as the limitations of web typography dissipate, there is becoming an increasing number of font options with their windows/mac applications. this article provides an explanation of font rendering and why there are type constraints in different platforms. hopefully these insights will make it easier for you to choose fonts for your next web project.

we’ve all heard it: “i want my brand to be as recognizable as apple/target/coke.” there are a few variables that give these brands their stature such as budget and time; but what really gives them the greatest advantage is that they put their design foot forward first. this article discusses the inherent success of this strategy as it applies to facebook, although the aforementioned brands illustrate the value of this seemingly secret ingredient at its best.

apple has brought the aesthetic influence of deiter rams and paul rand to their products that give them the “gotta-have” factor. and their commercials with humanized computers have been rehashed and parodied into oblivion.

target is introducing a new store concept called the shops at target. these rotating boutiques feature free-standing brands with products for all parts of your life, and of course they aesthetically live up to the designer/target collaborations like liberty of london and missoni.

coke has found a way to apply their timeless brand in new ways evidenced by a recent promotion with the classic coke bottle re-design.

people have gone wild for the amc series mad men. now amc has translated that fan base into a new reality series called the pitch that follows agencies making pitches to corporate clients. do you think these shows are creating a culture of awareness that can foster greater visual expectation of the consumer? is this the catalyst to raise the bar and visually de-clutter our environment?

as designers we are a filter, and our work is a product of our environment. finding inspiration, can come from many mediums. it is easy to rely on the web to drop it in our laps with the popularization of sites like pinterest. and while this is all well and good, sometimes it is nice to have tangible experiences to draw from. if you would prefer the latter, here is a subscription that will keep your creativity and the usps alive. lost crates allows you to choose a crate filled with goodies, and sends it to your door.

have you ever heard a brand name and wondered where it came from? bored panda has a quick collection of big-name brands and the narrative behind their moniker.

it seems like digital advertising on the web has put pressure on the television advertising industry to push the boundaries of what a commercial can be. this new race to the top is producing commercials that blur the lines between advertising and entertainment to create an experience that just might persuade you to stay on the couch through the commercial break. this particular method commercial doesn’t even employ a droning voice-over or cheesy licensed music; the visuals speak for themselves.

there are all kinds of great treasures to discover at a book store. barter books made a discovery that was literally found in a book, and unintentionally reignited a cultural phenomenon that has trended across all branches of design.

on the 26th, brand new scooped jcpenney’s logo launch. there was plenty of uproar at the time. in light of last year’s gap-gate, judgement has been reserved, awaiting more information. well the information is in. here is some of the new information coming to light:

1 // you can find a brief justification of the design process that got jcpenny from point a to point b here.

2 // penney’s isn’t just changing the logo, they’re rethinking their business model, details outlined by the huffington post and the ny times.

3 // according to breakingcopy the logo was designed by brand advisiors.

4 // here are two examples of a current television ads addressing these impending changes:

5 // and thanks to the usps here is a look at the mailer campaign

drawing conclusions:
so, the logo seems like it’s almost there. we get the red square, but the type in the blue box needs finessing… primarily a visual adjustment to the left to compensate for the roundness of the “p.” the interaction of the blue box and the red square is creating a lot of tension; visually the blue box doesn’t read a quarter of the whole and the juxtaposition of the red and blue shape seems un- or under-considered. the red and the blue are very primary and don’t print or screen well; they also do not play well with other colors [of which their print application is filled with]. the red, white, and blue- the flag, it all seems very literal. there is by no means any subtlety of suggestion or layers of communication to this logo.

the thing that seems to be throwing viewers for a loop is that the applications are pleasing, harkening to an aesthetic akin to real simple magazine. particularly in print, the applications seem fresh and modern, however a solid application is not an identity. try as it might, great photography and graphic elements can’t make up for the lack-luster logo. a great brand comes from all the pieces individually being great; when one is sub-par then the whole brand can only compensate so much. a logo is the base of an identity. the almost-there americana is holding back the whole brand.

this whole situation seems a bit daunting. overall analysis would suggest that jcpenney should note the positive response to the applications and employ that learning to the logo.

with your favorite tv shows returning to the land of the living after their mid-season hiatus, you may find yourself watching a bit more tv. Here are a few commercials we have come across that don’t immediately make us reach for the dvr fast forward.

with the superbowl approaching, hopefully brands will take this cue and bring some wit and charm to the advertising front. any favorite commercials you have seen lately?