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The t-shirts we made for DCC's party.

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Chico Hamilton's Revelation CD

To mark his 90th birthday, jazz legend Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton releases Revelation the first of his three latest albums. He and his label Joyous Shout! looked to us again to design them.

Read the news annoucement on Jazz Corner See more of our work for Chico and Joyous Shout!

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Our roommates Digital Color Concepts (DCC), are having a party to celebrate their move uptown. This is one of the flyers we made for it (The others were "Move Uptown And Party On" and "Carried On Now Need Booze"). We thought it timely to mimic the Keep Calm And Carry On posters because the invites went out just days before Irene came to town.

Btw, the party is tonight: Legends 6 West 33rd Street 6-9pm 

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At the DesigNYC event, we showed a site map, a wireframe of the new homepage, and a few page designs for Green Map NYC. The show had an unusual masking tape theme, but even more interesting was the display area reserved for us had a power outlet in the middle of it.

More photos here

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DesigNYC's - Power of Design 2011

We'll be at the DesigNYC "Power of Design 2011" Exhibit tomorrow to show our site redesigns for Green Map NYC.

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Important announcement from your friends at OTTO NY!

ottony.com

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  When Citizen Stock approached OTTO NY to create a web-based promotional video, we were excited. We knew that the budget and timeframe were tight. This meant that we would need to work with the resources we had at the ready. One of the strengths of Citizen's collection is the diversity and authenticity of their subjects. Utilizing the still imagery from Citizen was an obvious and readily available solution. The key was to find a way to create something that people would want to watch. When it comes to pacing and momentum, percussion is key. We needed to find music that was fresh and would allow us to create animations and pacing that keeps viewers focused.

By utilizing the street drumming of Joshua, we were able to build a graphic rhythm that creates pacing and provides opportunities for surprises. The core attributes of the brand, the identity and the imagery syncopate with the music to create an experience that is powerful and fun. This is a project that proves that, in the right hands, simple elements can lead to memorable results.

Citizen Stock: Timing is Everything

ottony.com

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Is the Brand Equity in U.S. Currency Too Great to Change the Design?

  I remember a discussion I had a while back with my friend Gus—who is from the Dominican Republic—about the U.S. Dollar. I was saying how nice I thought the Dominican currency was compared to the crappy the U.S. design. Gus pulled a U.S. Dollar out of his pocket, kissed it and said, "I love this money, it's the most beautiful money in the world. Everybody wants it." Here is a link to a selection of redesigns of U.S. currency by the Dollar ReDe$ign Project. The big question: is the brand equity in U.S. currency too great to change the design? There is no question that some of the work is quite nice, so I'm hoping that the mission statement for the competition is tongue-in-cheek. If not, I have some beautiful swamp land in Florida that I would like to show these guys. See below: "It seems so obvious to us that the 'only' realistic way for a swift economic recovery is through a thorough, in-depth, rebranding scheme – starting with the redesign of the iconic US Dollar – it's the 'only' pragmatic way to add some realistic stimulation into our lives! Therefore, you must take part and we really want to see what YOU would do." If they are serious, then this is the stuff that gives branding a bad name. When brand professionals pretend to be business strategists it does more damage than good. Over the years I have helped many CEOs and businesses communicate and realize their strategies. To pretend that a new brand alone can change a company or industry problem, turns branding into snake-oil.

ottony.com

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Hurry Up and Innovate!

Everyone is looking for a guaranteed process for innovation. Today, creative thinking is being taught everywhere from elite business schools to marketing workshops. The problem is this:

There is no guaranteed process for innovation.

Of course, there are tips and steps that can generate ideas, but it's the spaces in between where the interesting things can happen. The key issue is that any rigid methodology leaves out creative connections and happy accidents. The designer's search for the ultimate solution is what opens the door for creative epiphanies. In the business world, everyone is looking for a 5 step process to innovative thinking. As designers, we know that the creative journey is never a sure thing. Those of us schooled in design, trust the process and know that it works, albeit sometimes scary.

