Thoughts from ex-Creative Director of Apple
Ex-Creative Director of Apple Japan and Moving Brands’ new Creative Director in Tokyo, Aki Shelton, sent us her thoughts following a chat with a friend.
“Great to see that many conversations regarding the branding for London has started. My friend said this…
The interesting thing about the two examples you show (Obama and I love NY) is that they are both connected to an individual. So real the challenge is to find that individual.
Obama stood for change
I Love NY is a refection of how proud NYer’s where of the achievements of their state, now its a tourist gimmick.
Lennon stood for Peace
What does London stand for?
- Individuality?
- Creativity?
- Opportunity?
- Or all of the above?
Interesting that he pointed out about connection to “individual”.
Looking at the brief, they want to be best of everything but it’s better to stick with one thing like “Creativity” for London to stand for… single message is always much stronger”.
Thoughts?
aki
The word ‘Opportunity’ is a very compelling way to sum up London.
I totally agree.
That was definitely one of the main responses we had when we filmed people yesterday, asking them what London is to them.
to sum up London is like asking 100 people why a classic movie as so good, 100 different responses are likely. Some will sit back and just enjoy it as a spectacle, others will examine every scene and line of dialogue and marvel in the way that it is crafted together. Each opinion unique yet only important to the individual who offers it.
To try and sum up a city is to disregard so much of what makes it so great. It is everything and it is every thing. To everyone and to every one.
One word for London? London.
Personally I associate the word ‘opportunity’ more with the US. The word sounds young, and it connotes a movement from one place (state of being) to another. Obama’s slogan ‘change’ is an extreme case of that movement, and it worked so brilliantly because nobody seem to like where they are now.
To me, London’s most fascinating characteristic is that it is all-encompassing, receptive and expansive. The word that comes to my mind is ‘包容力’ in Japanese. You are free and can be creative, not because you are given opportunities to go somewhere else, but because you are allowed to be you (=individuality). It is a place you can simply be….
yep I like that That’s great!
How about Imperialism?
No just kidding, individuality does it for me. But without the reference to multicultural or ethnic stuff.
Okay… I’m from the US. So my opinion is probably not that valuable here. I visited London about two years ago and found the place invigorating. Rich in history. Or at least the history I choose to connect with; such as music and art. There is also the history of triumph, greed, secret societies, speed, wealth, food and so on… It’s a shame that one city has to be narrowed down to a single word.
Obama represented Change. What change? Essentially Change translated to “I’m for sale” who will buy me? He brought change for sure. We no longer have Bush as a President.
I’m just curious if it’s worth reducing all this rich culture to one identity? One voice. One word. If so… seems boring. Can you live up to that one identity? Especially when having millions of identities?
Good luck.