BOLTblog

Imagine a day when our children’s teachers are efficient but not empathetic, competent but not compassionate, rational but not creative. A day when the vibrant classroom mix of visual and verbal learning is reduced to monotonous fill-in-the-blank tests and year-end grades. As our nation moves forward into the Creativity Economy our schools may be forced backwards – toward a future where students are not taught the right-brain cognitive skills needed for life success. Read the rest of this entry »

I had a very interesting phone call yesterday. It was an interview with portfolio.com for an article [Click here for article].

By now I’m sure you have heard the tragic news of fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s sudden death. I was asked to comment on how a brand goes on when its founder or muse dies. I must admit I felt rather strange talking about commerce when such a magnificent talent had left us way too soon. Alexander McQueen has had such an amazing influence on fashion in such a relatively short period of time. He will be missed by so many, but I realized it is more than commerce we have to deal with on brands that are so closely aligned with a real personality.

And so the question became very relevant – what happens to brands when a tragedy like this creates an abrupt interruption in the normal progression of a brand’s life cycle. Can the brand be sustained? How will it change, if at all?

Many brands have become even more prominent and preferred after their creator passed, but seldom did the brands have to endure such a tragedy. My theory of branding is very simple; it should be based on truth. The compelling truths of the brand [pillars] are what drive the emotional values of the brand forward and make it relevant to its constituents. Hopefully, a strong brand foundation has been laid for the McQueen brand, based on the same truths that made him so visceral and unique.

Monty Montague presented a webinar for Young Inventors International: Insights and Connections – How hunches can become ideas, and ideas become innovations last month that was heard by students throughout the eastern United States from the Carolinas up to Toronto, Canada. If you’d like to view the webinar, scroll to the archived webinar section. Young Inventors International charges $5 for viewing the webinar.

>  FLASH! is ideas, views and opinions to inspire dialogue and fresh thinking.
We’d love to hear your comments.

by Monty Montague, IDSA

The game has changed. The seismic shift in consumer attitudes has reshaped the rules for manufacturers. A “new normal” has surfaced, characterized by a pervasive sense of caution, a reluctance to spend, and a demand for good value. Product innovation efforts must shift likewise. How have you changed your new product development processes?

If your innovation approach is the same as it was two years ago, then you are playing the old game. And if you have not examined your consumer in 12 months then you’re already behind. Superficial innovation will no longer cut it. Innovation must be more substantive and lasting. Your dialogue with your consumer must be more direct, more constant – and you must observe the user with greater awareness and sensitivity. Read the rest of this entry »

“On July 20th, the Georgia Tech College of Architecture (CoA) announced a new “strategic emphasis on interdisciplinarity.”  This effort centers on structural and curricular changes including eliminating the undergraduate degrees in architecture, building construction and industrial design.  The current degrees will be replaced with a generically focused BS in design.” (from thepetitionsite.com)

I learned about this change a month ago and I think it’s a bad idea.

Currently, all three of the undergraduate programs (ID, BC and Arch) enjoy great reputations, and this change will only undermine them.

Recent Industrial Design grads that we consider hiring today would not be competitive with this degree.

Our designers collaborate in multidisciplinary teams, but each is an expert in their field (not a generalist). A focused undergraduate curriculum is the foundation for building that expertise early in their career.

I don’t see how this serves the business community or the students.

It will drive prospective Georgia Tech ID students to other programs.
It may also validate this type of cost-saving approach for other schools to follow.
Your voice on this may help.

Please click here to view the petition.

Thanks,

Bob Gibson (GT, BSID, ‘74)
President
BOLTgroup

Click here to read all about AirDye technology’s ecological dyeing process and how BOLTgroup spread the word.

AirDye®, our client, has been the buzz of New York FASHION WEEK and beyond, appearing in the mother-of-all-fashion-pubs, Women’s Wear Daily, and in media from Cleveland to Abu Dhabi.

What’s the news? Design house Costello Tagliapietra chose AirDye, a revolutionary new way to dye textiles without any water, to create a gorgeous new collection of dresses that debuted on Friday. The designs earned raves. They were beautiful for the Earth, too. Each dress used 45 fewer gallons of water and 95 fewer megajoules of energy than if dyed with traditional methods.

Read the rest of this entry »

by Karen Smith

How do you entice a crowd of designers to attend yet another meeting straight after work?

Offer rich content on sustainable design…and free wine.

BOLTgroup hosted the Designer’s Accord Town Hall in Charlotte, NC, the first such event in the Southeast. The Town Hall created a forum for sharing sustainable design practices and was attended by over fifty designers. The Designers Accord is a global coalition of designers, educators, and corporate leaders, working together to create positive environmental and social impact.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Designers Accord is a global coalition of designers, educators, researchers, engineers, and corporate leaders, working together to create positive environmental and social impact. The Designers Accord is made up of over 170,000 members of the creative community, representing 100 countries, and each design discipline.

BOLTgroup was an early adopter of the Designers Accord (DA) and will host the southeastern version of the Designers Accord “Town Hall” at their offices in Charlotte on Thursday, August 27, from 6-9 pm.

Read the rest of this entry »