SAMATAMASON
Cusp is a two-day conference about vision, passion, imagination, energy, innovation and the “design of everything,” developed and produced by design firm SamataMason. “We’ve kicked around the idea of doing a conference for about 5 years,” explains creative director Dave Mason. “Why? Why not? We’ve always loved the fact that we get to work in and learn about so many different industries and with so many smart, driven people. This conference is our attempt to synthesize our own experiences into a format that can be accessed by a wider audience.”

Cusp Conference 2008, held Sept. 10–11 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Theater in Chicago, brought together thinkers, innovators, skeptics, believers, visionaries and explorers from the arts, sciences, technology, business, government and design to share passions and stories, with a focus on the power of ideas, the value of imagination and the strength of the human spirit. Presenters include environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; lifecaster/video blogger Justine Ezarik; leader in the field of postmodern cuisine and futuristic food delivery systems Homaru Canto; Richard Farson, author of the critically acclaimed bestseller Management of the Absurd; Dr. Ayanna Howard, founder of Georgia Tech’s Human- Automation Systems Lab; body hacker Quinn Norton; and noted graphic design iconoclast John Bielenberg … to name a few.

There are many design conferences, but Cusp is different. “What’s different?” asks Mason. “Cost. Location. Speaker lineup. Broad focus on ‘design’ without being narrow, i.e., not another graphic design conference. Cusp is for T-shaped people.” To find those people and promote the conference, SamataMason created a website and e-mail marketing campaign targeted to designers and others. The goal of the website and e-mails was to inform, promote, convey the essence of and facilitate registration to the conference.

“The primary message,” says Mason, “is that this thing is unique, eclectic, thought-provoking, entertaining, informative, surprising and inspiring. The elements—images, text, graphical interface—and the way they are presented hopefully convey a little of that.” The look and feel of the website is simple, yet somewhat complex—orderly, but surprising. All of which describes the conference itself. “Everything about the site,” notes Mason, “was selected because it seemed to feel right for the subject matter, the ‘brand’ and the audience we are hoping to reach.” A visually compelling aspect of the site and the supporting e-mail campaign is the collection of enigmatic, textured images, many of which Mason created using his iPhone.

“We’re cursed with ‘design thinking’—being in a perpetual state of invention and reimagining,” he says, “and the Cusp Conference is essentially about that mind-set applied to a broad array of issues.” Terry Lee Stone

SAMATA MASON | CREATIVE DIRECTOR/WRITER: DAVE MASON | DESIGNER: JASON SCHIFFERER | PROGRAMMERS: JASON SCHIFFERER, CHUCK STENECK, CHRIS TUMMINARO | CLIENT: CUSP | WWW.SAMATAMASON.COM