Karma, a new app for iOS and Android, completely rethinks the gift-giving experience. Office developed the visual identity, voice, and packaging for the brand, which publicly launched last week.

"What we're trying to do here is get rid of that ugly-sweater problem," Karma co-founder and CEO Lee Linden said. "It cuts down on the waste."

Karma connects to Facebook and reminds you of the important moments and days in your friends’ lives -- and allows you to do something a bit more meaningful than a "Happy Birthday" Wall post. From your phone, you can choose from curated products and cards, and Karma instantly notifies the recipient via email or text. To make it even easier, the recipient gets to choose the size, flavor, color, or style they’d prefer. They also have the option to swap the gift for something else -- or donate the value of the gift to charity.

This innovative take on gift-giving is generating positive buzz:

"They're extracting emotional intensity from the social graph and allowing consumers to act on it in ways they want to," said Kleiner Perkins partner Chi-Hua Chien. "It feels like magic because you get that feedback immediately from the recipient." -- Wall Street Journal, Lizette Chapman

"And there's something mildly addictive to the experience. You instantly think: Who else should I be congratulating?" -- Forbes, Victoria Barret

"In fact, with its deep social-network ties, addictive browsability and radical reinvention of an existing category, Karma strikes me as a spiritual cousin of Flipboard. When I first saw that app, I smacked my forehead and wondered why no big-name media company had invented it; with Karma, I wonder why an outfit such as 1-800-Flowers didn't think of all this." -- TIME Techland, Harry McCracken

Check it out at getkarma.com. Only good things will follow.

Today eBay announced the relaunch of green.eBay.com, a hub for all things green at eBay.

Green.eBay.com aims to be a first-of-its-kind site that combines community-generated content, green products and projects, and related news—all designed to help people live a greener lifestyle on a leaner budget. It fuses what was previously two sites -- the editorial-focused eBay Green Team site and the shopping-focused beta version of green.eBay.com -- into one comprehensive experience.

The new green.eBay.com is a one-stop source for some of the most environmentally-friendly products from around the eBay marketplace and a platform for eBay's 300,000 Green Team members to share stories and ideas for living smarter and greener.

Office worked with eBay to create the new experience, including the architecture, content strategy, visual design that's aligned with eBay.com's overall look and feel, and style guidelines.

Today at the National Retail Federation's conference in New York, Disney Store announced that its award-winning store design will be opening in Shanghai, China, this fall. By the end of 2012, the newly-designed Disney Store will be in 12 countries around the world. This includes a showcase store in Milan, Italy, opening in February.

Office collaborated with the Disney Store team to re-imagine the retail experience, with the goal of becoming the best minutes of a child's day.

“We have laid a solid foundation and set a new standard for specialty retailing since launching our new store design in 2010,” said Paul Gainer, senior vice president of Disney Store North America. “Our momentum continues to grow."

When celebrities are looking to raise awareness and funds for charity, they go to eBay.

Earlier this year, a lock of Justin Bieber's bangs raised $40,668 in an eBay auction benefitting an animal rescue organization. An annual lunch with Warren Buffet sold for $2.3 million for families in poverty. And an auction featuring limited edition sneakers raised millions for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Building on that excitement, today eBay launched celebrity.eBay.com, a unique shopping destination that features celebrities and the philanthropies they support. This includes exclusive celebrity auctions, opportunities to support specific causes, an inside look at celebrities' favorite items on eBay, and original content from celebrities themselves.

Beginning participants include Brad Pitt, Katy Perry, Sienna Miller, Robert Duvall, Jeff Bridges, and Hayden Panettiere.

Among the first auctions is a chance to meet Brad Pitt at a gala for Make it Right, an organization that builds homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina. "With the help of supporters like eBay and their customers, Make It Right will fulfill our goal of building 150 sustainable homes for those in this community who lost everything in the storm," said Pitt, the nonprofit organization's founder.

Office worked with the eBay team to develop the content strategy and design for celebrity.eBay.com.

Office is honored to be part of the Plywood for Good art auction benefitting Japan's rebuilding efforts.

Collective Good asked 30 local artists to use blank skateboard decks as a canvas for their thoughts on Japan's earthquake and tsunami devastation. The decks will be auctioned off this Thursday, July 14, at Project One, with all proceeds going to Direct Relief International.

