Eric Dillman Designs

As someone who works in marketing, I think the Levi’s Stadium situation is one of the smartest branding moves of the year.

For anyone who missed it, FIFA has a “clean stadium” policy. If a company isn’t an official World Cup sponsor, its branding can’t be visible inside or around the venue during the tournament. That’s why Levi’s Stadium had to temporarily remove its name and branding and become “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium” during the FIFA Club World Cup and World Cup events.

Instead of fighting it, Levi’s leaned into it.

They covered the logo with a white drape, but they left the iconic shape recognizable enough that everyone instantly knew what it was. Then they took it even further by updating their social media profiles and content to match the covered-up logo. What was supposed to hide the brand ended up creating millions of impressions and conversations about the brand.

That’s what makes it genius.

The average person isn’t talking about FIFA’s sponsorship rules. They’re talking about Levi’s.

It’s a reminder that some of the best marketing isn’t a massive campaign. Sometimes it’s a small moment, a constraint, or an obstacle that a brand turns into an opportunity. If you study marketing history, you’ll find these little moves everywhere. They seem insignificant at the time, but they’re often the things people remember years later.

Levi’s took a situation where they were forced to disappear and somehow became even more visible. That’s great branding.

Levi's

Designers, stop chasing new content ideas for a second.
Some of your best content is probably sitting in your camera roll right now.

Not every project becomes a portfolio piece, and that’s okay. Maybe the client prioritized function over aesthetics. Maybe the style wasn’t your personal favorite. Maybe it just doesn’t fit your brand.

But that doesn’t mean the project has no value.
Instead of posting another finished reveal, tell the story behind the design.

What was the problem?
Was the kitchen too cramped for a family of five? Was there no storage? Poor workflow? Not enough seating? Wasted space?

Then walk your audience through how you solved it.
Show the floor plans. Share the design process. Explain the decisions you made. Talk about the challenges, constraints, and solutions that transformed the space.

This is what I call Problem + Solve Content.
It helps potential clients understand that interior design is more than selecting finishes and colors. It’s problem-solving, space planning, listening, and creating solutions that improve how people live every day.

The best part? You already have the content.
Stop focusing only on the final photo. Start sharing the thinking behind the design.

That’s often what earns trust and attracts your next client.

Remember when social media was actually… social?

You followed people because you wanted to see what they posted. They posted something, and it showed up. Pretty simple.

Somewhere along the way, we got reels, algorithms, suggested posts, recommended accounts, AI everything, and somehow the one thing people have been asking for keeps getting pushed further down the list.

Most of us aren’t asking for millions of views. We’d just like the people who already hit “follow” to actually see what we share.

But hey, at least everything has protein in it now.

I’m less interested in the house and more interested in the financial strategy.

It’s always the off the wall careers on the show that have an out of reach budget for a home.

I’m less interested in the house and more interested in the financial strategy. It’s always the off the wall careers on the show that have an out of reach budget for a home. #househunters #realestate

The weeks of album releases in country music.

A lot of us don’t stay quiet because we don’t believe in what we’re building.
We stay quiet because we start thinking about who’s going to see it.
Old coworkers.
People from high school.
Family.
Random people we haven’t talked to in years.
And somehow their opinion feels louder
than the dream we’ve been working on behind the scenes.
But most of them aren’t thinking about your post nearly as much as you think they are.
They’re living their own lives, carrying their own stuff, worrying about their own next step.
Meanwhile… someone out there genuinely needs what you offer.
They would support you.
They would book with you.
They would tell someone about you.
But they can’t find something you keep hiding.
Don’t let fear make your business invisible.
You didn’t work this hard just to stay hidden because of people who were never going to build your dream for you anyway.
Post the business.
Be proud of what you’re building.
Let people see you.
The right people are looking for you, even on the days you feel awkward posting.