Caroline (In the beginning was Design) |

Caroline (In the beginning was Design)

Published by Caroline March 13th, 2006 in General, Meet the Avos

And the Design was within Everything, and the Design provided the Client with orgasmic Experiences. So, I read Tom Peters on Design this past week (I took it slow for maximum absorbtion) and I felt understood for the first time in a decade. AT LAST someone had articulated something that I have been doing for 30 years - and always when someone asks me what I do, I end up talking for hours. Now I’ll just hand out Tom Peters pocket version of Design.

I so get off on Branding. I always take a brand and question its relevance to middle-class South Africans, and to homeless South Africans, and when both provide satisfactory relevance index, I begin to get excited. Across the globe companies and individuals are beginning to understand that a brand is not a public representation of a company, but that it sprouts from the geist of the company - its people, its systems, its service methods and everything else it does.

Design manifests the geist by taking that whiff from just behind the nasal bridge and transforming it into product, system, packaging, management - everything that makes a business entity Be. This is what I do, to a greater or lesser degree for a variety of clients. And for Avo, I jealously guard the design elements I can grasp ownership of so that I can manifest beautifully the magnificent soul of this gestalt.

26 Responses to “Caroline (In the beginning was Design)”

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1 yojules Mar 13th, 2006 at 10:32 am

YOu have the most beautiful words, and the most beautiful way of creating pictures out of people’s heads. We’re so lucky you choose to play on our turf!
2 Elaine Mar 13th, 2006 at 4:44 pm

Hey Carrie,

Thank you for your insight into avo and the wonderful way you seem to extract our avoness and convey it to our clients. Some how you seem to capture the very essence of avo…our mgnificient avoness. Thank you for your effeciency, your energy and for your unfailing enthusiasm.
3 Carin Mar 14th, 2006 at 12:00 pm

Carrie-chick

You are super writer and design chick. Me thinks you should blog more!

XXX
4 ? Feb 27th, 2007 at 8:42 am

Hey Carrie,

A few questions…

- Why do you question a brands relevance in relation to the middle-class and the homeless? Do the upper echelons of modern society not count or have any relevance? Why don’t they have any relevance? Very often it is this class of people that drive the brands that have the greatest impact on society (remember your blog entry on Coke?).

- What is your “satisfactory relevance index”? Is it objective?

- Seeing as this bio was published nearly a year ago, do you still agree with the statements you’ve made above? Has anything changed? Why or why not.

Reading this back it seems the questions and tone are more harsh than they were intended to be. Can’t change it though - no time and I think they’re questions worth an answer. Are they worth an answer? Time will tell…
5 Caroline Feb 27th, 2007 at 9:54 am

Hi (?)

Can’t frighten me with harsh questions… I look at middle class because that is where the bulk of mass market lives (and me). I look at homeless because I have compassion there - people who may still aspire to brands, or depend on brands, but have limited access to them which makes the brand relationship more poignant. I don’t look at upper echelons because the mass market brands they buy contributes to middle-class behaviour numbers, and the exclusive brands targetted at them piss me off with their exclusivity (pinko-commy -me). So, my satisfaction index is entirely subjective, because I go where my heart leads. Would be interested to see how the well-heeled market has contributed to the Coke brand success - most of the well heeled people I know drink G&T or bottled water. OK, now I’m being facetious.
The truth is that I react to brands and people on a visceral level and relate to them better as individuals than as groups. So a rational and statistical approach to this question would probably get a “that’s so interesting” response from me, largely because in me relationship with brands (where not with people) there is a consumerist approach in my heart to brands; that is, I understand Brand as Commodity (a bit like Brand considers me to be Target Market). My relationship with a brand is all about delight in the Thing, and then is short-lived. My maxim in the supermarket aisle - get out of there as fast as possible with as much of what is on the shopping list as possible before I lose my mind! As a 21st century consumer, I expect brands to be informed by my values, not the other way round. In selecting a tin of soup amongst 20 tins of soup, I will not discriminate unless one brand stands out strongly in support of MY values. And the moment I see it, I get excited.
Yip. All subjectiive. Thanks for asking. If I knew who you were I’d buy you coffee.
6 ? Feb 28th, 2007 at 4:41 pm

Hi again, I think I’d like to tackle you on a few of these - “Can’t frighten me with harsh questions” eh? That sounds like a challenge .

