378. Ad of the Week: Ikea.

Ikea is no stranger to good work, if a bit inconsistent. These simple banner ads take an uninspired media and make it resonate with the  brand's higher purpose: making the best use of your space. I could do without the case study presentation, but the idea is too nice not to share. 

The Smallest IKEA Store in the World.

I promise I'll be more active on here over the next few weeks. We have big things going on over at Moses Anshell, my new home and cool stuff happening here as well. More flags coming people! (Georgia's all but written and designed.)

377. Searching.

If you have ever written an article about West Virginia, and talked to me via email — contact me again. I've lost your email and I wish to reconnect. I remember your writing though, it was great! THANKS.

376. Next.

I don't normally announce things like this on the blog but I thought it appropriate this time. On March 28th, I will be taking a position at Moses Anshell in Phoenix as Vice President and Creative Director. Moses Anshell has a history of crafting award-winning work, being a proudly independent shop, and building long-term client relationships. Louie Moses is also a great person and creative for whom to work—a lot of my professional development is due to his mentorship as I was lucky enough to work at MA back in 2003-2005 as Associate Creative Director. I am thrilled about rejoining them, this time as a partner. I do believe we will be creating our own unique version of the agency of the future. It's an exciting venture. Worthwhile. Challenging. And one that you will be hearing much more about over the coming weeks, months and years. (And if you know anything about Louie, what you will be hearing will probably take the form of some rather good music.) I can't wait to begin.

However every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. (Who sang that?) And it is not without a heavy heart that I'm leaving the friendly confines of the old Gossage Firehouse on 451 Pacific. Engine Company 1 is a wonderful place to work and is filled with some of the nicest and most talented folks I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. I am grateful to have been in the position to learn from not just one but three amazing Creative Directors: Grant Richards, Scott Aal, and Vince Engel. Any success I may find in my new venture will be from observing these guys at work. If I can succeed and be half as kind, gracious, and classy as these guys I will consider that a win. If there are any talented creative folks reading this, you could hardly do better than trying to get in here. Most likely you'll find it a far more rewarding experience than other agencies out there can offer. (And you'll be able to say you were there when, when the rest of the world figures this out.) I know I'm leaving them in good hands, on good terms and on the brink of big things. They are my friends and I will miss them all.

Right now, I am overwhelmed with an awareness of how lucky I am to have the opportunity that lies ahead of me. And how lucky I am for having had the one behind me as well. A true embarrassment of riches if there ever was one.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As a side note, MA will be hiring a writer soon. We're looking for someone with a few years experience. Enough to know what you're doing, but not enough that you've lost the desire to prove it. Obviously you must be willing to travel the road less taken, ala Phoenix, and have a strong desire to do the best work of your career. You'll be rewarded with a great place to work, wonderful mentors, good projects and plenty of opportunity. If you are swayed by the big lights of Manhattan or the easy money of big agency holding companies, it's probably not the best fit. If on the other hand you have a bit of a rebellious streak, let's talk. Just send me your portfolio and info via the contact us link in the column on the right. Those with a diverse background, ethnicity, orientation, and education—but also mindset—are strongly encouraged to apply.

375. Innovate or Whine.

If you're a business out there, and an agency representing said business, if you're focused simply on storytelling or creating communications, you are going to fall behind. I don't think this will happen so slowly that you don't notice at first, I think it is already happening so fast that a lot of folks are missing it. They're blinking and when their eyelids pop back open, the whole landscape is going to have changed. I believe if an agency is going to succeed they must move closer to the product, help change the business and industry their clients are in, build the types of relationships required to do so, and be inventive. Yes, inventive in how/what they communicate but literally inventive—as in inventing things that didn't exist yesterday. 

I've been fortunate enough to teach at the Miami Ad School while in San Francisco, and most of the quarters have been a class called, Everything is Media. It's designed to get students to think outside the normal mediums and look at everything as a potential element in a brand's communication. Of course, this doesn't come without issues, as I even tell them to think of the class title as a question. Should Everything be Media? We have to be responsible about what we put where, but beyond that the class is a really good chance to practice being inventive. Inventive in mediums, story, product, distribution, digital, you name it. What's going to be frustrating for them is that most of the agencies they'll go work for are not ready for that type of thinking. Heck, most clients are not ready either.

I won't embarrass anyone and pick a project from my class, as that may seem self-serving. But here's a student project I had nothing to do with that I think fits this kind of thinking. The Chimney for Kingsford. Sure, they could have produced some great ads for Kingsford, but they invented something new instead (and the ads for this little thing could be great too, so that's a win-win.) This was published via The Dieline earlier this week, and credits go to design team,  Michael DiCristina , Chris Yoon , Peter Smith, Meredith Morten, Blake Sanders, Vivian Rodriguez. (For some reason, their school isn't listed, but they seem to be from Atlanta. Portfolio Center perhaps?) 

The Kingsford Chimney:

We don't have to look too far to see examples of this type of business rebellion, in real business. If you're Gillette or Schick this week had better been an eye-opening experience for several reasons. First, a new company has come in and disrupted how your business is being done. Dollar Shave Club is now selling $1 razors and delivering them to your customers door. (Sure, the real business model is selling the $6 or $9 razors, but I digress.) Secondly, how that business is communicating to your customers, or what used to be your customers, is more human, interesting, compelling and honest than all the junk you've been putting across the airwaves for the last, oh, say 60 years. Gillette could have done this, if they and their agency had been courageous enough and proactive enough to think ahead. "Where is our company vulnerable?" "How could someone come along and change our business?" "What can we do to be the razor company of the next 25 years?"

