top typographic tips #2

A short lesson in letters and letterforms...

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cure all

The second 'amazing egg tip' has been unveiled - how to cure your egg to make it last forever (assuming that you paint it so well you want to keep it forever, which remains to be seen!)

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top typographic tips #1

The first in an occasional series of educational typographic tips from our Creative Director (usually to be found by the kitchen sink to be read while the kettle is boiling!)

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euro + organic = nil points

I was intrigued when I heard there was to be a new European standard logo to label organic products. I was even more intrigued when I found out the logo would be decided through a Europe-wide design competition (open to design students and recent graduates only). Unfortunately, I discovered all this long after the entry deadline (and 3442 entries), and after the likes of typo-god Erik Spiekermann had judged the results and the winner had been selected.

So imagine my disappointment when I unearthed the winning entry. It's not that it's a bad idea - putting the stars from the European flag into a leaf shape makes sense and forms a simple, easily understood symbol. It's just the execution of the mark I'm totally let down by! For one, I'm not even sure it's a leaf. Second, why the dodgy perspective? Surely a simple flat and graphic design would have been more successful? And please don't get me started on that badly drawn 'stem' of the leaf shooting out from the star. I'd be tempted to give douze points for the simple idea, but I'm afraid it's nil points for the crafting.

Interestingly, there's a page on Facebook where a lot of the shortlisted entries in the competition can be seen. As you'd expect, there's a lot of shockers in there, but also some real gems - see what you think...

Create the new EU Organic Logo!

Nik, Creative Director

how to...

As part of our Amazing Easter Egg Painting Competition (see below), we've received some guidance in the preparation of aforementioned eggs! Starting with the basics - How To Hollow Out Your Egg (click to enlarge).

going to work on an egg

For this year's Easter celebrations we're holding 'The Amazing Wonderland Paint An Easter Egg Competition', which is being heavily publicised in the studio with the following springy and typographically-lovely posters. Tune in soonish for the - no doubt amazing - competition entries...

elevenses

This week, we've found ourselves surrounded by boxes of biscuits and sneakily-opened half-eaten packets on every surface. This is thanks to the recent launches of two of our projects for Jacob Fruitfield Group in Ireland.

The first is Jacobs4kids - a brand new range of four different children's biscuits, each with individual identities designed around the theme of 'kids' fun and adventure'. The strong and interactive packaging is designed to appeal to kids while reassuring parents with the all natural ingredients.

The second is the redesign of one of Ireland's most iconic biscuit ranges - a 'bonkers family' made up of Kimberley, Mikado and Coconut Creams. Our challenge was to bring the 100-year-old range up to date without losing any of its quirkiness. The mallowy typography is set on individual backgrounds that highlight the personality of each member - the feminine Mikado, playful Coconut Creams and more masculine Kimberley.

New and old alike, both ranges have certainly won some fans in these parts, now if only they were available in our local Tesco!

which came first?

For the past seven months, one of our designers, Sach, has been keeping us all updated on the progress of his chickens - from painstakingly building a chicken coop by hand, to bringing the new additions home, to the news we'd all been waiting for which came last week - the laying of an egg! Here's the story so far...

Coop in Progress - To build the coop from scratch took 4 weekends' work DAY and NIGHT, 16 trips to B&Q, 67 metres of wood, 100 screws, 2 tubes of glue, two tubs of paint, 2 rolls of mesh and 4 plasters for minor injuries.

04.08.09 - After a visit to the local farm to pick chickens that had been chased by a farmer wielding a fishing net, the chickens moved in to their new home.

Completion Date - The coop was FINALLY finished and Sach was feeling incredibly proud of his handiwork.

Chicken Feed - The chickens happily munching away, having gone crazy at the sight of food!

04.03.09 - Seven months to the day after the moved in, the first egg is laid! WHOOPEEE!

letter to the editor

Our MD Lawrence picked up on a recent article in Design Week on provenance and how brands are capitalising on their product's origins, and sent in a letter to the magazine that sees the issue in a slightly different light. His missive was published in last week's issue - you can see it online here if you're a Design Week subscriber, otherwise here's a clipping (click to enlarge)...

ping pong

The studio was eerily quiet at lunchtime today. Word had got round that there was some free ping pong going down at our local food hall/shopping centre/train station/quick link to Paris - St. Pancras. It turned out to be something of a performance piece organised by artistic collaboration Search Party (find out more about them here). But for Julia and her loyal supporters (colleagues and passers-by alike) it was a sporting endeavour and a hugely successful one at that. She thrashed 'Search Party' 12-6! Take a look at the evidence...