If the world does not come to a cataclysmic end in 2012—and the jury's still out on that—then we'll all be around to enjoy the London Olympics. You may remember the Beijing closing ceremonies, where 20,000 fresh-faced Chinese acrobats magically ascended into the clouds. Later, the London contingent arrived: some aging rock stars riding in a tour bus with parasols. That's the way I remember it anyway. The point being that London couldn't hold a candle to the spectacle that was Beijing. I was a little embarrassed for London that night, but I've had some time to reflect.

China was trying to impress the world and it did so in grand fashion. London, it seems, was telling the world who it was, who it really was—rock stars, parasols and all. After all, the Brits have a reputation for being a bit eccentric, so why not play on that? Well they have, in a big way.

First, there is the London 2012 logo. Graphically speaking, it's a train wreck. It's a jumble of abstract shapes which one blogger described as "Lisa Simpson doing something naughty."  But in it's own primitive way it conveys the eccentricity and energy of the host city. And then there are Wenlock and Mandeville, the Olympic mascots who I describe as part Gumby, part bowling pin.

Will all of this come together to create a great and memorable Olympics? I'm not sure, but one thing is certain, it'll be fun!

I recently received a copy of a 305-page book that I, with pleasure, spent hours working on while I was a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology and graduate assistant at the Melbert B. Cary, Jr. Graphic Arts Collection. The book is entitled A Specimen Portfolio of Wood Type in the Cary Collection.

The book showcases over 250 reproductions of original wood type block prints, each displaying a typeface that was created more than 180 years ago for commercial advertising. My job was to digitally reproduce the original wood type block prints and lay out all the pages, with help from a fellow student. Though daunting at times, it gave me the opportunity to study and ultimately fall in love with over 250 wood type specimens.

What strikes me about these letterforms is their unique ability to survive. And by survive, I mean not only did they manage successfully to endure decades of technological developments within the design and printing industries—which potentially could have rendered them utterly useless—but they have managed to become a significant source of inspiration for modern designs. So much so, that many of these typefaces not only exist today, but still contain complete sets of characters with not one letter lost along the way.

In order to remain as intact as they have over the past 180 years, many individuals had to dedicate time and effort to ensure these wood type blocks were kept in use. Knowing now what I do about these letterforms, it is clear to me why so many have chosen to champion them.  Every letterform has a striking personality with a unique story. Each one proudly shows its history through the imperfections it has earned overtime, leaving behind an impressive imprint both on the printed page and the minds of many who have been inspired by them.

For me, this book serves as a reminder to stay dedicated to collecting, preserving and passing along designs and related materials that I find inspirational. It also begs the question, “What can we create today that can survive for the next 180 years?”

I was ruminating on a frustration that every designer worth his salt wrestles with from time to time—the need to cram more and more and more stuff into space that just ain't gettin' any bigger. While some folks may like the challenge of shoehorning as much "content" into a given field as possible—mortising like Inca stone masons to fill every nook, every cranny, there are those of us for whom the apex of brilliant design was reached when the Beatles emblazoned the cover of their so-called "white album" with... absolutely nothing. This reminded me of the design aesthetic of a record label I got to know as a DJ at the college radio station a very long time ago—Swiss label, I think, called HatHut—that had a beautiful and distinctive, minimalist style.

The music was generally pretty cool, but it's the album covers (yes, we're talking LPs here) that have stuck with me. They had a single, consistent visual treatment that was disarmingly simple yet elegant and arresting. As I recall, they featured enigmatic black and white photos cropped in unexpected ways (or sometimes no photo at all), with very, very simple typographic arrangements (Helvetica 55, flush left, one color—a straight orange, pale blue, maybe a grey or reversed out of the photo). There was a clear synergy-cum-corollary with the austerity, angularity, and abstraction of the music inside the package ('80s Euro avant-garde jazz and art music). Swiss modernism pushed to the extreme, these designs could very well have come off as naive or unfinished, but the apparent simplicity instead made them so haunting that I remember them well some 20 years later. The utter absence of anything extraneous made these covers so memorable—and in successful marketing communications too, distilling an idea to its essence can lead to greater clarity and even moving communication. Prudent editing is a crucial aspect of the craft — whether we're talking layout and design, copywriting, or any of many other disciplines (i.e. music, painting, literature, architecture). To increase the likelihood of a successful exchange of ideas, it behooves one to know when to say when, and it's our job to know when successful messaging is compromised by "too much stuff."

