GDUSA Newsletter SEPTEMBER 2011

DRIVING CREATIVITY

Good news out of Detroit. Five words rarely strung together unless you are a Tigers fan or a Ford stockholder. The Detroit Creative Corridor Center (DC3) opened recently with 200 celebrants in attendance. The pilot program – comprised of small graphic, advertising, apparel and other design ventures – seeks to grow the local creative economy by providing a communal work space, business and legal advice, networking and mentoring. Support for the space and the education program at the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education comes from the College for Creative Studies, and an array of private and government agencies including Business Leaders of Michigan, the state Economic Development Corporation and U.S. Small Business Administration. Damon Thomas of Centric Design Studio, a participating architecture and graphics firm, said: “We wanted to be part of the movement that DC3 is trying to begin here in Detroit.”

— Gordon Kaye

Graphic Design News

THE RICH NEED REDESIGN, TOO
Town & Country, around since the 1840s and self-described as “America’s premier lifestyle magazine for the affluent,” has a new logo and redesign. The changes are driven by new Editor-in-Chief Jay Fielden, and Design Director Edward Leida, who are tasked with modernizing and expanding the magazine’s role and mission. The logo itself hearkens back to Town & Country’s uppercase sans serif utilzed from the 1930s through the 1990s. Retaining its unique ampersand, it is presented in alternating colors as an homage to Frank Zachary, the long time art director of the magazine and its Holiday counterpart. Introduced with the the September issue, the redesign includes longer articles, and breaks down another barrier by including same-sex marriages within its wedding pages. Leida has executed editorial design for the likes of W, Jane and Details.

BITTMAN IS AIGA FELLOW
Design Team One founder and chairman Dan Bittman will be honored with the AIGA Fellow Award on Friday, September 30 at the Convergys Gallery in the Art Academy of Cincinnati. The AIGA Fellow award program recognizes designers who have made a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within the design community. Education, writing, leadership, reputation, and design practice are considered in measuring significance. A retrospective exhibit of his work will be on display from September 9 through October 16. Bittman has been president of the Art Directors Club of Cincinnati as well as AIGA Chapter president. For over 30 years, the Cincinnati-based design communications agency he founded has specialized in branding, graphic and web design.

NEW CAN RESISTS THE REVEAL
The long-rumored, newly designed, limited-edition Diet Coke can is now debuting in stores. The revamped can is the work of the exceedingly hot Turner Duckworth firm of San Francisco. Retaining the can's bare-aluminum background, the design magnifies a segment of the existing logo where the “D” of “Diet” rests atop the “k” of “Coke.” The result is a crop that does not reveal the brand’s complete name. There is a strong tie-in with fashion arbiter, StyleCaster.com, which dubs the design a “new look for fall.”

INC. LIKES PEOPLEDESIGN
Inc. Magazine has selected Peopledesign as one the fastest growing private companies in U.S. The design studio was placed on the 2011 Inc. 500|5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America. The list looks at an important segment of the economy – America’s independent entrepreneurs. The Grand Rapids MI firm was founded in 1997 as BBK Studio. Co-owners Kevin Budelmann and Yang Kim will accept this award on behalf of the firm at a ceremony in Washington DC later this month. LEARN MORE >

PRETTY EFFECTIVE
A special exhibition in New York asks visitors to consider an important question: How can design be more than just a beautiful exterior? Now at the AIGA National Design Center on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan – through November 23 – the “365 | Design Effectiveness” exhibition showcases award-winning work that successfully pairs aesthetics with results. “AIGA is committed to demonstrating design’s value as well as its ability to charm, intrigue and entertain,” said AIGA Executive Director Richard Grefé. “With this year’s competition, we are emphasizing that design, to be great, must achieve its business purposes first and, usually, will do so in a way that overwhelms us with simplicity, responsibility and creativity.” Adds Director of Competitions Gabriela Mirensky, “People often think of designers as ‘those who make something look pretty,’ but design goes so much deeper than that. This exhibition helps visitors understand why certain design, branding, execution or strategy was effective, by focusing on the impact of each piece.”

DIP OR SQUEEZE
After 42 years of dealing with messy ketchup packets, 4sight, a New York-based design and innovation firm, has teamed up with Heinz to produce a user-friendly product for consumers. The new single-serve Heinz Ketchup packets allow customers to both ‘dip’ and ‘squeeze’ depending on their preference. The packet design is shaped like a Heinz bottle boasting the traditional keystone imagery and visual cues – the signature red color of the product, the tomato vine and logo. “The option to dip or squeeze in the single-serve packets results in greater portion control, which was another one of our goals with this project, in addition to crafting a non-complicated product that would appeal to consumers,” said Stuart Leslie, president of the design firm. 4sight collaborated with Heinz operations, R&D and marketing teams.

London, Paris, Berlin, NYC… NOW LA!

The world’s most comprehensive stock archive of fine art and historical imagery has just hired a West Coast Business Development Director
Helen Higbee.
 
Click here to find out more about the Bridgeman Team.
 
Heading to Visual Connections on October 20th? Visit Bridgeman at the show and take a turn on their wheel of fortune for some great prizes.
 
Stay tuned for more details...

I’LL WEAR MANHATTAN
Graphic designer Kevin Hall is responsible fo designing a new line of t-shirts featuring a square logo depicting “Manhattan” in a typographically unique manner. Hall, shown here in Times Square during the summer, says: “I am very hopeful that these t-shirts will capture the attention of shoppers and tourists in New York City... It’s my way of making a graphic tribute to the greatest city in the world.”

LEARN MORE >

PUBLICIS PILOTS AIRLINE LOGO
SWISS, the airline of Switzerland, has a new identity courtesy of Publicis and Nose, a Swiss design firm. The program takes off this month.

SPARKLING WATER SIMPLIFIED
Little Big Brands developed the brand’s identity and packaging for Something Natural, a flavored sparkling water now launching in New England. “We are simplifying refreshment,” said Cheryl Meyer, director of communications for the brand. The brand is launching in five flavors. To emphasize that the product is simple – less is more – the packaging is clean and straightforward. “The flock of birds embodies the brand essence and was a clever way to highlight the beautiful blue canvas,” said creative director John Nunziato.