Check out Grant's new showroom design for Mannington at NeoCon 2007.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Documentation
We always document the end product of our NeoCon environments during the show. For the last three years we've counted on James McCarthy to come through for us. He is easy to work with and is always flexible to our last minute needs. Stay tuned as we post the outcome of this years collaboration sometime next week. I will remember not to schedule all three shoots consecutively at 6:30 am each morning next year....I'm still recovering!
Destination Unknown
NeoCon 2007 is over, and Grant Design Collaborative is flying on to the next phase. Here's a little video of flight DL6512 from MDW to ATL on June 13. I added an audio track entitled, "Destination Unknown," and I think it is very appropriate. We never know what will become of the contacts we make atNeoCon, but great work begets great work. I want to take this opportunity to thank my co-creators at Grant Design Collaborative for their great work, enthusiasm and dedication. I truly have the most talented and ethically sound design team in the country. I also want to thank our clients for their vision, support and trust.Without trust, great collaboration is not possible. I also want to invite our friends and colleagues to comment and contribute to the product2market blog. Hopefully this experimental site will take flight, and everyone is welcome to come along for the ride.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Wiping Our Hands of NeoCon 2007
Well you know it is time to leave the Mart when all of the hand towels have been used! All of our clients had a great NeoCon, and now Matt, Jason and I are at Midway airport waiting to fly back to the ATL. Of course, our flight is delayed by an hour so far. Looking forward to getting home and on to the next projects!
Never Trust the Pizza Guy!
Matt DeFrain looks a little suspicious of the waiter upon the arrival of his pizza on the last day of NeoCon while Jason Moody appears to have pizza envy...
Geigerlicious Two.
Yolande and Jessica are even more striking than Geiger's custom designed reception area designed by Grant Design Collaborative. Through thick and thin, these two superstars remained calm, cool and collected, and they never stopped smiling! Thanks ladies for all of your help and support. Great job!
Herman Miller A+D Super Duo
John Newland and Megan Carrella strike a pose in the Herman Miller showroom. We will see them at Grant in two weeks for our 2007 A+D strategy and planning meeting. John rocks, and Megan is a great addition to the team!
Highlights from the temporary exhibits
Contract once again hosted their Connection Lounge space on the 8th floor, offering Mart visitors access to information on all of the Best of NeoCon entrants and winners. In the Grant-designed exhibit space, products from last year’s BON winners were showcased. These manufacturers included Bernhardt, HBF, IzzyDesign, Keilhauer, Shaw Contract and Wolf-Gordon.
Benjamin Moore introduced its Affinity Colors line, a collection of 144 colors utilizing the company’s new Aura paint system. Created with their ColorLockTM technology, the system allows deeper paint colors to go on with full paint coverage in one or two coats, whereas more traditional paint lines often take 3-4 coats for darker colors. It’s water-based technology also meets the highest level of VOC regulations.
Material Connexion set up a small exhibit near the cafeteria area on the 7th floor, displaying some of their newest material discoveries. Some of the interesting new products include an eco-friendly cement containing large amounts of magnesia, which absorbs CO2 during its drying process, ceramic tiles with anti-microbial properties, magnetic paints for wood finishes and exotic new leathers made from fish skins.
Casually Sensible
One of my personal favorites of the show so far is the Brayton showroom on 11. The use of materials, neutral color scheme and overall simplicity gives their product great focus. The total experience and liveliness of the space changes during cocktail hour with stark lighting and thumping bass. Kudos to the design team!
Connection Lounge drawing
Contract publisher, John Rouse, shuffles entries for a giveaway at the Connection Lounge. On Monday and Tuesday, Samsung's new Blackjack phones were given away during cocktail parties hosted in the space.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Back Stabber...
NeoCon can be very competitive at times, so you have to watch out for those back stabbers, especially the tall ones!
Shine on.
