INSPIRE: FUSE 2016 - WYNWOOD ART WALK - THE BIG PICTURE
BY: CHRIS CIULLA - ACCOUNT DIRECTOR
It was that time of year again, when the brand design industry comes together to share brand stories, trends, forecasts and best practices. The beginning of 'design season' to some, or simply the 2016 FUSE design conference which took place in Miami this year to all.
After being a sponsor for several years in Chicago, a change of scenery is was a great way to get inspired. As they say “The world is a book, and those who don't travel only read one page." The pages of the book in this case were the ocean, a vibrant Miami culture, world-renowned designers, entrepreneurs, and businesses attending the conference, but for me, the highlight of this chapter was brought to life in my visit to the mind-blowing Wynwood neighborhood in Miami.
The conference was inspiring and a great opportunity to meet the people who keep businesses and design moving forward everyday, however the FUSE sponsored tour of the Wynwood Walls, covering the greatest and most vast amount of street art I have ever witnessed was high point of the trip. An up and coming community, filled with growing small businesses, dripping with art at every turn, all done by hand, was the reminder of why we all do what we do as designers and brand managers. In every design journey we seek to create something beautiful and disruptive.
If something is beautiful, it matters to us. Works of art, whether on a wall, canvas, a product, a package, a website, or an ad make us feel something. We are able to identify beauty and it inspires us. Discussed heavily by Stefan Sagmeister at the conference, beauty triggers emotion, tells compelling stories, empowers and connects people everyday.
Though a simple message, it is often forgotten in the midst of a project that may last a day or over a year. No matter how simple or complex the assignment we all are seeking to create something beautiful for the consumer to behold and experience. That experience can be the difference maker. Keep your eye on the ball or shall we say the brand, its all in the details and strategy, but do your best each day of the journey to achieve something beautiful. Something to keep in mind along the way, that's the big picture.