I’ve often heard it said that to have true success, you need to find inspiration in the things you see everyday. Well, one of the things I see everyday, and often overlook, is a large, cylindrical tube of Quaker Oats, apparently it holds 30 delicious bowls (but how do they know how big the bowls I own are?), but anyway. I have this cardboard tube sitting on a cabinet at my cubical for some time now, and to tell the the truth, I don’t really know why. I don’t even eat Quaker Oats. At this very moment, as I write this, I am eating a bowl of oatmeal that is some other brand that I enjoy more than Quaker, but each time I buy more oatmeal, I take the contents and pour them into this Quaker Oats container. There’s just something about it that’s comforting. It makes me feel like home. It’s like having an old photo of a grandparent at my desk, but at the same time, I find the thing incredibly creepy. For some unfound reason, I can’t explain why it’s so intriguing to me and why I keep it around.

It’s fairly basic packaging. Nothing to write home to mom about, so why am I writing about it…? No bells and whistles, no amber waves of grain, or Photoshopped ‘grain’ textures, just bold reds, and blues, some golden gradients for style, and a kindly, white-haired Quaker illustration…

…oooooooohh, that illustration…

It’s the kind of illustration that pops-up in dreams out of nowhere and scares the Bejezus out of you with his ‘Mona Lisa smile,’ which is as friendly as it is diabolical. There’s just something eerie about his smirk. Apparently the portrait is one of the oldest advertising mascots in America, and contrary to popular belief, does not depict William Penn. Created originally by Jim Nash in black and white in 1964 and then taken full color by Haddon Sundblom in 1972. Representing Quaker values of honesty, integrity, and purity, the rosie-cheeked Quaker elder is not supposed to be a portrait of anyone in particular.

So I guess there in lies the rub, the fact that he’s just there. He’s there and he’s just smiling. He has no identity. All we really know is that he’s a Quaker, and even the Quakers, who are now the Religious Society of Friends, don’t want him around (they lost the law suit, so he stays). He never changes. He’s like the Mona Lisa, and the frightening twins from the Shining all wrapped into one. For all eternity, he’ll be there, smiling, and that, I find creepy. The new Quaker campaign doesn’t help with my paranoia, either. It’s just weird to have a huge omnipotent Quaker portrait telling you to, “Go Humans Go.”

At the same time, however, I think he can be somewhat comforting and it’s what I find successful about the whole Quaker brand. Their identity has basically been the same for generations. Anyone who sees that illustration knows what product is being sold. Even if you hate the bland, cardboard taste of plain oatmeal, which I happen to love, the product and feeling toward it is still the same. It resonates with people. You’ll never see Quaker Oats NEW FORMULA or some other ridiculous campaign, like Crystal Pepsi. It will always be the same oatmeal that your dad ate, and his dad ate, and his dad, and so on and so forth. The Quaker Oats Guy then becomes a perfect symbol for the brand. He goes on day by day, staying true to his fundamentals, to what made Quaker a recognizable brand.

Even though I sometimes feel like he’s staring at me, in this twitter feed / TMZ / topsy-turvy / here-one-minute-gone-the-next world we live in, it can be nice to know that there’s always a familiar, welcoming smile within an arms-length…even if the contents inside are someone else’s.

EndNote: For the record, YES, I did just compare an illustration and identity for an oatmeal manufacturer to the Mona Lisa, one of the single greatest works of art, ever.

It’s been a long, busy summer and we here at Triple Strength have been inundated with work in both print and web, hence the blog silence. In between all the client work, we were able to spend some time on our own identity. First was with a re-imagining of the Triple Strength icon. In the past we’ve used the Triple Strength ‘Burst,’ but in moving forward, much like the astronauts and/or apemen in 2001: A Space Odyssey, branding will now be done with the TS ‘Monolith.’ The new identity symbolizes strength, stability, and structure. Enhancing these three ideals, supplementary graphics include elements such as diamond plate textures and tetris-style block accents. Further redesigns will be coming along as the days get shorter, and the leaves change from green to orange. Look for other new TS identity pieces such as brochures, marketing materials, and a completely redesigned web site in the coming months. We’ll also be putting forth extra effort to Brand3, in order to keep you posted on the latest happenings and goings on. So, as my new favorite player for the Cincinnati Bungles, Ocho-Uno, has said…get your popcorn ready!