I would like to give a shout out to my K & J friends, Mr. Williams and his shoe shine crew. I met Mr. Williams a few years back when creating a NeoCon promotion for one of our clients. We gave away free shoe shines in the form of coupons tucked into plastic test tubes (art & science of PatternLok).
Day Two - Judgemental Me.
Best juxtaposition in showroom space.
The Maharam showroom on the 11th floor has beautiful ribbon-like product curtains adorning the outer walls while angular padded lounges nestle in the middle of the space.
Flooring, on the floor?
More flooring companies are choosing to display their product in non-traditional installations this year. Curious if I'm one of the few who prefers a more natural perspective of viewing new products under my feet?
Speaking of feet...
San-serif outranks serif type at least 2:1 for companies displaying their identities, messaging and marketing collateral around the Mart.
On give aways.
The "must-have" show premium has yet to be found. There are quite a few people carrying near-empty bags.
Drop shadows.
In addition to floral arrangements, there is rising competition for unique and distinctive showroom lighting...especially chandeliers.
Best place for hygiene.
Stairwell 10, Floor 11 - Mens Room
There are a total of three bathroom stalls yet they have four hand cloth wiping machines.
Stay tuned, more to come.
Lighten up...
Wood finishes seen at the show continue to depart from the deep espresso finish that's dominated furniture design in recent years. Showcased finishes shifted to lighter tones that played up the natural grain of the wood. These leaned towards more sophisticated walnut tones, rather than a return to the light yellow-gold and red finishes popularized in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Color commentary
This year’s NeoCon has unveiled a new batch of hot “must-have” colors for the commercial furnishings industry. Orange was the color du jour, with the popular hue turning up on products and exhibit spaces across the Mart. Ranging from bright citrus tones to deep rust, the color seemed to be everywhere.
Greens were also a dominant story at the show. The bright lime greens of recent years have begun to be replaced by earthier, muddier tones of avocado and moss. Yellows ranging from cheery lemon to 1970’s inspired yellow-green’s, jewel-toned peacock blues, and vibrant fuschia also freshened up manufacturer palettes.
In the neutrals category, warm grays and blacks continued to make a comeback. They were often paired in unexpected combinations with other neutrals or “pop” shades of orange, yellow and green.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Day One.
NeoCon 2007 got off to a great start. The elevators were jammed early, and all of the showrooms were busy. Seems like more traffic than last year. Here are photos from the Mart entrance and the furniture trucks parked out front. Izzy Design parked their mini there as well! Interesting contrast...
(WWWFD?) What would Will Ferrell Do?
Getting Ready to Go
I thought I would provide the dramatic intercutting with the other posts. About to go to LAX to fly to ORD this Monday morning. I'll be there tonight.
If this were the 17th sequel to The Mighty Ducks, I would be the Dad (played by a guy who you recognize from a couple of Law and Order episodes) who works too hard and never sees his son play and Neocon would be the 7 year old kid who just wants his Dad to see him score one goal.
Don't worry, Neo-Son, I'll be there tonight to see you score the goal of successful marketing, sales and networking.
Ode to Jennifer Busch!
And this one goes out to the fabulous editor of Contract magazine, the lovely Jennifer Busch!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
NeoCon Eve
The Sunday before NeoCon is a big day for sales meetings. Today,
I went to the Geiger and Mannington sales meetings. Everyone was thrilled with our work. The Geiger team loves what we did with their product, color portfolio and showroom design. They especially loved the materials cart that we designed for them (photo to follow). It got a huge round of applause. Thanks to Mike Donahue and his team at Geiger for all of their trust, support and enthusiasm. It makes it all worthwhile. The Mannington team loved the showroom design, although many of them walked right by the space at first because it looked so different! They are really proud of the transformation, and the showroom design makes them feel good about themselves. Good design makes people feel better, and that is a powerful thing. MattDeFrain and I went to the Interior Design Giants event tonight and hung out with a few of our friends: Julie Kohl with the Mart, Craig Malcolm with Interior Design, Dennis Krause with IIDA and the Trykes with Tricycle. After the event, Matt and I met up with Jason Moody for dinner at Republic. I took this photo in the bathroom. Now, time to get a decent night's sleep before Day One. And away we go...
