Living, Breathing Brand Identities with Paula Scher | Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud・2 minutes read

Paula Scher, a graphic designer, discussed the importance of logos at the Adobe conference, emphasizing iconic examples like Nike and Apple. She shared her experiences in logo design for major corporations and cultural institutions, highlighting the challenges faced and innovative approaches taken to create recognizable visual identities.

Insights

Paula Scher emphasized the lasting impact of iconic logos like Nike and Apple, showcasing how recognition through ubiquity and advertising can deeply embed a brand in public perception.
The designer's innovative approach to identity design, as seen in projects like the Type Directors Club, demonstrates how subtle nuances and cohesive visual languages can create strong, recognizable brand identities without extensive promotional efforts.

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What did Paula Scher discuss at the Adobe conference?
Identity design and significance of logos.

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Summary

00:00

"Paula Scher on Evolution of Logos"

Paula Scher, a graphic designer and principal at Pentagram Design in New York City, spoke at the Adobe conference about identity design.
She emphasized the significance of logos, tracing the term back to Aristotle and highlighting their evolution over time.
Scher discussed the lasting impact of iconic logos like Nike and Apple, which have evolved gradually and become deeply ingrained in public perception.
She shared her experiences designing logos for large corporations like Citibank, emphasizing the importance of recognition through ubiquity and advertising.
Scher also discussed her work on recognizable logos for cultural institutions like the High Line and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
She highlighted the challenges faced by smaller organizations in achieving recognition without extensive advertising budgets or prominent physical locations.
Scher described her approach to redesigning logos, focusing on subtle nuances to enhance balance and recognition.
She shared her innovative approach to identity design, using a pro bono project for the Type Directors Club to explore new ways of creating recognizable visual identities.
Scher demonstrated how redesigning the alphabet based on a logo's key elements can create a cohesive and instantly recognizable visual language.
She showcased the successful implementation of this approach for Jazz at Lincoln Center, enabling the organization to establish a strong visual identity without extensive promotional efforts.

16:55

"Art Museum Rebranding with Multiple 'A's"

Brubeck is synonymous with jazz due to a subway campaign featuring his name in distinctive typography.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, known for Rocky Balboa's iconic steps, underwent a major renovation by Frank Gehry.
The museum struggled with its identity, often referred to as "the art museum" instead of its official name.
A new identity was proposed, emphasizing art with a logo featuring multiple "A"s representing various art forms.
Luis Bravo, the creative director, ensured the new identity's success by maintaining strict guidelines.
The use of the "A"s was regulated, with specific rules for showcasing art and non-art items.
The museum utilized the new identity for various purposes, including badges, children's programs, and merchandise.
Windows underwent a redesign process to create a principle-based identity system, focusing on perspective and simplicity.
The new school in New York City, a progressive institution, underwent a rebranding to unify its various schools under a modern sans-serif logo.
The rebranding effort connected the school's diverse programs and buildings through a cohesive visual identity.

34:00

Innovative Typography Designs for Various Projects

The designer initially proposed a design concept for a school, utilizing existing elements, but the clients found it too boring and requested a more innovative approach.
The designer then experimented with letterforms, creating a new typography named Noah, which represented the school's spirit and could be programmed in different weights to form a unique font.
The clients critiqued the design, particularly the roundness and width of the O's, leading to adjustments to achieve a more cohesive look.
The final typography, Noah, with its eccentric W built from three weights, was well-received by the clients for expressing the school's feisty spirit and creating a modern visual identity.
The typography, Noah, was further developed with additional weights each year, enhancing the school's visual language and recognition.
The designer worked on a project for a Korean company, correcting their logo spacing and redesigning their packaging with a series of plus signs representing different products and their benefits.
The packaging design, driven by the 3D shape of the product containers, became iconic and highly recognizable, emphasizing the importance of letting the package guide the graphics in packaging design.
Another project involved the redesign of a theater, Quad Cinema, using square typography to reflect the building's architecture and creating a cohesive visual identity for the cinema.
The designer collaborated with Jeremy Mikkel on a project for Expedia Group, creating a new typeface with an eccentric E as the logo, providing a cohesive and recognizable visual identity for the company.
A restaurant project in Chicago involved creating a series of sub-branding elements using stylized peas in the typography, allowing for quick recognition and consistency across various applications.

51:35

Evolution of Public Theatre Poster Design

Fonts from the 1880s wood type books had various configurations and widths, with deviations like curves or excessive drop shadows not working well.
Learning from experimenting with fonts is enjoyable and beneficial for both the designer and the client.
The designer worked on a project for the Public Theatre for 25 years, creating a logo and communication system based on wood typography.
Posters for the Public Theatre were unique but not widely seen by the general public, mainly featured in graphic design annuals.
The designer faced challenges when the style of their posters became popular and imitated, leading to a loss of identity for the theater.
To combat the loss of identity, the designer continuously evolved the poster style over the years, adapting to new trends and feedback.
A shift towards creating a cohesive seasonal identity for the Public Theatre led to increased recognition and membership, with a focus on maintaining individuality.
The designer's approach involved creating a manual based on the seasonal poster design, ensuring consistency and recognition across all theater productions.
The seasonal poster design strategy proved successful, increasing membership and public recognition of the Public Theatre.
Utilizing social media platforms like Instagram for showcasing the posters further enhanced the theater's visibility and appeal, leading to increased engagement and attendance.

01:07:47

Navigating Design Challenges and Identity Shifts

The speaker has transitioned from focusing on three-dimensional design to graphic design due to time-consuming projects, but is considering returning to painting soon.
They have worked in various English contexts and are currently working with an Israeli company, facing challenges with typography that led to misunderstandings.
The speaker undertakes projects translatable into multiple languages, collaborating with local experts for accurate results.
When working with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, they proposed naming it "Art Museum Philadelphia," but faced resistance from trustees due to the institution's long-standing identity.
The speaker has successfully influenced name changes in projects, emphasizing the importance of considering the existing identity and stakeholders' perspectives.
They address concerns about their work being copied, highlighting the importance of originality and the transient nature of imitations in design.

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