Office's skate deck is a painted illustration of a Japanese dragon -- a sign of good fortune -- that loops around a Shinto shrine to spell the word "hope."

Get your tickets here.

Today Google released the Chromebook, a new kind of computer built for the web. No programs, no desktop, nothing to start-up. It's faster, simpler, cheaper, and more secure than ordinary computers because you can do everything on the web. Check out the video. Office collaborated with Google's Creative Lab to design the Chrome logo.

Cloud computing -- accessing data and applications through the internet rather than keeping it on your workstation -- is quickly becoming the new model for smarter IT.

As part of its vision to help build a Smarter Planet, IBM highlights examples of the power of cloud:

"The city of Wuxi in southeastern China developed a 'cloud services factory' to provide computing resources to local companies. Software developers can access new resources in minutes, and new businesses can hit the ground running. Wuxi now has the potential to provide services to hundreds of small and medium-sized companies, which represent the future of a city that sees itself as an engine for growth."

"Thanks to a private education cloud, the 12-year-old computers of the Pike County Schools System in eastern Kentucky now behave more like 2009 models. That has enabled the county to cut 62% of its schools' end-user support costs, while providing equal access to education content across 27 schools. Most importantly, Pike's 10,000 students can now access new courseware instantly—something that used to take more than a year."

"Following Hurricane Ike in 2008, Houston was plagued by downed trees and power lines—but the nonprofit human services agency Neighborhood Centers Inc., with its system data backed up in a cloud, didn't suffer a single business disruption at any of its 20 facilities. Following the storm, the agency was back in business, providing support to families in need."

Office created an icon to visualize smarter cloud computing, which appears in IBM's print advertising and on its Smarter Planet website.

Photos courtesy of Disney Dan and amz_n

As the world becomes smaller, smarter, and more complex, adapting to change is no longer optional. IBM is helping companies manage change, leading to transformation and innovation. This is the discussion during IBM's Impact2011 conference this week. Office created an icon to represent IBM Business Agility, which is now on IBM's website and Twitter account @ibmbizagility. It's part of Office's partnership with Ogilvy New York on IBM's Smarter Planet campaign.

Today Copenhagen-based Carlsberg Group launches a new global positioning and visual design for its Carlsberg beer brand, which will be rolled out across more than 140 markets around the world.

Office partnered with the Carlsberg team to develop the brand's design strategy, visual identity system and iconography, new packaging, and point-of-sale concepts. The rebranding reflects Carlsberg's trusted 163-year heritage, while connecting with today's active, adventurous generation of beer drinkers.

"[The repositioning] is the largest and most significant move by Carlsberg in my time at the company," said Carlsberg Chief Executive Joergen Buhl Rasmussen, who has been at the helm since 2007 and with the company since 2006. "We have the company ambition to become the fastest growing brewer in the world, and this is a means of achieving that."

"It is time we take Carlsberg to the next level," said Khalil Younes, Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing and Innovation, Carlsberg Group. "Once this roll-out is complete, all packaging and associated marketing communications will not only reflect the brand's new positioning, but will provide us with a uniform, distinctive, and appealing look and feel across all our markets."

1 in 7 Americans live in poverty. And 80 percent of the world's population lives on less than $10 a day.

To address the issues associated with global poverty, today eBay Foundation is launching The Opportunity Project, a social innovation initiative that aims to help people provide for their families and build stronger communities.

“For more than 15 years, eBay has been fostering economic opportunity by providing millions of people the chance to build online businesses and participate in the global economy,” said John Donahoe, President and Chief Executive Officer, eBay, Inc. “The Opportunity Project extends our belief in creating opportunity and making a difference in the world by supporting social innovations in vulnerable communities.”

Through its first global competition, The Opportunity Project will award $250,000 to help spread social entrepreneurs' most promising solutions.

Office partnered with eBay Foundation to create The Opportunity Project's visual identity, and to design its website, theopportunityproject.org.

Fanta's new bold, distinctive identity and packaging is now launching in India -- focused on "masti" [fun].

Office created Fanta's global visual identity system, which has rolled out to more than 180 markets around the world, including a global design strategy, identity, branding elements, packaging system, point-of-sale marketing, and detailed guidelines.

The launch of the new visual identity system coincides with a new advertising campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather.

