The Human Brand

While it might seem profoundly obvious, the brand is inherently human — it’s about people, connecting to other people. People create brands — the notion of a brand DNA is nothing but an explication of the concept of the precisely personal character...

what way, found, what path, known?

I’ve been drawing — painting — things like this for some time. And, well, they’re flat. There are two dimensions. The black, the white. And the space, between. And then, too, there are translations of the energetic content of the brushstroke...

Small business branding basics

The issue of branding is more about gathering differentiation; it’s a way of telling a distinctive story that positions the company in a way that is discrete from the competitive fray. And it just might be that — a story. What do you really remember about...

Lines of thought: sight lines

What about lines? I’ve been thinking about them. And they’re everywhere. Obviously. But what I’m curious about is the patterning of the line — and what lies in the heart of the line. How’s it made? What gesture within? And the designed...

Scent

Scent is the most powerful of the five senses. How can companies use scent to attract customers? How can it be used as a marketing tool? It’s important to think of scent as a kind of layering of experience. For example, scent alone won’t instantly...