DesignThinkers 2009 Notes {7}

Terry O’Reilly – Age of Persuasion CBC & Pirate Radio

Be SURPRISING – it’s sticky but How?
Doesn’t’ sell itself
Understand human behaviour
Be curious > it’s how to be interesting
Message - packaging must be new > not necessarily new message
Make people feel EMOTION

Noise is deafening
Examples of surprises:
3M transit shelter money b/w glass – Need to ask the right question!
Leadership example Honda example
Demonstration is bedrock – benefits

Rethink Orkin pest control collecting flies
British Rail making client wait to build empathy

Demonstrate & Convince – don’t just inform
Compelling story about product

Emotions must be felt, never stated
Tell story > … show you service/product can be trusted. Don’t tell
Emotion in story – use old stories
10Km speed difference (kid being hit by car) 80% likelihood of survival if 10Km slower otherwise 10Km faster 80% likelihood the child will be killed
Lego crane, fresh salad billboard for McDees, bus shelter seat scale for weight, fleas on dog from high view are people

Invite people to be active members
It’s about making the box bigger!
Take stuff everyone ignores
Most compelling message is that you understand your customer’s needs!
In order to identify the obstacles they need you to empathize – understand and you win

Razor compared to lawn billboard – Surprise

Technologies are NOT ideas
Excite – strive to teach them; teacher, educate, provoke & inspire
Don’t cost a lot of money
Toronto Symphony – fear of not knowing what to do


Carter – Font guy

Understand history if you use it
He did research – mathematical approach (didn’t sketch)

“Accuracy is not the truth” – Henri Matisse
Fonts – Caslon, Vincent, Carter.. Snell
All caps – thoughts on how to do
Bembo – 16pt should look best! If it doesn’t look good @ 16pt you’re in trouble

Reviving types
Invented Georgia & Verdana

Ikea – Futura to Verdana