Kevin Budelmann is the President of Peopledesign, President of the Association of Professional Design Firms (APDF) and the author of Brand Identity Essentials.
Adaptation
A New Day for UICA
People will support what they help create.
That's a lesson Bob Vogele, one of my mentors, taught me -- and one I have tried to abide. Here's another: Darwin said that it's not just the fittest, but the most adaptable that survive. That's a lesson we all need to abide.
These principles go well beyond logos, but were highlighted in one of my early identity projects for Herman Miller's SQA (Simple, Quick, Affordable) division. The bold SQA mark I worked with Steve Frykholm to develop was a great opportunity for adding imagery to substitute the Q shape with any round object that helped tell a story or otherwise express the brand attributes of the playful company.
Steve and I weren't the first designers to substitute a picture for a letter, but I was intrigued with how quickly doing so grew beyond us. I don't think we were finished with the first meeting before our client was already dreaming up new kinds of SQA-isms. Any round thing we could think of made a visual pun.
SQA isn't around any more, but the identity was very popular while it lasted. Various treatments for adapting the Q were used extensively in videos, calendars, and other promotional materials. The idea had a life well beyond what we conceived in our original sketches.
I was reminded again of the value of co-creation a few years ago when Peopledesign was asked to develop a logo for ArtPrize. Based on Calder's iconic sculpture, we deliberately built some playful variations into the mark, and developed collateral, signage systems, and merchandise. Even so, we never anticipated the power and energy of individual contributors to build on what we had done. The logo appeared on homemade t-shirts and hats, spray-painted on streets and buildings, recreated in ice sculptures, foam and more. It was delightful. Clearly this enthusiasm was largely for the event itself, but it became very rewarding to see such a public display of graphic adaptation. It helped build and audience and launch the brand.
I remembered these lessons when we had a chance to help UICA refresh its brand identity this year. UICA (The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts) is moving into a new facility this summer, which is an enormous opportunity to propel the organization forward. We worked with the UICA team to develop a strategic framework for maximizing the potential its brand, including a review of their graphic identity.
UICA is all about discovery: What's new, what's next, what's emerging. It's about being accessible, but pushing boundaries -- even pushing buttons. We wanted to build an identity program that would be both current and lasting. The new UICA identity needs to be extendible into new media horizons, able to adapt to change -- with help from the organization's constituents.
We felt that for brand identities, what's needed most these days is not an untouchable, precious logo, but rather a toolbox, advice and some cheerleading. This is what we have built for UICA. We're proud to help announce the public unveiling of their new graphic identity.
I don't know if the new UICA logotype will garner the same kind of public involvement as others we've designed, but I hope so. UICA thrives on participation. Your participation. UICA is an incredible resource for people in West Michigan and beyond. Their move to the new building is a chance to revisit our assumptions and look at things anew.
UICA expands our horizons. Reframing what's possible is a vital first step towards adaptation, and ultimately, survival. The West Michigan community needs to continue to learn, to rediscover what's possible, and help define what's next. UICA is one of those organizations that help us open our eyes, co-create, and adapt to our changing world.
Adaptation and co-creation go hand in hand. We're in this together, with UICA as one of our many platforms for growth.
The dude abides.
Images courtesy of Peopledesign.
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