If you don’t mind, I think I’ll quote you in places for clarity of conversation/argument.

I can understand your reasoning from a middle class perspective and the poignancy of the aspiring homeless as well (albeit that is still a middle class perception), yet I must wonder - do the homeless actually give a damn about brands and branding? I think they’d be a wee bit more concerned about getting a roof for the night, food, blankets. That it’s a very sad state of affairs with the homeless is not what I’m contesting - whether they actually CARE about branding is the question.

(Note: this blog needs better formatting tools - I want bold & italics dammit!)

“The exclusive brands targetted at them piss me off with their exclusivity…” Why? You can’t afford those brands? The marketing sucks? I know you said “I go where my heart leads…” but that doesn’t quite explain why it goads you so. Rationale please, if you don’t mind.

Facetious is good

Brands as individuals? Hmm… not sure I like that idea. I often see brands as the “big bad wolf” causing all sorts of trouble in the world. An example closer to SA - Mittal Steel has been a very bad boy (brand gender?) in terms of downsizing labour compliment. That move alone has most likely (tho I speak without burden of proof) contributed to an increase in crime in Vaal Triangle as the once middle-class has been forced into not becoming the aspiring homeless.

Thinking of a brand as an individual almost humanizes it, humanizing it leads to emotional attachment. Brands do not behave as humans, decisions are made in cold, hard cash - no emotion there. Although consumers may feel emotional attachment toward a brand I’m pretty certain this isn’t reciprocated.

Perhaps taking the statistical, rational approach isn’t such a bad thing. It is, after all, the way the brand sees you (”a bit like Brand considers me to be Target Market”).

I’m blowing this waaaaay out of proportion I’m sure. I mean, it’s not THAT important is it? My aim was to provide you with at least one half-eaten can of soup for thought, allow you to mull it over and perhaps keep the rest for later. What I’m really hoping is that you’ll come after my argument with a chainsaw and tweezers (use as appropriate).

All subjective eh? Is there any other way? As for the coffee - you may have bought it already, a while back.
7 Caroline Feb 28th, 2007 at 5:27 pm

Well, then, perhaps it’s your turn to buy me coffee…

And it’s true - most of the homeless people I see these days are through my car window, but it was not always so. And those I have known have often been more complex than is another middle class perception of the homeless. Survival in 21st centuary SA is more than food and shelter. For example, I have known homeless children who have preferred to come to school hungry than to spend the day finding the means to feed their tummies - speaks to a context of complexity (somewhere up there on Maslow’s heirarchy scheme) where brand-aspirations may be argued in at the door. And of course brands are designed (enter Tom Peters here) to convey components of character, values, promise, which a homeless individual may relate to in abstract terms as well as any middle class mom. And that’s the labelling - soup is soup unless it’s Organic Soup (no dolphins harmed…).

Branding seeks to exceed the bounds of the soup-tin label. Again Coke, which aside from it’s transcendant pitch, is synonimous with the Greek (or Sesotho) corner cafe in this country (a stalwart bastion of a fringe economy). Filters down to community integration where homeless people do have access. The response they may have to the Coke sign on the corner echoed in your potential(?) response, when ducking the tollroads in a farflung reach of the platteland backroads and really needing to pee (this would especially apply if you are a girl) and seeing the same sign in a similar context?

Cold hard numbers really only hide the glee in the brand manager’s heart at the sight of his new Porcshe (that would be Emotion). But I’ve also met brand managers with bigger hearts than this, which would make me some kind of reformed cynic.

OK, moving on. Some days it matters, and sometimes it doesn’t, depends how I’m feeling. What always matters is a good conversation, and rising to bait in the spirit of the game. And numbers - got to love them! I’m 36 and was informed by a friend this morning that I’m starting to sound menopausal! Bring it on, baby! nothing that a big slice of chocolate cake can’t fix…(to go with the coffee I live in hope of receiving from my Secret Disputant.)
8 Caroline Feb 28th, 2007 at 5:52 pm

And furthermore…

The exclusive label thing: I can afford some of them, but don’t buy most. “Red” is probably the most common label you’ll find in my wardrobe. Don’t buy most exclusive brands because I’m poorly educated in shopping for quality, so I’m told by well-heeled friends. But the middle class education I do have says value for money is paramount (my financial advisor might also be watching). So I look at value, look at price (which represents Time spent - minutes/hours of my life) and make a decision. That these are the very brand managers who are driving Porsches supports my notion that many Exclusive brands are simply overpriced to safeguard their exclusivity. Feeling smug.

