Thursday, May 25, 2006

World Trade Week Global Branding

While Al Gore was discussing being socially responsbile on a personal, national and global level as he promoted his movie "An Inconvient Truth" on Thursday, May 25th, the AIGA hosted a discussion of social responsibility in the corporate world at Parson's School of Design's Teresa & Eugene Student Center.

Co-produced with the Center of Global Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School, Christopher Liechty, president of the AIGA Center for Cross-Cultural Design moderated a discussion after presentations by two key figures in this world. First Enoch Palmer, vp of design for Aveda gave an insider view into how environmental responsibility permates the Aveda brand and its corporate culture. Then, branding and identity extraordinaire (and a former boss of mine!) David Boorstin spoke on how social responsbility in corporate branding can create a bond between company and consumer. We see this every day with the ads for hybrid cars and goods from recycled and organic materials.