"What's the beef?"

Caught on Camera: World’s Worst Employee?
Eric Markowitz, inc.com

FedEx’s response to one of its employ­ees chuck­ing a cus­tomer’s com­put­er mon­i­tor over a six-foot fence shows how your com­pa­ny should respond to a PR dis­as­ter.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a 21-sec­ond video that’ll make yo…

RT @IncMagazine: Lessons learned from a PR fiasco: http://t.co/axz81F92 #FedEx http://flpbd.it/YgGD

Frank is an Austin, Texas mecca for bacon-lovers, beer-guzzlers and encased meat enthusiasts. It’s also a ‘Brand New’ identity award winner… See: helmsworkshop.com

A Peek Behind Apple’s Retail Brand Experience

“More people now visit Apple’s 326 stores in a single quarter than the 60 million who visited Walt Disney Co.’s four biggest theme parks last year, according to data from Apple and the Themed Entertainment Association. Apple’s annual retail sales per square foot have soared to $4,406—excluding online sales, according to investment bank Needham & Co. Add in online sales, which include iTunes, and the number jumps to $5,914. That’s far higher than the sales per square foot and online sales of jeweler Tiffany& Co. ($3,070), luxury retailer Coach Inc. ($1,776), and electronics retailer Best Buy Co. ($880)…” Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/

— Source: A Peek Behind Apple’s Retail Brand Experience

OCAD University’s New Brand Identity

Please join the Toronto chapter of Communication Designers Association (CDA) for an ‘inside look’ at OCAD University’s new visual identity by Bruce Mau Design (presentation by Chris Braden & Michael Dudek) http://www2.ocad.ca/visualidentity/

Thursday, June 2, 2011

6:30pm - 10:30pm

FREE CDA member-only event (invitation sent via email)

Click here to become a member of the CDA. 

— Source: Communication Designers Association (CDA)

It’s particularly nice to see a new country brand identity that has integrated both mark and type. Both the boldness of red and movement expressed in the logo is enticing too.

I’m spending more time research country, place and destination brands at the moment — hopeful we’ll soon be seeing a fairer, more people-centric, realistic and contemporary brand expression coming out of Libya over the next few days.  

— Source: Peru’s New Brand, via Under Consideration

“The 2011 Liquid Brand Impact Study”

http://www.liquidagency.com/events/brand_impact_study.php

Vibram® Five Fingers®

I keep spotting ‘these things’ in the big wide world. The first time, on a middle-aged backpacker, who proudly strutted past me, in a pair of Kipling-style safari pants, too. Admittedly, I dismissed them as being perhaps a little too geeky Trekkie.

Since then, I’ve seen them darting up the beach; sprinting along the boardwalk; and posted via Tumblr. As yet, I don’t personally know anyone who has a pair. So, I’d be interested to find out if they’re any good.

The 28 Flavors of Online Conversation in 2010

(via @FastCompany)

No, what is value to you?

On Monday, PricewaterhouseCoopers became officially known as PwC, announcing a new brand repositioning, supported by a new brand identity. The identity, designed by Wolff Olins, according to senior Identity Consultant and mentor Tony Spaeth, was launched internally back in May, ‘…allowing more than four months for more extensive application design, implementation and training’.

RT @DanDimmock: A terrific example of a luxury [fashion] brand identity embracing/combining Arabic script… http://twitpic.com/2km6f0

1. In Arabic, is the name Christian Laboutin legible?

2. Is it necessary?