Astonishing?
Here is a quote from the brilliant Studs Terkel. We are using it on some of the Mannington brand materials and in their NeoCon showroom. Passion matters.
"Work is about a daily search for meaning as well as daily bread; for recognition as well as cash; for astonishment rather than torpor; in short for a sort of life, rather than a Monday-to-Friday sort of dying.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
The Saturday before NeoCon is always flower day. I venture down to
A New Leaf florist to visit my friend Paul and try to score some great flowers for the our clients' showrooms. Paul is a rock star, and I have worked with him for many years. He always tells me to "make myself at home," and he even lets me go in the cooler in the back to see what's not out on the floor – as long as I promise to shut the door when I am done! Today, Paul informed me that he is leaving for Paris on Tuesday. He is going there to do the flowers for a huge fundraiser for Versailles. I guess the world has disovered Paul's talent, so if you ever need beautiful flowers in Chicago, go to A New Leaf at 1645 North Wells. Ask for Paul, and tell him Bill Grant sent you. He will hook you up. Thanks Paul, and have a great time in Paris!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Geigerlicious!
Here is a rough slide show of the Geiger showroom located at 300 West Hubbard in Chicago. Grant Design Collaborative specified all of the furniture and finishes, and we are launching the Geiger Color Portfolio that we have been working on for around two years. It is a totally integrated system of coordinated veneers finishes and 18 new paint colors. All of the furniture in the space features the new color system. Geiger's other big launch is Caucus Tables by Robert Allen: stunning, smart and elegant. Geiger is a great brand and a great client. I spent most of the day propping all of the work stations and doing the showroom florals, including my current obsession – succulents! Elizabeth Peterson is the Geiger brand resource manager, and she has done a great job. She kept me going on the showroom, even after countless revisions. We are also launching a great new advertising campaign for Geiger with photography by CJ Burton out of Calgary. Matt DeFrain and Jason Moody arrive tomorrow, and I am looking forward to the company and camaraderie! Eddie Smith left today, and he did a great job on the Contract Connection Lounge and Mannington.
Student Series
John Newland and Kurt Seidle collaborated on the 2007 NeoCon Herman Miller Student Series graphics. Components include a fresh identity applied to pocket cards, signage and the tee shown above. Snag one at Student Day while they last. Swiss!
Transformance!
before
after
Well as my co-pilot Matt DeFrain text messaged me on Friday, "it's not always about the process; it's about the results." The Mannington showroom is not totally finished, but it has already been an amazing transformation! Here are before and after photos for comparison. Better photos to follow...
Thursday, June 7, 2007
A Warm and Windy Welcome!
Well, I made it to Chicago, and things are looking up! The flight attendant said it was the roughest landing she had ever experienced. When I got to baggage claim at Midway, there was a band playing of all things! I took this short video and walked over to wait for my luggage. Low and behold, I walked up right as my bag came out. Went to dinner with clients, and it's all good. Strong storms are on the horizon, but I will be fast asleep in my heavenly bed...
Flying Into the Storm!
Currently at 36,000 feet on my way to Chicago in a small “Barbie” jet. Strong storms and tornado watches in Chicago, so it will be an interesting landing. Of course, NeoCon has also gotten off to a turbulent start. Just normal dress rehearsal jitters and communication issues. After 23 of these, you learn to go with the flow. It’s really not about what goes wrong because many things will on an event of this scale. The true measure, in my opinion, is the role you play in solving problems as opposed to hysteria participation. Our team at Grant Design Collaborative is masterful at problem solving, and our longstanding partnerships, such as that with EDE, are irreplaceable. Thanks to Franc Tivadar and his team at EDE for YEARS of support at NeoCon and other events. EDE has fabricated all of our award-winning exhibits and branded interiors, including Harbinger, Blue Ridge, Adobe, Muzak, Geiger, Set, SI Flooring Systems, and countless others. They are master craftsmen and dear friends. If you ever need to build an exhibit, showroom or museum, Franc’s your man! He is also the only person in the world I would have trusted to build the custom cabinetry throughout my own home without a single site visit. Everything fit like a glove, as usual. Franc remains cool under pressure. Today, he is my idol. Whatever ill winds may blow, ethical conduct and hard work will prevail, but you have to trust your co-pilots.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
I Learned the Truth at 23!
