GD thursday class
Introduction
Computer Guidelines for Penn State: The guidelines can be found on the official Penn State website at
brand.psu.edu.
Historical Context of Graphic Standards
New York City Transit Authority Standards Manual:
Release Period: Early 1970s.
Designer: Massimo Vignelli along with a team of young designers.
Project on Kickstarter: An initiative was launched on Kickstarter to reproduce the original graphic standards manual in hardcover format.
Process:
They scanned original binder materials and created a hard copy book.
The resulting book is 13 inches square and weighs approximately 15 pounds.
Funding Success: The Kickstarter project raised $800,000, showcasing the strong interest in graphic design as an artifact of New York City life.
Financial Impact of Design Projects
Subsequent Projects: Following the NYC Transit project, a standards manual for NASA's identity standards was created, raising $900,000 within a year and going through multiple printings (fifth or sixth printing for NASA).
Concept of Brand and Branding
Definitions and Distinctions:
Branding refers to the emotional aftertaste associated with interacting with a brand.
Example: Apple is cited as a brand with a strong, consistent emotional resonance across different age demographics.
Types of Logos
Classification of Logos:
Iconographic: A visual representation such as Nike's swoosh.
Typographic: Focus on the typography itself, e.g., futuristic dense oblique font used by Nike.
Lockup: Combination of elements (icon + type) used as a cohesive identity.
University Branding:
Penn State Icons: References to different icons (athletic, academic, university icons) highlighting the structured branding approach of the university.
Pictograms in Design
Olympic Games Pictograms:
Pictograms are redesigned for each Olympic Games to fit the aesthetic of that event, serving as wayfinding icons to assist attendees.
Purpose: They simplify communication and navigation for an international audience.
Christoph Niemann's Sunday Sketches: Illustrates the concept of seeing objects in new and simplified ways, attributing unique visual interpretations.
Immersion in Graphic Design
Pervasiveness of Design: Graphic design is evident in all aspects of everyday life; tools for design have become more accessible through technology (e.g., smartphones).
Examination of Brand Examples
Supreme Brand:
Based on work by Barbara Kruger, highlighting the irony of consumerism.
Marketing Strategy: Successful at positioning products for elevated prices based on brand identity rather than intrinsic value.
Case Study on Coca-Cola Packaging
Turner Duckworth: Designers who created packaging campaigns for Coca-Cola, focusing on color and simplicity in design.
Two Color vs. One Color Work: Defined by the use of aluminum and ink combinations in their packaging design.