Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know that on Friday, March 11th, 2011 a powerful earthquake measuring 9.0 rattled the Japan coast, creating destruction on a scale almost unimaginable. The disaster was covered in real-time by citizen journalists and broadcasted live to the web through every possible news outlet. At the same time, halfway around the world, the Libyan political and civil system was being battered by a delusional dictator and a population demanding change, and again, footage from the frontlines made its way to the web almost as soon as it was recorded. Extraordinary events like these are often sensationalized by big media, and perhaps rightfully so in some cases. More recently though, through social channels like Twitter, the perpetual stream of updates often demands the constant attention of a connected audience.
It can be challenging to even consider directing attention towards anything less critical. While these events continue to dominate big media, it’s astonishing that at the very same time another sensation is rapidly spreading through the social web. This time, like many times of the past, it’s driven by the entertainment business – and in complete opposition to the tragic events gaining so much of our collective attention – this sensation is simply a pop song.
MIT Media Lab recently released a new brand identity which cleverly takes on many geometric forms. It is both complex and incredibly simple all at once, which is a pretty magical balance for any creative challenge, but even more fitting for an institution renown for producing brilliant conceptual thinkers.
Inspired by the facility’s expansion in 2010, which “manifests the spirit of transparency, mutual inspiration and collaboration” this new logo designed in collaboration by E Roon Kang and TheGreenEyl.
It’s clear that youth are spending considerable amounts of time online. They have, after all, grown up in a digitally connected world. But that doesn’t necessarily create a marketing opportunity for brands to connect with the so-called Millennial generation.
Influencers is a(n unfortunately) short documentary that explores what it means to be a cultural influencer and how trends and creativity become contagious today in music, fashion and entertainment. Influence is a powerful position, for people, and for brands, and yet, true, unadulterated influence can be both difficult to attain, and even harder to maintain.
Written and Directed by Paul Rojanathara and Davis Johnson, this short documentary looks through the lens of New York’s influential creatives in the advertising, design, fashion and entertainment spaces. See more about the film at influencersfilm.com