Dollar Shave Club:

That's the kind of thinking required now. And that's the type of relationship required between a company and an agency, whether in-house or not. The agency must not only function as communications firm, but also the conduit to the consumer and be constantly inventing new ways to do business. And the client must be willing to use the agency in this way, or at least have people inside their company do so. (The agency is best-suited in my opinion because of their unique skill set and ability to see outside the business.) We're really good at redefining a company, and sometimes that's the first step. Restating the problem from, "How can we promote this?" to "What can we do that is worthy of being promoted?" 

Another great example of this disruption, if you will forgive me for using jargon, is what Warby Parker is doing to the prescription glasses industry. If you want quality glasses, you'd normally have to go to an eye doctor or specialty optometrist's shop and pay a lot of money. If you wanted cheap, you'd have to go to a drug store and get the 2 for $10 a pair deal. What Warby Parker is doing fits somewhere in the middle, quality; dare-I-say-designer glasses for $99; plus the additional pair they donate to those who can't afford them. Another disruption is their service of shipping five frames to your door so that you can try them on for free. (They even give you the shipping label and box to send them back in 5 days.) This is incredibly convenient. I actually did this, because it was so easy. The only issue I have with their glasses is that they are made in China and felt slightly less refined than I had hoped. If they were made in California or New York, felt a bit more sturdy, I would have already ordered them in a second. I'm still thinking about it.

Warby Parker's 5 Day Trial:

What's stopping Lens Crafters from doing this? Nothing. Nothing but the imagination and foresight to try. How can we make our customers lives better? What can we do for them that will add value to their experience with us?" Some of this responsibility lies with the agency.

That's a lot of pressure, but if it were easy anyone would be doing it. I have a feeling a lot of agencies are going to become more like production houses, making money on producing thousands of variations of banner ads and retail signs. There's nothing wrong with that. Me, I'd rather help a client change their business for the better and help them thrive in an ever-changing corporate, consumer and communications landscape. There's a lot of fun to be had there and that's the future of the agency. At least the good ones.

Here's a relatively new idea that demonstrates the type of thinking an agency can provide their client. Beyond communications, and more in line with this inventive, bettering the lives of customers ethos: The kick-open hatch being unveiled by Ford for the Escape. If your hands are full (which they often are if you are needing to put something in your trunk/boot), you simply kick the bumper and the lid opens. Of course, I don't know where the idea came from—who personally had the 'ah-hah' moment—but this is the future. Check it out. 

Hands-free Tailgate from Ford:

I'm not taking credit for this 'idea' of course. Lots of folks have talked about the new role of the future agency. It's also way more difficult to do than to say, but it has become more and more real to me lately. Personally, I want to be able to produce digital and ambient and beautiful film, but I think a far more valuable asset is to be able to be invent new ways for a company to connect with their customers, new ways to make a product and service better, and just new things in general. To always be thinking on behalf of the clients we represent, but also for the people we sell to. How great would it be for a client to think of you in those terms? I bet they'd be really slow to open up the account for review. 

Again, three of these examples are from this past week alone. Relatedly, I'll leave you this thought from Lee Clowe concerning ideas, from the :30 MBA series on FastCompany.

374. Ad of the Week: Cartier's Odyssee.

I'm not much of a jewelry fan, let alone diamonds; it's both an aesthetic and ethical thing. I know I don't understand how diamonds reach our local jewelry store, but I have seen Blood Diamond and that's enough to give me pause. What I know I dislike is the fairly traditional approach to super-lux fashion advertising, mainly because it makes me feel dirty. The exteme wealth, the arrogance, the self-centeredness, the contrast and ambivalence to extreme poverty in the world. Blah. It makes me wish all the effort and money that goes into buying such unnecessary things could somehow be used for something better. (Admittedly, this is a bit of hypocrsy, since I'll gladly spend money on the latest gadget which has similarly inhumane origins. I'm a flawed human, see.) 

The lastest film from French jeweler, Cartier, is definitively an example of this type of advertising but has pushed the genre to such a ridiculous extreme that it actually is worth watching. It's so overwrought that it's good. The company is saying this about the new epic short film: "Discover the new Cartier film, a journey between dream and reality. For the very first time, Cartier has decided to create a cinema epic focusing on its history, its values and inspiration, its artistic and universal scope." The film—shot by French director Bruno Aveillan, one of the country's premier commercial directors—was screened first time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on February 29, according to Wikipedia.

Coming it at just over three and a half minutes, the film takes the viewer on quite the visual journey. It's decadent, extravagant, and excessive but also beautiful. The story is broken into seven chapters: First Breath, Land of the Tsars, Love and Trinity, The Celestial Dragon, Indian Dream, Conquering the Skies, and the Panther. Some of the symbolism is lost on me (some is too obvious to miss), but nothing has been spared to make the experience feel as opulent as the jewelry the company sells. Check it out. 

