The Common Ground

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One thing was clear: the full focus of NAIA had to be on accentuating the confidence and competence of American workers. All of us. Whether you wear the hard hat or the Patagonia fleece vest, your fate is tied to the American economy. Whether you’re a craftsman, policymaker, or financier, everyone desires to make something. That good desire has proven to be a powerful driver of American progress when everyone can get behind one mission. 

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So, the design started right where American industry started, with classic machines of steel and steam, with men and women tools in hand, and with a measured patriotism that envisions a future full of untapped opportunity. 

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America makes great products. We had to take care not to let anything in the NAIA branding drift toward kitschy, or worse, cheap. Looking back to go forward only works if you’re honest enough about the truth in the saying, “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.” Deny that to your grandad whose same garage fridge has been keeping his beer cold since the Nixon administration, and you’ll have a hard time convincing him of anything else.

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With decisions made for a positive, encouraging voice, a baseline of good old-fashioned Americana, and a premium (but not elitist) feel, the New Industrial Age Forum came into focus.

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Uniting the interests of a diverse set of our countrymen and highlighting how each role plays a part and each party benefits was the key, and showing that with general appeal is exactly why NAIA exists in the first place.