chicago design firm Archives

Occam’s Razor and the Art of Brand Clarity

At Otherwise, we’re drawn to ideas that hold power in their precision — frameworks that slice through the noise without losing the depth. One such idea, borrowed from the worlds of logic, theology, and philosophy, is Occam’s Razor. Often misquoted, often misunderstood, but always useful. A brief history of the blade The principle that would […]

Dec 15 2025 by Nancy Lerner in Brandshrink

The Butterfly Effect: Small Gestures, Big Weather

In 1961, meteorologist Edward Lorenz was running early computer simulations of weather patterns when he made a small change—rounding an input from 0.506127 to 0.506. To his surprise, the resulting forecast diverged dramatically from the original. This discovery led to his 1963 paper, Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow, and a poetic phrase that would eventually enter pop […]

Oct 26 2025 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

Branding in the Fifth Dimension: A Metaphysical Guide to Multi-Layered Meaning

At Otherwise, we’ve always been drawn to the spaces between disciplines — where metaphor becomes method, and strategy is stretched through unfamiliar dimensions. So today, we ask: What if a brand isn’t a flat identity, but a dimensional construct? It’s easy to think of a brand as a surface: a logo, a voice, a palette, […]

Jul 6 2025 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

Quantum Branding: A Strange and Beautiful Framework for Modern Brands

At Otherwise, we’re always searching for unexpected connections — the kind of surprising metaphors that make ideas shimmer with new meaning. For us, creativity begins not with answers, but with questions that stretch across disciplines: What might quantum physics teach us about branding? What happens when we apply the language of particles, waves, and uncertainty […]

Jun 30 2025 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

Creating Conditions to Embrace Change: Rebranding Kiser Group

Amidst the tumult of rising interest rates, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions, the mid-market multifamily market has weathered the storm, offering property owners and investors stable occupancy rates, rent growth, and impressive returns. This resilience is mirrored in the journey of Kiser Group, a leader in the multifamily mid-market space, particularly within Chicago and […]

Apr 15 2024 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials