AD73: The Index of Aesthetics: Aligning Your Creative Vision

8 November 2024 | Issue #73

In this issue:

An Index of Aesthetics
In Defense of Jaguar
Achieve Your Creative Goals in 2025
Shopify / Canva Integration
AI Literacy is the Key to ROI
Design Quote of the Week

How many times have you found yourself in a conversation, and the person you're talking with just doesn't grasp what you're trying to say? Or worse, you leave the meeting in alignment, but it turns out you were both talking about different things.

This happens far too often and there isn't a way to fix it universally. But now, there is a way to ensure that when talking about modern aesthetics, you can be sure everyone is talking about the same thing.

The CARI Institute has introduced the Index of Aesthetics. Here, you can find examples that help you describe a specific style you liked. Or better yet, you can show others what you mean when you say "Disco Deco," "Y2K aesthetic," or "Industrial Americana."

Through this site, I discovered a new Pinterest-type site called are.na. It allows you to create boards of images like Pinterest, but without the ads and data selling. I'm not sure if I'll use it, but I like the concept of a social network that is just for the users.

The CARI Institute's board is an easier way to see the different visual groups they have identified. The next time you're looking for creative inspiration, I recommend looking here before scrolling through the wall of same-ness that is Dribbble.

NEWS AT THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN AND MARKETING

😺 In defense of Jaguar (I think I’m the only one)

If you were online last week, you saw a million and one lazy "hot takes" about how bad the Jaguar rebrand was. Rather than being yet another armchair art director, Mark Schaefer looked at the marketing implications. Mark thinks this might be exactly what the brand needs.

• Breaking Tradition: The campaign’s focus on avant-garde visuals and a new logo, while omitting car imagery, has been seen by some as a misstep. Schaefer argues that for a brand struggling with relevance, such a disruptive approach can reignite public interest.

• Targeting New Audiences: By aiming at a creative demographic, Jaguar attempts to reposition itself in a crowded luxury market. Mark believes this could differentiate the brand and attract a new customer base.

• Strategic Necessity: Given Jaguar’s declining market presence, Mark posits that adhering to traditional branding would be ineffective, and that a radical shift is necessary to revitalize the brand.

Read the full analysis

🥅 8 Ways to Achieve Your Creative Goals in 2025

Creative Boom explores actionable strategies to help creatives navigate 2025, a year shaped by opportunities and challenges, particularly around the rise of AI. Here’s how to stay resilient, productive, and inspired.

1. Strip Away Distractions: Reduce interruptions, whether by turning off notifications or creating a dedicated workspace, to regain focus and clarity.

2. Ask for What You Want: Be proactive in pitching ideas and seeking opportunities rather than waiting to be noticed.

3. Be More Curious: Rekindle creativity by experimenting and playing, such as committing to daily sketchbook drawings.

4. Break Everything Down: Tackle big goals by dividing them into manageable steps to reduce overwhelm and build momentum.

5. Don’t Overdo It: Set healthy boundaries to prevent burnout and maintain your creative energy.

6. Learn New Skills: Invest in expanding your abilities to remain adaptable in an evolving creative landscape.

7. Do Small Projects: Use short-term projects to experiment and stay motivated without overcommitting.

8. Elevate Intentions Over Goals: Focus on broader intentions rather than rigid goals for flexibility and continuous growth.

Keep reading

🫱🏼‍🫲🏻 Seguno Introduces Shopify Connect for Canva: A Two-Way Integration

Seguno’s Shopify Connect for Canva creates a seamless link between Shopify and Canva, revolutionizing how e-commerce merchants manage their design workflows.

• Effortless Integration: Shopify merchants can now access product images and videos directly in Canva, drag them into designs, and export completed assets back to Shopify without manual downloads or uploads.

• Streamlined Marketing: The integration simplifies creating consistent, professional marketing materials, enhancing branding and efficiency.

• My Take: One of the top online marketplaces teaming up with the fast-growing image generator will be a great thing for users of both platforms, and shoppers.

Keep reading

NEW RESOURCES FOR YOU

Why AI Literacy Is the Key to Unlocking ROI in the AI Era

Richard Banfield recently wrote an op-ed to illustrate why people should be enthusiastic about AI, but not too excited.

Everyone needs to explore how AI can make them more efficient. Understanding what is possible is the first step. Next, people need to learn how to use these new tools. You don't necessarily need to build systems or know how to build them, but your life will be better if you know how to use them.

Richard also goes into how these tools need to tie back to the impact to the bottom line. Like any investment, it takes a little while to see positive returns. But with the right investment of money and time (the part that is often overlooked), businesses can reap the benefits of AI.

Read the full op-ed on Maginative.

Design Quote of the Week

“Design is more than just a few tricks to the eye. It’s a few tricks to the brain.”
– Neville Brody

My AI disclaimer: I write the main stories by hand (with occasional assistance from Grammarly). The quick news hits are articles I've found, which I run through a ChatGPT prompt to generate the synopsis and bullet points. However, I write the My Thoughts bullet. If AI generates the images, I include the prompt so you can see how I got to that image. Nothing in this newsletter, or anything I publish anywhere, reflects the views of my employer.