Bruce Mau

Imagine you are visiting New York city. Now further imagine yourself standing in Times Square within New York city. As you stand on the sidewalk, looking up, you are overwhelmed by the influx of media that surrounds you. In varying intervals you are exposed to fashion advertisements, some seconds later you are then watching news coverage regarding international events. Continuing to watch there are then more fashion ads, consumer marketing featuring Macy's, FAO Schwartz, and countless others. Your only escape from this overwhelming bombardment is to ignore the constant change and influx altogether. For a consumer driven society, there is no positive message that is communicated. We, as an American people, are only exposed to goods or services that we supposedly need, where the need is actually a commodity or want. Instead of focusing our energy on consumption, which seems to be our unexplained constant need to acquire more, we as a collective society, should focus on our long term prolonging of a lifestyle with sacrifice. That sacrificing certain extras could, in a positive way, inspire innovation towards change. That the exposure we encounter, with regard to advertising, could actually have an impact on those who watch. By watching, all individuals exposed can absorb a visual message, inspiring change towards action rather than a universal numbness to visual stimulus.

Paralleling this concept of change towards action is Bruce Mau, the CEO of Bruce Mau Design, and an innovator, in many instances of this idea of change through action. He is believed to, among other things, be one of the first influential minds towards design innovation. What is meant by design innovation isn't what most think, according to Bruce, Appreciative In...

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...by utilizing the technology we have at our fingertips, communicating a shared vision, is something inherently possible. Individuals coming together as unified groups, communicating through visual representation, and implicating a positive message, carries more influence than any individual author, designer, or speaker could. His work has inspired generations to change, and collectively we all can improve the way, in which, we currently live.

Works Cited

Hartman, Laura P., & DesJardins, Joe. (2011). Business ethics: decision making for personal integrity and social responsibility. New York: McGraw Hill, pg 392-393.

Veale Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio (Producer). (2009). Global Forum 2009 Day 1: Keynote - Bruce Mau & Workshop Instructions [Theater]. Available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHJ2kuqd86A&feature=player_embedded#at=605