http://blog.sx2.com An SX2 Blog Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:12:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Branding is not about pressing white-hot, twisted metal into the hide of young cattle, marking them for ownership. Nor is it about a trademark, a logo or a symbol — these are linking devices that promote continuity and connection between entities. Real branding is about defining, establishing and maintaining a ... http://blog.sx2.com/2011/10/03/brands-are-relationships/ As our sons begin to think about college and careers, we thought this would be an opportunity to provide some advice to all recent graduates, in particular design grads. This is the time for them to ask themselves some difficult questions, the answers to which quite possibly could change the ... http://blog.sx2.com/2011/08/24/begin-at-the-very-beginning/ While managing creative people is a challenge to be embraced with courage, the concept is akin to the contemporary definition of an oxymoron, ideas working at cross purposes. Part of that challenge is to recognize that creativity is just as much a natural resource as oil, gold and ... http://blog.sx2.com/2011/05/12/managing-creative-people/ Premise: Think of content as a noun and context as a verb, one an object, the other the action. They are dependent on one another for meaning and direction. Position: There is no real, measurable or meaningful content without a complete appreciation and understanding of its context. Marshall McLuhan stated that ... http://blog.sx2.com/2011/02/16/no-content-without-context/ Control is an illusion. Plans are intrinsically flawed. Perfection is unattainable. These are facts that become more acceptable as we age. Not acceptable to the point that we stop attempting to pursue them, but we do come to accept their inevitability. So why does anyone seek to control events, implement detailed plans and ... http://blog.sx2.com/2010/12/28/an-unexpected-gift/ England and America are two countries separated by a common language. When Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw put his finger on our unique cultural paradox he identified a symptom, not a virus. The same condition can be seen among individuals. While there are no absolutes, some tend to see things as ... http://blog.sx2.com/2010/11/01/common-knowledge/ Lawyers will often “protect” their clients by telling them to say NO to risk. You can’t fail, lose your shirt or your job if you say NO and don’t do anything. Who knows what will happen if you say YES? Nobody. Who knows what will happen if you say NO? Everybody, ... http://blog.sx2.com/2010/09/02/easy-to-say-no/ Design belongs to me. When LensCrafters advertises a sale on the newest trends in designer eye wear, they are taking from me. Every time Time magazine runs its column about design issues, they are challenging my ownership and usurping my authority. MINE. The manufacturers of “designer” sheets, towels, toilet brushes, “designer” ... http://blog.sx2.com/2010/06/24/i-own-design-me/ True courage is more than doing what we know is right. It’s doing what we think is right. Knowing is about collective agreement: it’s obvious to everyone what should be done. Heroism in battle, a rescue from a burning building or overcoming insurmountable odds are all examples of big “C” Courage. ... http://blog.sx2.com/2010/05/11/courage-with-a-small-%e2%80%9cc%e2%80%9d/ Have you heard about the proposed tax on the premium heath care plans for executives and members of large unions? Economists suggest by applying the collected tax from such plans to a universal heath care plan, the cost of quality care can be dramatically reduced for everyone. These same economists explain ... http://blog.sx2.com/2010/03/18/cadillac-tax/