Just a quick walk through of the LG exhibit at CTIA 2009 in lovely Las Vegas. I’m going to have to give the LG display the infamous Mobo Media nod for having the most aesthetically pleasing booth at CTIA. It also gets the award for biggest booth by a major handset manufacturer (not sure of actual sq. ft.; just eye-balling).  I know Santa Ana, CA’s Powerwave had a much larger exhibit complete with one of only seven (I think I heard that correctly) full-motion, virtual reality Formula 1 simulators in the world but they’re in a different category altogether (Note: their booth was just as big last year and while the vast majority of CTIA exhibitors downsized, Powerwave maintained sq. ft. and location).

I took some pics of noteworthy features and posted them via Twitpic. I’ll get those up on the site soon. I think my ADD kicked in as I walked by the wall of new Xenon’s and I neglected to post a pic of those sexy handsets that occupied a large piece of LG property. Click here to read Nicole Lee’s review of the Xenon on CNET.

I’ll be posting a couple more vids of Michael Bay doing a promo for Transformers (LG was involved with Transformers 2) and the new LG “Transformers” Handset (looks weak).

Full Disclosure: I am half Korean but I assure you that my ethnicity in no way biased my write-up of LG or it’s display. Did I mention Samsung’s exhibit? I kid, I kid. I own two Fords and a Yamaha and have a Blackberry. There!

Note: please forgive the out-of-frame shots. I was using my new Flip MinoHD for the first time and am still getting used to framing my self.

In the time it take to count to 3, you may have either successfully sold your potential client, or lost them amidst the crowd of your competitors.

Tic. Tock.

Tic. Tock.

Tic. Tock.

Three seconds.

That’s all you’ve really got to make the sale.

Source: The Irresistible Offer: How to Sell Your Product or Service in 3 Seconds or Less (Amazon Link)

I read this great post on Design Sojurn and was immediately struck by that phrase which was the premise of their post. As a designer, it is my job to create visually impacting work that engages the viewer and captures their attention. The writers over at Design Sojurn made a list of how they think you can successfully capture your market’s attention and I think it’s pretty darn good:

1) Create a Unique Design Identity
2) Strategic Designs that Communicate
3) Only Winning Designs may Apply
4) Not Just a Wow Factor, but a Meaningful Wow Factor
5) Consistency is the Key to Prosperity

This is a great list, but I’d like to add a couple more bullets to that list.

Hit the jump to find out what they are!

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Look, I won’t spend too much time talking about the editorial cartoon in the New York Post with the chimpanzee. I’m assuming it was a blatant error in judgment on the artist’s and EIC’s part. If it wasn’t an error in judgment than it was out-and-out racism. I hesitate to even post the cartoon as I feel it’s some sort of endorsement but this article won’t make much since if I don’t. Click here for the cartoon.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ve all heard the colloquialism “can’t see the forest for the trees.” This little quip usually refers to someone focusing on some small detail and as a result, loses site of the bigger picture. I used to be in the Army and on my first trip to Iraq, I found myself telling my Soldiers that they needed to remember that our operations were part of the bigger picture (strategic versus tactical for you military types). “Sir, why aren’t we moving on Mr. X” or why don’t we apply more pressure to this area.” It’s tough to remember that you’re part of a big machine when it seems you’re doing most of the grunt work.

Now that I’m in the creative world and far removed from the Army, the same principles and colloquialisms are still relevant. When developing a product for a client, whether it be a logo, packaging, marketing collateral, or a company polo shirt, one has to be mindful of the strategic or bigger picture. What are the mores and norms of a given industry, a client’s target market, or the region in which that TV spot will air? Don’t just think about what the client’s asked for or needs but apply those requests against a template comprised of relevant external factors (SWOT anyone?). Maybe if the artist had thought about the strategic backdrop, he* would’ve realized that his caption and the image of the chimpanzee might lead the readers to an almost unavoidable realization. Keep that in mind next time you’re working a project for a client not only to avoid a negative out come but to possibly stumble upon an extremely positive one. See the forest AND the trees.

*In the interest of time and space, I use “he” as a general term rather than try to use “he/she”, “he or she”, “him or her”, etc. I’m paraphrasing from Guy Kawasaki here but don’t look for a problem where none exists.

Couple of shirts made/received for the Twestival LA event!

Hit the jump for the full sized views!

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