Our design organization, Spark, and the AIGA/NY (Association of Professional Design, New York Chapter) are coming together to host the AIGA’s first series of green events for graphic design on April 6th, 2010. As the current President of Spark and Director of Outreach for the AIGA’s Center for Sustainable Design, I will be moderating the panel discussion on “How to Lead Clients Towards Being Green.”

Aimed at principals of design firms and directors of new business, this conversation will dig into the sales process, and seeks to uncover  practices that firms large and small can implement to lead even the most ecologically unaware clients towards more sustainable practices.

The multidisciplinary trend spotting group, Trendincite Xchange, will be making a visit to MSLK’s studios this evening for a presentation and round table discussion on the future of social media. Trendincite Xchange is an independent group of professionals in the fashion and beauty industry who meet once a month to discuss trends they see emerging in product formulations, scents, colors, fabrics, materials, marketing, retail, and overall consumer behaviors. Participants include qualitative researchers, trend spotters, product developers, retailers, independent brands, and marketing professionals. If you’d like to join our round table group tonight, or in the future, please contact us at mslk@mslk.com.

Recently a friend posted a simple question on her Facebook status, “Over or Under?” The comments started flying and before she knew it, she had a full-on debate. The topic was as old as the product itself: Does your toilet paper roll come undone over the top, or under the bottom? The impetus for the question comes from the new “Roll Poll” campaign by Cottonelle.

In a move that is highly effective for today’s crowd-sourced market, Cottonelle is capitalizing on the enthusiasm consumers are experiencing over social media. Everyday users on social media websites like Facebook are completing questionnaires, quizzes and polls to share with their friends everything from what celebrity they look like, to movie knowledge, trivia questions, and beyond.

Last night’s Fashion Group International panel discussion was insightful and informative, with Sheri L Koetting successfully leading the panelists through a wide range of Social Media topics. Much light was shed on innovative techniques the panel used for their clients using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to turn strangers into fans, and fans into customers with a loyal following… and turning into sales.

Much like snowflakes, no two MSLK business cards are alike. The reason for this is simple: we use recycled paper as the base, and wrap pre-printed stickers around them. It’s all part of our firm’s environmental commitment, repurposing makereadies — the waste from offset printing — to use as business cards.

It’s an approach that caught the attention of Marc Praquin, designer, author, and publisher of the 288 page, full-color book, “MyOwnBusinessCard – VolumeOne”

I just read a fantastic article in Fast Company last night about creating systems within your organization which allow for spot-checking and quality control. All good stuff, and usually pretty dry stuff at that. I find that Chip & Dan Heath’s monthly articles are usually a good read, but whenever you can relate it back to David Lee Roth of Van Halen to illustrate your point, well… you’ll always have this reader’s attention.

Despite the frigid cold after a giant snowstorm, a glimpse of spring was in the air today as I walked by the Anthropologie flagship in Rockefeller Center. Their store window displays were not only spring-themed, they also have a wonderful eco-theme, too. They’re made from plastic bottles collected from their customers.

Please join us as MSLK CEO and co-founder, Sheri L. Koetting, moderates a talk about utilizing social media platforms to communicate with clients and customers. You will learn to maximize your brand’s social media exposure by creating measurable return on investment objectives.

Speakers include:
AnneMarie Frank, Director of Digital, E-commerce and Strategic Alliances, mark.
Frank O’Brien, Founder, Conversation
Chris Dessi, Director of Sales, Buddy Media

Presented by: The Fashion Group International and The Canadian Consulate General
Date: February 25th, 2010
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Location: The Canadian Consulate General, 1251 Avenue of the Americas

Please email me at ryan@mslk.com, and I will forward you a form if you wish to attend.

One commercial during last weekend’s Superbowl quieted our rowdy group and made me reflect upon how much Google has changed my life. The simple text-based story showed a screen grab of one young boy’s journey through adolescence into adulthood  as seen by his queries on Google. It reminded me how much of my life and what I do next is determined by those queries for everything from a dinner recipe, to show times, to travel info. This is why it is essential that part of your marketing efforts ensure that your website, promotional materials, and digital marketing plan lead your company to showing up on the queries potential customers are using most often when they go looking for firms just like yours. To do nothing means Google will be leading them to someone else.

Influenced by the economy, it seems that the eco message in the 2010 Superbowl was heavily downplayed this year. Gone were commercials of companies promoting their sustainable track records and making a difference. Instead there was very little green message at all, except this spot for the Audi A3 TDI® clean diesel. The notable message is, while other cars are stopped in traffic at an eco-check point, the Audi driver is allowed to pass on through. However, based on consumer reactions, the bigger take away seems to be, “There’s those eco-nuts again, overreacting about my garbage and getting in my business.”

After most of the hype has died-down regarding the iPad, days later I still find myself having extended discussions about the latest  Willy Wonka Steve Jobs creation with just about everyone. Being the tech-loving geek that I am, everyone has been asking for my thoughts about what the impact will be… on technology, on media, and on Apple. I  do not think that this warranted all the media attention and speculation devoted to something not due until April, but it’s captured everyone’s attention. So here are my thoughts…

This is the kind of design innovation we all should all be doing. Why can’t all our outdoor lighting be solar powered? It’s an even input to output exchange, no coal power should be expended.

