D.S.M Studio Visit & Workshop

Today we were introduced to Steve and John from the multidiscipline design studio Design Something More In a short introduction, they explained that they had both studied at University then worked together at Elmwood. It was here that they decided they wanted to build on their own strengths and form a new studio.

A lot of their inspiration came from the book 'Why Brands Need Your Help' - a book about why brands are evil.

Following on from this and their shared interest for branding, they began to think about how brands can be improved or made better.

D.S.M believe that a brand stands for something. Brands can be about getting behind a cause but alternatively about a person and the best brands have a good ethic in their core.

"Brands which are a wonderful experience, make our lives better."


How many brands are not actually wonderful experiences? 

Examples of reinvented/ new approaches to branding:

• GOV.UK website
• Movember
• Henry Ford
• Apple

archive.wired.com - Apple Branding

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At the end of their introduction, we were presented with the brief....

BRIEF:
'The Ministry of Wonderful'
We want you to re-think the brands of today and make them better.

We took a lucky dip to determine which of the following subjects we were to focus on:

• Train Operator
• Water Suppier
• Retirement Home
• Library
• City Council
• Recycling Scheme

I got the topic of recycling.

Define..Create..Build

Part 1: Define

What should it stand for?
Why should it exist?
Why should people care?
What makes it different?
Big idea
Name
What you stand for

Part 2: Create
What does it look like?
What does it sound like?
What does it do?

Part 3: Build
Make stuff that is relevant
(think beyond business cards)
Create something from scratch - don't re-build an existing brand. Just use these as a point of reference and research.

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Interim Crit: 24th November
Final Deadline: This Year (date TBC)