US design and strategy firm, VSA, is celebrating its fortieth not with a showy showcase of its designs, but an exploration of the designs that made an impact on its designers.
VSA chief executive officer, Anne-Marie Rosser, explained, “We easily could have focused this anniversary as a retrospective on the exceptional work VSA is known for,” says CEO Anne-Marie Rosser. “But what really makes VSA successful is our people and their laser focus on designing for a better human experience. We knew that any effort to mark our anniversary should reflect the VSA way of thinking that has driven our work for 40 years and will continue to empower us for years to come.”
The editorial campaign focuses on a wide range of concepts, from museum branding to detective shows to kitchen gadgets. Each video then explores how these transformational ideas have improved and enhanced the creativity of individual staff members. Each video is less than a minute.
Partner and head of design Thom Wolfe, stated, “The idea is to not overwhelm people with our inspirations, but to encourage them to consider their own sources of inspiration and ultimately create a social dialogue about the role of design.”
Since its founding in 1982, the company has become an integral part of the Chicago advertising and design community, working with top brands like IBM, Google and Nike.
“We too often take for granted the products, services and social constructs of the modern world,” commented chief creative officer, Curt Schreiber. “But when we take time to examine how these innovations have radically changed and improved our lives, we’ll often find deep inspiration for the next big innovation yet to come.”
The video series comprises short videos of less than a minute apiece. Partner and Head of Design Thom Wolfe explains, “The idea is to not overwhelm people with our inspirations, but to encourage them to consider their own sources of inspiration and ultimately create a social dialogue about the role of design.”
The complete collection in video form can be found here.
“If just one person or marketer who views this video is inspired to approach their world through human-centered design, we’ll count this as a success,” Rosser added. “When we lead with designing for the human on the other end of the experience, that’s when truly magical things happen.”