L'Odyssée de Cartier:

What I do appreciate is that the company is also providing background information that rounds out, and extends, the interaction one can have with the story. There's a great behind the scenes video, which I have taken the trouble of downloading and republishing in an embeddable format. Watch that below. You can also download the score, which is nice too. Perhaps you can play it when you spend six months of your salary on diamond necklace for that special someone who puts a price on your love. Kidding, kidding. 

Making of, L'Odyssée de Cartier (in French but still enjoyable):

To top it all off, there is also a gallery of their Panthere, where the brand explains why they have used the large cat as a symbol for their products, along with a few images taken during the shoot. I appreciate that much of the cat was shot live-action and not CG. Makes a big difference. 

Again, this isn't the type of advertising that I aspire to, beyond having a budget and freedom to tell a story, but it is grand and hard to ignore. So on that level, it succeeds like few ads have so far this year. 

And, yes, I'm still working on the Fifty Flag series, loyal readers. More to come soon on that front. 

373. Unboxing the Nike Fuel Band.

I got an early tip on the Nike Fuel Band. They're launching today and my shipment arrived at the office. I thought I would post a few unboxing shots. (I realize there is a whole unboxing trend which I admit finding a bit disturbing, but it's a pretty cool product and I thought my readers would like an early peek.) Whether or not it ends up being a useful tool in my personal fitness routine remains to be seen. Check it out. 

379. State Flag Revisions: Georgia.

I always think of trooper glasses when I think of Georgia. It's not fair, but it's true.Now here's a perfect example of how political compromise can result in a less-than-stellar product. Georgia's flag isn't terrible, but it's nothing special either—despite being the newest flag of all the US States. One would think that modern design aesthetic would result in a more handsome flag. That is not the case. Ratified by law in 2003, the Georgia flag requires that we go back to 1788 to fully understand how it came to be. There's a rich story ripe with tension.

1788 was the year that Georgia ratified the US Constitution, only the fourth state to do so. At this point the state was already 50 years old, originally established by the British as a trustee colony, itself initially intended as a place to give ex-debtor prisoners from London somewhere to work in 1732. The charter was signed by George II, it's namesake, and was more likely done so as a military buffer for South Carolina from the Spanish in Florida. The original inhabitants were chosen for their work skills, and if you were a male, that meant fightin'. Interesting enough, the original trustee colony prohibited slavery, something a lot people don't know I'd bet. Throughout much of the 1700's the flag that flew over Georgia was the British Engsign Flag.

British Ensign Flag of the 1700s:

For the major part of first two decades of its history, Georgia was anti-slavery. Go figure. But as they are wont to do, economic pressure usually trumps ideals and slavery became accepted gradually, with the prohibition being lifted in 1749. Somebody had to man the cotton fields, and those men came from Western Africa. Two years later, in 1752, the trustee colony officially became a Royal Colony of the British Empire. Georgia was slow to join the American Revolution but again, trade issues of the colony dictated that they do so, and again, they signed Constitution of 1776 and were the fourth state to join the Union 12 years later.

During the Revolutionary period there were many flags, mostly amateur-made, that would have flown over Georgia. Four of those can be seen below, most popular in Georgia were the two Liberty flags on the right.

Georgia Independence Movement Flags 1775-177:

After winning its independence, most states in the Union simply few the US flag. All the usual variations would have flown over Georgia until right before the Civil War. It was 73 years later that the state seceeded from the Union, joining the Confederate States of America in 1861, and sending hundreds of thousands of Georgians northward into battle. The first major battle in Georgia — in case you're wondering — occurred at the Battle of Chickamauga, a confederate victory that temporarily halted the Union advance in the Western Theater. It featured the second highest casualties of the whole war, second only to Gettysburgh, and despite it being the first major battle in the state, it was the last major Confederate win in the west. Things went downhill for the confederate state from there, despite many bloody battles of the Atlanta campaign. During the war, the confederate flag few over Georgia. This would be something that would dictate future flags up until the present day.

The Three National Confederacy Flags, In Order:

After losing the Civil War, a lot of southern states begrudgingly flew the US national flag as their state flag. At this point, it wasn't necessary to have a state flag per se and quite honestly, the states had bigger problems they needed to focus on. There is no official account as to who designed the first Georgia flag, what it may have looked like or even the basis for creating it. Most resources actually skip right into the 1900s, but there were other flags for the state that pre-dated the war, and actually influenced the flag in the 20th century. Those flags featured a state seal and were used when militias were sent outside the state as a way to designate the soldiers as Georgians. There's proof this flag existed in the engraving below along with two best-guess replicas supplied by the University of Georgia.

Pre-1879 State Seal Flag of Georgia:

In 1879, Senator (and Confederate veteran) Herman H. Perry introduced legislation designing for Georgia its first official state flag. Not surprisingly, Perry's design used the Confederate Stars & Bars as its foundation, but his flag removed the stars and brought the blue field (canton) down to the bottom of the flag. It looked something like this:

Georgia's First Official State Flag:

This flag would fly unchanged until the 1900s, but was met with a rash of three major changes in the first part of the century. In 1902 the General Assembly decided to add the state coat of arms to the blue canton  in order to unify all the state military groups under one flag. According to the Georgia Secretary of State site, the next version came to life in 1906, but without any official support from the government.

