tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34955889113777950462024-03-20T00:37:31.791-07:00The Design OpinionAndrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-33847204372169953862011-02-17T15:58:00.000-08:002011-02-17T16:00:58.166-08:00Spiekermann - Putting Back the Face into Typeface<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/19429698" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/19429698">Erik Spiekermann - Putting Back the Face into Typeface</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/gestalten">Gestalten</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-22625754528825950162010-10-22T10:47:00.000-07:002010-10-22T10:53:56.079-07:00Social Brand Platform<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsRvAMQPgjRMo3YGcl_F-oDvugencnZb2DN3_gHG2G-_iuzgZI-HCtaqLz2ZRk5lFR5KK1WyX_z-j30x0RnrKU1qdzpYbactC2k_3CLMsrXD1M1TOWPowRkCnakfQ7MrNiplfJXtkqEWU/s1600/12.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsRvAMQPgjRMo3YGcl_F-oDvugencnZb2DN3_gHG2G-_iuzgZI-HCtaqLz2ZRk5lFR5KK1WyX_z-j30x0RnrKU1qdzpYbactC2k_3CLMsrXD1M1TOWPowRkCnakfQ7MrNiplfJXtkqEWU/s400/12.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530929473246860850" /></a> Today, people are more interested in what a brand can do for them. Great brands are discovering that logos or advertisements are losing relevance, and instead put their efforts into creating social brand platforms that invite participation and create value in authentic and relevant ways. The real reason the Gap logo failed was that it wasn't backed by any of this; the same goes for Tropicana and the rest.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662542/the-real-lesson-of-the-gap-debacle-logos-arent-key-anymore">Read More.</a>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-33995172445184249592010-01-29T18:06:00.000-08:002010-02-01T12:45:48.559-08:00Emigre<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NUVCs0LBkoOjVEIYINsUrprx0pmONzu3__-4drvsDa2kvjAXPPcXysedhyphenhyphenmrAAjW9HYWXzux0J2BaXtj34rvkIAVl530kZa_T-yBsrfG2WGHgatkfbuHlO76nqqPdRNE1-7Ldyr9r9n8/s1600-h/Emirge_03.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NUVCs0LBkoOjVEIYINsUrprx0pmONzu3__-4drvsDa2kvjAXPPcXysedhyphenhyphenmrAAjW9HYWXzux0J2BaXtj34rvkIAVl530kZa_T-yBsrfG2WGHgatkfbuHlO76nqqPdRNE1-7Ldyr9r9n8/s400/Emirge_03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432348962714600338" /></a>Today I drove to San Francisco with my daughter Lily to see the final day of the Emigre exibit. While I was attending Art School in the late 90's, Emigre Magazine was a huge inspiration to me. With their experimental typography and their informative articles Emigre always pushed me to be a better designer. <br /><br />The story of Emigre is also the story of the Bay Area. Founded in 1984, coinciding with the birth of the Macintosh, Emigre was one of the first independent type foundries to establish itself centered on personal computer technology. <br /><br />During the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, graphic design was experiencing one of its most exciting and transformative periods. The Apple Macintosh computer had been introduced, design schools were exploring French linguistic theory, the vernacular had become a serious source of study and inspiration, the design and manufacture of typefaces were suddenly opened up to everyone who could use a computer, and for the first time in the United States, New York City was no longer the place to look for the latest developments in graphic design. And in Berkeley, California, across the bay from Silicon Valley, Emigre magazine, like no other, recognized the significance of the events and became both a leading participant and a keen observer of this innovative international design scene, generating a body of work and ideas that still resonate today.