November 20, 2009 at 1:18 pm by Mike

We’ve written before about the subjective nature of logos and the convoluted double-talk that some agencies employ to sell them. But we don’t generally ascribe malice aforethought to even the most fork-tongued of circumlocutory strategists. Which is why this particular piece of internet-distributed miscellany caught our attention.
Originally appearing on PostSecret, an internet site that bills itself as an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously, the following confession is therefore unattributed and so must be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. The logo referenced below, and pictured above, is that of Thomson Reuters, the news and information powerhouse that serves leading decision-makers in more than 100 countries.
Here’s what the anonymous tipster had to say:
I was on the internal creative team that created this logo. We “sold” it with some highfalutin corporate sounding symbolism. We agreed the last person to leave would send this. That’s me. The design is really a flushing swirling toilet.
A legit insider report? Web tomfoolery? We can’t say. But when our next logo client demands a step-by-step recounting of our creative process and a straightforward description of the meaning, we’ll understand the reason why.
November 13, 2009 at 10:36 am by Mike

Okay, we’ll grant you—the tenor and tone of our posts here concerning Twitter have not always been entirely positive. But those days are over, my friends. Because Twitter has finally fulfilled the utopian dreams that expert futurists like Ashton Kutcher have been foretelling all along. Oh, Mr. Demi Moore, Mr. Punk’d, how could we have doubted you? You told us that the invention of Twitter was every bit as significant as the invention of Morse Code, the telephone, radio, television, and the personal computer. Well, we skeptics and naysayers are now properly chastised. Because, behold—the Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale.
What’s that, you say? I can measure my weight on a device that’s connected to the internet? And it will automatically send out tweets with the latest numbers? Fantastic! Sign me up. Because that’s information I want everyone to know.
So, thank you, Wi-Fi Body Scale. And thank you, Twitter. You never disappoint.
November 6, 2009 at 4:43 pm by Mike

Okay, business world, we can take a hint. Don’t think we ad agencies haven’t noticed your wandering eye. After all, it’s been going on for years, now. We remember, like it was yesterday, when you started buying the same desktop publishing software we use (even if you got the PC version, instead of Mac). We didn’t say a word. We tried to be understanding. Because, sure, you could save a few bucks by having an intern or somebody in admin throw together a quick spec sheet or a down-and-dirty flyer, instead of having us do it. When it came time for a full-fledged ad campaign or an image brochure, we were still the apple of your eye. So we didn’t mind that much. Really. Companies have their needs. And it wouldn’t help matters to have us whining and complaining.
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