"Some unknown person or flag manufacturer added a gold-outlined white shield to the coat of arms, placed the date "1799" below the arms and added a red ribbon with "Georgia" below the shield. Although the General Assembly hadn't authorized any changes to the state flag, apparently no one contested the new version. In fact, a Georgia history book for children published in 1906 includes a full-page color rendering of this design, indicating this to be the state flag of Georgia."

I think it's funny, but by now not surprising at all, that our state flags are so casual in their standards. One would have thought differently. Anyway, the weirdness is not done by any means. By 1920, yet another unofficial version of the state flag began appearing, this one featuring the entire State Seal in the blue canton. Yet both of these new versions were going against the law set forth in 1906. It wasn't until the mid 1950s that this would be corrected, but the controversy was just beginning to heat up.  

The Three Flag Fiasco of the early 1900s:

So, let's check back in during the mid-1950s. Of course the civil rights movment was just getting started and tensions were pretty high. What a perfect time to change the flag into one that recognizes the Confederacy. (Nice thinking guys.) In '56 State Senators Jefferson Lee Davis and Willis Harden introduced Senate Bill No. 98 to change the state flag design again, making a large field on the right contain the Confederate Battle Flag. This marked the first time in its history that the state's flag was determined by law and the law stood for 45 years until 2001. But all was not rosey. By the 1960s many were expressing frustration that the flag represented a bad time in the state's history (with the war and racism and all) and throughout the 80s and 90s multiple challenges to the controversial flag were mounted in the form of bill proposals recommending returning to a pre-1956 banner. 

The 1956 Georgia Flag:

What happens in 2001 is reminiscent of a lot of the flags we've covered so far, design by compromise. It was during this year that a compromise flag was proposed by a local architect wanting to solve this flag issue once and for all. His design featured the Seal of Georgia in gold on a blue field. The seal was surrounded by thirteen stars representing, well, you can guess what they represented. The next element is the root of both the success and ultimate failure of this flag, a banner featuring the major flags that have flown over Georgia. Five flags within the flag, an almost Inception-level design compromise. The words Georgia's History labeled the ribbon just in case anyone didn't realize what all those flags were for, and In God We Trust  was added by amendment before the bill finally passed in late January. By no accounts is the result a pretty flag. And it only flew for two years before Governor Sonny Perdue took office in 2003 and proclaimed that he was really going to fix this flag issue once and for all, by God.

The Great Compromise Flag of Georgia - 2001:

To his credit it only took the new Governor five months to make good on his word. By May of 2003 a new flag bill was introduced, approved and put into law. The design was largely based on the First National Flag of the Confederate States of America, prominently featuring the Bars of the Stars and Bars. The main elements in the State Seal were kept, along with the thirteen stars and the In God We Trust declaration. There was also a referendum putting the choice to the voters whether they wanted this new 2003 flag or the 2001 flag to fly over Georgia. The newest flag won by a 3-1 margin. And that's how the current Georgia State Flag came to be.

The Current Official Georgia State Flag:

Now, where do we go from here?

I've always found the history of Georgia interesting and I knew that I wanted to do something that felt like an extension of the four independence movement flags. (Those feel the most appropriate for a state founded and settled primarily by fighters.) Another element that is related and also found in some of the later flags is the soldier standing with a Colonial-era sword, drawn at his side. This is symbolic of the state's military defense of the Constitution and makes for an excellent flag graphic. A third element is the motto, Wisdom, Justice & Moderation. Besides being a nice reminder, it also serves to balance the sword and history of battles.

This motto also makes up the state plege which reads, "I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands, Wisdom, Justice and Moderation." I think — and it's been awhile — that this is the first flag we've run into with an official pledge. There will be more, even if it seems weird and outdated to this author.

One more tidbit that you should know before I reveal the new Georgia flag. I have always thought the flag flying over Saudi Arabia is graphically amazing. It features a sword, on an emerald field with Islamic declaration of faith in Arabic above. It translates as, "There is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." Sure, this is probably not a popular message in any southern state, but that doesn't mean I can't take what graphically works and borrw a bit from our Middle Eastern friends, right? By now you should realize where this is going. This is my personal project and I can do with it what I want, so I am. Ha. (If I really wanted to sell this idea, I might be slow to reveal my sources for obvious reasons.)

The Flag of Saudi Arabia:

I'm combining the elements that I like from previous Georgia flags, the Saudi Arabia reference above, and a field of something between red and peach. I also wanted the flag to feel organic or feature a human element so as not to feel too modern. Ideally, if it flew way back in the early years of the state, it would feel right at home. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the result.

The New Georgia State Flag:

I think this is going to be controversial. "Designer gives Georgia a new state flag that is similar to Saudi Arabia." I like it and reference aside, I know a lot of Georgians that would proudly fly this on the back of their F-150s. And it would look good too. A hand-drawn motto, a colonial-era sword, and a bold background will make this flag stand out among the rest of the fifty. Ahhhh, now it's Hawaii's turn. Time to right a big wrong there.

