Posters: the Bread of the Earth

THE DESIGNFUL COMPANY by Marty Neumeier is a compelling study of 21st century concepts of innovation, design management and business ethics. His third book is a manifesto on building a company based upon the pillars of vision, culture, and innovation. However he uses “posters and toasters” as part of a larger metaphor for 20th century design thinking. Most companies generate a steady stream of quotidian design materials—products, print communications, websites, signage, retail environments, packaging, trade show exhibits, advertising manuals, financial reports—the “toasters and posters” of the 20th century. While it’s true successful organizations and businesses in order to succeed must embrace sustainable thinking from the inside out it is also true that poster art remains a timeless medium for purposes of political incitement, biting wit and a proving ground for the power of metaphors. Literate artists and designers know poster luminaries such as John Heartfield, Hannah Hoch, AM Cassandre, Ben Shahn, and in Israel, Yossi Lemel. Posters are not afterthoughts from a century passed—they are the bread of the earth. Aficionados and anyone else with an interest in large-scale graphic expression should study the largest poster archive in digital space: Rene Wanner’s Poster Page.

Why don’t you attach a face to your story?

I CONTINUE TO BE AMAZED by the number of Facebook and Twitter users who remain faceless. Do you get annoyed when you do a search and see a very long line of anonymous silhouettes who can’t speak? In the last few months I’ve also been in a few scuffles with people who see no use for social networks. This is probably the fate of the faceless, they tried and then gave up. Perhaps it’s time to stop extolling the real benefits of electronic communities and work on my digital makeup. After all why worry about faces if there’s no story, no vision, no history, no values, no promises. Argue with me but I’m not sure there’s any value in tweeting the virtues of getting out of a cold shower, shaving under your arms with a new razor, (unless it was the best experience of your life and you name your brand) or taking the dog for a walk. I’m jealous of the Michelin Man, his face is so simple, so smooth, and so recognizable. Most important, Michelin Man represents a very compelling story every time the rubber meets the road. The moral of this story–Who are you, Why do you tweet and, Why is it important? Marty Neumeier has taught me more about storytelling than anyone I can think of. Here are three of Neumeier’s books well worth the read. The Brand Gap, Zag, and The Designful Company.