According to Srinivas Murthy, Marketing Director-Flavours, Coca-Cola India, “Fanta is known for its distinct ‘orangy’ taste and for providing fun-filled, exuberant experience to all its consumers. After realizing that the consumers today have forgotten how to have fun amidst several tensions and are unable to strike a balance between school, career, friends, family, and oneself, Fanta decided to re-introduce the elements of masti in their lives."

FANTA and the FANTA Splash Bottle are trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. Copyright 2008 The Coca-Cola Company.

Office worked closely with Google's Creative Lab to redesign the Chrome icon, which debuted today. Chrome is Google's fast-growing browser, with more than 120 million users.

"Since Chrome is all about making your web experience as easy and clutter-free as possible, we refreshed the Chrome icon to better represent these sentiments," said Steve Rura, Google designer. "A simpler icon embodies the Chrome spirit — to make the web quicker, lighter, and easier for all."

Beginning today, eBay's more than 16,000 global employees can use their iPhones to catch up on the latest news and messages from CEO John Donahoe, check the company's current stock price, and see what's for lunch at campus cafes.

Office collaborated with eBay to extend the design we created for The Hub, the company's corporate intranet, to the development of a mobile app that would help employees do their jobs better – from anywhere.

That's the question asked by Internet Retailer in a recent piece on the convergence of fashion magazines and online retailing. As print stalwarts such as Elle launch digital apps to help their readers find and buy products featured in the book, retailers are likewise moving into the online magazine space to help provide their customers with tips before they buy.

It's this trend, says Internet Retailer, that has led eBay, Gilt Groupe, and others to create web magazines that tie back to their commerce sites. Office helped eBay in this effort by undertaking a complete redesign of The Inside Source, the company's digital style magazine that aims to position eBay as a destination for style-savvy shoppers.

According to Internet Retailer, The Inside Source is delivering on its goal of driving users to ebay.com to purchase items featured in the editorial. Since the redesign, traffic to the site has nearly doubled, and 18% of users click through from The Inside Source to eBay.com.

Pottery Barn Teen is on the hunt for their next student stylist. Office developed the concept and visual design for the Student Stylist program, which gives one style-smart guy and one design-savvy girl a behind-the-scenes peek at the PBteen brand. The Student Stylists will get the chance to share their style tips with other teens, and will take home a $1,000 PBteen gift card.

Check out entries and watch for winners to be announced Feb. 28 at facebook.com/pbteen.

On Feb. 10, eBay Inc. hosted an Analyst Day at its San Jose, CA headquarters, where company executives shared their vision of the future with financial analysts and investors.

Office created the identity and visual language to help reinforce the company's strategy of consistent innovation to stay ahead of the ever-evolving retail landscape. John Donahoe, eBay Inc. President and CEO kicked off the day-long event with an overview of the four trends that are rewriting the rules of retail: digital, mobile, social, and local. These trends are shaping "how consumers connect, shop and pay," says Donahoe.

Disney Stores announced its plans this month to expand its new store design to 25 more locations in 2011.

Office collaborated with the Disney Store team to re-imagine the store experience -- including creating the store's new identity, visual vocabulary, voice, and signage. The Office team also developed innovative concepts for potential store programs, cast member uniforms, shopping bags, and boxes.

In 2010, 19 Disney Stores were re-designed in North America and Europe. According to Stephen Finney, SVP of global retail operations at Disney Stores, traffic, sales, and profit margins increased by 20 percent after the redesign. And over 90 percent of Disney Store guests said the new design has brought them closer to the Disney brand.

Following a pilot launch in Canada, CHAQWA hot-brewed beverages will now be distributed in cafeterias, airports, and in over 10,000 office vending machines across Germany.

Office collaborated with the CHAQWA team to help create and launch the brand, and developed the brand identity, packaging, vending machine, retail design concept, and global visual guidelines.

Office is proud to collaborate with (RED) on an exciting campaign to encourage an AIDS Free Generation by 2015. Last year, nearly half a million babies were born with HIV. By 2015, that number could be zero.

The campaign, featuring artwork by Office, is launching globally on World AIDS Day Dec. 1. It includes advertising, social media, and the lighting of over 80 landmarks around the world -- from the Empire State Building to Tokyo Tower to the Sydney Opera House.

You can help us turn the world (RED) by making our artwork your Facebook profile picture at www.facebook.com/joinred.

Photo courtesy of: Nancy Stadler, Jim Hill Media

The largest Disney Store in in North America opened its doors to fanfare and fairy dust in New York's Times Square on Tuesday.

