January 27th

Design Thinking: Pages X–25, 34–73, 92–101

“Stop pretending there’s a difference between “online” and “real life”. Every aspect of our lives has an online component.”

Annalee Newitz

This quote from Annalee Newitz from page 18 of Designing Brand Identity stuck out to me while I was completing the assigned reading for the week. I believe that what Newitz is stating is a great representation of how the world of design, creativity, and even social life has become infected with digital influence. Not only has online social interaction eclipsed that of face-to-face communication, but the way that one sees and views creativity.

When speaking directly regarding the customer experience, the author constantly reminds us that the brand sellers need to advance their thinking past profit and sales, but instead to curate unique experiences. New ways to create experiences attract new customers, and new customers bring loyalty and diversity to your brand and company. Today, in order to achieve such success with experience for a brand, technology must be involved.

While I may challenge Annalee’s statement regarding the absence of difference between “online” and “real life”, I do understand the important point that she exclaims in which every aspect of a human’s life is somewhat derived or lifted from technology. Experiences, the art of designing a related moment that offers a unique opportunity for the consumer, is practically impossible today without the use of online resources. In order to successfully build a brand, one must accept the role of technology in the 21st century, but also acknowledge that an aspect of an online presence will be needed to be successful.