From lanterns, to garland, and pathway lighting it looks like IKEA’s got you covered. Look for the items to enter stores near you this spring! If you see them let me know; I’ve got my eye on some myself.

Even though the season is behind us there’s still time for a quick recap of the best windows of 2009. Armed with a camera, a quick stroll proved that even in the middle of a recession, ’tis the season for glitz, glamor and whimsy on  5th Avenue.

What exactly does a graphic designer do? Recently MSLK was joined by nine third- through fifth-graders looking to discover what it means to have a career in graphic design. Students at the Beginning with Children Foundation Senior Academy Program sign up for a field of study they are interested in each semester. As part of the BwCF program they  then visit a related professional office for a tour and presentation by a professional from that industry. MSLK was asked to host the children currently taking a course in Digital Art and discuss what goes into developing a design.

Spark, the design association MSLK helped found, had a banner year in 2009 whose highlights included:

- Launching a new San Francisco chapter
- Press features in a number of industry magazines
- Filing for 501(c) non-profit status
- Increased membership

Above all, it’s the incredible talent of the members — especially our steering committee — who make being a part of this association such a fantastic experience. Fittingly, our annual party at NYC’s Vig bar was no less of a success, as well, bringing together members, guest speakers from throughout the year, as well as the vendors who have helped made our projects possible.

The October issue of Graphic Design USA was dedicated to green design, and featured MSLK prominently:

- Page 20 turns its attention to our project Watershed, with a quote from Sheri Koetting about our eco art installation.

- Page 45 runs an agency profile about MSLK with an interview with Sheri and I speaking about the ways in which MSLK is a green design firm, and why.

We’ve re-run the interview after the jump…

Sheri and I just got back from a trip today to Wisconsin, visiting the folks at Wigwam to discuss the new marketing materials we’re developing for them.

Having been to the Milwaukee airport more than a few times, I’ve grown accustomed to a few routines: the best airline (Midwest), the best time to fly (avoid late outbound flights in winter), the best place to rent a car (Avis), and the best morning coffee after the plane ride. Sadly, this had always been Starbucks, as I hate Starbucks coffee — too bitter, too expensive, and too ubiquitous. (Sorry, Sheri).

Yet the choices at the Milwaukee airport were always much worse, and the caffeine junkie in me is not always rational… a fix is a fix.

That’s why in my post-flight fog, as I approached the familiar kiosk area in the terminal,  I did a double-take: had Starbucks been replaced by some funky indie coffee shop named Alterra?

Today is the first day of the United Nations Climate Change Conference. For the next 11 days representatives from 170 countries accompanied by non-governmental organizations, journalists, business representatives, and personal enthusiast totaling an estimated 8,000 people are gathering to advocate reform to prevent global warming and climate changes. We met some of these advocates back in September during the UN’s Climate Week when they were beginning their rally cry.

One of the efforts to raise awareness and support for this global effort is grass roots effort called “Hopenhagen”. The people behind Hopenhagen are volunteers  from the International Advertising Association, advertising, marketing and communications industries who have donated their time and resources to do what they do best, create an awareness campaign. Through this campaign, they hope to, “Connect every person, every city, and every nation to Copenhagen. To give everyone hope, and a platform from which to act. To create a grassroots movement that’s powerful enough to influence change.”

MSLK’s AIGA award arrived last week in a most unusual form: as a stool.

A shallow USPS Flat Rate Box containing confetti, five pieces of particle board, and a sheet containing brief 3-step instructions was all there was. This was a bit of a head scratcher at first, yet the instructions explained the following:

“Tasked with designing and manufacturing 26 awards for the 2009 AIGA (Re)Design Awards, cypher13 teamed up with Rocket-fly to create a sustainably-minded and eco-friendly award. Desiring to design an award that would prove useful, be fun to interact with, and that could not be deemed a waste of time, materials, and energy, cypher13 and Rocket-fly settled on the notion of a stool. With Their only real design limitation being size due to the awards having to ship in flat rate USPS boxes(12″ x 12″ x 5.5″), a flatpack design was chosen.”

I can’t say exactly when, but there came a time when the old MSLK website no longer suited our needs as a company. After nearly ten years of gradual evolution, the site seemed fine to most casual visitors. However, as our range of services expanded, we were finding the need to tell increasingly complex stories about our work. On top of that, we were fielding calls from new prospects asking us about our capabilities… things we thought we had been clearly stated online, yet clearly were not.

Looking back, there were clear signs that we were adding patches to the site to try and show more than just the end-result of the work. And these signs all pointed to us being the proverbial shoemaker’s children: branding experts who excelled in creating innovative online experiences for others (just don’t look at our site). In December 09 we started to think about what was needed for us to lead by example. We knew it would be an immense endeavor, and require a sustained commitment of nearly everyone in our studio.

And it did.