Considered the crown jewel among 360 Disney Stores worldwide, the 20,000 square foot experience features a 20-foot tall princess castle with magical mirrors, a mini-theater, and a Cars display where kids build their own toys.

Office collaborated with the Disney Store team to develop the store's new visual identity, voice, signage, brand guidelines, and ideas to help create an engaging experience for kids.

“Disney Stores play a critical role in how millions around the world experience our brand,” said Disney President and CEO Bob Iger. “The new store design allows kids and families to have a fun and immersive experience while shopping for their favorite Disney products."

The Disney Store opened its new flagship in San Francisco's Union Square today. "The new design complements the creativity and innovation that the city is known for," said Molly Adams, VP and GM of Disney Store N. America. San Francisco landmarks inspired the design throughout the store. And this week, Disney-branded cable cars on the Powell Street line are celebrating the store opening.

Office collaborated with the Disney Store team to develop a new visual system, voice, and dozens of innovative ideas to engage kids in the shopping experience -- from signage, to cast member uniforms, to naming the "pixie dust trail." The new store design has been rolled out in 19 stores around the world so far this year.

eBay's popular digital style magazine The Inside Source is relaunching today, with a completely new user experience created by Office.

"We wanted to build an experience and design where style trend-followers, shopping enthusiasts, and avid collectors are inspired," says Office president Jill Robertson. "That meant creating new ways to navigate and highlight the site's exclusive content."

The site has content on shopping and cultural trends that only eBay, as the world's largest online marketplace, can offer. "Because The Inside Source has access to data on what eBay's 90 million users are shopping for, it has insights into trends that are compelling and one-of-a-kind," says editorial director Meredith Barnett.

eBay just launched a new set of reusable boxes as part of a pilot program to make shipping a little greener.

Starting in October, the company is giving away 100,000 shipping boxes to eBay sellers, and encouraging reuse. If each box gets used five times, the program could protect nearly 4,000 trees, save 2.4 million gallons of water, and conserve enough electricity to power 49 homes for a year.

Designed by Office, the boxes engage sellers by emphasizing potential benefits to the planet with friendly illustrations and copy. Tips for greener packing include finding "a new calling for old phone books." A happy little bird asks, "Where to next?" And to track each box's journey, there's space to write a note so the next person to receive it can see just how far it's come.

Each eBay Box is made with 100 percent recycled content, printed with water-based inks, and designed to require minimal tape. And once it reaches the end of its useful shipping life, it's fully recyclable. From the box's fine print: "Don't worry, it will come back as something nice, like a birthday card or movie theater popcorn bag."

Office worked with the team at Sesame Workshop to articulate Sesame Street's brand strategy, visual identity, and voice — rooted in the power of its Muppets and its mission to help kids around the world. This included developing a brand book with guidelines to unify the iconic brand across different medias and across more than 700 consumer product licensees worldwide.

Office created the brand book as Sesame Street celebrated 40 years on public television. "The contents of the show are rich and deep and wide," Theresa Fitzgerald, Sesame Workshop's VP of creative services, told How magazine. "It's a show that works on humor. It has celebrities. It has parodies. It uses all kinds of cultural influences and pop culture. And so as we try to unify our branding at Sesame Street, it should be a creative filter that helps anchor us in the world, but actually frees up the designers to do new things."

Haute Living Magazine featured Korbin Kameron, an award-winning small production wine whose identity and packaging was developed by Office. “Packaging is just as important to us as the quality of wine," said Korbin Ming, head of Korbin Kameron sales and marketing. "The up and coming Millennial generation of wine drinkers tends to focus on the visual appeal of a bottle just as much as the quality of the wine itself.”

Photo courtesy of: N. Johnson and I. Johnson

Disney Store celebrated its worldwide grand opening at The Shops of Montebello outside Los Angeles on June 29, calling it "a crowning achievement of The Walt Disney Company."

Office worked with the Disney Store team to re-imagine the store experience with unexpected ways to engage kids. This included a new visual identity system and voice, as well as concepts for signage, shopping bags, boxes and cast member uniforms. Office also created brand guidelines to help the Disney Store team implement the new visual identity in its more than 300 locations around the world.

"Disney is setting a new standard for the specialty retail category," said Disney Store President Jim Fielding. "This is truly an immersive, one-of-a-kind retail experience for children and families."