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.emigre.com/index.php">Check out Emigre</a>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-92158131337915186012010-01-27T09:50:00.000-08:002010-01-27T09:56:59.507-08:00Human Centered Design<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1sZpC1Hp5E8BDsxQCi4HMO5zERaH_rY-x2TsMBWpNRYj3U86Pz6wV7igBHkxBNY8zkIVO4oED8RKKPrm-FD_QBuAZSp-vrvhI1fz2Y4BQkCoch2tu14wxQojlyPPWsd0er0ddDHX6WtR/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1sZpC1Hp5E8BDsxQCi4HMO5zERaH_rY-x2TsMBWpNRYj3U86Pz6wV7igBHkxBNY8zkIVO4oED8RKKPrm-FD_QBuAZSp-vrvhI1fz2Y4BQkCoch2tu14wxQojlyPPWsd0er0ddDHX6WtR/s400/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431479182485028818" /></a>For years, organizations have used Human-Centered Design (HCD) to arrive at innovative business solutions. Funded by IDE as part of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in collaboration with non-profit groups ICRW and Heifer International, IDEO has specially adapted this process for NGOs and social enterprises that work with impoverished communities around the world. The resulting HCD Toolkit helps organizations understand people’s needs in new ways, find innovative solutions to meet these needs, and deliver solutions with financial sustainability in mind.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ideo.com/work/item/human-centered-design-toolkit/">Learn more about HCD.</a>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-72452840566659917152009-12-19T12:47:00.000-08:002009-12-19T13:19:59.016-08:00The COP15 identity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yqlz5ihApWhLETMnCqXJ076OzgPQZkrbBBeRnz0R4uNpn9CZfevSOCW1FABDFRFiX75sOkZ9aDbS0GIrbDlCsIDSKQF9jo1Wcy0iYhNmK-SI_Bg-qKM0abjSo1rlwZgK_FCtl95R9pUh/s1600-h/cop15_06_animation.jpg.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yqlz5ihApWhLETMnCqXJ076OzgPQZkrbBBeRnz0R4uNpn9CZfevSOCW1FABDFRFiX75sOkZ9aDbS0GIrbDlCsIDSKQF9jo1Wcy0iYhNmK-SI_Bg-qKM0abjSo1rlwZgK_FCtl95R9pUh/s400/cop15_06_animation.jpg.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417052645128045346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD6P_SYKp2JWbJfXuqJJR01U4rBbI8lEHgtn88-DQ2FSMGaj6sxQO5-KHYXwO3xgtxzCbtnCD8SiCgkh0j921ohNZxS54v0C8rs5pAXRzEnRZ437TSjGRUfQw76Yuh-VJ0Oy-eLjG_gA1/s1600-h/cop15_01_logo_detail.jpg.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD6P_SYKp2JWbJfXuqJJR01U4rBbI8lEHgtn88-DQ2FSMGaj6sxQO5-KHYXwO3xgtxzCbtnCD8SiCgkh0j921ohNZxS54v0C8rs5pAXRzEnRZ437TSjGRUfQw76Yuh-VJ0Oy-eLjG_gA1/s400/cop15_01_logo_detail.jpg.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417052103227132418" /></a>The COP15 identity is the result of a logo competition held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. It’s created by two very inspiring Danish designers, Troels Faber and Jacob Wildschiødtz, working under the name <a href="http://nr2154.com/">nr2154</a>. <br /><br />“The winning proposal is a striking and at the same time both simple and complex symbol. Simple because the symbol is a stylized globe. Complex because the visual expression allows for a host of interpretations.”<br />— Comments from the Jury<br /><br /><a href="http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/saving_the_environment_one_line_at_a_time.php">Read More.</a>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-37219648385466852452009-08-20T09:35:00.000-07:002009-08-20T09:39:52.163-07:00Sustainable recycled cardboard packaging<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGOTOs9RsU5nNONjHMA2je1YesohtFN__SKbipIJGsFOVsTnAmVjlRjrCedYdH2s-JWZLlhSSqdwlyDes0PAJnlbhTUvVHT2k3Z1y0UFVx1wIw8gudMddRqDsO9HzavMM8DqKJ7qREUZ_/s1600-h/11_dsc0404-500x335.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSGOTOs9RsU5nNONjHMA2je1YesohtFN__SKbipIJGsFOVsTnAmVjlRjrCedYdH2s-JWZLlhSSqdwlyDes0PAJnlbhTUvVHT2k3Z1y0UFVx1wIw8gudMddRqDsO9HzavMM8DqKJ7qREUZ_/s400/11_dsc0404-500x335.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372085790393644498" /></a>Nike works with <a href="http://2x4.org/">2x4 Design Group</a> in Beijing to create sustainable recycled cardboard packaging for its clothing and sneakers! Designers <a href="http://www.zakklauck.com/">Zak Klauck</a> and Emile Molin had the honors designing an all-cardboard (and a tiny bit of ink) package for Nike to stash their shirt, windbreaker, and shoe combo in. To fulfill both of the fundamentals central to the project, the wrap is constructed out of recycled cardboard with universal graphics printed on each package, the specifics (model, shoe size) written in on each by hand.Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-82906582295648473192009-08-19T15:21:00.000-07:002009-08-19T15:25:23.738-07:00Brokelyn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamF6LZtqnEwAfpthN5Qdq5Vn-snFNHiGsmm2XDBK0y9Qdnrtnj1M31o1TQYrJdq8hHkbRwegQxNKKdk_Rbd97LDATY-Ybz4-7RlaWenHKt5UQxkDTN4c6nQ_mLJFX8Dhbz8WuaZQuEPfu/s1600-h/Picture-14.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 373px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamF6LZtqnEwAfpthN5Qdq5Vn-snFNHiGsmm2XDBK0y9Qdnrtnj1M31o1TQYrJdq8hHkbRwegQxNKKdk_Rbd97LDATY-Ybz4-7RlaWenHKt5UQxkDTN4c6nQ_mLJFX8Dhbz8WuaZQuEPfu/s400/Picture-14.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371803930389110130" /></a> Identity for <a href="http://www.brokelyn.com/">Brokelyn.com</a>, a blog about living, eating, and shopping on the cheap in Brooklyn. Designed by <a href="https://www.theheadsofstate.com/#/home.php">The Heads of State</a>.Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-67061998087885109482009-06-10T09:14:00.000-07:002009-06-10T09:17:34.193-07:00Naoto Fukasawa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W1ir_bLrGZNbsiGEUwy7DSO251C3EwFeq000TRNk5JS_FtHT2-F6EKddcsjisjlOtWfDGn6c05GG48kz6sG3JYZ5AoimAiLVzH1PVNw4Nk_FHq8N4SohtaXfXxZYg84oDo_wz7OQah1C/s1600-h/banana.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W1ir_bLrGZNbsiGEUwy7DSO251C3EwFeq000TRNk5JS_FtHT2-F6EKddcsjisjlOtWfDGn6c05GG48kz6sG3JYZ5AoimAiLVzH1PVNw4Nk_FHq8N4SohtaXfXxZYg84oDo_wz7OQah1C/s400/banana.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345733212601713474" /></a> This brilliant packaging solution for banana juice even imitates the feel of real banana skin. Designed by <a href="http://www.naotofukasawa.com/">Naoto Fukasawa</a>.Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-56964324467402057412009-04-21T11:08:00.001-07:002009-04-21T11:13:51.746-07:00South Southwest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnVbCvtczl_k0R09A6N9IvV6TI0KOHkc9bQ7CfiU5KhrRZDfz3E6LgyIfHn8y00F9EQ3UjZAaKIZE3iypFPQj57YWZ_yumbPTcFXDdbXfitGfDuortem7TVZb5VCBIjccgWE069H4ducq/s1600-h/Picture+3.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnVbCvtczl_k0R09A6N9IvV6TI0KOHkc9bQ7CfiU5KhrRZDfz3E6LgyIfHn8y00F9EQ3UjZAaKIZE3iypFPQj57YWZ_yumbPTcFXDdbXfitGfDuortem7TVZb5VCBIjccgWE069H4ducq/s400/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327208352463304642" /></a>Some very nice design work by <a href="http://www.southsouthwest.com.au/main.html">south-southwest,</a> a design company based in Victoria Australia.Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-9689655639803343132009-01-16T10:36:00.000-08:002009-01-16T11:00:23.921-08:00"No-brand" branding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k9vxcrLLYBiJ5La_99_GdYygeAsnmWbXPHEL14lrMxdh2rJ4BeM49pJgUX23UAJxgbd7EjhGaGNGNjNx1fZ7YJYRZ7jtoqSrUSM1-7BPB2MyOlvn65Ge-O5khVU8eCqJczSY0JdFUymV/s1600-h/muji_store_soho-722926.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k9vxcrLLYBiJ5La_99_GdYygeAsnmWbXPHEL14lrMxdh2rJ4BeM49pJgUX23UAJxgbd7EjhGaGNGNjNx1fZ7YJYRZ7jtoqSrUSM1-7BPB2MyOlvn65Ge-O5khVU8eCqJczSY0JdFUymV/s400/muji_store_soho-722926.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291962713223350818" /></a>Recently a number of companies have successfully pursued "No-Brand" strategies, examples include the Japanese company <a href="http://www.muji.com/">MUJI</a>, which means "No label, quality goods" in English. Although there is a distinct MUJI brand, MUJI products are not branded. This no-brand strategy means that little is spent on advertisement or classical marketing and <a href="http://www.muji.com/">MUJI's</a> success is attributed to the word-of-mouth, a simple shopping experience and the anti-brand movement. In this era of online social networking, blogging, and instant global communication this sort approach seems like a no brainer to me. <div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.muji.com/">MUJI's</a> brand message is as follows: MUJI is not a brand. MUJI does not make products of individuality or fashion, nor does MUJI reflect the popularity of its name in its prices. MUJI products with a view toward global consumption of the future. This means that we do not create products that lure customers into believing that "this is best" or "I must have this" We would like our customers to feel the rational sense of satisfaction that comes not with "this is best," but with "this is enough." "best" becomes enough."