Changing Logos

Following on from the weekend conference where LifePlus's new identity was revealed, I wrote very briefly about the GAP new logo being ditched in favour of the old one, in this post. I thought it would be a good idea to post the two GAP logos, below, so I have them somewhere. I like the old one more. Not only is it familiar, but it is more distinctive. The blue square also looks more meaningful, or more intrinsic to the old one.

I also found a nice article on bbc.co.uk. It has a few cases in. May be useful for work one day. Here is a link to the article.

Brand Design

Some notes I made on brand identity and brand design that I wanted to keep a hold of:

"In its earliest form, when animals were branded with a hot iron to demonstrate ownership, the resulting mark was to give the animal a distinguishing and recognisable identity: in this case identity meant ownership.

The way we talk about brands today has evolved but they still need a distinguishing and recognisable identity.

We often talk about having a differentiating idea at the core of a brand but that core idea still needs a differentiating identity; a way to bring the idea to life.

In today’s fast paced, multi-media, multiple branded world sensory shortcuts that carry meaning are more important than ever. The most obvious of these in the branded world are the visual cues: the associations with a logo, the power of colour, the rich meaning of visual brand equities. But, increasingly, smell, touch, sound and the ‘feel’ of a brand space or brand experience are part of a brand’s identity.

What brings all these elements together is the notion of brand design. We believe that great brand design is fundamental to having a great brand. And the philosophy of design runs deep, deep into the DNA of the brand and is manifest through every expression of it. Think about Apple. Their identity is expressed through brilliant, coherent design again and again. Across products, packaging, website, retail environments, communications, time and geographies."

The End of Advertising

Imagine a city stripped clean of all its advertising. No billboards. No posters. No Adshels. No nothing. In December 2006, this fantastical statement became a harsh reality for São Paulo, Brazil. Known as ‘Lei Cidade Limpa’, the Clean City Law, it was an initiative of Mayor, Gilberto Kassab, and intended to cleanse the city of what he dubbed its ‘visual pollution’. 

Michael Canturi, a designer at Coley Porter Bell, won the company Blue Sky competition, and chose to go to Sao Paulo to investigate. This is his post. 

Coley Porter Bell Blog

A plug for the Coley Porter Bell blog that went live today. It is worth a look, here.

Design Time

I love this digital/analgoue radio. Not just because I can listen to the BBC World Service broadcast in great clarity, but because of its super design. It has very simple lines when we see it face on. All the dials and buttons are on the top so it is pretty easy to use in this vertical position.

Swivel the handle right the way around and it can be used as a stand/rest for the radio.

Put it on a desk, like I do, or a shelf, and operate it in the horizontal.

It was designed by the innovation house, IDEO .

I can't do a post on design without quickly showing this:

It must be nearly 5 decades old, and with kind hands it still works very well.