Welcome to Friday Fives, Vol. 323!
The Working Assembly
Design-led creative agency based in New York City and working globally.
Every Friday, we highlight five things we have on our radar that we think should be on yours, too.
This week, we’re questioning the star power behind presidential campaigns, deciding if the new LA Clippers logo is a slam dunk, cozying up to some holiday marketing with Gap, getting a feel for design, and forecasting the 2025 design landscape.
Now, more than ever, it’s important that we spotlight and celebrate the successes of women. Next week, our founder Jolene Delisle is heading to the EY Strategic Growth Forum® to represent being part of the EY Winning Women 2024—a program that uplifts, celebrates, and provides resources to inspiring founders. Will you be there? Let us know!
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1. Star-Crossed Endorsements
Brace yourself, Swifties. It turns out Taylor’s endorsement in the 2024 election may not have had the effect that we thought it would. Market research platform Grow Progress conducted a study on this year’s celebrity endorsements for both Harris and Trump and found that they had little sway on voters. In some cases, they even swayed voters in the opposite direction, with Beyoncé for Harris and Dr. Phil for Trump as examples. Because of the media hype surrounding celeb endorsements (and the decision not to endorse), it seems like they would have made a bigger impact. This doesn’t mean we should totally dismiss the idea; in a race that was this close, any movement at all can make a difference. Signed, the Childless Cat Parents of the Friday Fives.
2. Here’s the Clips Notes
GQ Sports has launched a new series called “GQ Rebranded,” where professional logo designer Justin Thomas Kay explores the history of brand identities and offers his unique take on bringing that history to life. In the debut episode, he examines the controversial new LA Clippers logo and revisits the sports team’s brand evolution. When the team changed its name from the Buffalos to the Clippers in 1978, the logo changed too. The 1978 logo is still cherished today for its retro design and is even featured on current merchandise. This points to folks’ latent love for the design, even as the brand has evolved visually and conceptually. In reimagining the logo himself, he aims to convey energy and forward momentum. He poses the question: “Could you imagine rebranding the Bulls?” His answer is emphatic: “Absolutely, not—that’s what you’re aspiring to.” We have no notes!
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3. The Gift of Gap’s Rebrand
Remember Gap in its heyday? Those pop-culture-defining 1990 TV commercials with lots of dancing and khakis dominated screens, some even directed by Spike Jonze (long before he directed Apple ads). Now, Gap is tapping into its nostalgic roots with a new all-singing holiday ad. With Zac Posen recently brought on board to spearhead Gap’s big comeback, we’re witnessing this old-school brand find its cool again. The ad titled, “Give Your Gift” features rising musical talent and creators singing along to an acappella version of Janet Jackson’s 1997 song “Together Again.” The choir creators cozy up in Gap sweaters, scarves, and knits as they harmonize together. Gap’s fresh take on its nostalgic ads is also seen in their recent collaborations with Gen Z-loved creators like Tyla, leaning into social-first spots. Troye Sivan dancing in Gap Jeans? It’s the gift we never knew we needed.
4. Design With Feeling
If you’re reading this on your phone, take a moment to think about how it feels in your palm. Is it a nice weight or too light? Do the buttons move with ease and reward you with a satisfying click? These are the questions that designers need to be asking themselves in product design. The collective movement toward minimalism prioritizes visually stunning sleekness but glosses over tactility and functionality, and people are clamoring to get their hands on products that feel good, literally. It’s no wonder analog devices like typewriters always reemerge even when their more sophisticated new versions come out. In an increasingly digital age, people want to hold real objects, so let us know if you want us to print out next week’s Friday Fives and mail it to you.
5. A Design Dive Into 2025
Creative leaders are designing the future of design — and to no one’s surprise, AI (both its dominance and its defeat) is top of their list. While some predict AI will no longer take a backseat, but take a stab at full execution, others are pushing back on this. According to many creatives, we’ll be looking to incorporate handmade, unique design in 2025, emphasizing a yearning for humanity and connectedness. A few other predictions also show an interesting dichotomy: physical experience through digital, quiet environmentalism, minimalist maximalism. The true overarching prediction for 2025? Successful designers will be the ones that can strike a balance between opposing forces, utilize AI but not depend on it, and be both subtle and bold at the same time.