79NM

// THE ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY HOSTS "DESIGNING OBAMA," THE IMPACT OF GOOD DESIGN ON POLITICS IS EXPLORED

Press Release.

// ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY HOSTS "DESIGNING OBAMA"

 

The Academy of Art University's Morgan Auditorium played host to last night's xpedx and Sappi sponsored Designing Obama event.  Alissa Walker moderated the presentation by Sol Sender of Sender LLC and Scott Thomas of SimpleScott that outlined what may well be the first political campaign in history to utilize the expertise of graphic design professionals for its campaign branding. 

Sender, now a strategist at Chicago-based design firm VSA created the Obama 08 campaign logo.  Sender's presentation walked through the research and thought process that ultimately developed the now famous logo -- which they delivered within a mind-boggling time frame of just over a month. 

Then Thomas, the Design Director of the Obama 08 presidential campaign took the stage to share a behind the scenes look at what it means to be an in-house design firm for a political campaign.  Thomas addressed the strategies and work it took to, "Establish a consistency and balance to exemplify the stability and experience"

The Academy of Art University's  Dr. Elisa Stephens (center) at the Designing Obama event with presenters Scott Thomas (left), and Sol Sender (right) flanked by the Academy's Mary Scott and Phil Hamlett.

// THE LIGHTER SIDE OF DESIGNING OBAMA

During the Q&A portion of the Designing Obama event, presenters Scott Thomas and Sol Sender were asked by an audience member about what kept them laughing through all their tireless work on the Obama 08 campaign. After definite inside joke chuckles from them both they put on their game faces and answered the question.

Thomas (pictured left) brought his answer back to design with the tale of the switch from Gill Sans to Gotham.  After struggling some time with the font issue, the turning point came with the word "Iraq."  "With Gill, the letter R kind of swoops under to the right, and the Q does the same. So Iraq looked like 'Iraq, the nice place to visit' and that was the end of Gill," he declared.

Sender said that if anyone hasn't seen Sarah Silverman's The Great Schlep yet to go on youtube and check it out.  That was one of the things that kept them laughing and inspired during the process.

//OBAMA 08 THE CAMPAIGN THAT CONSIDERED DESIGN

Alissa Walker, moderator of last night's Designing Obama event at the Academy of Art University's Morgan Auditorium, opened the presentation with a thought that spoke directly to the reason that nearly 800 people attended. Although she had experienced and voted in other elections, Walker pointed out, "This was the election that affected my life."  

The crowd nodded in agreement of the life changing elements this particular election brought, for the most obvious reasons of course, but the nodding quickly turned to more vocal affirmations when Walker continued, "Finally good design is being considered important to a political campaign."

A point that struck the hearts of the designer-filled audience. A point that was felt by the non-designers of the nation as well -- although they likely didn't realize that along with the man, the country was embracing a literal symbol of hope.