branding Archives

Second first impressions: Reflections on naming at Otherwise

We founded our studio in 1992 under the name Otherwise, which went against the tide of naming conventions at the time. Lifetime devotees of language and grammar — and unafraid of doing things differently — the name Otherwise revealed itself naturally, signaling not only two forces coming together (design as “other” and ideas as “wise”), […]

Nov 11 2021 by The Otherwise Team in Editorials

What’s in a tagline? Everything if you get it right.

While rooting around in the Otherwise flat files recently, we stumbled across a number of branding campaigns that we haven’t looked at, or thought about, for some time. And one of the things about this patinated work that jumps out right away is wow…we’ve written some wonderful taglines over the years. Here are just a […]

Sep 23 2021 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

2008-9 Lycée Français de Chicago Artist-in-Residence Program: Lightyears ahead of #vanlife

As an unintended consequence of the pandemic, the role of the recreation vehicle has become central to the conversation about life in America, and values related to independent thinking, minimalism, adventure and bucking the status quo. But back in 2008, the prescience of an artist keenly observing our culture imagined how a vintage Airstream might […]

Jul 29 2021 by Nancy Lerner in Breaking the Grid

Stuart Dybek on Chicago and the Short Story

Born and raised in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood, Dybek has always enjoyed writing but only realized that he could truly become a writer after attending the University of Iowa Writers Workshop. Dybek has published five collections of short stories. His work can also be found in the Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, Harper’s and Ploughshares. […]

Jul 21 2021 by Elizabeth Meyer in Breaking the Grid

Designing Chicago’s Future

Passion for architecture, design and community development are core values for Otherwise, as we continue to draw inspiration from the city around us. So it’s gratifying to see that the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is also doubling down on these priorities, as it announces the formation of the new Committee on Design, […]

Jul 15 2021 by Nancy Lerner in News