the *NEW* tdc: online shop and a new look!

Welcome to the new look of The Design Conservative!

The year is young and already things are getting interesting in the world of Palin and politics!  Not only are we in the midst of another exciting CPAC conference in Washington, DC, but I decided that my conservative wardrobe needed some updating (more on that below…). 

As a result, it seems unlikely that things will slow down anytime soon, so I concluded that there was no time like the present to do a little website revamp!  What’s new, you ask? Well, here’s a recap:

GETTING SOCIAL

While the old layout was fine and dandy, it didn’t incorporate some of the extras that seem to add to the social aspect of blogging.  This new design is a bit more flexible in that regard. Thus, not only have I added a Twitter thread in the sidebar, but now you can check out some of the other Tumblr blogs I follow.  You’ll note that some are political, others are simply tallies of personal interests.  In either case, it’s nice to be able to share what others are up to.

CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS AND RESOURCES

Another shortcoming of the previous layout was the inability to add pages to the site.  You’ll see that, now, I’ve added a couple of new pages in the title bar.  The “Shop” tab is described in more detail below.  However, the “Resources” tab links to a page that highlights the blogs of some of the best Conservative commentary and news out there.

Admittedly, the use of a page format is a slightly different approach than the “blogroll” in the sidebar of many other sites.  Though these lists are handy, I often find it difficult to scroll through the sites and I typically don’t know what each is all about without clicking through.  So, I thought I’d experiment with adding a few of my favorite resources - for various reasons - to a separate page.  I may be fighting convention with this tactic, but I hope you will find it useful and easy to navigate.

The “Shop” tab, on the other hand, has to do with a fun new project that brings together my interest in politics and my profession in design…

AN EXCITING NEW VENTURE

Over the last couple of years, as my Conservative views have become more and more solidified, I’ve found it utterly frustrating that so many people in *real* (not online) life are unwilling or unable to express what they believe or listen to what I believe in when it comes to politics.

The United States’ republic was born of debate and discussion and the sharing of disparate views. So, I decided: if my social circle was uncomfortable broaching the subject of politics verbally, perhaps they would be more receptive to reading my thoughts on my t-shirt.

In an attempt to facilitate political conversation in so-called polite company I wanted to start a line of apparel and (eventually) artwork that communicated the values of Conservatism through classic, modern design. 

Thus was born a new brand:  DC Threads.

In the interest of free speech and showing the world that it’s actually ok to have a conversation about our political views, I hope you’ll check out the site and share it with your friends.  And, of course, for the Palinistas among you, there’s a special design, just for you.

A NEW BEGINNING

I hope you enjoy the new look and layout of the site.  If you have any comments or feedback, please feel free to share your thoughts!  Note:  If something is annoying or odd, I may or may not be able to fix it, so don’t get your hopes up… :)

Thanks for visiting and, most importantly, thank you for staying involved and informed!

- tdc

tdc returns: political odds and ends. and cojones

Yes.  Tis true: tdc has been absent from the blogosphere for a few weeks.  You have my sincere apologies. 

Despite the fact that you may have been feeling tdc had gone the way of an old Colorado mine - once productive and fruitful, now left abandoned to rot away in the elements - rest assured that I have been paying attention to the world of politics.

Though every fleeting thought and errant rant is not dutifully recorded here, that doesn’t mean that said thoughts and rants don’t happen.  Indeed, the items noted below sparked some thoughts and rants…

  • Jonah Goldberg says the conservative movement should stop pining away for the good ol’ days of the Grand Ol’ Party.  tdc happens to agree.  As a new conservative (“new” meaning “as soon as then-candidate Obama unveiled his pretty little country-transforming logo in 2008”), I am not pining for the old days of the GOP.  In those days, I was: a) too young to care; and b) a Democrat-by-birth-and-environment.  Telling me how great William F. Buckley was back in the day, means little to me.  I wanna kick some electoral tail with today’s team!  Palin, Bachmann, Pence…Palin.  Old school exception:  Thomas Sowell. #thatisall
  • Whenever you can toss in the word “cojones“…it’s a good interview:
  • Politicians with large egos cause heartburn.  Mr. Tancredo is a fine gentleman and a nice guy, but…really?  It takes a bit of gall (as opposed to cojones) to enter a gubernatorial race on a third-party ticket, with a thundering ultimatum for the other two candidates:  get out or I get in!  Respectfully, tdc requests that you get over yourself, sir.
  • Rep. Charlie Rangel and Rep. Maxine Waters.  Perhaps that says enough.  Nonetheless, tdc hopes that perhaps you’ll learn a lesson about humility and honor and decency as a result of the investigations into your alleged misconduct.  tdc understands that lesson is unlikely.  What a shame.  Maybe the voters in their respective districts will send them home to ponder what they’ve done…far away from the halls of Congress.
  • tdc is headed back up north to the Last Frontier in the coming days.  It will be fun to meet up with new old friends, once again.  Hopefully, there will be more shootin’, a comfortably distant bear-sighting, a little design work (tdc IS a designer after all), and a moose burger on the docket.  And, hopefully, there’s a primary win for Eddie Burke in the race for lieutenant governor.

