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Michael DiTullo          

Passionate advocate & experienced practitioner of design specializing in applied creativity & innovation. Worked for Nike, frog design, Polk

Michael DiTullo is passionate advocate as well as experienced practitioner of design. He specializes in applied creativity and innovation to cause disruptive lateral thinking in corporate settings. Michael's work has garnered international awards and has been featured in many media outlets and publications. He frequently speaks at corporations, universities, and conferences on the effect, value, and how to’s of design. As Chief Design Officer at Sound United, Michael is responsible for ethnographic research, product definition, design strategy, brand positioning, industrial design, and marketing creative for the Definitive, Polk, and BOOM brands. In addition to his work at Sound United he is a contributor for the well-known design resource, core77.com. Prior to Sound United Michael was Creative Director at the legendary frog design, where he lead teams that worked with Google, Motorola, Honda, Braun, Brooks, Harmon Kardon, and Intel. Before frog DiTullo spent nearly a decade developing several product collections at Nike Inc for the Converse, Jordan, and Nike brands, from advanced concept to production. He started his career at Evo Design where he worked for a wide array of clients. DiTullo holds a BFA in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and also studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Speech Topics


The Art Of Design. Creating Product People Love.

Most people will never own a Picasso. They probably won't look at an Agnes Martin daily. They might not purchase a Brancusi sculpture for the living room, or live in a Frank Lloyd Wright home. On the other hand, they most likely will wake up to look at their alarm clock each morning, drive their car to and from work, and look at their watch countless times. It is easy to underestimate the impact of interacting with these objects. They are part of our daily routines. It is all too easy to discount them as mere products.

A person strapping on their watch, glancing at it throughout the day, every day, possibly for a period of years, has the opportunity to come to know it on an intimate level. It could be the last thing this person sees before drifting to sleep at night and the first thing they see in the morning. This person will know every line, every detail, every nuance of color and shape, even if only on a subconscious level.

From the standpoint of a designer, this is an opportunity to provide people with something above and beyond an object that performs a simple function. It is an chance to give them a work of art. A work of art that they personally interact with every day. A work that people take notice of and admire, or one that blends into the surroundings and makes its statement with a whisper. A work that is a sculptural marvel and technical feat, or one that performs a function with such clean simplicity it takes on an elegance of its own. A work of art that can stimulate every sense, based on the desire of its designers.

In this way an object's form takes on a function of its own. The form of a product transcends styling and becomes the manifestation of an idea. The form is a medium that melds functionless sculpture and sculptureless function into a unified whole, creating something entirely different.

Creating a piece of art for everyone. Creating a well designed product.

News


Interview Excerpt: Michael DiTullo, Chief Design Officer, Sound United, Encinitas, California
Michael DiTullo on Rapid Communication, Digital Tools and Sketching on Planes
These 5 Creators Boost Their Creativity by Sketching
The backbone to any successful business is an idea. Coming up with an idea often involves brainstorming, researching, learning and for many -- sketching. Sketching out a new invention or concept helps creators, founders and CEOs expand on their ideas and how they will work. All it takes is getting out a pen and paper (or a napkin). While Nike CEO Mark Parker can typically be spotted with a Moleskine notebook under his arm, Sound United Design Officer Michael DiTullo can be found jotting down ideas into his smartphone. Whichever method you choose, it’s important to always be prepared when an idea strikes. Find out how sketching has helped these five creators come up with successful ideas.

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