How “A Diamond Is Forever” changed marketing
The story of a line that helped connect one product with a lasting cultural idea.
Read the De Beers story →Stories about design, brands and the choices people remember
Good ideas, bad decisions and the stories behind familiar brands
Read the surprising stories behind advertising, design, print, packaging and business decisions—what happened, why it mattered and what the rest of us can learn from it.
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Featured brand story
The NASA logo that retired, returned and never really went away
NASA replaced its detailed “meatball” with a modern red wordmark, retired it, and then brought it back decades later. The story reveals why familiar identities can carry more memory than a redesign expects.
Read why NASA brought the worm back →Choose what sounds interesting
What kind of story are you in the mood for?
Start with one of these reader routes. Each link leads to a complete article rather than an empty topic page.
Famous failuresHow a familiar business lost its advantage.
Brand comebacksWhy an identity can return after decades away.
Advertising that changed thingsThe campaign that reshaped how a product was understood.
Design mistakes and consequencesWhen changing the look also changes what customers recognise.
Print, packaging and signageA closer look at what physical media still does differently.
Clear answers and practical guidesUseful questions to settle before a job goes to print.
Evidence from beyond our own website
Stories that travelled beyond our website
These articles have been referenced from other websites. Some mentions are syndicated or repeated across language and country versions, so we do not publish inflated popularity numbers.
How bad design damaged J.C. Penney’s rebrand
A recognisable retailer, a dramatic change and a lesson about what customers think they are buying.
Read the J.C. Penney story →The rise and fall of Blockbuster
Why a powerful brand can still fail when its model and customer behaviour move apart.
Read the Blockbuster story →Can digital ever truly replace print?
A detailed look at the strengths, limits and different jobs of physical and digital media.
Read the print-media story →The Quaker Oats–Snapple mismatch
What happens when confidence, distribution and brand assumptions collide after an acquisition.
Read the Snapple story →New and recently restored
Latest stories and useful guides
Browse the newest additions, then use the page links below the cards to keep exploring the full archive.
Worth another look
Practical articles readers can return to
Ordering printed workwear for a team
The sizes, quantities, garment choices and artwork details that make a team order easier to quote and produce.
Plan a team clothing order →What makes a business card work?
A practical guide to hierarchy, readable details, paper choices and the job the card needs to do.
Read the business-card guide →Preparing a logo for real-world production
What to check before a logo reaches print, signage, clothing or merchandise.
Read the logo-preparation guide →About older articles: Some stories and guides were originally written several years ago. Services, materials, prices or options may have changed, so contact Time for Designs for current production advice and quotations.
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Helpful ideas are only useful when they work in the real world
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