</div>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-58444910431795632072009-01-14T09:23:00.000-08:002009-01-26T11:21:29.991-08:00California Academy of Sciences<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.pentagram.com/CAS_Entrance_Sm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 620px; height: 466px;" src="http://blog.pentagram.com/CAS_Entrance_Sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span> Pentagram recently launched the <a href="http://blog.pentagram.com/2008/10/new-work-california-academy-of.php">new brand for the California Academy of Sciences</a> in San Francisco. The new identity is similarly integrated into the museum experience. Woven out of organic curves inspired by the roof, the new identity has been described as “The Fabric of Life.” Radiating outward from a center oculus, the symbol appears to be growing—reinforcing the cyclical and dynamic nature of the natural sciences. Based on the <a href="http://www.typography.com/fonts/font_overview.php?productLineID=100026">Whitney typeface by Hoefler & Frere-Jones</a>, the customized logotype grounds the symbol, echoing the horizontal format of the building. The colors of the symbol speak specifically to the Academy’s location and mission: international orange is strongly connected to San Francisco (the color of the Golden Gate Bridge) and the architectural details within the Academy’s new building; green represents life and the natural world; and gray reflects the city’s famous fog and the concrete building (and to those in the know, its LEED® Platinum-level rating).Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-36989245533826932162009-01-13T14:14:00.000-08:002009-01-14T09:12:37.070-08:00The 2008 Feltron Annual Report<img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KeH0-G6e0XQ/SW0jCK8KouI/AAAAAAAAAAU/936H7sMIlgI/s400/feltron.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290923657433621218" /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a href="http://feltron.com/index.php?/content/2008_annual_report/"> Nicholas Feltron has released his 2008 Feltron Report.</a> A wonderful example of solid information design. For more work designed by Nicholas Feltron visit his <a href="http://feltron.com/index.php?/about/nicholas_felton/">website</a>.Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495588911377795046.post-449219737462480682009-01-12T15:26:00.000-08:002009-01-13T15:35:06.999-08:00Adaptive glasses<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/12/22/1229937437116/A-Zulu-man-wearing-adapti-001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 460px; height: 276px;" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/12/22/1229937437116/A-Zulu-man-wearing-adapti-001.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div>Josh Silver, a professor of physics at Oxford University, is currently working on <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/dec/22/diy-adjustable-glasses-josh-silver">a new pair of glasses that will offer vision correction to a billion of the world's poorest folks by the time 2020</a> rolls around. What makes this invention special is the glasses can be "tuned" by the wearer without having the need for an optician, in short - an adaptive pair of glasses. To date, 30,000 of such spectacles have already been distributed across 15 countries although Silver and his team hopes to launch a trial in India that involves a million pairs. The target within a few years' time would be an ambitious 100 million pairs annually. These glasses work by featuring plastic lenses that hold a couple of transparent circular sacs filled with fluid. Individual sacs are hooked up to a tiny syringe attached to either arm of the spectacles, where one is able to adjust a dial on the syringe to ensure just the right amount of correction in the lens power.<br /></div>Andrew Pollakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06801125406129980289noreply@blogger.com0