Reaction to our 500th issue reader poll (January 2006 “500 and Counting”) continues to roll in, and I am pleased as punch by the tone of the response. Our purpose in running the story was simple — to lightly celebrate the richness and texture of the graphic design community. And you all took it as intended: exulting in the historical tidbits, enjoying the “best of” lists, noting the contributions of the giants past and present, and generally reminding yourselves why you chose to work in this profession in the first place. The glow should last until the next unreasonable deadline or insufficient budget, which is to say that it is probably long gone. We hope it was fun while it lasted.
In compiling the above-mentioned story, the tyranny of time, space and simplicity caused innumerable intriguing, suggestive and just plain random polling results to go unreported. For example, Nike was voted the logo of the ages, but your least favorite logo was often described as “anything with a swoosh.” Another example: your favorite album covers include the Beatles' “White Album” (“the Holy Grail of White Space”), the Rolling Stone’s “Sticky Fingers,” Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous,” Led Zeppelin’s “Houses of the Holy,” and Dave Matthew’s “Some Devil.”
As for advertising, opinions abound. The Volkswagen campaigns by DDB and Arnold are generally deemed the best advertising of the era. Honorable mentions go to anything Nike, Target and Apple execute, as well as the current Mini campaign, “Got Milk,” Absolut Vodka magazines ads and“Where’s The Beef?”. On the debit side, designers hold a special disdain for Quiznos, with particular venom reserved for the freaky rat puppets featured a couple of years ago. Other unpopular approaches include the Burger King “New King” ads, including the odd one where the king appears in a customer’s bed, the itchy Lamisil infected toenail animation, late night mattress commercials and monster truck rally spots, the Clapper, and starving fashion models in surreal settings. David Polito of Massachusetts Port Authority wrote, “When I hear the McDonald’s ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ radio spots, I contemplate driving into a wall.” Amen.
A few other interesting quotes on a range of topics: “What is my favorite typeface? Why not ask me which is my favorite finger?” (Tom Lynch, HAVOC Media Design). “My favorite pop icon? Have none. I think they’re all idiots now” (Rebecca Booth, Marketing Solutioneers). “Best movie title? Let’s bow down to the master Saul Bass and give it up for ‘Vertigo’ and ‘Man with the Golden Arm’” (Tricia Christiansen, christiansen : creative). “Favorite legal stimulant? Being around energetic people” (Jonathan Gouthier, Gouthier Design). “Designer software is an important technological innovation, because it is a most forgiving medium. If you think about it, forgiveness is really one of the great creative freedoms we all need to do great work” (Mark LaRocca, LaRocca Group).
Last but certainly not least, Gareth Fry of Nu Skin Enterprises spoke for many with a gentle rebuke to the very idea of rankings: “Who is the most influential graphic designer of the past 40 years? Always a futile question. There are numerous stars in the graphic design universe. None is the sun.”
If you missed the results of the 500th issue reader poll, they are currently posted at the newly redesigned www.gdusa.com
In compiling the above-mentioned story, the tyranny of time, space and simplicity caused innumerable intriguing, suggestive and just plain random polling results to go unreported. For example, Nike was voted the logo of the ages, but your least favorite logo was often described as “anything with a swoosh.” Another example: your favorite album covers include the Beatles' “White Album” (“the Holy Grail of White Space”), the Rolling Stone’s “Sticky Fingers,” Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous,” Led Zeppelin’s “Houses of the Holy,” and Dave Matthew’s “Some Devil.”
As for advertising, opinions abound. The Volkswagen campaigns by DDB and Arnold are generally deemed the best advertising of the era. Honorable mentions go to anything Nike, Target and Apple execute, as well as the current Mini campaign, “Got Milk,” Absolut Vodka magazines ads and“Where’s The Beef?”. On the debit side, designers hold a special disdain for Quiznos, with particular venom reserved for the freaky rat puppets featured a couple of years ago. Other unpopular approaches include the Burger King “New King” ads, including the odd one where the king appears in a customer’s bed, the itchy Lamisil infected toenail animation, late night mattress commercials and monster truck rally spots, the Clapper, and starving fashion models in surreal settings. David Polito of Massachusetts Port Authority wrote, “When I hear the McDonald’s ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ radio spots, I contemplate driving into a wall.” Amen.
A few other interesting quotes on a range of topics: “What is my favorite typeface? Why not ask me which is my favorite finger?” (Tom Lynch, HAVOC Media Design). “My favorite pop icon? Have none. I think they’re all idiots now” (Rebecca Booth, Marketing Solutioneers). “Best movie title? Let’s bow down to the master Saul Bass and give it up for ‘Vertigo’ and ‘Man with the Golden Arm’” (Tricia Christiansen, christiansen : creative). “Favorite legal stimulant? Being around energetic people” (Jonathan Gouthier, Gouthier Design). “Designer software is an important technological innovation, because it is a most forgiving medium. If you think about it, forgiveness is really one of the great creative freedoms we all need to do great work” (Mark LaRocca, LaRocca Group).
Last but certainly not least, Gareth Fry of Nu Skin Enterprises spoke for many with a gentle rebuke to the very idea of rankings: “Who is the most influential graphic designer of the past 40 years? Always a futile question. There are numerous stars in the graphic design universe. None is the sun.”
If you missed the results of the 500th issue reader poll, they are currently posted at the newly redesigned www.gdusa.com