Well, it is that time of year again. NeoCon is next week, June 11-13, in Chicago. This will be my 23rd consecutive NeoCon, so this year Grant Design Collaborative wanted to approach this annual event from a different perspective. Our team decided to create this experimental blog to share Grant’s unique perspective on NeoCon, design, work and life. We will also be inviting many of our colleagues to collaborate with us on this project, and we have absolutely no idea how it will turn out! Hopefully, it will provide some insight and entertainment as we share our “design thinking” with the world. The blog is meant to be spontaneous, provocative and experimental. Let us know what you think, and please comment and participate. Until then, this is how we got here:
I was working for Shaw Industries the first year I attended NeoCon in 1984. A couple of years later, we launched Shaw Contract. I left Shaw in 1989 and started my own design firm. In the mid-90s, I helped rebrand Interface and collaborated with The Environments Group on their showrooms. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work. I founded Grant Design Collaborative in 1996, and one of our first clients was Harbinger, a high-end commercial carpet brand owned by Mohawk Industries. After a successful rebranding program, they asked us to design their showroom on the third floor of the Chicago Merchandise Mart in 1998. We completely gutted the space and convinced the client to feature concrete floors in a carpet showroom! We did have insets for their new products and managed to switch out carpet colors and patterns all three days of the show. Our first complete showroom design project was exciting and scary at the same time. While the firm had been very successful in the graphic and brand design fields, interiors were new a frontier. Luckily, we had a great client at Harbinger, and they trusted our design thinking and process. When all was said and done, we won our first of many IIDA Creative Excellence Awards for showroom design in a very talented and competitive arena! In the following years, we were fortunate enough to garner the same accolades for showroom and exhibit design for Blue Ridge Commercial Carpet, Geiger, and SI Flooring Systems. Over the years, we have also provided brand and showroom design for companies such as Herman Miller, Steelcase, Monterey Carpets, Contract magazine, JM Lynne Wallcovering, Beaulieu, Contract magazine, Muraspec, and others.
After achieving much success and recognition in brand design, strategy and interiors, we started getting inquiries about product design and consultation. Of course, we were very excited about these potential business endeavors, but we also paused to consider our role and strategy for product development. We took this very seriously and wanted to approach product design in a very thoughtful and deliberate manner. In 2004, we published a product design manifesto entitled, “We Are What We Make.” This manifesto drew the philosophical line in the sand for both our clients and us by defining how we intended to work as “product designers.” We created several criteria for any potential product design collaboration, including:
• We will evolve.
• We will discover.
• We will make ordinary extraordinary.
• We will be realistic.
• We will collaborate.
• We will respect the environment.
• We will move people.
• We will create value.
• We will know the customer.
• We will take risks.
• We will have fun.
Although somewhat lofty and ambitious, we have found these filters to be extremely beneficial in determining the potential fit for product design collaborations. After all, statements such as “we will take risks” do not appeal to conventional, mass market brands! Since the manifesto was published, Grant Design Collaborative has truly evolved, and we feel we are staying true to our core values along the way. Poised to make the next design leap into product development, we found ourselves at a crossroads. We realized that Grant Design Collaborative’s ideal clients were visionary c-level decision makers willing to take calculated risks to bring innovative products and processes to market. Like our firm, they have a reinvention mindset.They recognize the superior profit potential of such ventures as well as the essential role great design thinking plays in making them happen. It is among this group of forward-thinking individuals that we saw the greatest opportunities for defining and delivering significant design value, and we began our evolution to a product-to-market design firm.