372. State Flag Revisions: Florida.

Here's a state that does not suffer from a lack of visual images, symbols and brand-able content. Florida. Or as it's now known as Flo-rida. For the most part, I have a pretty favorable impression of the state, it having been the location of a few childhood vacations; even though in later years it's been more noteworthy for things like suburban development foreclosures and immigration policies. We're going to put politics aside and really shine a positive light on the state through it's official banner. You know the drill by now, first some history. Then a little perspective. Then the design.

According to MyFloridaHouse.gov (?), when Juan Ponce De Léon landed on Florida's shores in 1513, Spain did not have an official national flag, so Spain's Castle and Lion Flag of the King was used as the flag of the country and is considered Florida's first flag. It would see some 15 more flags flying over at least part of the state. I did not know that Ponce De Léon traveled with Christopher Columbus in 1493. Now, you do. 

Florida's First Flag:

From 1513 and 1763, the territory of Florida was controlled by dynastic (sequential rule of one family, or group) Spanish rule and had several different flags during that time, but the Burgundian Saltire (as in Arkansas) was the most prominent. What happened in 1763 to change this? The end of the Seven Year's War, which was a global conflict for (mostly naval) supremacy, with varying local names. In North America the conflict was also known as the French and Indian War, but it was called lots of other things depending on where you were since the conflict included Prussia, India, Austria amongst other Empires. This war was defined however, by the fierce rivalry between the English and Spanish Empires, and ultimately resulted in England supremacy and victory. The Treaty of Paris (or Treaty of 1763) pretty much gave Florida to England and incidentally saw France giving away almost all of it's North American influence and territories. France 'had' Canada, but traded it for Guadeloupe, which it considered to be more valuable. Interesting. A sugar island in the Caribbean for the entirety of Canada. Time hasn't been kind to this decision, eh? I'm rambling. Back to Florida. It's now in British hands. 

The British split Florida into 2 colonies, Eastern and Western Florida, so the British flag flew over the land until Spain took it back in 1783, and ran up a new Spanish flag which stood until 1821, when Spain transferred all of Florida to the United States. 

East and West Florida, split along the Apalachicola River:

Spanish Flag over Florida (1783—1821):

After joining the United States in 1821, Florida didn't bother making an official state flag until it decided to leave the United States, seceding 40 years later in 1861. Even then, they didn't design their own flag, simply using the Naval Ensign of Texas, which is pretty much the current Lone Star Flag. Later in the year, the state legislature finally gave then Governor Perry, permission to design a new state flag. I guess they figured since he settled the dispute with Georgia over their northern border, that he could easily design a flag. Even then, this flag borrowed form the first Confederate flag, The Stars and Bars, but instead Perry extended the blue field to the bottom of the flag and placed a newly designed state seal in the middle. It took the Governor six months to put his design in the books. You can see what that might have looked like in the photo below, via News Press. 

The Perry Flag of 1861—1868: 

The Perry Flag's seal (itself featuring a flag, which is kind of an Inception-esque, flag within a flag) was changed in 1868. According to the state's records, "That a Seal of the size of the American silver dollar, having in the center thereof a view of the sun's rays over a high land in the distance, a cocoa tree, a steamboat on water, and an Indian female scattering flowers in the foreground, encircled by the words, 'Great Seal of the State of Florida: In God We Trust." This new seal would be centered on a pure white background and be the state flag until 1900. I can't find a reason why they dropped the Perry Flag, other than a new governor wanting to get rid of his legacy. That's just a guess.  

Interesting thing about a mainly white flag while at rest on a flagpole...it could easily be mistaken for the flag of surrender and retreat—something that would still be in the hearts and minds (and butts) of a southern state so soon after the Civil War. In my mind, some good ole southern boy takes a walk on a pleasant and still day; and as he passes the rather flaccid flag it strikes him in his still-confederate soul. Needless to say, they add the Burgundy Saltire behind the state seal. That's the real reason for the cross in the current state flag, not the Spanish history. This amuses me a great deal, but maybe because I'm a Yankee by birth. 

The Seal, and presumably the flag, has undergone a bunch of small changes since 1900. The landscape once featured a mountain range, which you can't find in Florida at all. The cocoa tree was changed to a indigenous palm, in 1970. The Sabal Palmetto to be exact, which also serves as the state tree. The female figure, possibly the most controversial aspect of all, has been rendered in hundreds of different ways, most of them pretty poor in quality and historical accuracy. The one below shows a headdress, which would have been worn instead by the male. Ooops. The ship in the background was also inconsistent and probably at one point was a submarine. (Slightly kidding.) To the state's credit, they tried to rectify these issues in 1985, with a law that declared the figure to be a Seminole Indian woman rather than a Western Plains Indian. The steamboat was drawn more accurately, and the cocoa palm was visually changed to a Sabal Palm as the legislature prescribed 15 years earlier, as mentioned before.

Earlier State Seal vs Current Florida Seal:

The flag law is pretty simple, "The seal of the state, in diameter one-half the hoist, shall occupy the center of a white ground. Red bars, in width one-fifth the hoist, shall extend from each corner towards the center, to the outer rim of the seal."

The problem with using a state seal on your flag is pretty obvious, there is simply too much detail to even matter. What works as a seal only obfuscates things on a flag. But that's where we currently stand on all things flag related in florida; a burgundy saltire on a white field with the complicated state seal sitting in the middle. As you can imagine, the ways in which the seal are rendered vary dramatically from use to use. Oddly enough, in order to use the seal you need to fill out a form from the State Department's site. But, in true government fashion, that link is broken. Wonder if they'll try to shut down Graphicology? Nah, who reads this crap anyway?

