One of the conversations that stood out from my visit to the VCU Brandcenter in March was a discussion with two Creative Strategists, Adam Wiese and Melissa Cabral. The two were working on a project where they were examining the impact of “ubiquitous connection” to the Internet.  The result of their work is an article, From 3rd Places to Blurred

If a brand hopes to breakthrough the cluttered marketplace, a sense of authenticity and community needs to be a cornerstone of their brand equity. Consumers want to develop a relationship with a brand and in many cases, they are looking for brands that could become a physical manifestation of a Third Place. The concept of a “Third Place” refers to