In 2005, we launched our first two Product to Market (p2m) clients. Our p2m philosophy approaches product and brand design in a holistic and systematic manner. For us, p2m allows us to use out strategic design thinking skills to create innovative products as well as new frameworks for having them manufactured and distributed. Ideally, we influence the entire path, from concept to design to manufacturing to marketing to sales and distribution. This places Grant Design Collaborative in a very unique position. By building brands from the product “up,” we offer a single source for integrated, strategic product and brand development. One of our first product-to-market projects was for Contract magazine. Grant has had a longstanding relationship with Jennifer Busch and the team at Contract. In 2000,they retained our firm to redesign Contract Design, and it was a really great project. We launched the new design to much success and fanfare at NeoCon West in LA, and I will never forget driving down Rodeo Drive after the launch party with Jennifer and her team in a convertible listening to Prince! It was a perfect evening and fond memory. Since the redesign, Contract has done very well. In 2005, they hired us again to evaluate their market strategy, tweak the publication design and develop a new NeoCon product for them. After careful research and analysis, we developed the Contract Network to connect designers and architects with the right product solutions, including the Best of NeoCon product winners. The network was an instant success and has become a great tool for designers as well as Contract’s advertisers. We also assisted Contract in launching and marketing the Network at NeoCon 2005, and we have designed the Contract Connection Lounge for the past three years as well. Check it out this year on the 8th floor of the Mart, Space 8118.
Also in 2005, we launched our most ambitious product-to-market endeavor to date: Set Wallcovering Systems. Set was a new national commercial wallcovering system, and Grant Design Collaborative was retained to design the strategy, brand identity, brand name, showroom, advertising, marketing collateral, packaging, and all products. It was an incredible and challenging learning experience, but once again, the Grant team exceeded all expectations! At NeoCon 2005, we did a soft launch to introduce the brand and systematic product strategy to the design community. We did this with very little actual product, but it got a lot of attention. At NeoCon 2006, we had most of the products in place and were extremely honored to win the Gold Best of NeoCon Award for wall treatments – a huge achievement for any new brand! Set was also one of the five finalists for Best of Competition, so needless to say, we were very happy with this recognition for our approach to product design. This year, STEP magazine published a great story on our p2m design strategy for Set Wallcovering Systems, so read more about it, and let us know what you think.
At NeoCon 2007, Grant Design Collaborative is involved in several interesting projects. Once again, we are working with our client, Geiger, on their showroom design and product introductions. They are located two blocks from the Mart at 300 West Hubbard Street, Suite 400. This year, Geiger is debuting their Caucus Tables by Robert Allen. The tables are really beautiful and smart, and they expand from small private worktables to extensive conference and board tables. In addition to Caucus, Geiger is launching their new Color Portfolio designed by Grant Design Collaborative! The Geiger Color Portfolio features an extensive color system of veneer stains and paints that were all designed to work together. Now designers can combine stains and colors in an infinite array of applications for Geiger’s great casegood systems. See the Color Portfolio display in the Geiger showroom as well as its application to actual products on the floor.
In addition to Geiger and Contract magazine, we worked once again with our long-term client, Herman Miller, on the design of the NeoCon Student Day materials, and it is always an honor and pleasure to work with Miller’s visionary A+D team.
There you have it: our very first post on our Product-to-Market blog! Hopefully, future posts will be a much quicker read! Grant Design Collaborative welcomes your comments and feedback to this experimental site, and we look forward to sharing NeoCon 2007 and future events and endeavors through our unique perspective. So, put on your design thinking caps, and come along for the ride. Look for us in the Mart elevators, stairwells, at NeoCon parties and, of course, the bar. Cheers!
Bill Grant, AIGA
President and Creative Director
Grant Design Collaborative