Now, where do we go from here?

History aside, Florida has a lot of interesting things going on that might make for an interesting flag. It's truly the sunshine state, even though I bet most people would incorrectly guess that motto belongs to California. Relatedly, they're known for their citrus industry and it's easy to see how that might make for some bright and colorful, dare I say, South-beach design. But I have to admit, the Miami Marlins new look will makes me skittish about that.

Your 2012 Miami Marlin Uniforms:

And oh yes, the beaches! They might have the best beaches in the country, if you include The Keys into the mix. Some other thoughts floating around in my head are the scooters older folks seem to be driving/riding more and more, but that's a bit too humorous for a serious attempt at a flag redesign. Florida's unique geography and ecosystems make trying something with a hint of nature — understandable, especially something with the Everglades. I did try a few options involving alligators to illustrate the wildness of the southern part of the state, but ended up tossing them, not because I didn't like them but because they seem to exclude too many things that the state has going for it. I was fond of one in particular that involved an orange with a leaf, but within the leaf shape I was planning on hiding an alligator. Check out a very rough comp of that direction below. I admit, using the orange, felt way too easy, and was one reason I dropped it. (Can you see how the alligator could have been floating in the orange while also looking like an orange stem/leaf?)

An Early Alligator in Orange Concept:

*This is normally where I stop writing and start drawing. Typically, I only give myself a few hours to concept, sketch and produce the new flag. (I can't afford any more time due to my schedule) but I'm not sure that it's obvious to you find readers. Between this paragraph and the final flag coming up next, could pass a few hours, a day or even a few days, depending on when I can get to the actual design. One thing is for sure, I do try to make the design reflect what we learn for each state. If not the only solution, I want to develop, a viable solution for a contemporary state flag. Something that fits and is appropriate.

The time between the above paragraph and this one, has been more than two weeks. I've been a busy guy at work and just couldn't find the time to devote to this personal project. But sometimes the time off can be a good thing. I decided against the wild concepts, mainly because they only tell one part of Florida's personality. I went back to the fountain of youth concept and thought that the spirit of finding eternal youth, still very much describes some of the key characteristics of the state. In the winter months, thousands of older Northerners make the migration down to stay in Florida. You also have millions of visitors coming to Orlando to either be a kid again, or show their kids all things Disney. And of course, the best parts of Florida give off a very distinct youthful vibe; South Beach, Miami, the latin influence—all play into this. 

So I started looking at fountains and cherubs and thought this would make a very nice symbol to begin to strengthen Florida's brand and tie it ever more stronlgy to the idea of keeping the joy of childhood alive. It played a small part in the beginning of the state's history and like I said, it plays an even bigger role today. So I began sketching again. This time, I want the aesthetic to remain illustrated, and not so vector-like. (One of the fun parts of a project like this is the opportunity to push your personal styles — under a very tight timeline.) I also want to keep a more neutral palette to the flag, since it has been mostly white for so long. I had a little fun using a fish as the water vessel as well as hinting at the base of the fountain without having to show too much of it. It felt like it needed to be grounded, as if, there's still a place where this fountain is — but it's still a secret. I included the words, semper iuvenis, which mean always young. 

The result is a little different than the rest of the flags, but it contains a built-in branding idea that could help focus Florida's tourism, business and leisure industries—Florida as the secret to staying young. 

But after sitting with this for awhile, the design seems a bit off from the brand even if it's been fun to do. So I went back and decided to pick up the cues from what people think about the state, warmth, citrus, sun, beaches and tried to put all of those elements into a form that would be instantly recognizeable. I came up with two versions which allowed me to use the state seal (something I've been trying to avoid.) Sometimes the solution lies in the problem, and I think this is one of those cases. I produced two versions and am deciding between the two. I think both solve this Florida flag issue once and for all, with the fruit and seal being the center, representing the states climate behind a big field of sea-green for the ocean. Plus, I think this flag would have a chance in their legistlature of passing. Always a plus. Now, onto Georgia. For real this time. 

The 2012 Florida State Flag(s):

371. State Flag Revisions: Delaware.

Delaware. Where do I begin? My only experience with Delaware was going with my brother to a Nascar race for a few consecutive years in Dover. To get there, it seemed liked you had to drive for days through rural farmland which of course isn't true. You could drive the length of Delaware in a few hours, easily, it being the second smallest state in the union. (96 miles in length.) I also know that Wilmington—a city pretty darn close to Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey— sends out a lot of bank junk mail, since it's a major financial hub. Discover, I'm looking at you. One more thing, I remember in Wayne's World both Wayne and Garth had trouble figuring out what Delaware stood for as well. 

Wayne's World Chroma-key Delaware Clip:

Delaware was originally settled by the Dutch. Well, not exactly, it was originally settled by the Lenape and Nanticoke tribes then settled by the Dutch in the 16th century. The first state we've come to of the original 13 Colonies, Delaware had a state seal all the way back in 1777 and ten years later became the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States. 