The newly-designed store will be unveiled in Madrid in July, followed by more than 20 stores in North America and Europe this year.

Office was happy to participate in The Urban Forest Project. This included mentoring super-talented high school student Francesca Hernandez. The team collaborated with Franky to create tree-inspired banners — two of which were selected to line the streets of San Francisco this summer. Once the banners come down, they'll be repurposed into one-of-a-kind products designed by Academy of Art University students. The proceeds will benefit Friends of the Urban Forest to sustain their mission of “creating a greener San Francisco, tree by tree.”

Office worked with Sesame Workshop to develop the nonprofit organization's 2009 annual report, including concept, writing and design. You can download the report here.

From the report's introduction:

"Can You Tell Me How...?
It all started with the simple yet revolutionary idea to use television to help disadvantaged kids learn. Four decades later, Sesame Street is reaching millions of kids in 140 countries around the globe, with lessons not only about letters and numbers, but also important life skills.

With Big Bird, Elmo, Abby, and friends, we believe we can continue to change the world by engaging kids who need us most. We’re helping families talk about tough issues, such as going to war and losing a job. We’re confronting the stigma of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa, and in doing so, slowing its spread. We’re pulling American third-graders out of the widening literacy gap. And we’re reaching furry hands across dividing lines in such places as Israel and Northern Ireland in hopes that human hands will follow.

By expanding our reach through new media and partnerships, led by our Muppets — who will always be the multicolored heart of Sesame — we’re helping millions of kids grow up smarter, stronger, safer, and kinder. Let us tell you how."

Office worked with eBay to develop the strategy and design for its Green Team website.

The eBay Green Team was started as a grassroots effort by 40 employees, and today has grown to more than 100,000 passionate eBay buyers and sellers who want to help make a positive impact on the world.

The site engages Green Team members by fostering an online community and stimulating conversation. Alan Marks, eBay's SVP of global communications, told the NY Times that the site was created to persuade the eBay audience to change its behavior.

“We think [eBay has] a leadership role to play both in the industry and the broader world,” he said. “We think we have the ability to help start conversations."

On January 29, IBM opened a new Smarter Planet exhibit at Innoventions at EPCOT.

The interactive exhibit, which was developed by IBM and Walt Disney Imagineering, prominently features a series of more than 15 icons that were created by Office. The illustrations were inspired by IBM's bold vision to improve the planet, and influenced by iconic designer Paul Rand's original creative vision for IBM.

The experience brings to life how technology is helping solve the world's most complex problems — from reducing road traffic and city crime, to improving food safety and local water supplies — and encourages visitors to think about their role in building a smarter planet.

Gestalten's recent release, Boxed and Labelled: New Approaches To Packaging Design, features the products and packaging Office developed for 826 Valencia's Pirate Supply Store. The publication chronicles innovative methods designers use to appeal to consumers overwhelmed by the abundance of choices. The Pirate Supply Store is called out as a model of the "new old-fashioned," complete with a handcrafted look and vintage illustrations and typography. Gestalten offers the book for sale on its website.

As reported in the New York Times on October 12, 2009, Disney is completely re-imagining the Disney Store experience in its more than 300 locations in the U.S. and Europe.

Office worked closely with the Disney Store team to develop a new visual identity and voice for the experience, as well as concepts for employee uniforms, signage, shopping bags, and boxes. All elements were designed to engage kids with unexpected opportunities to imagine and play.

"Our assignment was to come up with new ideas for how Disney Store could continue to deliver 'the best 30 minutes of a child's day,' said Office President Jill Robertson. "They wanted to differentiate and elevate the retail experience by building a destination."

The Office team spent hours in Disney's theme parks and other kid-focused environments, drawing inspiration from outside the mall. "No one tells stories like Disney. We wanted to help inject that into the store experience, and create something surprising," said Jason Schulte, creative director, Office.

The first “Imagination Park” Disney Stores, including elements of Office's creative work, are scheduled to begin opening in May 2010.

Ciel, a leading bottled water brand in Mexico owned by The Coca-Cola Company, is relaunching with a new visual identity, capturing the brand's spirit of individuality. Office worked with The Coca-Cola Latin America and Global teams to develop Ciel's new identity, packaging, and point-of-sale concepts. Based on Office's guidelines, local agencies will develop specific executions based on each market's needs.

eBay Inc., the parent company of eBay, PayPal, Skype, and dozens of other businesses, launched its first-ever consolidated corporate website in October.

eBay asked Office to develop the digital design strategy based on providing resources for media, investors, job seekers, and those interested in the company's sustainability efforts. "This is step 1, building a flexible platform for company messages that makes it easy for users to find basic company information," says Jill Robertson, Office President.

