BRAND NEW CONFERENCE NYC
On Friday November 5th, we attended the first Brand New Conference in NYC. The event was created as an extension of the identity blog Brand New, created by Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio through Under Consideration.
The speaker lineup consisted of many design heavy hitters including:Michael Bierut and Paula Scher (Pentagram), Michael Johnson (Johnson Banks), Connie Birdsall, (Lippincott) and Christian Helms (Decoder Ring).
Michael Lejeune (LA Metro Design Studio) spoke on how small moves can add up to big change in a brand and public perception, raising awareness of LA Metro to 98% in the city one bus at a time. Tom Dorrestejin of (Studio Dumbar) showed exciting work, making most designers in the room swoon; Armin moderated a Q+A with WO’s Jordan Crane and Karl Heiselman on AOL and London 2012; and the steal of the show was legendary type designer, Erik Spiekermann (Edenspiekermann).
A FEW NOTABLE QUOTES FROM ATTENDEES THROUGHOUT THE DAY:
See more photos from the event on our flickr.
“We share identity with others. Personality is unique. Should we be
personality, not identity designers?” Tom Dorrestejin, Studio Dunbar
[On hammering out a brand] “If you’re digging a hole in the wrong place, making it deeper doesn’t help.” Michael Bierut, Pentagram
“All designers are strategists. We just don’t charge for it.”
Paula Scher, Pentagram
“Using a typeface with some depth & character, plus a strong color, can sustain a corporate identity program.” Eric Spiekermann
“Keep your story simple so other people can tell your story for you.”
Connie Birdsall, Lippincott
“Typefaces are like your children, you let them go and they get out of your control.” Eric Spiekermann
“You can’t order people to do great things — you have to provide the
conditions, inspire them, understand them.” Karl Heiselman, WO
“You’re probably not doing the best work of your life if everyone is ‘OK’ with it.”
Jordan Crane, WO
Tweets via @bnconf. Images © Wolff Olins.
(Melissa Scott) @hello_melissa
