UPS and Futurebrand recently took the stage at the Rich Auditorium to discuss one of the most talked about rebranding projects in design history. The seminar, entitled "The Rebranding of UPS: A Case Study," kicked off the AIGA Atlanta client/designer case study series, just one piece in the AIGA Atlanta mission to educate its communities about the impact design can have on business strategy.

In support of an initiative to better serve the Atlanta design community with a variety of educational programs and seminars, AIGA Atlanta President Chris Martin invited UPS and Futurebrand to speak on the subject in early November 2003. Speakers included Sylvie Hamel from UPS, and Carin Van Vuuren and Sven Seger of Futurebrand. The trio imparted wisdom, wit, and a sense of the required collaboration that comes with a project of this magnitude. A meeting of business and design community minds is an AIGA Atlanta goal, says Martin: "We're committed to providing opportunities for our members to learn more about the challenges involved in a comprehensive engagement such as the UPS rebranding. During a recent membership survey designed to see what type of programming members wanted, most were more interested in hearing about design process and its influence than just reviewing design artifacts. This was a great opportunity to provide relevant programming that is on target with the stated needs of the membership."

Sponsored by MAC Papers and Sappi Fine Papers, and hosted by the Woodruff Arts Center, the gathering drew more than 200 AIGA members and supporters. "Response to the seminar was very good," says Martin. "I was most pleased to see several Atlanta design community veterans there. I anticipate enthusiasm for these types of programs will grow because of the value of hearing first hand experiences."