The current Delaware state flag features the original seal, set in a 'buff-colored' diamond, itself sitting in the middle of a colonial blue field. Those colors were chosen to represent a uniform worn by then General, George Washington. The seal, basically a coat of arms, is quite the busy design featuring two figures ( a farmer and a soldier) along with other occupational symbols for shipping, hunting and cattle ranching split into the three sections, one for each county. The words, liberty and independence, are written on a banner at the bottom of the figures' feet. 200 years earlier those words probably had more urgency to them, though I'd argue they're more important than ever. 

The Delaware State Seal / Coat of Arms:

Interesting note about the seal and a few details that don't show up on the flag. The seal has three years listed on the bottom. Originally, they were 1793, 1847, and 1907—all years when the design of the seal was altered. In June of 2004, a bunch of sixth graders got together and decided that these years were not significant and should be replace with the years 1704, 1776, and 1787. The year that Delaware established it's first General Assembly, the year The Colonies declared independence from the British of course, and the year that Delaware become the first state, respectively. Eventually, the students from Bayard Elementary School took that idea to the Legislative Hall in Dover. One by one they stated their case and by the end of the day their bill had passed unanimously. Incidentally, the student credited with leading the cause, Yaxier Torres, just graduated from Smyrna High School, in Smyrna Delaware. And because the internet is crazy, here's what his class predicted for his future, "Yaxier Torres will join the 6th season of the hit reality show The New Jersey Shore via the channel called Musical Television and then be kicked off because he isn’t really from New Jersey; but that’s okay because he’ll marry his fellow cast member who goes by the alias “Snooki.” Kids. 

Seen here at the Smryna High School Prom, themed—When in Rome, is Torres. Again, this is why the Internet can be a dangerous thing. 

Thank Yaxier Torres the next time you see him: (He's first on the left.)

Anyway, back to the flag. The seal, without the years and the words set on the perimeter, makes up the primary element on the flag. There's enough symbolism here for ten flags and since one of the main things this project has set to correct, are all the blue flags with state seals. Something has to give. This flag was literally designed by committee, established to design a flag for the state in what I'm calling the Great Flag Rush of the US States, 1911-1913. You won't learn about this in school though. 

The Delaware State Flag:

Like a lot of the flags we've visited so far, there is a huge amount of variation from flag to flag. The standards are so loose that you can really end up with two flags that look only vaguely similar. Just so you know, here's the entirety of the flag bill. 

The design of the official state flag shall be as follows: A background of colonial blue surrounding a diamond of buff in which diamond is placed the correct coat of arms of the State in the colors prescribed by law and in accordance with § 301 of this title, with the words, "December 7, 1787," to be inscribed underneath the diamond.

The official state colors, colonial blue and buff, are designated by the Textile Color Card Association of the United States, Inc., New York, as "arno blue" Cable No. 10663, and "golden beige" Cable No. 10781 respectively; the color shades having been determined by Colorimetric Specifications of the National Bureau of Standards, United States Department of Commerce, in Test No. 2, 1/140565, dated November 18, 1954, which is on file with the Delaware Public Archives, Dover, Delaware. The colors of the coat of arms and other elements of the state flag shall be the following: Husbandman, trousers of gray brown, shirt of red, hat and hilling hoe of brown; rifleman, suit of green, binding, bag and leggings of buff, hat of brown, powder flask and feather of gray; shield, frame of shaded yellow, top panel of orange, center panel of blue, lower panel of white, ox of red brown, grass and corn of green, wheat and branches underfoot of yellow, heraldric wreath to be blue and silver (twisted); ship under full sail to have a dark hull and white sails; date, December 7, 1787, to be white; cord and tassels to be blue and gold. (29 Del. C. 1953, § 506; 50 Del. Laws, c. 288, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 72 Del. Laws, c. 91, § 10.)

As you can see most of the colors are just generally described, and the few that are given cable numbers do not have modern equivalents. Even the flag above hardly represents what I would consider Colonial Blue. And of course, nobody thought of picking a typeface for the date proudly shown across the bottom. We could really help the state out by standardizing these aspects, but I want to go one step beyond that and recommend the state flag that they should by flying. 

Conceptually, it's an easy choice. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States. 5 brave days before the second state, Pennsylvania, and almost 2 and a half years before the 13th colony, Rhode Island, ratified the historical document. The was a courageous step and something—perhaps the only thing—that is flag-worthy. (You could argue that the Delaware crossing pictured far above is flag-worthy, it's just not an easy thing to make graphically flag-relevant.) Fast forward some 200 years, and the state can be proud of the fact it took the first step for the nation we have today. It's already on their license plates, so we're not treading on new territory here. 

There can only be one, first:

What I'd like to recommend to the state isn't just one flag, but a system of flags. Each flag will feature a proud numeral one, but each year a newly designed numeral one will replace the old. They will be related enough that there will be no need to replace all the flags each year, but a new flag will be available to replace an old one whenever necessary. I think this will keep it fresh. After all, there are thousands of numeral styles to use and this could keep things interesting moving forward. Maybe one year they open it up to a competition (yuck), maybe one year they get a famous letterer to design 'The One'. Perhaps a famous Delawarean would be commissioned for one of the flags. The thing is, we'll end up with a simple flag system that will be unique among the states, another first, fitting for Delaware. I've taken it upon myself to design a few to kick off the idea. Are you reading this, Governor Markell?

