4 min reading
The Brand Dispatch
NASA continues to influence our collective imagination, not only in space but also on Earth.
In 2020, the legendary Worm logo, created in 1975 by Richard Danne and Bruce Blackburn, returned to shine after an absence of almost thirty years, appearing on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
This brand, with its curved, futuristic lines, had been retired in 1992 in favour of the more classic ‘Meatball’ logo, but its minimalist, technological aesthetic has continued to influence global design. Today, the Worm inspires brands such as Asus, Sega and CNN, demonstrating how NASA's visual legacy remains a benchmark for contemporary design. But that's not all.
If NASA design has left an indelible imprint, and not only on the Moon, the next step could only be to bring fashion into space. Indeed, NASA has announced a collaboration with Prada to design the new spacesuits for the 2026 lunar mission. Presented at the International Astronautical Congress, the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit suit combines innovation and style.
Made from cutting-edge materials, it will protect astronauts from extreme temperatures and guarantee unprecedented mobility, confirming that, even in space, design plays a fundamental role.
In 2020, the legendary Worm logo, created in 1975 by Richard Danne and Bruce Blackburn, returned to shine after an absence of almost thirty years, appearing on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
This brand, with its curved, futuristic lines, had been retired in 1992 in favour of the more classic ‘Meatball’ logo, but its minimalist, technological aesthetic has continued to influence global design. Today, the Worm inspires brands such as Asus, Sega and CNN, demonstrating how NASA's visual legacy remains a benchmark for contemporary design. But that's not all.
If NASA design has left an indelible imprint, and not only on the Moon, the next step could only be to bring fashion into space. Indeed, NASA has announced a collaboration with Prada to design the new spacesuits for the 2026 lunar mission. Presented at the International Astronautical Congress, the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit suit combines innovation and style.
Made from cutting-edge materials, it will protect astronauts from extreme temperatures and guarantee unprecedented mobility, confirming that, even in space, design plays a fundamental role.
Rainbow Wool is the world's first fashion collection made with wool from gay rams, an initiative that supports the Queer Diversity Federation in Germany (Lsdv+).
Gay rams, sheep that do not reproduce, are often considered useless in industrial farming and destined for slaughter. The yarn comes from a farm in Löhne, North Rhine-Westphalia, run by Pastor Michael Stücke, a member of the Gayfarmer Association. The collection includes items such as shoe laces, patches and caps, and proceeds go to global LGBTQIA+ rights projects, such as Queer Emergency Aid in Uganda, where homosexuality is still a severely punished crime.
Stücke also promotes the long-distance adoption of its sheep, with the aim of expanding its flock and supporting more initiatives. The project aims to raise awareness about inclusivity and the fight for the rights of queer people worldwide.
Furthermore, Rainbow Wool is actively seeking collaborations with fashion companies to use this unique wool in new projects. And for the concept of purity to become more and more inclusive.
Gay rams, sheep that do not reproduce, are often considered useless in industrial farming and destined for slaughter. The yarn comes from a farm in Löhne, North Rhine-Westphalia, run by Pastor Michael Stücke, a member of the Gayfarmer Association. The collection includes items such as shoe laces, patches and caps, and proceeds go to global LGBTQIA+ rights projects, such as Queer Emergency Aid in Uganda, where homosexuality is still a severely punished crime.
Stücke also promotes the long-distance adoption of its sheep, with the aim of expanding its flock and supporting more initiatives. The project aims to raise awareness about inclusivity and the fight for the rights of queer people worldwide.
Furthermore, Rainbow Wool is actively seeking collaborations with fashion companies to use this unique wool in new projects. And for the concept of purity to become more and more inclusive.
Product placement has its roots in the 1950s and 1960s, when film producers began to include brands and products in films as a discreet form of advertising. The idea was to integrate a product into the context of the film so that the audience would experience it naturally, without it being explicitly advertised. But today, podcasts are going a step further.
In audio formats, more and more often, sponsorships do not interrupt the flow of the content, but integrate seamlessly, making the advertising message part of the narrative.
In some podcasts, such as NPR's How I Built This, sponsors are presented as useful resources that, aligned with the topics covered, create a fluid and coherent experience. Brands become tools for entrepreneurs, as in the case of Squarespace, or are transformed into thematic storytelling such as Gimlet Media's Replay All or, to stay in Italy, Lavazza's Tazzine.
This approach creates a more relevant, intimate and authentic relationship with the user. Where authenticity also passes through opportunism, the healthy one in which the relationship with the other becomes an exchange of opportunities. To get to know and be known.
In audio formats, more and more often, sponsorships do not interrupt the flow of the content, but integrate seamlessly, making the advertising message part of the narrative.
In some podcasts, such as NPR's How I Built This, sponsors are presented as useful resources that, aligned with the topics covered, create a fluid and coherent experience. Brands become tools for entrepreneurs, as in the case of Squarespace, or are transformed into thematic storytelling such as Gimlet Media's Replay All or, to stay in Italy, Lavazza's Tazzine.
This approach creates a more relevant, intimate and authentic relationship with the user. Where authenticity also passes through opportunism, the healthy one in which the relationship with the other becomes an exchange of opportunities. To get to know and be known.
‘The logo cannot be touched’ was the number one rule in advertising for years. A rule that no longer applies today.
Until a few years ago, companies were very careful to keep the appearance, shape, colours and position of the logo unchanged in every communication, aware that the logo represented the core of their recognisability and the most immediate connection with consumers.
The evolution of communication and marketing has prompted some market leaders to question the importance of logo visibility. ‘Am I more noticeable if I'm there or if I'm not?’ wondered Nanni Moretti in Caro Diario.
Over time, a brand acquires such a strong recognisability that the logo can be transformed or even removed, increasing the effectiveness of communication. We are talking about the OOHs released for Heinz, McDonald's and Tesco. Three brands that in recent months have decided to show themselves without a logo, but with the certainty of not going unnoticed. Because, allowing oneself to ‘hide’ the logo and still be recognised is the most damning proof of one's notoriety.
Until a few years ago, companies were very careful to keep the appearance, shape, colours and position of the logo unchanged in every communication, aware that the logo represented the core of their recognisability and the most immediate connection with consumers.
The evolution of communication and marketing has prompted some market leaders to question the importance of logo visibility. ‘Am I more noticeable if I'm there or if I'm not?’ wondered Nanni Moretti in Caro Diario.
Over time, a brand acquires such a strong recognisability that the logo can be transformed or even removed, increasing the effectiveness of communication. We are talking about the OOHs released for Heinz, McDonald's and Tesco. Three brands that in recent months have decided to show themselves without a logo, but with the certainty of not going unnoticed. Because, allowing oneself to ‘hide’ the logo and still be recognised is the most damning proof of one's notoriety.
