4 random points of inspiration.

1. 1 Superconducting convergence
2 Good cookie box, bad cookie box
3 Interview: How a 90-year old brand was built
4 Chicken sandwiches and 103.7 LiteFM
picks from the blog
Design Kompany just named a new Seattle grantmaking foundation Loom. A lot of
foundations are named after their founders, but here the idea is about weaving change.

2. This one’s for A.P. Excellent–it’s called ‘Super-
conducting Convergence:’
In his book, Dialogue and the Art of Think-
ing Together, William Isaacs writes about how
small particles shift temperament under new
climate conditions:
“Physicist David Bohm once compared conver-
sations to the field behavior of a superconduc-
tor.
“In a superconductor, electrons moving through
a wire are cooled to the point where they no
longer collide or create heat through resistance.
“Instead, after reaching an optimally low tem-
perature, they begin to act like parts of a coher-
ent whole, moving around obstacles like ballet
dancers on a stage.
“Under these conditions the electrons flow with
virtually no friction. They have both high inten-
1

3. sity and high ‘intelligence’
as they naturally align them-
selves with an invisible pat-
tern. Similarly, when we are
in dialogue and are thinking
together in a coordinated
fashion, we are like the cool
intensity of these fields of
electrons.”
Isaacs also talks about the
“architecture of the invis-
ible.” What I think he means
is this: Things that aren’t ex-
plicitly stated or even known
to be floating between phys-
ical points are still very much
a part of a conversation.
Between sets of ears and
brains exist certain wavular
energy fields through which
permeate a tacit, yet very
real mode of communica-
tion.
Cool, huh? DK

4. 2

5. Sakura cookies came in a box my mother sent from Japan. It’s a box
of cookies, if it’s not apparent. The first thing about this thing you notice
is the packaging—and there’s so much of it! I counted, there were four
layers of it, not counting the retail store’s paper bag (neatly folded and
sealed at the top with a piece of tape) and the produce box in which the
whole thing, and a couple of other dainty things from the land of dainty,
was mailed.
So, what is it? To find out: You open the bag (cut along a line printed
with a little symbol of scissors); a thin, subtly-printed plastic layer snag
around the outer box; then the boxes, one for each flavor, tied together
in the outer cardboard brace. You slide the boxes out, carefully—these
boxes have legs! Now standing side by side, they are open on the top,
revealing, yes, one more layer of packaging. Each of these sakura(”cherry
blossom” in Japanese) cookies comes individually wrapped, with a notch
on one side for you to gently tear (I kid you not, there’s an instruction
piece of paper telling you how).
Each piece is designed with consistent colors, illustrations and type, pull-
ing you in deeper into the visceral appeal of the product. Say what you
may about over packaging and its wasteful nature, this is an experience.
In contrast, here’s another picture.

7. Walkers Cookies, not very good.
I picked this up from a local grocery store. Still in its import section,
though, as I am a bit of a snob when it comes to my sweets. I was
looking for something substantial. Specifically, I was thinking of buttery
shortbread biscuits, but the promise of chocolate chips (Belgian, no
less) distracted me.
What do you do? You just open the box and tear at it, right? Nothing
sexy or roundabout about it, really.
So, why am I raving on about packaging?
I have been turned on to it because of our current project, of course.
We are working with a group of successful business people to come up
with an invitation to a highly-exclusive event.
As I look at these packages and other examples on the streets and in
the books, I am reminded that every step counts in creating an experi-
ence. In creating a memorable event, every detail, like what kind of en-
velope the invitation comes in, who delivers it, to the last detail of the
event itself, like the silverware and the clothes the catering staff wear,
has to come together. Our group is very collaborative and enthusiastic,
and I am very excited to see where we can go with this project. We will
post the resulted designs here soon.

8. So, about the cookies: how do they fare, as total packages? Turns
out, the Walkers cookies are terrible. Dry, brittle and no flavor discern-
ible other than sugar. I was disappointed especially because of the
packaging, which promised something from Scotland, or Belgium
(that should’ve been a clue. It’s never a good idea to trust someone
who doesn’t know who s/he is). It made me feel like I just went to a
kennel and picked up the wrong dog.
Do you care what those sakura cookies taste like? Not necessarily
if you are annoyed with all that effort, but say you are intrigued—it’s
good. Well, depending on who’s talking; they taste exactly like the
package they come in; dainty, subtle, light, airy, and tiny. It’s like eat-
ing air bubbles, or, if you are like me, a piece of gold leaf, exquisite
and ethereal. --AM

9. 3

10. Building a solid brand takes more than hiring a great designer. It takes
more than just an owner’s blood, sweat and tears. And way more than
just launching a spiffy online presence.
Brand building takes time. It takes attention. Constant revisiting, ad-
justment, and recalibration.
And, according to what I learned yesterday from a very successful
camp’s director, more than anything, brand-building lies squarely on
the shoulders of the people you trust to propel your message.
Interviewing Cheley
Nine years ago DK journeyed west to Colorado by Greyhound from
Durham NC, where we’re now based once again, to become part of
the summer staff at Cheley Colorado Camps.
Then, a few years ago, I ran into someone I met at Cheley Colorado
Camps on the streets of Seattle. It was like reconnecting with a grade
school friend, and we immediately went for drinks to catch up. Both of
us were camp counselors in 2000. The summer program is for children
of all ages in the blue-and-purple mountaintops of Rocky Mountain
National Park. Sound amazing? It is. The setting is absolutely impec-
cable.
But the camp’s marketing materials did a lot of the selling, too.