Office created the visual design based on the identity of eBay Marketplaces. "The company's identity is closely tied to that of its flagship brand," says Rob Alexander, design director, Office. "We wanted to retain the brand's uniquely playful personality and simplicity. And we needed to create a place where PayPal information can live comfortably as well."

IBM's Smarter Planet campaign, developed by Ogilvy & Mather New York with the help of Office, has extended beyond newspaper advertisements into a far-reaching outdoor and digital campaign. Over the past 9 months, Office worked with Ogilvy to create a series of ads that discusses how important topics like energy, water, and banking can be transformed to improve the planet. Influenced by Paul Rand's original design vision for IBM, Office developed bold, iconic illustrations to help tell each story. The icons can now be seen across the globe, on billboards, in airports, and online.

To learn more about what IBM is doing to make the planet smarter, visit www.ibm.com/think.

Following successful launches across Europe, Coca-Cola Plus with green tea antioxidants is now available in Japan.

Office created the Plus global visual identity and packaging guidelines that express the brand's optimistic personality. It’s about happiness, energy and well-being. Based on the global system, markets around the world create their own local packaging and advertising.

Office partnered with Ogilvy & Mather New York to develop a new series of print ads for IBM's business services.

More than 43,000 gigabytes of data are generated by trillions of objects every day. And IBM's advanced analytics help businesses use this data not just to see what's happening today -- but also to predict what's coming next. Office illustrated this concept of spotting patterns and crystallizing trends to make smarter decisions.

These ads, now running in selected publications, are part of IBM's Smarter Planet campaign, which Office has been supporting since November 2008.

Office developed Fanta Mexico's TV advertising, which ran in select markets this spring.

Last year, Office created Fanta's new global visual identity for the brand's 180 markets around the world. "The Mexico team wanted the TV spot to bring Fanta's new visual vocabulary to life," said Office creative director Jason Schulte. "We created a world that plays off the brand's 'orange' heritage, and exudes a playful, imaginative, life-is-good spirit."

FANTA and the FANTA Splash Bottle are trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. Copyright 2009 The Coca-Cola Company.

With an eye on cost-savings and environmental impact, eBay Inc. decided to limit its 2008 annual report content to the Chairman and CEO's letter  to shareholders and legally-required Form 10K.

Because there wasn't space for company messaging outside of the letter  to shareholders, Office developed a concept that features content on the cover, highlighting facts from eBay Inc.'s portfolio of businesses during  the year. For example:

-3 seconds between shoe sales on eBay
-$100B+ worth of pre-owned items sold on eBay, the world's largest engine for reuse
-$60,146,000,000 total payment volume transacted on PayPal in 2008
-96,540 tons of greenhouse gases reduced by the sale of used laptops on eBay in 2008

A list of 13 facts helps tell the story of 2008 in an interesting way, reinforcing the message that despite challenges, eBay Inc. is a global leader in e-commerce, payments and Internet voice communications.

Based on Office's recommendation, eBay Inc. used cover paper that's 100 percent recycled content from 100 percent post consumer waste, processed chlorine free and manufactured with wind power. The cover was printed with soy inks, which are easier to recycle and are more environmentally friendly.

eBay Inc. held an all-day meeting with analysts on March 11, 2009, where executives shared details about their business strategies.

Office helped articulate the company's story by developing a visual language, materials and the CEO's visual presentation for the event.

John Donahoe, eBay Inc. president and CEO, discussed the power of the company's portfolio, stressing the enormous potential of PayPal. “Increasingly for online consumers, there’s no paper, no plastic – there’s just PayPal. We believe this business is one of the most exciting and high-potential opportunities anywhere online today,” he said.

Office developed the identity for New York-based investment firm Praesidian Capital.

"Walking through Praesidian's offices in Chelsea, I was struck by the great loft-like space and relaxed, friendly feel -- it's not your stereotypical uptight, blue-suit environment," said creative director Jason Schulte. "They needed an identity that reflects this and helps set them apart from other financial firms."