With the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver only hours away, and the Alpine Skiing qualifier already in full swing. I wanted to reflect upon the Olympic logo, which if you haven’t already, are going to be seeing a French-Canadian ton of, before the fortnight of games are over.

The logo is supposed to represent a monolithic Inuit character known as an Inukshuk. The Inuits were a tribe of people native to the Vancouver area. The name of the character is Illanaaq and it means friendship in Inuit. The illustration is chalk full of symbolism, which I guess, all Olympic logos are supposed to be. The green smiling head is for the coastal forests, the blue arms for the coast, the sky blue torso for the mountains, the red left leg is for the maple leaf, which, who doesn’t associate Canada with the maple leaf, and finally the yellow leg is for the sun. The CEO of the Vancouver Games said that the figure “reflects the sheer joy for winter sport and draws its strength from the true spirit of teamwork.” The ironic thing is that nothing about this identity equates with the speed, grace and athleticism of the Winter Games. My real question is what does the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man have to do with Alpine skiing, the Luge and speed skating. If you can’t tell, I’m not overly psyched on the 2010 Olympic logo. It seems as though the Inukshuk symbolizes so many things, but it missed out on the one that matters…sport.

I guess it could be worse, though. It could be as bad as the 2012 Summer Olympics logo from London, which looks like it could grace the cover of the newest Sex Pistols record. Stay tuned and enjoy the Games…

I had lunch today with two women, both of who are experts in the field of combating the causes and effects of sexual violence. Along with their colleagues, they develop and disseminate best practice protocol for preventing SV and intervening in situations when it occurs. We’ve come to know each other working together on behalf of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, the country’s authoritative resource assisting individuals and groups actively engaged on the front lines.

Until the 1960s and 70s victims of sexual violence, the majority being women, mostly suffered in silence. Then things gradually began changing—for the better. Thrust into the public spotlight by the feminist movement, sexual violence became the top priority of grass roots organizations springing up around the country. Rape crisis centers opened. Support groups formed. Ad campaigns fanned the flames by focusing public attention on this previously unspoken subject. Year after year, with increasing effectiveness, efforts like these dramatically improved the quality of life for countless individuals and families, and our society as a whole.

That’s why today the three of us are discussing a new NSVRC initiative to re-”frame” the topic of sexual violence. The concern of my two companions for the victims of sexual violence compels them to keep this subject firmly fixed in the nation’s consciousness. It’s an interesting proposition. How can the public’s deeply held worldviews and widely held assumptions be changed and refreshed so attention is refocused on an important subject like this one? To find out more, visit frameworksinstitute.org or even better, take the 20-minute tutorial.

Ever since the Hershey Chocolate Factory opened in 1905, residents from Hershey, PA and nearby communities have been employed to provide the hands-on expertise required for making chocolate. Factory employees commonly addressed the company’s founder as Mr. Hershey and generally respected him for his entrepreneurial success and undying determination in the face of early failures.

With a legendary work ethic all his own, the value of reliable labor and the value of a man’s job was not lost on Mr. Hershey. In the midst of the Great Depression, he asked a foreman how work was proceeding on his new hotel. When the foreman reported, “The new steam shovel does the work of 40 men.” Mr. Hershey responded, “Get rid of it and hire 40 men.”

Employment in Hershey, PA remained steady during the Great Depression, a proud point and one of the many historical facts to be discovered at The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue. The first landmark building to appear on Chocolate Avenue in over 70 years, the world-class museum serves to preserve and pass on the inspirational American success story of chocolate-maker turned philanthropist, Milton S. Hershey. Already a popular attraction, the new museum is rapidly becoming the equal of traditional tourist favorites Hershey’s Chocolate World and Hersheypark.

The museum is also a major accomplishment in the revitalization of the city’s downtown. Touted to become a hub of activity and community center, the museum won widespread support among local contributors during a capital campaign conducted to fund its construction. To engender support and advertise the grand opening, Triple Strength created the image shown here of a contemporary factory employee at work with others who preceded her by nearly a century.

How fitting to pay homage to the generations of Hershey Chocolate Factory workers in this town where the bond between the town’s benefactor and employees of the company he started have traditionally remained very strong. Now more than ever, the embattled American worker could really use a tip of the hat to acknowledge their hard work and devotion. Regretfully, this image created for outdoor postings never ran due to budget constraints, but hopefully it will in the near future.