The new commodification of the design process extends beyond corporations. Big design firms have been overrun by brand strategists, who justify every creative move with a statistic. The real pros know that the design process needs to influence the strategic process and vice versa. As one of my colleagues, brand strategist Alan Brew, said, "I spend most of my life post-rationalizing great design." This does not mean that Alan does not go through the proper due diligence in developing a strategy. It means that he values the creative process of design as a means to inform the strategy. Designers need to help drive the process, otherwise you end up with an "off-the-rack mentality" that leads to the same predictable solutions.

There is a great quote about the design process in a book The Universal Traveler, by Don Koberg and Jim Bagnall. It goes, "You can climb a tree, and walk out on the limb but you will never learn to fly, unless you jump."

ottony.com

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These photos are striking in their stark, stoic manner. The flat color of the photography is accentuated by the primitive color technology. Although the images are photographic, the feel is similar to screen printing or primitive 3-D printing. The end result is an image that has a realism to it, that reminds one of a memory of a place, more than a record of it.

ottony.com

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Artisan Design

Over the last couple of years Artisan is a word that has slowly crept into my life. I have consumed artisan water, artisan beer, artisan bologna, artisan bread, artisan cheese, artisan chicken and artisan bourbon. We've purchased artisan blankets, artisan baskets, linens and laundry detergent. The term artisan has come to represent "simplicity and craft". It captures the idea of creating products in a manner that respects traditional methods and raises the process of making them, to an art form. My wife and I first encountered the word at farmers' markets - baked goods, organic wool, soda pop, etc. Over time it has become a catch phrase for anything that is "natural", "premium" and aimed at The mid- to high-end market.  So when a new Artisan Restaurant opened two blocks from our apartment, my wife and I greeted it with dubious interest. As it came together, we saw signs for artisan chicken, bread and desserts, all things that we love to eat—whether we like it or not, we fit the demographic. Unfortunately, when we entered the restaurant, we found nothing but a fancy deli. Yes the employees' matching knit shirts and khaki pants are nice and I'm sure that the proprietors go to great lengths to create their products but it got me to wondering, what other industries could benefit from the title Artisan. Artisan Cabs For years pedi-cabs have been trying to make it in New York. Unfortunately their pedestrian pace, steep fares and lets not forget, weather, have limited their appeal. If they were called Artisan Cabs, the focus would turn to a traditional, uncluttered means of propulsion. "Back to a better time, when people strolled and the days were long." Artisan Medallions In this age of digital technology, the concept of a physical object as a means of payment, seems quite novel. This is the platform from which we can re-launch the use of subway tokens. Aimed at tourists, these little pieces of old New York will allow tourists to: "relive the days of yesteryear; a time when things were simpler and kids could loose only one fair at a time." Artisan Musical Plectrum "Why take it with you when you can sit at home, sip ice tea and listen to music the way your grandfather did. No phones, no digital devices, just a plastic disc, turntable, receiver, speakers and constant source of electric current. If you like this one, you may also be interested in a Artisan Stereo Furniture Console - let's put the communal back into music." Artisan Electric This one might be going out on a limb but if we called wind power and solar energy Artisan Power, we may be able to get people to pay a premium for it. "Live the pre-industrial revolution way while maintaining all of the comforts of modern living. No burning, no steam, just nature and you." Artisan Phones No list would be complete without the most popular means of modern connectivity - the mobile device. Go back to the days when a phone was a phone and mail meant paper, stamps, trucks, men and dogs going postal. AND for those who wish to return to the pre-push button days, you can purchase the special add-on feature, The Artisan Rotary Communicator." This is just a short list. If you wish to share your thoughts, please visit our facebook page (www.facebook.com/OTTONY) and contribute your suggestions.

ottony.com

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After you watch this, imagine James Cameron's Avatar shot in tilt-shift...

ottony.com

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The Courtesy Flush: All For One, or One For All

AT&T's "How Long": 1 ad for a month-long sporting event shown up to 8 times daily

- OR - 

Old Spice Guy: 87 ads in 11 hours aimed at specific viewers utilizing social networks (Read how they did it here)

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Your Brain on Creativity

In this demanding marketplace, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get clients to take a creative risk. Most companies wish to be unique but few are comfortable being different. Everyone wants to be a market leader but nobody wants to take a chance. Once we agree to take a creative leap, the rewards always outway the initial agida. Below is an entry to help nudge all of you reluctant communicators,  over the proverbial hump-of-fear. 

