Design, triggering emotions and movements.

Posted on April 11th, 2011 by Robbin and currently 4 commenting.

Left, classic poster from Jenny Morla, 2010 AIGA Gold Medalist winner. Right, soap as art and complete category change, Method. AIGA Corporate Leadership winner.

Above, John Maeda, 2010 AIGA Gold Medalist winner. Isn’t that just beautiful? Looks kinda of like some of the visualizations of community I’ve seen floating around lately.

Last week I got a kind offer and a last minute chance to attend the AIGA Bright Lights Awards in NY. Hanging with some amazing design talent (see above).

As I walked back to hail a cab after the event, two things hit me:

1. The design world at that level is just so ROMANTIC. Full or stories and heroes. Think Herman Miller and Tiffany.
2. Design is a talk-able trait. Always has been. Think Method and Apple. It moves us. Stirs us to talk and to share. Even if we don’t quite understand why.

Okay, a little side story:

I have a degree in art. And even now I consider myself an artist.

I can still remember the very first time that I got my hands on a CA magazine. I think it was a design annual. It was as if a whole other side of my head and my heart flew wide open. Having grown up in a world filled with really bad design, to hold so much amazingly brilliant design in my hands at one time was a gift that is hard for me to describe.

As a struggling art student, I found a way to pay the 40 dollars (a small fortune back then) for a real subscription.

My next design hero wasn’t in a magazine — he was a real person. And the lead creative director at a small southern ad agency. It was the first real job I had in the advertising world. I remember following this guy around and I am not lying, if he dropped something in a trash can, I quietly picked it up. And took it home and traced it. Trying to get a “feeling” for how and why he but things together on a piece of paper.

Makes me laugh now to think of it.

Okay. Here’s the point of sharing that silly story.

In our work and in our world of igniting community and sparking word of mouth movements, design is still a very big part of the work we do at Brains on Fire. Here is what we know to be true:

That “feeling” you get when you see something that moves you — can in fact inspire you to take action.

Now, more than ever, design is helping us to unite and connect people emotionally. Human being to human being. We are helping kindred spirits express their shared feelings, beliefs and passions. And in some cases, the community literally becomes the total inspiration for design as we simply help execute their ideas, their passion.

I love this “designism” from designer Jenny Morala:

“Design is not solely a marketing device that supports consumerism. It can be a communicator of dissent. It can market ideology. It can effect change.”

Design connects. Design stirs our emotions. Design can bring people together for a common cause or purpose.

In a social world where everyone is talking and taking up space with content, are we losing sight of the critical role design is playing to connect and spark action?

Just thinking out loud on a beautiful Tuesday morning in Greenvegas.

What is the best example of design supporting or igniting a movement you have ever seen? Past or present…Let’s get a discussion going. You know I love it when you share.

***Design examples inspired from burning settlers cabin

• Tweet
• RSS
• EMAIL
• more
  

  BlinklistBloglinesBlogmarksDiggdel.icio.usFurlMa.gnoliaNewsVineRedditStumbleUponTechnorati