Posts filed under “Typography and Writing”

New Google Logo

Google's new logo mixes their serifs with their sans-serifs and pulls it off, in my opinion. Once again, Google minimizes minimalism with blue sans-serif lower case letters to brand all of their products

Check out the new logos already at the top of some of Google's web pages, including Google Labs, Google Moderator, and Google Code.

GM Pontiac Ad Loose Mispelling

There are 12 words in this ad and one of them is misspelled... Maybe they laid-off their proofreader? Not only that, but General Motors really piles it on as the car shown is a Pontiac, which is one of the divisions they're axing. Who's in charge over there? This sort of marketing is not winning hearts and minds of the (literate) American public.

Embracing the spirit of experimentation, Classic Modernism is about adapting and discovering new ways of seeing your subject. It encourages fresh ideas regarding the function of design. The greatest thing about using Classic Modernism is the sense of confidence you feel after making your mark. It's safe and simple in the best possible way. With this style, form follows function. The focus lies on the essentials, with concept leading design. Simultaneously, it can appear organic and calculated. Shapes and colors are strong, lines are clean and contrasts run high. Negative space is used intelligently, and often times, room is left for interpretation.

The late Paul Rand mastered this art to become a design legend. His mind was behind many world renowned identities, including the logos for IBM, UPS and ABC. If you love design, do yourself a solid and watch this short video (posted above.) It stars Paul Rand, sharing insight regarding concept and design. Visually, it is nothing short of fantastic. It invokes creativity and is absolutely worth your time.

Arm yourself with a smart concept using this style, and you'll find yourself the proud designer of an infinite classic.

My best friend recently told me about a new must-have accessory for the font obsessed Graphic Designer. We all know that Veer offers great stock photography, but she pointed out that they also have a pretty nifty merch section we never noticed before. She spotlighted this super cool scarf in particular.

Sports lovers wear letter jackets – type lovers wear letter scarves. Everyone’s favorite Swiss typeface has been transformed into this lacy and literate accessory. Soft strokes block cool breezes, while counters form geometric shapes that peekaboo your companion tee. Who says Helvetica can’t be functional and fetching? Uppercase only, the letters are laser cut into black or white microfiber suede, 62" x 4".

37 Signals AB Split Testing

Jason over at Signal vs. Noise is sharing some really interesting data from an copy writing A/B split test.

Writing Decisions: Headline tests on the Highrise signup page.

They basically discovered that short, punchy copy, combined with assurance of a low-cost of adoption spurs more sales. These are things that any copy writer worth their salt knows anyway, but now they have empirical data that proves it.

The oft-celebrated (and just as oft-cursed) British automotive journalist Jeremy Clarkson names the Corvette ZR1 as his automobile of the year. Talk about damning with praise...

And then out of nowhere came the ZR1, which has a supercharged V8 that manages to be both docile and extraordinarily savage all at the same time. I’ve been trying to think of a dog that pulls off a similar trick, but there isn’t one. And anyway, this car is not a dog.
Oh, it’s not built very well. After just three days in my care, the boot lock disintegrated and the keyless go system refused to acknowledge the keys were in the car, but I didn’t mind because there is simply no other car that looks this good, goes this fast – in a straight line and around corners – and that most of the time bumbles about like a forgetful uncle. And when you throw in the price tag of just £106,690 – lots for a Corvette but modest next to a similarly powerful Ferrari – the case for the defence can sit down and put up its feet knowing that the prosecutor simply has nowhere to go.

It is an epic car and I’m only sad that unless the healthcare and pensions company that makes it can be turned around, it will be the last of the breed.

That last comment's going to leave a mark.

Times Online - Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Car of The Year

I distinctly remember the great sense of pride instilled by my very first children's book. The moment I closed The Poky Little Puppy, after reading it (all by myself!) from start to finish, I experienced what felt like a life-changing victory.

As a designer, I wonder what kind of impact it would have made if my first children's book was something more like Sparkle and Spin, which was brilliantly illustrated by Paul Rand.

Just imagine... Not only would you learn to read, but it would also expose you to beautiful visuals and typography to inspire creativity and assist in developing your eye for design. Can you believe he created such a modern children's book in 1957? No joke!

But he promises to only use his power for "good..."

Oleg Teterin, president of mobile ad company Superfone,  has managed to trademarked the ;) wink emoticon in Russia. The Russian entrepreneur has made clear he will not be tracking down individuals for use of the emoticon but will however be monitoring company usage.

via - The Next Web

Get a free copy of Advent Pro at Deviant Art. It's a really nice sans-serif that comes in regular, light, extra light, bold, extra bold, regular oblique (not italic), and regular rounded. Commercial work containing this typeface must include the reference to the author; personal projects don’t necessarily need to have a reference.

Get Avdent Pro Now

So... you're a copywriter, you've got to make a list of three things and you know that commas are going to be involved. The question is how many? Well, that all depends on how you view the Oxford comma. Yes: you.

You see the greatest thing about The English Language is probably also the worst thing. It's not like the romantic languages; there's no ruling body of stuffy academics assigned to keep things in shape. Proper grammar in The English Language is determined by popular use or "consensus." (That's why text messaging 'tweens have English professors running for their pitchforks and torches.) But I digress...

The serial comma (a.k.a. the Oxford or Harvard comma) is the comma used before a conjunction that comes before the last item in a list . Here's two examples:

"Tom, Dick, and Harry" is written with the serial or Oxford Comma.

"Tom, Dick and Harry" is written without it.

They both mean the same thing and neither is wrong. How you feel about the two uses is a product of your location and education. Most US authorities think the Oxford Comma is proper.

So who knows how many commas to use in your list? No one. No one knows. It's a matter of personal taste and, personally, I get the heebie jebbies when I run my eyes across a list without an Oxford Comma placed before the grammatical conjunction. You see, I was raised to believe in The Oxford Comma. Mrs. Shultz, my third grade teacher, struck fear into my heart over the issue. Which is why I can't see doing it any other way. Can you? Because it's an important distinction...

Who gives a **** about an Oxford comma?
I've seen those English dramas too
They're cruel
So if there's any other way
To spell the word
It's fine with me, with me

-Vampire Weekend