Sex & Death by Al Purdy
Design: David John Shaw (Cover) D’Arcy Glionna (Photo)
Client: McClelland & Steward Ltd.
Date: 1973
Posted by Michael V. E. Greco
Add comment February 7th, 2010
Stelco Electrod Box
Design:
Client:
Date: 1941
“This box carried welding rods for Stelco ‘The Steel Company of Canada’ in 1941. Fully loaded the box weighed 50 lbs. Made and travelled in Canada ‘From Ore to Finished Article’ as the box states.” (Hindsvik Vintage)
Add comment February 6th, 2010
Themes From Great Motion Pictures
Design:
Client: Solitaire Records, Toronto, ON
Date: 1950’s
Photo: Allan Collier Collection
1 comment February 5th, 2010
Prorogue Bay
Design:
Client:
Date: 2010
The Pirate Bay (one of the world’s largest BitTorrent trackers) has a storied history of throwing its weight behind causes it believes in by featuring custom header images on its landing page (not unlike Google’s themed logos). These header images are often acerbic, witty, and, most importantly, seen by a massive global audience that, though often strongly idealogical, may not be keeping up with the ongoing affairs of Canadian politics.
Today’s header image, titled ‘Prorogue Bay’, is aimed squarely at Harper and his most recent subjugations of the democratic process. The image features a caricature of Harper storming through the Canadian Parliament buildings with the subtitle ‘Hoist Your Sales…for the 2nd wave.’ Clicking on the image takes users to a message board hosted on whyweprotest.org which invites Canadians to voice their opinions on prorogation and its (mis)usage in contemporary politics.
While it’s impossible to gauge the impact of a gesture such as this, it’s certainly encouraging to see issues of Canadian parliament under scrutiny in a context so far outside the usual echo chamber.
-John Ryan
Add comment February 4th, 2010
Vancouver 2010 Podium
Design: James Lee & Leo Obstbaum
Client: VANOC
Production: Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, UBC & RONA Vancouver 2010 Fabrication Shop
Date: 2010
Photo: Ben Hulse © VANOC/COVAN
VANOC’s late design director Leo Obstbaum worked directly with Vancouver based industrial designer James Lee to create the Vancouver 2010 podiums (23 in all). Continuing the wave forms used throughout the Vancouver 2010 graphic identity, the podium features organic planes “echoing the undulating peaks and ridges of the Coast Mountain Range”. The overall shape is said (by our VANOC insider) to be inspired by Vancouver Island.
Local woods (Red Cedar and Douglas Fir) donated by First Nations, businesses, and individuals across the province were processed and cut into hundreds of precise shapes at UBC’s Centre for Advanced Wood Processing. The pieces were then combined with acrylic glass components and assembled by RONA’s ‘Fab Shop’, which provides carpentry skills training to unemployed urbanites. The podiums are part of a larger design program for the Olympic Victory Ceremonies that also includes, floral bouquets, medal presentation trays and ceremonial uniforms for the medal bearers and escorts.
-Michael Erdmann
1 comment February 4th, 2010
Vancouver 2010 Victory Ceremony Tray
Design: James Lee & Leo Obstbaum
Client: VANOC
Production: Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, UBC & RONA Vancouver 2010 Fabrication Shop
Date: 2010
Photo: Ben Hulse © VANOC/COVAN
Designed to complement the Vancouver 2010 Podiums, these unique trays will carry medals and bouquets during the the Olympic Victory Ceremonies.
Add comment February 4th, 2010
The Miracle Food TV Spots
Design:
Client: themiraclefood.ca
Date: 2009
At the risk of fueling one of the most negative threads on the CDR, I can’t resist posting this ad (apologies for the poor quality, this is the only version available for our use* – click here to see others): A screen shot from themiraclefood.ca was posted here a few weeks ago with no further explanation from us. At first, there was no response, but a few days later the comments started. Since then it’s been a steady stream of people who seem genuinely offended by these commercials – so offended that just a screen shot of the web page is an opportunity to vent.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I find it hard to believe that people are that upset by these commercials. Aside from the pleasantly acerbic tone, there’s nothing particularly edgy or controversial here. Still, the comments seem to be authentic (each comes from a unique author at a unique IP address). It’s always difficult to completely rule out trolls and this could be part of a well orchestrated guerrilla marketing initiative, though that seems a little out of character for this campaign. As Jess Sloss pointed out on Social Squared, the miracle food website and campaign as a whole (or lack thereof) seems to be missing a lot of the marketing components we’ve come to expect from this type of campaign – *no official youtube uploads, no social media component and no ownership. Video blogger John Doody goes one step further, suggesting that the campaign is so badly done that it must be intentional – an elaborate fake/marketing test. Not sure that this is the story either, but there’s definitely something going on. Anyone know who’s behind this campaign?
-Michael Erdmann
3 comments February 3rd, 2010
Drugstore Logo
Design: Rolf Harder
Client: Pharmacie Moderne
Date:
Source: Yasaburo Kuwayama, Trade Marks & Symbols – Volume 1: Alphabetical Designs (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1973)
Add comment February 1st, 2010
Gum Thief Videos
Designer: Crush Inc
Client: Randomhouse Canada
Date: 2007
In the lead-up to the release of Douglas Coupland’s The Gum Thief
‘Roger’ takes us on a stroll through an unnamed office supply store, with signage and price tags echoing the narrator’s words; ‘Glove Pond’ does the same, but uses the pages of an old magazine, and the faux vintage ads for cigarettes and booze within it, to tell the story of the similarly titled novel within a novel; and my personal favourite ‘Bethany’ uses staples and post-its to create everything from graves to kinetic type.
You can see all three vignettes, and more of Crush Inc’s work here.
-John Ryan
1 comment January 29th, 2010
Maclean’s Cover – November 15, 1938
Design: Eric Aldwinkle
Client: Maclean’s Magazine
Date: 1938
Photo: Allan Collier
The story seems innocent enough (National Motor Show), but there’s a beautifully eerie tension in this cover illustration by Eric Aldwinkle. Even with seventy years of hindsight, this makes a persuasive case for the glamor and allure of the automobile.
-Michael Erdmann
Add comment January 28th, 2010
Radio Canada
Design: Science & Sons
Manufacture: prototype
Date: 2010
Photo: Science & Sons
This little prototype attracted a lot of attention at IDS10 last week. Obviously inspired by the CBC’s iconic logo, Radio Canada also pays homage to the national broadcaster’s dedicated listening audience. With a tuner hidden on the bottom of the radio, users can preset their local CBC stations. Once programmed, the radio’s oversized toggle switch flips between Radio One and Radio Two – because what else do you need? (Actually, the radio is compatible with your MP3 player too, so it can also play those Radio 3 podcasts you downloaded.) Appropriately, the case itself is constructed from maple and aluminum, which are both local and loaded with national narrative.
Conceived from the ground up to cater to a niche audience, this design is a direct challenge to the prevailing trend of mass-appeal-products. However, it’s hardly alone in this approach as even major manufacturers are creating locally tailored products (Nike, T-Fal, etc.) and targeting small, but fervent markets (think pre-iPod Apple and hybrid cars). In this light, it will be interesting to see if and how this design is translated for production.
-Michael Erdmann
21 comments January 27th, 2010
NOPE Protest Sign
Designer/Maker: unknown
Client: n/a
Date: 2010
Photo: This Magazine
This reworking of Shepard Fairey’s famous Obama/HOPE poster was seen at an anti-prorogue rally in Toronto – the execution is a little low res (to say the least), but the tone is just right.
-Michael Erdmann
Add comment January 26th, 2010