Hasta La Ideas

London’s annual design trade event, 100% Design, is under new ownership and has commissioned a new identity. However, when studios Thomas.Matthews and also Form pitched similar concepts, owners Media 10 asked both teams to join forces…

“In our original presentation to the 100% team, both ourselves and Thomas.Matthews coincidentally showed a similar concept around the theme of balance,” explains Form’s Paula Benson. “Media Ten saw strengths in both our ideas asked us to collaborate on the project,” she continues.

“Our role at Form has been to design and create the lead imagery/messaging for the marketing communications, which will then in turn feed into the work Thomas.Mathews are creating for the show itself.”

With Thomas.Matthews working on various aspects of the enormous exhibition’s design (last year’s event, held at Earl’s Court, saw over 25,000 visitors over four days), Form commissioned photographer Sara Morris and stylist Sandy Suffield to create the carefully balanced arrangements of objects that appear in the new posters for the event planned for September this year.

“We’ve created a set of bold images which capture the scale, variety and diversity of the show in a friendly but quirky way,” says Benson of the work which was all shot in-camera. “Despite all the hard work and head-scratching to make the stacks work, the result is grand with a hint of cheekiness. We wanted to avoid cold, stark product shots so introduced a new colourful palette which is reflected in the photographs and which will be incorporated across the whole marketing and on-site expression.”

The images created will appear in various aspects of the campaign in print, online and in printed event programmes. “Our approach to the copy and typography as to simplify everything to create a quietly confident message,” Benson continues, “avoiding the long descriptive paragraphs and clumsy straplines often prevalent in event and exhibition promotion.”

100% Design will take place at Earls Court in London from 18-21 September. More info at 100percentdesign.co.uk

CR in print
The March issue of CR magazine celebrates 150 years of the London Underground. In it we introduce a new book by Mark Ovenden, which is the first study of all aspects of the tube’s design evolution; we ask Harry Beck authority, Ken Garland, what he makes of a new tube map concept by Mark Noad; we investigate the enduring appeal of Edward Johnston’s eponymous typeface; Michael Evamy reports on the design story of world-famous roundel; we look at the London Transport Museum’s new exhibition of 150 key posters from its archive; we explore the rich history of platform art, and also the Underground’s communications and advertising, past and present. Plus, we talk to London Transport Museum’s head of trading about TfL’s approach to brand licensing and merchandising. In Crit, Rick Poynor reviews Branding Terror, a book about terrorist logos, while Paul Belford looks at how a 1980 ad managed to do away with everything bar a product demo. Finally, Daniel Benneworth-Grey reflects on the merits on working home alone. Buy your copy here.

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