Anyway, just as the jazz label Blue Note had an iconic look in the '50s and '60s that was emblematic of its times, the HatHut remain for me a gorgeous lot fixed in time. Seek them out at your local record store...on vinyl.

p.s. Turns out they're still around. www.hathut.com.

The death of former Washington Bullets (now Wizards) player Manute Bol on June 19th has generated a lot of media attention. He is remembered not so much for his on-court accomplishments as for his commitment to fund the construction of hospitals in his homeland of Sudan. The depth of his generosity is enhanced by the fact that he delayed treatment of a serious kidney ailment in order to oversee the construction of one of those facilities. It has also been reported that he died virtually penniless.

To my knowledge, Bol did little to publicize his good works. But now through the power of the media, his accomplishments are known around the world. His dedication and activism inspired others to spread the good word. In a world of jazzed-up messages and outrageous claims, the life of Manute Bol speaks to us in a different voice—one of authenticity and humility.

I recently read about the latest crop of NBA players chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They were big stars of course, whose names I should remember. I'm embarrassed to say that I've forgotten them. I won't forget Manute Bol.

I was late for work today but that's okay. I stood in line in blistering heat for 3.5 hours today but that's okay, too. I now have in my possession a shiny new black iPhone 4^®. I ordered it on June 15, the first day Apple^® started accepting pre-orders. This morning, I proudly joined about 120 members of my tribe's subgroup—the pre-order folks—that stood alongside the other 400 or so general tribe members outside the Apple store in Bethesda, Maryland. I patiently waited to add to my collection of Apple products which includes an iPad^™ and MacBook^® Pro. Am I crazy? No. I am just a passionate believer in a company that consistently turns out innovative technology that makes my life easier and more enjoyable. Apple is not perfect and I don't expect it to be. But, I have faith that they will fix whatever glitches come up. Seth Godin, you'd be proud of me. I'm actively recruiting tribal members. Just ask my co-workers. If I have my way, we'll all be communicating via iPhone 4 soon.

As I stood in the 100-degree heat, I couldn't help marveling over how Apple has the ability to create this amazing buzz over a phone—and lead people to camp out to get to one!

Fixation proudly continues with our sponsorship of Sam Lippman's Large Show Roundtable (LSR). The latest event was held in St. Louis and included cocktails with the Budweiser Clydesdales. As promised, we're sharing the second installment of our 10 for '10 marketing tips (distributed as a handout to the St. Louis LSR participants).

We've offered some sound advice and tactics in response to the anxiety-producing trend of prospective attendees waiting to register until only a few weeks out from the event. Fear not! End-of-campaign strategies can boost both exhibit and attendance numbers in the final weeks before your show.

This week as we were brainstorming ideas for IAAPA Asian Attractions Expo 2011's creative look and tagline, we were pleased to see CEO Charlie Bray and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions receive some well-deserved recognition for having established a truly global presence.

As Charlie points out, many associations are "International" in name only. When it comes to branding their tradeshows, they haven't really decided whether they will be a U.S. tradeshow with some international attendance, or an international tradeshow that happens to take place in the U.S.-and be able to back up the claim. A few years ago, IAAPA told us they wanted to be unequivocally the latter. It has been our challenge to help them strategize and enact a series of tactics to boost their international attendance without breaking the bank on international marketing.

The first step-as always!-has to be researching and targeting the right mailing lists. Another thing IAAPA gets right, and that's tantamount to going global, is a good relationship with a good translation company. They use the same team of translators year after year so those folks are very familiar with the industry's terminology and with the IAAPA Attractions Expo. A separate challenge is deciding what to translate. In recent years, focusing on digital initiatives (like targeted emails to unique international communities and a digital conference brochure that is web accessible) has really helped expand IAAPA's reach. Last year's show, in fact, saw record international attendance.

