engagement — magnetized, they synchrony to present whole, true brands. Unforgettable.

Walking in place
Key, to any exploration, is the walk of place. Traveling with Dawn, working in varying cities around the globe — a walking tour, digs you into the culture, finding the spirit of place. Knowing and walking place, street wiser, in the long listening and studying of presence, teaches the sojourner how to think about the gathering and designing of meaningful elements that can manifest place, as different from “space.”

Imagery, to visualize that walk, scene seen — here:

L I M A , P E R U
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The catacombs of the Monastery of San Francisco, Lima

The Monastery, Lima — the coolest library I’ve ever seen:

P A N O R A M A S L I M A

Fire and Rescue Station, Lima

Fire station, crosswalk

The Seminarium Sessions

Dawn A. Clark, talking to a Starbucks barista (with her prop — the proverbial “white cup.”

I’ve wondered about the idea of walk. What is that word — an ancient one, reckoning: “to roll up, curl, muffle up;” from a more ancient sound — “to turn, to bend, to twist or roll.” Etymologically, there’s another curious alignment — which you can study as your interest allows.

Walking is like that — you bend, twist, turn and roll.
Walking with attention is another character — tune in, low, in your bend and twist.
Study, as a student of the walk, the mystery and wonder of
what lies before you, and what lies beneath.

TSG | LIMA, PERU | GIRVIN ISLAND STUDIOS
…..

G I R V I N | THE MESSAGE IS THE VOICE
DESIGNED TEXTUAL CONTENT: THE BREATH OF SOULBRAND
http://bit.ly/sJ4IjO

Tim Girvin | founder + principal

Building strategic intention, tracking our design heritage, Girvin returns to work in the City by the Bay.

S.F. East Bay, Silicon Valley — GIRVINBRANDS | CA.

The blessing of a roving design practice is the ability to set up offices, working and business relationships in varying locations — and to go and work there, serving relationships and exploring, as I’ve noted earlier, the walking attention of exploring that city.

These journeys have taken me far, from business and brand discussions in Paro, Bhutan and Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, Lhasa, Tibet — to the UAE –Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and Lima, Peru; to working in the field, Beijing, Seoul, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Ubud, Tokyo, Kyoto, Madrid, Paris, London, Mexico City, Krakow and Firenze.

I count travel, working for, and with our relationships internationally [and nationally] as a blessing, in experience.

GO, work, learn.

Be.

While I have never left my heart in San Francisco, we continue to come back, exploring more — my time, Girvin’s legacy runs back decades to landing at SFO [now, more -- OAK and SanJose].

There are long runs, bridges back in time, to working here.

That sequence goes back, in the beginnings — the 70s, The Stanford Conference on Design.
Then, through Reed College and this event, I met Steve Jobs,
and we worked with him and Apple, off and on,
up through the 90s.

That spread to a string of other technology brands — strategy, naming, identity, packaging, stores and online retail.

Our creative and consulting efforts now continue, live, SF realm — partnering with GIRVIN heritage and new relationships over the course of the last 30 years — from Lucy and VF Brands, to friends at Benefit Cosmetics, Esprit, Diamond Foods, Kuleto Restaurants, Fra’Mani, Gap, Gallo, Safeway, Levi’s, Spectrum | RG, and a host of others, over time.

We’re excited about continuing to build on these transitions, with our friends, and new connections in S.F., S.V. East Bay and Berkeley+Oakland.

Our new Director,
Cathy Mack,
has two decades of experience in brand development — degrees in marketing and business, and has led teams in brand-building and global launches all over the world.

We welcome her.
And welcome the returning embrace of San Francisco — and the entire northern California area.

warmest regards,

TIM | SEATTLEGIRVINBRANDS
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
| Pike Place Offices | Monday morning
––––
THE STRATEGY OF LUXURY
BRAND DEVELOPMENT + DESIGN
Girvin Brand Luxe: http://bit.ly/gTW5HZ

A COUPLE OF WEEKS BACK, WE WROTE A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY WITH THE SCOTT BROTHERS — RIDLEY AND TONY. THAT HISTORY IS QUIET, MODEST AND LADEN WITH LEARNING. ISN’T IT SO, THAT THE MOST POWERFUL AND UNFORGETTABLE RELATIONSHIPS MIGHT ACCOUNT FOR MERE SECONDS OF CONTACT?

ME, IT’S BEEN THAT WAY. I think about the most amazing and profound people that I’ve met, and the lightning strikes of learning — which have been momentary and momentous — quick, powerful, like strikes of lightning.

THERE IS A KIND OF CASUAL BANTER, MEETING WITH THEM, THAT SUGGESTS A PROFOUND “CAN DO” KIND OF ETHOS — THAT IS, “IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DESIGN IT AND SHOOT IT.”

AND – SO THEY HAVE.

Sometimes, the big idea seems so outrageously out there, it’s like “how can you possibly do that?” Talking with Tony Scott — he said, “it’s just a matter of having the right people. Sure, we know how it gets done, but it’s not like we’re doing it all.”

Sometimes, the most profound seeing — insight, that seeing in — isn’t about the idea of the granular, it’s the bigger visioning, the larger explosive ignition that will set ablaze numerous ground fires and roaring prairie blazes that might forever alter the landscape of designing and thinking about creating meaningful and powerful experiences for others. Thinking bigger and in a more adventuresome manner creates flyover views and alter the ability to see the problem to be solved, in a strikingly new manner. The inspirator isn’t digging into the operational how to, but rather visioning the “why not?”

Living in that place will be about fearlessness and courage.

Creativity Online Article and Video

Tim
–––
BUILDING TRUE BRANDS
MONSTER STRATEGY + MASSIVE ENTERTAINMENT =
E N C H A N T M E N T + B R A N D STORYTELLING
http://bit.ly/fJaECg