Practice Outside the Office.

You’ve heard the cliche before: practice makes perfect. So how do you practice redesigning a website when you’re not in front of your computer?

Redesign everything else. Get in the habit of restructuring, re-organizing, and re-inventing things you see in the world.

This group re-imagined the Postal Service.

If you see a billboard you’re not fond of- how would you change it?

Your closet? I bet it could be organized better. Figure out how.

If you come across a process you think is flawed, or could work more fluidly, come up with a solution.

Get really good at practicing, and you’ll get really good at whatever you’re trying to improve on.

Social Media Hits the Journalists’ Bible.

“We’re planning to add a new section to the AP Stylebook on new media and social media, and we want to hear your suggestions. What entries would you like to see? What terms would you like defined? What questions would you like us to answer?

AP editors will consider all submissions when compiling the new section, and some may be published.

The editors also will choose their favorite suggestions and reward the authors with either a free year’s subscription to AP Stylebook Online or a free download of the AP Stylebook mobile app for iPhone or iPod touch.”

– Fill out the form here to submit your entry.

Design, Meet Espionage.

“In the world of espionage nothing is what it seems. An umbrella is a gun, a pen is a microphone and those unassuming people around you might be informants. Red Tettemer created this for the International Spy Museum in Washington DC.” – Via Adland.

Check out the video

Advertising’s New Age.

“While so many in our business want to talk about concepts, I fancy ideas. When they speak of campaigns, I push for conversations. And when they boast of impressions, I can’t help but think about impacts. …We are at a point where interruption must be replaced by invitation.” – Tom Martin via AdAge.

NIKE- A Different Approach.

Nike to agency: “We have this new shoe that is really really flexible. It provides lots of bend to make sure you can grip the road, and prevents foot fatigue by allowing the runners foot to move more naturally. -How should we market it?”

Standard answer. “We’ll make an instantly forgettable commercial showing a girl of non-distinct ethnicity but obvious affluence running by herself at sunrise in a park with some vaguely motivational hipster music playing in the background. Then we”ll zoom in on the show for the final 3 seconds of the ad with “Nike.com” really big on the screen.”

Luckily Nike never goes with the standard answer. Most people would ask if videos like this really help sell shoes. We might ask if anyone is bothering to write a blog post about the “standard answer.”