A whole bunch of ones:

And since we have to start with one 1, here's the one I selected. I'd only ask for the future versions to keep the same color scheme, gold numerals on blue fields. This is a super simple solution for a flag, but it's the right thing to do, Delaware. Introducing your 2012 Delaware State Flag:

369. Ad Trends 2. Turning Something Good into Something Bad.

Sometimes the industry in which you work can really trouble you. Advertising might do this more than most, though I'd argue that only 10% of any craft or business is exceptional, maybe even less than that. It's just simple mathematics that the other 90-95% shines a mediocre (or bad) light on everyone else, even the folks trying to do things right.

Increasingly, advertising is borrowing from stuff found on the Internet. This isn't necessarily new or troubling in itself, as advertising has always co-opted current events or the zeitgeist to connect with the public and in some way share something about their product. However, I would argue that this borrowing is becoming increasingly blatant. At times with good results, where the advertising actually adds something to the on-going conversation surrounding the 'viral' or meme work. Oftentimes, however the results are absolutely terrible and I think the bad results are starting to outnumber the good. Or maybe I just got up on the wrong side of 2012. I'm not sure, which.

Now, this example I'm going to show below isn't the worst offender, by any stretch, but it does illustrate something that is actually kind of embarrassing for the rest of us that work in this business. You start with something funny, artistic, and relevant to what's going on in the world... and spend thousands (probably a few hundred thousand) to turn it into crap. I hate using that word, but it's entirely accurate. I feel like I have to explain to my friends, that no, advertising isn't always this easy or bad, after seeing this series of spots run over the holidays. I know there are a million ways an ad campaign goes bad, but if you are going to take something created by someone else, and use it for your own purposes, it should at least be as good as the original. That's the starting point. Anything below that is failure. 

It was in mid-2011 that Fog and Smog, a rapping duo from LA and SF respectively, dropped "Whole Foods Parking Lot" on the world. It had great production value, and even though it featured suburban-looking white dudes rapping (a least favorite thing I would be hard pressed to find); it was pretty good. Good partly because it was self-aware and self-referential to all the bad, white rapping viral videos out there, but also because it struck a chord with people who have found themselves in a Whole Foods parking lot, or jamming into an aisle at Trader Joe's. The parking lot in the video, I actually have been to, and it does in fact 'get real' there. Maybe the toughest parking search ever, and inside is ridiculous. (The corner of Rose and Lincoln in Venice, btw.)

Just in case you were stuck under a boulder:

So, even though not entirely an original setup — it speaks about a truth. A small first-world truth, but that's what makes it funny. Fast forward to the recent Holiday Car Ad Extravaganza Season, and Hyundai (and the agency presumably) pay Fog & Smog to star in their car ads. Up to this point there is no problem here, really. Except for maybe the fact that the original spot featured quite predominantly a competitor's car, the Toyota Prius. Toyota using these guys would have made much more sense and quite honestly, they dropped the ball by not doing so. Even Whole Foods, to show that they have a sense of humor, could have done something with it. But I'm okay with the rappers, a term I'm using loosely here lest I lose any credibility in my neighborhood, taking the opportunity to cash-in on something they did originally to gain some kind of exposure in the first place. I don't consider it selling out, if you never really stood for the opposite. They deserved being picked up by somebody based on what they did. It's solid. And I would have loved to work with them, as they seem like a cool bunch of folks.

But this is what Hyundai turned it into:

And the follow-up spot:

Now, one could blame the artists themselves, but once they are paid to do a job, the responsibility of quality moves to the buyer, and that's the agency and client. These spots are so forced and so awkward to watch that like I said, it truly is embarrassing. And one can't help but compare the spots to the original reference, which is vastly superior. I don't think that the duo would admit it, but this second round is so bad, it makes them look less talented. (They feature the spots on their site, which I understand.) What's worse, is that if you had never seen the original, and I'm guessing a large swath of middle America probably hasn't, the spots just come off even worse; a car company (and agency) desperately trying to be cool and doing the exact opposite in the process.

What's worse still is just about the time that these spots aired, the duo released another music video (I guess it's a music video) called, Yoga Girl. And although it's not quite as good as Whole Foods, it certainly has its moments lyrically and visually.

Fog & Smog's Yoga Girl:

I think agencies need to be quick and ready to respond to something the gains traction online, particularly if it involves any of their clients' businesses, or is just so interesting that it provides an opportunity to do something even better creatively. This post is a word of caution however, that you had better do something good with it, or risk losing your Madison Avenue cred. I believe the industry is filled with some of the most talented, interesting and creative people and the work should reflect that, even with increased (amateur?) competition for people's attention.

I believe the agency of record (unless I'm wrong and that is entirely possible as such things are tough to keep track of these days) is Innocean Worldwide based in Huntington Beach, CA. Hyundai dropped Goodby a year or two back.

There are so many ways this could have been good. I actually wanted it to be good, but realized quickly that was not to be. And with more and more of our creative content being produced and distributed online, I'm afraid this is going to be the case with more and more advertising responses as well. This is the sound of me sighing. *Sigh*

I know there are a bunch more recent examples of this, a few of them good, so I'll add more as time goes by. Stay tuned.