Fisher's selected design was the result of a request from the Cat Adoption Team organization to participate in a pro bono effort to create a new identity for the "no-kill" feline facility. In an "a-ha" design moment, while doodling one day, the designer came up with C, A and T letterforms creating a cat image. Confidently presented to the nonprofit's appreciative marketing, advertising and design-savvy Executive Director, the identity idea still required approval of the Board of Directors. With the governing body, the concept was DOA for not being "warm and friendly enough."
The ideas in "Killed Ideas, Vol. 1" represent the blood, sweat and tears of many creatives who poured the best of themselves into their work, which never ultimately saw production. Photographers, designers, artists and creative agencies representing more than 31 countries and 170 brands submitted their best killed ideas to be considered for inclusion in the book. Book curator Hall selected 50 finalists whose work has now been brought back to life in "Killed Ideas, Vol. 1." From print to radio to interactive, "Killed Ideas, Vol. 1" applauds creativity in all forms.
"I was blown away by the creativity we were exposed to over the course of this project - it's astonishing that some of these ideas remained on the cutting room floor until now," said Steve Hall, Curator of Killed Ideas, Vol. 1. "Inside this book, you will find fifty wonderful ideas. Great ideas. Insightful ideas. Ideas that should be appreciated. Ideas that should have an audience beyond their creator."
"For the Blurb team, it was truly inspiring to be involved in this project, and to bring these ideas to life in a book for them to be shared, kept, and experienced," said Eileen Gittins, founder and CEO, Blurb. "Congratulations to all whose work is represented in Killed Ideas, Vol. 1. We celebrate rampant creativity daily, and you're the reason we do what we do - awesome work, all!"
Others may now express their opinions of the 50 selected projects, through June 30th, by voting for the book's People's Choice Award at KilledIdeas.com. Through registering their emails, site visitors have the chance to win the one copy of "Killed Ideas, Vol. 1" made available each day during that time period. Fisher will also make several copies available during the 2009 HOW Conference in Austin, Texas. He will make use of social networking tools to give the books away.
Designer Jeff Fisher is the author of Identity Crisis: 50 Redesigns That Transformed Stale Identities into Successful Brands (HOW Books, 2007). He has received over 600 regional, national and international graphic design awards for his logo and corporate identity efforts and his work is featured in more than over 100 books on the design of logos, the business of graphic design, and small business marketing. His first HOW Books offering, The Savvy Designer’s Guide to Success, appeared on bookstore shelves in late 2004, and has been re-released in PDF format on CD. Fisher is currently writing a book about typography in identity design.
In January, Fisher was named one of design industry publication Graphic Design USA’s “People to Watch in 2009.” In 2008, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives was recognized as one of the top 100 U.S. home-based businesses by the web presence StartupNation.
More information about Jeff Fisher, and his design and writing efforts, may be found on the Jeff Fisher LogoMotives blogfolio.
(* If I don’t "toot!" my own horn, no one else will.)
© 2009 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