The identity includes a seal that was inspired by the intricate art of old stock certificates. This "old money" sensibility provides a sense of credibility and stability, while the "pc" monogram and animation adds a modern interpretation, making it dynamic, distinctive and relevant today.

Office's work for the 826 Valencia Pirate Supply Store have helped boost sales, with proceeds funding the nonprofit's writing programs for kids.

Office created the store's new identity and nearly 50 pirate products, including a series of posters. "We've quintupled our monthly online sales because of the posters," said 826 Valencia executive director Leigh Lehman in the January issue of Metropolis magazine. "They've sold tremendously well."

In addition to Metropolis, the pirate supplies have been popping in several publications over the past few months, including I.D., Communication Arts, How, Step Inside Design, Idea, and 7x7.

Award-winning blog Brand New gave Office top honors in its yearly review, naming the 826 Valencia work the best of 2008. "[D]amn, is it awesome," wrote design critic Armin Vit. "And as far as I can remember, this is the only post in the history of Brand New that has come close to 100 percent positive remarks."

To buy your own bounty please visit 826 Valencia's online Pirate Supply Store.

Office is collaborating with Ogilvy & Mather New York on IBM’ “Smarter Planet” advertising campaign.

IBM Chairman and CEO Sam Palmisano laid out the vision behind the ads in a November 2008 speech. “The world will continue to become smaller, flatter ... and smarter. We are moving into the age of the globally integrated and intelligent economy, society and planet. The question is, what will we do with that?” IBM is attempting to answer that question in a series of full-page ads that are running weekly in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and other publications from Nov. 2008 - April 2009.

Each ad covers a different topic, such as energy, food, banking and retail, with a short essay to get readers thinking about transforming these areas to improve the world. Office was asked to develop simple illustrations that help tell each story. “Building a smarter planet is a bold, gutsy vision,” says Office creative director Jason Schulte. “We want to help communicate that message with iconic, visually arresting imagery.”

AIGAsf asked Office’s creative director Jason Schulte, along with 40 other area designers, to create a wine label for the organization’s benefit auction. Event sponsor Clos du Val winery selected Schulte’s design, and will be producing it for its limited edition release of 2006 cabernet sauvignon next year.

The label is laser cut wood, depicting a tree illustration designed to reflect the wine’s balance, complexity and elegance -- and to integrate with the winery’s existing logo.

Proceeds from the auction support Inneract Project, a professionally supported program that provides free design classes for inner-city youth.

Known equally as a nonprofit tutoring center for aspiring young writers, as well as San Francisco’s only pirate supply store, 826 Valencia today unveiled a new line of exclusive products.

Office helped reinvigorate the pirate supply store by developing a new store identity and nearly 50 new products, including Captain Blackbeard's Beard Dye and Scurvy BeGone capsules.

"Office has produced some of the most ravishing and funny buccaneer supplies yet known to man," says Dave Eggers, 826 Valencia founder, Pulitzer-nominated novelist, and McSweeney's editor.

Named for its address in San Francisco's Mission District, 826 Valencia was founded in 2002. When the founders learned that the space for their new nonprofit tutoring center was zoned for commercial use, they decided to open a pirate supply store to meet city regulations. Since then, the unconventional storefront has helped draw kids into its free writing programs held in the back. The pirate store, with eye patches, parrot food and planks sold by the foot, represents what 826's programs stand for -- supporting creative expression.

"The pirate store is a wildly imaginative, inspiring, interactive experience," says Jill Robertson, president, Office. "We tried to create an authentic, visually cohesive story around the idea of an 18th century pirate walking into a 21st century store to pick up a few things."

For example, step into the store and you’ll find:

- Bilge Water (water that gathers in the bottom of a ship), bottled from various oceans like vintages of fine wine

- Peg Leg Oil, which lends your leg an appearance that says, 'I can walk quickly when necessary'

- An all-purpose Treasure Shining Kit to remove tarnish, grime, dirt, salt, blood & guilt

- An illustrated poster, based on an actual buccaneer's insurance policy, outlining the compensation a pirate would receive for losing a limb at sea -- 300 gold pieces for a right arm; 250 for a left (assuming you're right-handed)

The new products are now available at the store at 826 Valencia Street in San Francisco; posters are available at www.826valencia.org/store. All proceeds directly benefit 826 Valencia's writing programs.

