mobile apps Creative teams are made up of creative people. And creative people have a wide variety of interests.
That might not be more apparent than a look at what our Ten Fast Feet team has been reading recently. Topics range from super complex math and a new trend in visual storytelling ... to comparing a comedian and a sushi chef. Oh, and Sammy Sosa.
Yep. A wide variety of interests for sure.
Here's a look at what's on our radars this week. It's a little bit of everything ... and then some.
Show and tell ... and sell
Submitted by Matt Knutson, motion designer and videographer
It’s not a commercial ... but it’s a commercial. The idea of telling a deeper story instead of just pushing product onto an audience has become the latest trend in advertising. Remember “Halftime in America” from last year’s Super Bowl? Do you remember what company created the ad? (Hint: It’s a car maker in Detroit.) Capturing an audience’s attention has never been more important, and advertisers are turning to the age-old tactics of moviemaking to do just that. And it’s working.
Design trends worth debating
Submitted by Brianna Reed, designer
It’s a brand new year, which naturally leads to lots of speculation online as to what will be the trends in the design world for the next 12 months. This piece, written by Gannon Burgett, led to a lot of conversation in our creative room. (Editor’s note: It may have even spurred a couple more blog posts from us. Stay tuned.) From flat design to responsive design to a disdain for the color blue, there’s some interesting nuggets in here to digest. Some we’re totally on board with. Others, not so much. But, after all, isn’t that the point of these articles?
What do sushi and comedy have in common?
Submitted by Nathan Maggard, founder and CEO
Seems like a peculiar question, but the answer is they really have quite a bit in common, if you agree with this article from LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner. He compares lessons in craftsmanship – "masters of their domain," borrowing the reference – from two seemingly very different walks of life in comedian Jerry Seinfeld and master sushi chef Jiro Ono. Those similarities range from practicing to paying attention to the smallest details. And they apply to anyone trying to become adept at their craft. It’s a good read.
Real numbers, imaginary numbers, math and vectors (oh my!)
Submitted by Mick McGrath, developer
If you’ve ever wondered how to fold a Julia fractal, Steven Whittens has you covered. In this article, he explains how real and imaginary numbers are all just concepts ... and how complex numbers essentially work as “arrows that turn,” which leads to building Julia fractals. There are some fascinating slideshows in this piece, even if you’re not a developer (or adept at math). Or, if you’d rather watch and listen to Whittens explain this concept (rather than reading it yourself), the video "Making Things with Maths" is time well spent.
How not to use social media, Sosa style
Submitted by Carla Swank, communications director
Let’s move to something a bit more light-hearted, shall we? Like, say, a former professional baseball player that obviously got some pretty bad advice on how to use Pinterest. Yes, this really is Sammy Sosa, the former Chicago Cubs star, and this is his Pinterest page. (Which he isn’t bashful to claim in every caption of every image.) Full of bizarre photos of ... himself. In his house. Pointing at things randomly. Looking at his phone. Remember earlier this week when we posted about social media being all about me? For Sammy, it’s obviously all about him. His publicist confirmed to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye that they’re “still learning” social media. If nothing else, they’ve learned one thing well – how to go viral for all the wrong reasons.
