Articles
- Jaguar, Intuit, and Riff Show Why Bold Design Beats Bland Branding
Distinctive, bold design choices like Jaguar's and Intuit's rebrands demonstrate that memorable, character-driven design can shift perceptions and create stronger brand recognition in a crowded market.
- LAIKA built a 13-foot mansion by hand, and the crowds are the point
The shift towards valuing human craftsmanship over AI-driven efficiency highlights an emerging trend where customers are willing to pay a premium for authenticity and unique, handmade experiences.
- Walter the AI reporter told Alaska: “I’m not a person.” Space Daily made one up.
AI-generated content risks eroding trust when misrepresented by fake personas, highlighting the importance of transparency and clear labeling to maintain credibility in digital media.
- LG’s OLED TVs recorded audio after being unplugged from the internet
LG's OLED TVs recording audio even when disconnected highlights the critical need for transparency in data collection practices to maintain customer trust and avoid damaging brand reputation.
- The Real Work Happens Outside Product Frameworks
Labels often obscure true work dynamics, urging leaders to focus on situational behaviors and conditions that influence team interactions for more effective project staffing and decision-making.
- Samplize: warm paint colors hit 69.4% of tested samples, deep warm tones growing fastest
The growing preference for warm, deep paint colors reflects a broader trend towards creating tactile, human-centered experiences, challenging design leaders to rethink their approach to color and narrative.
- Novo dropped "Nordisk" because it is losing the obesity market to Lilly
Novo's rebranding strategy highlights the shift towards addressing business problems through design, emphasizing the need for identity work to bridge revenue gaps and enhance consumer connection.
- North Face won Best Design by letting disabled athletes edit prototypes with Post-it notes
North Face's award-winning design approach, involving disabled athletes in prototype feedback using Post-it notes, highlights the value of user-driven design for creating accessible, successful products.
- Apple's iPhone Duo trails on specs and won the launch on one animation
Apple's iPhone Duo demonstrates that a compelling user experience, highlighted by a single impactful animation, can drive consumer interest and differentiate products even when hardware specs are comparable.
- Guinness modernized its logo by swapping one letter for its harp
Guinness's logo update demonstrates that leveraging existing brand elements can modernize a heritage brand without losing recognition, offering a strategic approach for design and UX leaders.
- IKEA built nine pieces of Xbox furniture instead of running an ad
IKEA and Apple demonstrate that investing in unique, tangible experiences and products can capture consumer attention more effectively than traditional advertising, emphasizing the value of human craftsmanship and functional design.
- Calendly dropped the calendar from its logo because 13 years of name recognition let it
Rebrands like Calendly's shift focus from category cues to emotional resonance, highlighting the importance of name recognition and authentic connections in brand strategy.
- Instagram: “script reflects individuality.” The internet read the new logo as “Instagzam.
Instagram's logo update underscores the importance of a clear rationale and holistic identity system, emphasizing that design changes must reflect deeper values to withstand public scrutiny.
- DNCO on Vermont: 79% like it, 15% will visit, so they stopped selling escape
DNCO's shift from selling escape to promoting active experiences in Vermont highlights the importance of addressing behavior gaps for effective brand strategy, impacting how product and design leaders approach customer engagement.
- When the Product Is a Feeling, Sell the Feeling
Designing experiences that convey the emotional essence of a product can enhance customer engagement and understanding, transforming abstract concepts into tangible, relatable experiences that resonate with audiences.
- AI Companies Are Buying Personality, Not Just Models
Recent acquisitions highlight the growing importance of personality in AI products, suggesting that a product's voice and character can differentiate it in a competitive market where technical capabilities are increasingly similar.
- Your best ideas are dying in the self-edit
Creating an environment where bold ideas thrive requires rethinking meeting structures, normalizing failure, and modeling rest, to unlock the full creative potential of your team.
- AI Can Draw Your Screen. It Can't Draw This.
AI's ability to quickly generate polished interfaces shifts the focus for design teams from aesthetics to crafting memorable, interactive experiences that engage users emotionally and intellectually, driving deeper customer connections.
- The materials are changing, and so is who does the work
Innovative materials and experiential design approaches are reshaping product development by embedding intelligence in physical forms and encouraging user interaction, reducing reliance on traditional sensors and scripted experiences.
- The napkin logo raised $125m. Here's why the mess is the point.
Embracing imperfection and unique brand elements can differentiate products in saturated markets, as demonstrated by Granola's success with a handwritten logo, highlighting the value of authenticity over conformity.