Amongst the marketing collateral I find a high incidence of kept-woman boob-job botox images which get my feminist goat (nanny), but the marketing is largely slick, sometimes clever, nearly always easy on the eye.

Goad, shmoad. I do love my Louis Vitton bag, though, which I received as a gift from a favourite client.
9 ? Mar 1st, 2007 at 9:38 am

Milk? 2 sugars? Plain ol’ cheap stuff or something a bit more exclusive?

I see branding as a tool of the capitalist money making machine. It’s wonderful only coz it generates huge amounts of cash. A tool. Not an individual. Not human. Not friendly. Deceptive. It’s a great way to part all us fools from our money & have us smiling about it. There are purchases that you can’t get away from (bread, milk, etc) but that’s not what I’m talking about - it’s the stuff you don’t need where branding plays the biggest role.

I think you use soup-tin labels as an example only because of Andy Warhol’s painting. Who’s brand has more impact in that one? Campell’s or Andy’s?

Good that you see fit to rise “to bait in the spirit of the game”, and in that spirit I feel compelled to throw a spanner in the works with a seemingly random question - do you consider yourself to be an intellectual elitist?

Why I ask - your reasoning on the exclusive brands thing (thanks for the answer BTW) got me thinking… You see exclusive branding as allowing “exclusive” people to safegaurd the smug feeling, don’t you sometimes get a similar feeling (akin to smug) when you realise you’re the smartest person in the room? Come on now, be honest. You do try protect that feeling as well. No?

As for shopping for quality… hmmm… can’t say that that’s what grabs me. I buy what I like or what I think others would like (when buying for them). I see money as replaceable which makes spending it much more enjoyable. Value for money is enjoyment of product.

Synonymous. Tut.

Now menopausal-sounding Carrie… What do you say about that?
10 Caroline Mar 1st, 2007 at 10:50 am

“it’s the stuff you don’t need where branding plays the biggest role.” - Dunno about that. Buying milk on a daily basis presents me with a plethora of brand (and brand promise) choices.

“I think you use soup-tin labels as an example only because of Andy Warhol’s painting” - in the spirit of petulance, no, I had an image of Italian Cream of Mushroom soup in my mind. But I see you have a window into my head which, until that honey-nut-latte arrives with a face behind it, makes me want to draw the curtains a bit.

“You see exclusive branding as allowing ‘exclusive’ people to safegaurd the smug feeling,” - Smug is how I was feeling having words to throw at exclusive shoppers. And I look at the Toblerones stacked high at Fournos, and find in me a craving for peasant food, mountain air and raw wine. Fresh basil, lemon zest and compassion. A hint of jasmine from a forgotten garden.

“don’t you sometimes get a similar feeling (akin to smug) when you realise you’re the smartest person in the room?” - Eina! Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee! No, not really, in all honesty. I have the great priviledge to be surrounded by some uber-clever people on a daily basis which keeps me humble. As a good patriot, the word “elitist” makes me squirm. And if I was to say that I have enjoyed the conceptualisations of my children as much as the those of my favorite ideation-sparring companions, would that mitigate?

And I get the feeling you’re letting me off the hook in some way. Thanks. And apologies for the spelling: I concur - not enough editing tools…
11 ? Mar 1st, 2007 at 12:13 pm

There was a hook? You were on it? Damn!

I’ve not tried a honey-nut-latte. Where does one get those? You must forgive me, where I come from such decadent coffee can be encapsulated in one word to the caffeine junkie within me - hope.

“peasant food, mountain air and raw wine. Fresh basil, lemon zest and compassion. A hint of jasmine from a forgotten garden..” Ah… can’t stick a brand on that now can you? Which lends very much to my argument that a brand is but a tool only good for making money. Social impact is a by-product which occasionally works in favour of the brand (Google springs to mind).

