January 19, 2015
“You don’t think your way to creative work. You work your way to creative thinking.” George Nelson
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Honesty Our founder D.J. De Pree committed Herman Miller to modern furniture because he saw a moral dimension to
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Gilbert Rohde’s honest approach to design. And that’s why Herman Miller values honesty in what we create. Whether it’s our office or home furniture, icons of design or ‘folk modern’ lifestyle, we should always remember that we’re not just selling products—we’re selling a philosophy. And honesty never goes out of style.
“You’re not making furniture anymore.You’re providing a way of life.” Gilbert Rohde
“I expect Herman Miller to be at the forefront of dramatic change.” Yves Béhar
“Beyond the age of information is the age of choices.� Charles Eames
Human A well-designed space is more than just aesthetics. It’s also about how it affects the people who live and work in it every day. A human-centric process of thinking is the only way to create spaces that add purpose and meaning to our daily lives. And it’s only when design delivers on this promise that it becomes a success.
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Solutions Form without function is meaningless, and design for design’s sake is frivolous.
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We don’t create furniture simply to sell it. We create it as a response to social change. It solves problems. It is honest and true. It is beautiful and useful. It breaks rules in order to deliver the right answer. And when it’s at its very best, it serves to reset—and even define—expectations.
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“Eventually everything connects—people, ideas, objects.” Charles Eames
Relationships Relationships matter. They inspire us. They shape us. They even define us. Whether it’s the relationships with the spaces we help our customers create, the relationships we have with our designers and employees or the relationship we have with the environment around us, these relationships matter.
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“Life is missing
something more than modernity.� Bill Stumpf
Environment Your environment encompasses your past,
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frames your present and informs your future. You can feel its effect on how you live and what you do. But there are two types of people in this world—those who understand these simple truths about their surroundings and those who do not.
“Your life is your most important project.” Ayse Birsel
What you make is important.
Life is what you make of it. The memories. The moments. The promise of a better tomorrow. No matter who you are or what you do, what you make is important. From Saturday mornings at home to late nights in the office, how we shape our environment shapes us. For close to 100 years, Herman Miller design has solved human problems that create a positive effect on you and your world. Your family’s world. Your professional world. The worlds that really matter to you. And we have found that good is never easy. And great is even harder. But those solutions never go out of style. What we make is important because it helps you make what’s important. And, to us at Herman Miller, there’s nothing more important than that.
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Concept 1
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Concept 2
Concept 1
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The things we choose to surround ourselves with matter. Collectively, they tell the story of the moments in our lives that stay with us forever. Whether big or small, they carry weight, they shape our lives and those around us. First sip of coffee on a brisk Sunday morning. Working late to get it just right. Story time with you favorite audience of one.
What you make is important.
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Herman Miller products are members of the family. They are used and abused and loved. They are stories. We want to discover the world’s favorite luxury furniture through its owners. This online video series will hold a collection of characters that are as wonderfully interesting as the products themselves. To truly embrace the brand notion that “everything is connected,� we developed an original search mechanism allowing viewers to access video by choice, selecting the owners, the product type or even the location. Further showcasing the global love for Herman Miller and the moments you make.
Why we love it.
This concept demonstrates through human moments that “the very best solutions to today’s problems last a lifetime.” It marries the ideas of folk and modern with products and illustrations— all while telling the universal stories that make up our lives at work and at home. It is playful, natural, functional—and most importantly human, warm and innovative. It is a sophisticated vehicle to highlight products with ‘the wink.’ And best of all, it begins conversations with real people around Herman Miller spaces that have created special moments in both offices and at home.
Concept 2 32 Inspiration breeds inspiration. The way we shape our environment shapes the way we work and ultimately, the things we make. Things that inspire all of us to do more and to do better. And doing better benefits us all.
Innovation through innovation. Love through love. Passion through passion.
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So you’re off to Brooklyn for the weekend and you, the design savvy rockstar that you are, would love to spend your downtime in a place that has “just a little more.” Instead of cycling through the endless options on Airbnb.com, why not trust the design minds at Herman Miller to help you decide on an Airbnb location? This partnership will not only aid the customer in her apartment selection, but this recognition of a beautifullydesigned space will surely bring a flood of likeminded customers to that owner’s home—making someone’s stay truly special.
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Let’s partner with Airbnb and harness its strength in the short-stay market to create short-term business environments. Here, travelers will have the opportunity to rent space by the day—or even by the hour—to get outside of their hotel rooms and place themselves in a comfortable, inspirational environment much more condusive to getting it done. This endeavor serves as yet another example of Herman Miller taking part in making things that make a difference.
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Why we love it.
This concept focuses our message to design leaders and the creative class and aligns our values with theirs. It reinforces that through us, they can create surroundings that express what they care most about—innovation, passion, creativity and inspiration. And most importantly, that these values have always driven Herman Miller. It reaches into today’s modern businesses. The agencies, tech brands, forward-looking healthcare companies—even the parents with a start-up idea that’s just waiting to be shared with the world. What drives them, drives us. And the same is true for their peers. By connecting with our influencers, we become the clear premium choice for today’s
Dear Ben, Richard, Sam, Kimberly and Kath, There is nothing more humbling than to be asked by the greatest design company in the world to create the next evolution of its brand and advertising platform. When Huge was selected to participate, we were ecstatic at the opportunity to think about this challenge and the world of design icons that we admire, both as designers and as people. And then we were immediately sobered by the responsibility of the assignment. With nearly a century of design leadership, Herman Miller is the vanguard of design that is human, solves problems and that has fostered great ideas, products, conversations and work. Important work. Yours is the ultimate assignment for a design company like ours. One for which we feel both deep passion and responsibility. Our job couldn’t be more straightforward, yet more challenging: simply communicate why what you make is important. Are we worthy?! We think we are. We hope you do too. Sincerely and with design love, Jon, Eric, Jonathan, Duane, Tim and the Huge team