A while back, James Souttar, wrote an article for Critique magazine called, Eye of the Mind. In the article James sights the proliferation of scientific evidence, to support the theory that your brain is drawn to original, creative thinking. Rather than storing everything you encounter, your brain, similar to a sieve, sorts through the information it receives. It weeds out the things that it deems useless and holds on to those it finds worthy of keeping. When it comes to visual information, the brain tends to remember things that are not obvious. It will literally analyze this information continuously, trying to figure out what is different or slightly off. In other words, it obsesses over originality.

This bodes well for designs that contain a planned visual wit. Take, for example, the illustration for The Economist (above). At fist glance, the image seems to be an image of a brain. Upon closer observation, you realize that the brain folds are actually folded magazines. In the case of the Northwest Airlines, the diagonal stripe divides the letter "W", forming a letter "N"— the company initials. The triangle in the upper left also represents a compass needle, pointing northwest. This is the kind of stuff that your brain fixates on. You could walk past The Economist cover at a newsstand (unfortunately, you can't walk past the Northwest logo anymore) and the back of your mind knows that there's something else going on, even if your conscious mind simply thinks that it's interesting.

As communication professionals, this is a valuable lesson. If you want to get someone to remember your message, a visual twist or a unique approach is a great way to capture the viewers attention. It also reminds us to get to the point or our message will slip through with the rest of the clutter, unnoticed.

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Fake People Suck

Did that get your attention? It was enough to get a 25% email open rate for our clients at Citizen Stock. This was the subject line, for a push email campaign we created. Although it appears irreverent and flippant—which is fine for a independently owned, creative stock agency—the line is based on the core positioning of the Citizen brand.  Citizen Stock is the only stock agency committed to photographic portraiture of real people. No phonies, no contrived poses, just human and creative photos of children, moms, dads, grandparents, skateboarders, lawyers, teachers, musicians, chefs, artists, office workers, clothing designers, shop clerks, and small business owners, to name a few. At first our clients were a bit nervous. Is this line too edgy? Will people get it? Through the course of due diligence, we explored a plethora of options. Over time, one line stuck in our minds. "Fake People Suck" says it all.  At Paul Rand's final lecture he was asked, "how did you create such an amazing body of work?" Without flinching, he answered, "great clients!" This is a guy who created identities and marketing materials for such Fortune 500 companies as ABC, IBM, and UPS. Citizen Stock proves that great clients, who trust you, can lead to strong results. See our case study

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The Walgreens Nationals

As a baseball fan, I'm a bit of a traditionist. I don't care for instant replay—sorry Armando Galarraga—and I prefer classic, type-based logos. So on principal, I applaud the approach that the Washington Nationals took for their identity. In execution, however, it leaves me scratching my cap-covered head. A "W" as the core icon, is a fine idea. A script typeface is classic. BUT...and I say this fully knowing that copyrights are defined by industry, of all of the W's in the world, why did they pick that one? One that is the main identifier of one of the biggest drug store chains in the United States. One that is used, by itself, as the mark of the company. It is no surprise that Walgreens is featuring the "W", from their logotype, more than ever. It is theirs. They created it first.  As industry professionals, we can hide behind copyright law. Yes, these businesses are in completely different industries. Yes, there is no other team with this mark. Surely there was another "W" to be found. As designers, we must require a bit more from ourselves. As my great teacher Peter Megert said: "...with a few years experience, you can sell a client anything, you have to set your own design standards." In this case, it seems as if the solution was created in a bubble.

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The Courtesy Flush: NYC Subway Poster Contest

Fulton Street, 4/5, southbound platform:

vs.