11. How to build a brand
I remember receiving the application package, and getting excited
with its sheer weight and size. Now I know that the brand was there,
strong and clear and evocative right there. Standing on the front
porch of our apartment on Ninth Street, the sale was made right then.
When I look back over the decade intervening, I realize I’ve never
seen a better sewn-up package for marketing a brand experience.
Cheley did a good job delivering on the promise, too. The friend I re-
connected with in Seattle and I shared a long leisurely evening talking
about the camp, the rituals, the scenic beauty, and the people. All of
that was part of the brand promise, right from the start.
Clearly, Cheley has done a lot of work to build its organization.
Yesterday I asked Jeff Cheley, the director of the summer camp that’s
been in his family for four generations, how they did it.
He said: staff, strategy, and quality.
“We have two people who just hire staff, all year,” said Jeff. Identifying
the right people to share enthusiasm and push energy forward to cre-
ate a brand experience is that important.

12. “Some people will just work for a paycheck,” he said. “They don’t re-
ally care where a company’s going.”
But real leadership means people can rally their people around a clear
and well-articulated vision. They can infuse a sense of enthusiasm
into everyone who works for them. Cheley employs 12 people year-
round, and expands by the dozens during the summer season.
Leadership and vision
Without leaders who communicate confidently what it is their compa-
ny is about, staff won’t buy in to their ideas. The meaning of the Che-
ley camp experience—that nugget that I got a sense of when I got
my application packet—runs deep through generations of the Cheley
family. “It’s in our blood,” Jeff said.
High-quality marketing materials are another key to their success, he
said. From the time the camp began in 1921, “everything sent out
was very high quality, from brochures to bills to letters.” Now things
are done more often by e-mail, but the idea is the same: communi-
cate quality.

13. Take the time to recalibrate
Cheley revisits its strategy plan several times a year. The idea is to
stay in touch with the vision and mission. It’s worth paying for an
outside consultant to come in and ask the right questions. They’ve
worked with a group of strategy consultants on different occasions,
including Cathy Sunshine of Sunshine Consultancy in Denver.
“Most of the smartest people out there realize they’re not the best at
what they do,” Jeff said. Hiring an experienced person or team makes
the time spent thinking about big-picture questions more focused,
more productive, and well worth the money spent. “I’d rather spend
more and work with someone who knows the right questions to ask.”
--DK

14. 4
Our neighbor really likes this radio
station.
103.7 Lite FM.
So we listen to it a lot, through the
window. Sometimes even into the
evenings, at about the time when
Delilah’s show comes on.
This happens so much I feel I’m on
a first-name basis with “Delilah.”
To give you some idea of her per-
sonality, here’s how Delilah de-
scribes herself: “I was a small-town
girl. Aside from the ridiculous green
beret and homely green jumper,
signing me up for Girl Scouts was
the best decision Mom made for
her fifth-grade daughter.” —Deli-
lah’s biography on 103litefm
The thing about it is, it’s a nice
change from all the emo stuff you

15. keep hearing all the time on KEXP.
I used to like KEXP but lately other things are more interesting, for
some reason.
For example, cds from the early 1990s. From the dustier section of
our collection. Also: podcasts.
Even the Lite FM station is a nice change of pace, kind of. It sort of
reminds me of home, actually.
Actually it’s Anytown, America music.
This is the kind of music that reminds me of after tennis practice.
Back in the day. It makes me want to drive to a mall and get take out
from Chick-Fil-A.
Did I really just say that? Ew.
CORRECTION: August 1, 2008
So, I found out Delilah is actually on a different radio station.
I trusted a fast Google search to find out about this woman. I trusted
the results. I really believed I’d found what I was looking for. How

16. many Delilah-hosted radio shows can there be?
On a long road trip yesterday around eveningtime I tuned right into
103.7. Not what I’d been hearing through the window from our neigh-
bor’s radio.
Nontheless, pressing SCAN and waiting about for a bit got us to the
exact right station.
“This is it,” Akira said confidently. “Who else would be playing Michael
Bolton?”
And he was right. Shortly thereafter, Delilah took a request from a
girl who wanted to get back together with her boyfriend, three hours
away, even if it meant long-distance.
Our station was zeroed in on Warm 106.9fm.
I regret the error. --DK

17. www.designkompany.com