A whole vocabulary has grown up among the intelligentsia to downplay or dismiss the achievements that create our standard of living and the longevity that allows us to enjoy it more fully. Where some achieve more than others, that is not seen as a special contribution to society that should be appreciated but as a grievance to be resented by others, in the name of equality.

So, there ya have it - a synopsis of commentary for the last five weeks.  Told ya I was paying attention…

- tdc

politics and branding - part two: the making of obama

For part two of this series, below are two video segments describing the process to develop the Obama brand for the 2008 presidential campaign.  Then-candidate Obama had the foresight to hire a multi-disciplinary firm, VSA Partners, that typically works with corporate clients.  The collaboration resulted in a graphic identity and messaging campaign unlike any that had come before it in previous political contests.

While the process of exploration and design described in the videos is common for design firms, what made this project unique was its application to the very different arena of modern political campaigning.  In the end, the final product proved to be nearly flawless in its effectiveness in communicating with the electorate and eliciting the desired response.  Due to the success of the Obama campaign, I wouldn’t be surprised if this branding model is one that will be replicated by future candidates for national office.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this bit of designer “inside baseball.”  Needless to say, I certainly found the videos quite interesting.

- tdc

SEGMENT ONE:

SEGMENT TWO:

MORE INFO:

politics and branding - part one: of course design matters!

In the spring of 2009, I started a personal blog that was centered on design-related topics.  As I was still reeling from the whirlwind of the 2008 election cycle (yes, I realize it was months later), I sought to channel my energy into an analysis of what I thought was one of the most fascinating aspect of the campaign:  the branding of each candidate.

As we approach the 2010 elections, these issues would seem to be of particular interest; so, for the first of two tdc posts exploring this subject, below is the text from my initial review of the 2008 branding strategies of the McCain and Obama camps. If you happen to be working with a candidate (or you are a candidate), I would urge you to consider the power of good design to influence the thoughts, emotions, and actions of the electorate.  The Obama campaign most certainly paid attention and look where they ended up…

Follow this link for: politics and branding - part two: the making of obama, which presents a video review of the design process behind the brand.

- tdc

**Originally posted May 14, 2009**

The 2008 US presidential race captured attention like no other political event in recent memory.  In the simplest of terms, the race pitted a War Hero against a Cosmopolitan Intellectual and each candidate presented a very different image to the public.  Designers, in particular, took notice of the visual communication strategies used by the campaigns.

On the one hand, the McCain-Palin campaign portrayed a more traditional personal brand – one of strength and patriotism, using bold text and the classic icon of a star as a central them of their graphic identity.  In contrast, Obama-Biden sought to emphasize the future with a more ethereal color scheme and a sense of forward-looking dimension within the official logo.

Watching the campaign, I found myself wondering how and whether good design and a strong brand identity truly impact voters’ decisions.

Good design is inherently attractive.

A candidate wielding a well-crafted graphic identity should conceivably be able to use visual cues to direct our attention to the key points of his or her campaign message.

The greatest challenge to politicians lies in communicating with an increasingly consumerist public that is constantly bombarded with advertising and attention-grabbing headline news.  It is in this arena that thoughtful design can make the greatest impact, enabling politicians to distill complex issues into easily understood graphics and succinct messaging.

The exceptional quality of the Obama campaign’s graphic identity illustrated this point.  The themes of Hope and Change, and an optimistic focus on the future were clearly expressed in the official logo and all of its grassroots derivatives.  The Obama brand was, and is, a strong one that inspired supporters to connect to campaign messages in a very personal way.

What does this tell us about brand communication?

When establishing a brand identity, it is important to understand that visual imagery communicates to an audience in a way that words cannot.  Color, form, typography…each of these graphic elements elicits a response from your audience that allows individuals to connect with your brand.  If you communicate the basic strengths of who you are, the public will discover how you fit into their lives.

Consumers, like voters, respond favorably when provided the opportunity to evaluate options and make an informed decision.  In order to be a responsible steward of your brand, you must be confident in what it stands for and consistent in expressing it in all of its forms.  Trust the work you put into establishing your brand and put your best self forward.

LEARN MORE: