In 1993 Steve Jobs talks about his logo designer for Next, Paul Rand. Encounter exposes a common thread between them.
For example, did Jobs talk to other designers? No. Rand was the only designer Jobs approached. And Jobs asks if Rand will show him a few options. Rand says, “No, I will solve your problem for you and you will pay me. You don’t have to use the solution and if you want options go to other people. But I will solve your problem for you the best way that I know how.”
Editor’s note: I chaired a conference on corporate identity for the STA (Society of Typographic Arts) before becoming the American Center for Design and I called Mr. Rand four times asking him if he would speak. Well, it was not going to happen. He said he didn’t go to these things, period. Yes, very curmudgeony. The final speakers were: David Strong (David Strong); Robert Burns (Burns Cooper and Hynes); Phil Seefeld (Landor); John Massey (Container Corporation); Wayne Webb (RVI Corporation); Herb Murrie (Murrie White Drummond Lienhart).
Five years later I co-chaired Trademarks USA2 for the STA. Thinking Mr. Rand needed a more esteemed roster and asked: Saul Bass (Bass Yeager); Ivan Chermayeff (Chermayeff & Geismar); Walter Landor (Landor); Walter Margulies (Lippincott Margulies; John Massey (Container Corporation); Wayne Webb (RVI Corporation). Of interest, first time the Walter’s met face-to-face. Mr. Rand said thanks but it was going to be paralysis due to over analysis. He asked if I put this much time into solving design problems.
The new Media Lab logo really represents a vast galaxy of ideas generated past and future. This is an algorithmic generated logo that can create 40,000 logo shapes in 12 different color combinations, providing the Media Lab an estimated 25 years’ worth of personalized business cards.
Last Spring in my Corporate Branding class, design student Seth Hoekstra created a similar sui generis concept for his mythical Center for Design, Chicago. Seth’s concept behind each mark variation begins with each museum staff member. Each individual would be prompted with an assignment to contribute a unique shape they feel represents the museum. Here are several pages from his CDC manual of style to guide the way.
first time in its 28-year history, MTV updates iconic logo. new logo on right.
forgoing the network’s music heritage, new three-dimensional design instead showcases MTV’s reality-TV talent, such as the casts of “jersey shore,” “The buried life” and “teen mom.”
mcdonalds recently opened two of their latest tokyo outlets. to say that it surgically has removed their corporate voice — well its really closer to a lobotomy. wow.
above/below> they have done away with the golden arches, ronald mcdonald, hamburglar, happy meals, and mcmuffins in this mcdonalds. they have even done away with a (the) logo. the only thing they retained is the color red.
above/below> the only products served are the qp (quarter pounder) and the qpc (quarter pounder with cheese) simply in red, white, and black packaging. the fries come with the burger as a menu set, no option here.
above/below> the interior is very lounge-like. one can imagine what the background music is — country & western ?
above/below> quarter pounder may look low key, but there is the viral online marketing to the hired hands handing out flyers to passersby. the “quarter pounder big secret” campaign.
we see the “no logo” look for bars and clubs and fewer restaurants. the “mystique” of a somewhere making all of its patrons feel a bit exclusive and in-the-know. if it looks like a club and sounds like a club. its a club. the stores are next to h&m, etc.
what it will do for the qpc? more than a singular design theme to one product. mcd´s is attempting to make an iconic product out of the qpc by wagering an entire restaurant investment on it. feedback and crowds say good.
this is case study material for the brand police. let’s keep an eye on how it does. could you put up one of these in your town?
editor’s notes via links below > in november of 2008 quarter pounder was mcdonald’s no-brand experiment introducing a larger ‘american style’ burger not found in japan at the time and tested on adventuresome and easily bored tokyoites.
Well, why not? It’s perceived reverse inspiration to many…
What is Chrome?
Google Chrome is an open source, free web browser developed by Google that has about 1% share of browser market. It was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows on September 2, 2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or “chrome”, of web browsers.
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