Posts Tagged ‘identity’
Teetering on the Dangerous Line
Read a very interesting post this morning by way of the design blog Brand New in regards to the new identity of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology which was designed by Pentagram partner (and rockstar designer) Michael Beruit. The design is fine, whatever. The point of contention comes from the fact that the icon is basically copied from the artwork of artist Charley Harper an artist that Beruit admits to admiring.
It’s a very interesting question, exactly at what point is something in the design and art world considered trademark and artwork infringement? Google “logos that look the same” and you’ll come up with 100s of hits but what about logos that look like illustrations? It’s more than anything an interesting philosophical and legal question that, as more and more work gets produced, we may see more and more.
WTF were they Thinking?
People, please, when you’re designing a logo or naming a company, pay attention to the acronym. How many of these have to make the rounds on the internet before attention is paid to this detail?
A Story About a Logo
Once upon a time there was a company called Morgan Stanley and there was a company called Smith Barney. Then, the economy turned south. Now, when a big money-loving company and another big money-loving company love money very very much, sometimes they will merge. And, when they merge they need a new identity. And, sometimes, they will create a logo so unbelievably boring that it makes your head collapse on itself.
I don’t get it? What’s the point? Did they just do it in Microsoft Word? I mean, I understand that the banking industry is in turmoil, and it’s not exactly the place to be looking for creative, out of the box, design. Nor is it the place to be spending big bucks on design at the moment. But, good-freaking lord! Really, that’s the best you could come up with? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…..
The End.
Branding a National Monument
R Squared recently paired with the Rainbow Bridge National Monument in northern Arizona to create an identity for their upcoming 100th anniversary (the 100th anniversary of the designation of the park, not of the actually place; we’re sure that has been around longer than 100 years). Designed to resemble a ranger’s patch, the identity uses the blues and reds found at the park.