Office developed the new global visual identity system for Fanta World, a carbonated beverage concept that regularly introduces limited edition Fanta flavors from around the globe.

Previously, Office developed the visual identity for the core Fanta brand. “As an extension of the Fanta trademark, Fanta World needed to look like part of that same family, but also communicate the brand's distinctive proposition,” said Jason Schulte, principal and creative director, Office.

Consistent with the Fanta World brand’s adventurous spirit, the visual vocabulary evokes a sense of discovery. Each product – from Thai Mango to China Melon – is depicted with a series of playful illustrations that identify the country and flavor.

Office created the logo, packaging and point-of-sale examples and a toolkit of guidelines and branding elements so that the Fanta World teams in each respective market around the world can successfully create their own region-specific packaging and marketing communications.

FANTA and the FANTA Splash Bottle are trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. Copyright 2008 The Coca-Cola Company.

Office created Fanta's new visual identity, including a global design strategy, logo, packaging system and point of sale marketing.

Fanta is available in more than 180 countries, making it the world's #1 sparkling fruit drink.

“As the leader in its category, Fanta has been visually copied by competitors over the years,” said Jason Schulte, principal and creative director, Office. “While preserving what’s iconic and authentic about the brand, we needed to stand out with a bold design that has a proprietary, playful Fanta wink.” The visual vocabulary is rooted in Fanta’s orange heritage and embodies the brand's imaginative, exuberant spirit.

To ensure visual consistency across markets, Office also developed guidelines that describe Fanta's core visual equities. A range of branding elements allows the Fanta team to emphasize different messages, resulting in a system that is flexible enough to work around the world.

FANTA and the FANTA Splash Bottle are trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. Copyright 2008 The Coca-Cola Company.

AIGA, the professional association for design, asked designers across the country to create posters that inspire people to vote in the 2008 general election. Office made several submissions, which you can download at aiga.org, and then print and post in your own neighborhood.

Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW), a joint venture between Nestle and The Coca-Cola Company, develops, produces and markets ready-to-drink tea beverages. Office worked with BPW’s CEO to develop a new identity system that embodies the company's entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation. In the logo, the interlocking water droplet and tea leaf signify the two elements and two companies coming together to architect the future of tea. Kaleidoscope images of tea leaves represent how BPW looks at tea differently to create new products. Office also developed a book called “How We See,” which the CEO gave to BPW employees to inspire them with the company's vision and to introduce the new identity.

Following successful rollouts in Belgium in summer 2007 and in the UK in fall 2007, Coca-Cola Light Plus — fortified with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins — has now launched in France and Germany. Office created the brand's global visual identity system and packaging guidelines.

The visual language needed to communicate the core essence of Coca-Cola Light. Consistent with the brand's optimistic personality, Office created a friendly visual vocabulary, including hand-drawn organic illustrations and vibrant, uplifting colors that indicate an overall sense of happiness, energy and well-being.

For the March issue of Wired magazine, Office created an illustration that told the story of the trillions of tiny organisms that live on the human body. (“The next time you stick your fingers in your mouth to whistle for a cab, consider this: Some 40,000 organisms — like Candida and Rhodotorula fungi — live under each nail.”) With the goal to make the scientific (and pretty disgusting) information approachable and light, the illustration style was inspired by mid-20th century science textbooks, and then interpreted in a modern and playful way.

Korbin Kameron Merlot and Cabernet, whose identity and packaging was designed by Office, has won kudos from one of the largest wine competitions in the United States. The Merlot received a silver medal and the Cabernet a bronze medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Korbin Kameron wines were selected from more than 4,000 wines from over 1,500 wineries.

Coca-Cola Light Plus, a soft drink fortified with vitamins and minerals, is making its first appearance in Belgium this month. Office created the brand’s visual language, packaging and global guidelines that will help the Coca-Cola team manage and execute Plus’ launch in each local market.

Office developed Target’s “Happy Summer” campaign, including concept development, writing, identity, in-store marketing, and packaging ideation.

“Summer is a fun and exciting time and Target believes the theme of ‘Happy Summer’ truly captures the spirit of the season,” said Gina Sprenger, senior vice president, merchandising, Target.

“We created the campaign to trigger the nostalgia of fleeting summertime moments, like piggyback rides, dirty hands in gardens and ice cream kisses,” said Jill Robertson, principal, Office. “It’s about the simple pleasures of summer interpreted in a new way.”