Advertising

Selling Speed Where It Matters

By Delphine Hirasuna | May 10, 2012September 4, 2014

The new Hertz ad campaign theme “Traveling at the Speed of Hertz” isn’t meant to imply that Hertz cars go faster than those of other rental companies, but to suggest that Hertz can get you in and out of their rental lot in a flash. For customers, quick, hassle-free service is really where “the rubber meets the road” when it comes to renting a car. That’s the focus of the Hertz print ad campaign by DDB New York, which introduces Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards program. Illustrated by Christopher Grey, the print ads feature strong stylized graphics and bold solid colors and the message that customers will enjoy a carefree “lot experience.” The “Bypass Lines” poster doesn’t even show a car, just a superman-type customer soaring over a long line of waiting people.

Brand Logos

Designing a Logo for a Beloved Icon

By Delphine Hirasuna | April 30, 2012September 4, 2014

Lately street banners with a logo of the Golden Gate Bridge have been popping up all over San Francisco to mark the 75th birthday of the city’s most beloved icon. Designed by Studio Hinrichs, the anniversary logo features the Bridge’s familiar vermillion red (aka International Orange) color, its soaring 746-foot-high tower and the Art Deco-styled sunburst border of the rivets that bolt the Bridge together. Applied to everything from signage to souvenir merchandise, the 75th anniversary logo was created to work in one-, two- and four- colors and remain crisp whether etched onto glass, cast in metal, or stitched on fabric. Along with the logo medallion, Kit designed a special Bridge typeface, called Golden Gate Girder, for a commemorative poster, single alphabet letter keychains and other uses.

Interviews

Interview with Authors of
“Pantone: The 20th Century in Full Color”

By Delphine Hirasuna | December 15, 2011September 4, 2014

Looking for a Christmas present that a designer will appreciate? Try “PANTONE^®: The 20th Century in Full Color” (Chronicle Books) by color experts Leatrice Eiseman and Keith Recker. The book takes readers on a color-palette tour of the last century presenting a decade-by-decade account of fads, fashions, films, social and art movements, objects, and events and the colors associated with them. Each subject is presented with color chips of the palette, complete with exact Pantone numbers — e.g., Buttercup Yellow (PANTONE 12-0752), Nile Green (PANTONE14-0121), Lipstick Red (PANTONE 19-1764). Perusing this book, it becomes apparent that color is very much a part of our collective memory, evoking a sense of time and place and the emotional climate of the era. It’s a unique way of seeing the 20th century.

Here authors Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, and Keith Recker, Pantone color and trend consultant, join us for a brief interview.

Brand Logos

Peru Brands Itself

By Delphine Hirasuna | March 11, 2011September 4, 2014

On Friday, Peru officially launched a brand for the country, by stringing its new logo across the front entrance of the New York Stock Exchange. Gone are the old logo and slogan, “Land of the Incas.” In its place is a new identity developed by the British firm, FutureBrand, which also created Australia’s country brand in 2003.

The adoption of the spiral letter “P” wordmark represents the country’s bold move toward raising its identity internationally, not just as a tourist destination, but as the source of a broad line of export goods.

Pop Culture

Pantone Forecasts Spring Fashion Colors

By Delphine Hirasuna | September 8, 2010September 4, 2014

With the kick-off of New York Fashion Week, Pantone has come out with its report on spring 2011 color trends. Their survey of prominent fashion hues suggests that apparel designers have been influenced this season by colors evocative of exotic destinations like Africa, India, Peru and Turkey. Pairing warm-cool complementary shades that are opposites on the color wheel, the spring palette is lively yet muted.

Fashion color trends do not necessarily cross over into other product categories such as household goods or wall paints, but many designers find them useful to track because they help them coordinate everything from point-of-purchase displays and packaging to editorial layouts. Being aware of the most up-to-date fashion colors helps suggest a contemporary look and keeping the Pantone formula numbers handy makes it easier to match what’s “in.”