Global innovation firm frog design today announced it will partner with TEDGlobal, the twin conference of TED and one of the world's most renowned gatherings of leading thinkers and doers. Four years after its first European gathering, the TEDGlobal Conference will return to Oxford, UK on an annual basis. TEDGlobal 2009 is titled "The Substance of Things Not Seen" and will feature more than 50 speakers presenting from July 21-24 at the Oxford Playhouse.
frog design will produce the official program guide for the conference as well as a special TEDGlobal edition of its award-winning design mind magazine.
"For 40 years, frog has been creating innovative products and services that turn bold ideas into reality," said Doreen Lorenzo, president of frog design. "We are passionate about bringing together technology and design to inspire change, and we are honored to contribute this spirit of innovation to the TED community.
"We're thrilled to be collaborating with a design and innovation firm with such remarkable history, global reach, and breadth of creativity," added Bruno Giussani, European director of TED.
Along with the event schedule, the TEDGlobal 2009 program guide will contain speaker bios, photo portfolios, maps of Oxford, and other information that will help the more than 700 attendees navigate the unique experience of a TED conference.
"The program guide is something TED attendees think of as a tool during the conference and as a collector's item when it's all over. frog designed the book for both uses, and they did it with a style that perfectly matches the theme of this year's conference," Mr. Giussani said.
In addition to producing the program guide, frog design will document the TEDGlobal talks in Oxford as well as gather behind-the-scenes stories - "the things not seen" - for a special edition of its magazine design mind, devoted exclusively to TEDGlobal. Immediately after the conference, frog will host sessions at its eight studios worldwide to create art and essays that delve more deeply into what happened at Oxford. "Our goal is to turn the ideas presented at TEDGlobal into visually rich content that extends the conversation beyond the conference," said Sam Martin, editor-in-chief of design mind.
Mr. Giussani, who will serve as guest editor for the special design mind issue, said: "The design mind magazine - a beautiful and compelling publication - will provide a new perspective to everyone who follows TEDGlobal. It will be both a souvenir and a conversation starter, offering Oxford attendees and the broader TED community a look at the conference that goes far beyond the stage."
The magazine will be distributed to all TEDGlobal attendees and the TED community a few weeks after the conference.