BTS, Saint Dolly & The New Slang

I was going to write an AI update about some of the recent annoyances I have experienced, but it's been quite a week and Dolly Parton died, so eff that. Because there are actually some fun things to talk about.

RFP BTS

Who will win NYC's RFP for the branding of NYC Groceries (naming is included, so that's a placeholder)? The deadline was June 30, but date to award is TBD. It is a who's who of NY design agencies large and small. It's a hotter ticket than normal because Mamdani's administration has leaned into good design, not just with his campaign by Forge, but also see Arsh Raziuddin's NY World Cup work and Frere-Jones custom typeface. Elizabeth Goodspeed for It's Nice That asks what should a civic brand be.

"...respondents were repeatedly instructed not to submit speculative design concepts, but to demonstrate the quality of their thinking through past work instead. After all, how could they arrive at the right answer before they’d asked the right questions?" 🙏

The article is also a little peek behind the curtain into the RFP process. Everyone is forever guessing what is the thing, the decision (remember last week?), the detail that will win it, and also trying to figure out who else they're in competition with. After it shakes out, I would love to see a First Round with a group of entrants. Maybe even moreso without the creative? Like how did you decide to approach it?

🕯️ Saint Dolly

Here is my favorite Dolly Parton tribute song. And if you don't recognize the Good Times sample in there, you're not grown.

Dopamine Hits

🍜 A great, simple explanation of UTMs.

📬 Did you know you could submit an idea for a postage stamp? Make sure you submit it with a postage stamp.

🪄 Kelli Anderson on how graphic design is perceptual magic.

🎤 Josh Johnson via Interview magazine:

"I think the rut came from not being very certain about what I wanted to create next. Sometimes that stuck feeling isn't about being stuck. It's literally about being able to move in whatever direction you want, and having that much freedom to do the next thing is what makes you feel stuck."

Slang It With Me

I said no tech, but I have to share my favorite new term which is Slop Dropper: someone who creates AI slop and passes it onto you without reviewing thus reducing their workload while increasing yours – via @amandaperry. It's passing the buck with thinking instead of money. And if you need more, The Guardian has 18 more. Their "AI Horning" is what I called "Feature Packing" a couple of weeks ago. And I did use "Dickover" in a sentence last week.