Uber-clever people… hmm… I must admit to allowing the Holden Caufield in me out (a bit) when amongst them. Perhaps I’m trying to protect my own notion of intellectual superiority? Flawed I am, yes, and happy about it.

I think it’s healthy to enjoy the conceptualisations of your children. Children keep things simple. It’s adults that enjoy complicating things. I have no children - I get my dose of simplicity from enjoying that fine art of drinking an ice cold beer on the stoep.

Back to the soup cans… You called me friend once upon a time. Draw the curtains as much as you need to - I’m enjoying your conversation again, I hope you don’t mind.

Spelling tip/cheat - write your blog entry out in MS Word, copy and paste when ready.
12 Caroline Mar 1st, 2007 at 12:36 pm

“I get my dose of simplicity from enjoying that fine art of drinking an ice cold beer on the stoep” Let lips do what hands do.

“a brand is but a tool only good for making money” - also a territory for dreamers: “Bankers are dream makers”

And so do I find you out, matching your petulance with mine. No I don’t mind. Rules of engagement: buy me coffee. I’m in one of your neighborhoods.
13 ? Mar 1st, 2007 at 12:41 pm

Ah, busted then am I?
14 yojules Mar 1st, 2007 at 3:53 pm

Hey you two - this has to be the most shameless example of academic flirting I have ever seen - in such a public space too! Shame on you! Get a coffee table!

I am clearly not uber-clever because I have very little cooking clue what you are actually on about . But enjoy your musings - the rest of us will continue to save the world: one unemployed person at a time, branded or anonymous…

..and if ‘Bankers are dreammakers’, then I have also found you out! Busted, baby! I have the green shoelaces to prove it!
15 ? Mar 1st, 2007 at 4:00 pm

Lol Jules, no flirting here I’m afraid.

Flirt with you if you like? What’s your sign babe?
16 Caroline Mar 1st, 2007 at 4:07 pm

Wondered how long it would take for Jules to clamp down…

And, no green shoe-laces - that would be another pal.
But shameless? Always!
17 ? Mar 1st, 2007 at 4:30 pm

Was wondering about the green shoelaces comment…

Kinda lost track of whose court the ball is in - I’ll toss it back to Carrie if she wants it.

Or disappear if asked (gotta love the anonymity of the web).
18 Caroline Mar 1st, 2007 at 5:33 pm

No, time out. Don’t disappear, though - buy me coffee instead. You know where to find me (see Contacts page). Over & out
19 ? Mar 2nd, 2007 at 7:42 am

Fair enough. How about a new blog post for dissection?
20 yojules Mar 2nd, 2007 at 3:22 pm

Yes Caroline: what else you got to say……?

And the internet is less anonymous than you would expect: I had a choice of 2 boys - 1 with green shoelaces. Your confusion about those identifies you as the second.

Now you have to buy me coffee too, or I’ll be grumpy
21 ? Mar 3rd, 2007 at 9:50 am

Ah… seems to me you’re grumpy anyway Still, I will gladly buy you a cuppa.

I’m fairly certain that you both have me confused with someone else (which is wonderful of course). Care to hazard a guess just yet? No names please - you’re both more creative than that. Sum me up in 5 words or less.

Identify me, I dare you.
22 Caroline Mar 4th, 2007 at 12:48 pm

Elitist, childless, writer, rural, greatwhite.

OK, I cheated on the last one.

Who else would set a pair of cheeky sisters a creative writing exercise? The only man I know with the presumption to make me jump through hoops, and cover it up with a G&T.
23 ? Mar 5th, 2007 at 10:44 am

Alas, you are incorrect. Your statement above rings no bells. Try again please.
24 Caroline Mar 5th, 2007 at 11:13 am

OK. Stumped. The evidence I have: Male, no children, not in the JHB hub, had coffee in former days. There just are not that many people in my life-continuum who fit those parameters. Clues please.
25 ? Mar 5th, 2007 at 1:02 pm

If there aren’t that many why then is it so difficult?

Clues are dangerous in my hands, I’m clumsy.

I’m left handed if that’s of any help.
26 Caroline Jul 23rd, 2010 at 10:23 pm

Are you still there, Dave?

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