Identify – Basic Principles of Identity Design in the Iconic Trademarks of Chermayeff & Geismar

Article by Martin Gibson – Twitter: @martingibson @embody3d – 31.10.2011

ISBN – 9781440310324

Identify – Basic Principles of Identity Design in the Iconic Trademarks of Chermayeff & Geismar by Tom Geismar, Ivan Chermayeff and Sagi Haviv, published by Print Publishing is a dedication to the monumental graphic work of Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar.

If like me and you’re a little distanced from the history and development of logos and trademarks the Yale graduates Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar and their company Chermayeff & Geismar won’t be as recognisable as Michael Jackson or Buzz Aldrin but I can assure you at some stage of your life, whether you’re American or not you would have crossed paths with their work. In fact Chermayeff and Geismar’s work is even known on different planets! Even the red aliens of Mars have witnessed the universal (pun intended) appeal of their design nature. The Chase Bank, Mobil Oil, the Library of Congress, NBC, National Geographic, PBS, Smithsonian Institution, Showtime and Armani Exchange all bare the hallmarks of Chermayeff & Geismar.

Their work transcends time and culture and their influence permeates through the industry to this very day. This is really achieved through a minimalistic style, eclectic influence and a modern outlook of what a brand should communicate to its target audience. It’s staggering at how consistent their design language is yet the amount of diversity they are able to achieve with that style. One logo that really took me by surprise was a logo for a documentary series on PBS called ‘Half the Sky’ which actually includes a photograph of clouds within the logo! A practice which would be frequently frowned upon by top college lecturers. Some of their designs upon first impression seem unfinished or even inappropriate, but once you understand the context, design process and let the design sink in you appreciate the beauty of their work.

The concept of skilfully achieving iconic design is a hotly debated issue amongst academics. That is, is the design itself what makes a logo iconic, or is it the design prevalence amongst society and its familiarity in which we view it what elevates it into this glorified ‘iconic’ status. Who knows, but one can’t falter the great success of Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar. In my eyes there is just something special about it even if one can’t document it utilising the written word; well I guess that’s what design is all about.

What I really enjoyed about Identify was its really personal approach. Through its first person language it really felt like Tom and Ivan were guiding me through a museum of their most cherished pieces. Documenting the thoughts and struggles and development of the work strikes a real bond between the author and reader. Identify does a great job of showing concept drawings, different variations and the finished design in different contexts like posters, flags, brochures, and coffee mugs. In the minimalist style of their work, Identify likewise is presented with these same aspirations with grand pages with sometimes little scrawny logos in the middle adding full focus and appreciation of the design.

Ivan and Tom talk about their problem solving design approach that so many of us designers forget. One can easily overlook the problems of a logo design brief, most of the time it seems there is no problem at all. Identify re-affirms that every design addresses a problem. It might be that the current logo merely doesn’t look good anymore, or the feelings and emotions conveyed in the design have lost touch with a modern market, or the businesses current logo doesn’t represent the businesses core values, products or services. The process of sketching for initial ideation and then further development of the concept using computers is the chief tools of the Chermayeff & Geismar design firm.

There appears to be no order of how and why these logos are placed amongst the pages, but in this instance that’s ok. The book doesn’t make the mistake of becoming stale by revealing all the good designs at the beginning and then drying up. In fact one of the firms most notable designs, the Mobil logo is placed on the very last page taking Identify to a climatic end.

Only sometimes I can say a book truly transforms me to a new level of understanding. Identify certainly does this. For me it emphasises the beauty of simplicity. It is re-assuring to know that beauty doesn’t have to be complex and time-consuming, but rather it has to be of good taste; as they say less is more. What a great tribute to two astounding designers and their design legacy.

[rating:4]