Congratulations, IAAPA!

We all know it's important to start the day off right with a good breakfast. So, too, I believe, it's important to start the work day off on the right note. In the design studio, we begin each day by opening up iTunes and selecting the 1985 power ballad hit "What About Love" by the incomparable rock band Heart.

It has become such a strong tradition that we politely wait for the entire design team to assemble before cranking it up. If someone falters and forgets to play the song, we miss it; a heavy absence hangs in the air. The song is a checkered flag indicating the start of the work day. It's a musical ice breaker, a way to keep things light, and a promise that the day holds good things.

I'm not sure who started the tradition, but it quickly stuck. I think, in part, it's because the song starts off slow and dreamy and ends up loud and fast—kind of like a typical day in the design studio. It also may have something to do with the fact that the lyrics are just about pitch perfect and meaningful.

"I can't tell you what you're feeling inside, and I can't sell you what you don't want to buy…"

Very appropriate given the nature of our business don't you think?

Watch the video now.

Say your show is eight weeks out and the attendees who have the right job titles and work for the right companies are committed. In other words, the buyers you would expect to see at your show plan on being at your show. Now is not the time to simply splash around in the shallow end. You’ve got eight weeks! Why not dive into the deep end of the prospect pool and really drive up your registration numbers! It’s a worthwhile exercise—not just for the sake of spreadsheets and statistics, but for the relevancy and longevity of your event.

One of our clients, the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), has been working on building their new prospect base for a few years now in an effort to attract fresh faces and evolve their annual HPBExpo as the leading indoor-outdoor living showcase. HPBExpo 2010 in Orlando took place last month and, for the third consecutive year, new prospect numbers increased. In addition to retailers and sales reps, HPBExpo is a draw for more and more home builders, remodelers and designers; propane retailers and other service providers; landscape architects and outdoor room specialists; and anyone who stands to benefit from having product knowledge of the very latest hearth appliances, grills, outdoor room features…you get the idea. While these new attendees may not all be direct buyers, they certainly have direct influence on consumers and end users—the very homeowners who will be purchasing their way to an indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

How did HPBExpo do it? Through direct and targeted marketing efforts, special promotions, advertisements in trade publications and regional outreach, they were able to find and attract new attendees. A good place to start is with the “drive in” audience—those who live/work within a 300 to 350 mile driving range of the event's location. The cost to this group would be minimal, especially if you offer them goodies like free exhibit passes, special webinars, education sessions focused on their business, etc. The possibilities are endless—you just have to jump in and start swimming. And don't be afraid to go after individuals. In today's world of social media and customizable marketing it's more about having a conversation with your audience, speaking to them directly instead of as part of a segment. It’s easy to do and the tools to do it are readily available.

Here's something to keep in mind: new attendees attract new exhibitors and new exhibitors keep your attendees coming back year after year. That's a tradeshow tidalwave you want to be caught in!

Like is the new Fan. So, what’s the big deal? We found this article helpful in sorting out what all the recent Facebook changes mean for individuals and companies alike.

What you should know about Facebook's changes

Basically, Like doesn’t just live on Facebook anymore; it’s all over the web. That bears repeating: ALL OVER THE WEB. Facebook is branching out to enhance social connections and organize information on the Internet according to interests and preferences. So, now, if someone Likes your company, organization or event on Facebook, that action (that recommendation) has the potential to influence the Internet search and browsing results for that certain someone, all of their Facebook friends, their friends’ friends and so on.
 
New Thumbs Up icons are already popping up on heavily visited sites like CNN.com. Read an article. If you Like it, you can click the Thumbs Up icon and Recommend it. Your friends will know you like it, Facebook will know, CNN will know, everyone else who gave the article a Thumbs Up will know…You see where this is going. Fun, fast and far-reaching, Facebook is marshalling us into the future of the Internet.
 
We’ll certainly be staying on top of the latest metrics and trends so that we are putting the new Facebook to use effectively for our clients, and ourselves. But when it comes to an increased capacity to build brand awareness, reach more customers and draw traffic to your website or online communities—what’s not to like?