Sagmeister's video on happy design was really good. It makes me think that maybe one day I'll be happy designing and maybe not always so stressed out about it. He makes everything seem so simple and enjoyable. I think the reason Sagmeister is so popular is the way he enjoys design and enjoys life and you can tell that he is happy because it radiates off of him. He doesn't let things complicate his life.
The article by Sagmeister was about how design can affect people in a good way and have a good cause and can make people happy.
The thing that really caught my eye is how companies give a small portion of money to charities (even though it looks like a really big portion to us) and then spend double that on telling the world how they are so charitable. I don't understand why they couldn't give the rest of that money to the charity and let the good deed speak for itself. I agree with him about celebrities though about how they are not trying to just up their status by campaigning for charities. I recently saw a lot of stars campaigning for Haiti, big stars that don't need anymore fame and money like Julia Roberts and Morgan Freeman. I think that these stars just campaign because they know they have the star power and want to use it in a good way. Maybe it makes them feel more valid, or really just does bring happiness.
Sagmeister's article:
How to be good?
Well, does help by definition have to be selfless? Am I allowed to get something out of myself? If I do help, am I permitted to have fun while doing so?
I read an interview with an art director in England discussing his award winning campaign ad campaign for an association for the blind, featuring a striking image of a guide dog with human eyes stripped in.
He mentioned that he knew that a picture of a cute puppy would have raised more donations for the association, but was more interested in winning awards. He had no problems with this attitude.
When GE gives 10 million to the WTC victim families, is it ok for them to look good for doing so?
Or, a more extreme case: Is it ok for Philip Morris to go and give 60 million to help out various charities and then spend another 108 million promoting this good deed in magazine ads?
If you are homeless and you just got a hot meal from St. Johns in Brooklyn, one of the organizations the money went to, you don’t really give a shit if the people who gave it to you tout their own horn afterwards.
Even though it really is a ridiculous case, isn’t it still preferable to blowing the entire 168 million on a regular ad budget?
And: Why are so many celebrities involved in charities?
Five years ago, my feeling was they just wanted to promote their careers. Now I am somewhat less cynical. It is conceivable that many simply came to realize the pursuit of money/fame/success does not hold the contentment it promised and are on the lookout for more significance.
Well, does help by definition have to be selfless? Am I allowed to get something out of myself? If I do help, am I permitted to have fun while doing so?
I read an interview with an art director in England discussing his award winning campaign ad campaign for an association for the blind, featuring a striking image of a guide dog with human eyes stripped in.
He mentioned that he knew that a picture of a cute puppy would have raised more donations for the association, but was more interested in winning awards. He had no problems with this attitude.
When GE gives 10 million to the WTC victim families, is it ok for them to look good for doing so?
Or, a more extreme case: Is it ok for Philip Morris to go and give 60 million to help out various charities and then spend another 108 million promoting this good deed in magazine ads?
If you are homeless and you just got a hot meal from St. Johns in Brooklyn, one of the organizations the money went to, you don’t really give a shit if the people who gave it to you tout their own horn afterwards.
Even though it really is a ridiculous case, isn’t it still preferable to blowing the entire 168 million on a regular ad budget?
And: Why are so many celebrities involved in charities?
Five years ago, my feeling was they just wanted to promote their careers. Now I am somewhat less cynical. It is conceivable that many simply came to realize the pursuit of money/fame/success does not hold the contentment it promised and are on the lookout for more significance.
JJ Abram's also had an interesting Ted Talk. I just wish he would have shown us what the hell was in the box. But good speech on technology and how somethmes you don't alwayss need the best technology.
No comments:
Post a Comment