Aol. Lol?

AOL recently revealed it's brand new logo as it separates from parent company Time Warner, on December 10th, and becomes a wholly new and independent entity. The new mark was created by Wolff Olins, who have been on a tremendous tear as of late for creating identities that have design blogs everywhere incensed and confused as to how some of these identities ever see the light of day.

The new mark is no longer uppercase “AOL” now it’s title case “Aol.” with a period. This new mark is suppose to communicate a solid departure from it's corporate parent and is now committed to position itself as a solid player in creating a platform for a content-driven organization. The AOL press release states:

AOL today previewed its new brand identity for its future as an independent company committed to creating the world’s most simple and stimulating content and online experiences.

The new AOL brand identity is a simple, confident logotype, revealed by ever-changing images. It’s one consistent logo with countless ways to reveal. The new brand identity will be fully unveiled on December 10, when AOL common stock begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

“Our new identity is uniquely dynamic. Our business is focused on creating world-class experiences for consumers and AOL is centered on creative and talented people — employees, partners, and advertisers. We have a clear strategy that we are passionate about and we plan on standing behind the AOL brand as we take the company into the next decade,” said Tim Armstrong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AOL.

Currently, here seems to be a lot of haters regarding this new mark and the consensus seems to be quite negative.

My take on this new logo? I like it. It's clean, simple and going away from it's corporate roots and aligning itself visually with the newly structured company's new promise of being content-driven. I don't mind the font or the period as it's a nice base for Aol.Personals, Aol.Autos, Aol.Classifieds etc. It also makes a solid statement with the period as Aol. being the definitive online destination and one of the first players as a global internet provider. The graphic elements floating behind the Aol. logotype are interesting - a simple and engaging visual cue as to what we can expect from this new company. Nice going, Wolff Olins.

Tasty Tomato

I love typography especially when it's handled well. Tomato out of the UK has a firm grasp on how type can enhance, engage and most importantly communicate. More than just mere words just lying there listlessly, Tomato's type executions are sophisticated and smart. Case in point, their latest project for Smirnoff is a beautiful black and white on-air execution with typography actually floating and interacting with the product to tell the story. Nicely done.

James Jean

Once upon a time, I used to think I was a pretty good at drawing until I came across another talented artist with a really cool name, James Jean. His subject matter tends to be dark and dreamlike with an almost children's book style that really shows off his enviable draftsmanship. It's all amazing, but I think my favorite stuff is his sketchbook work.

Best Commercial of the Decade

Adweek is collecting votes for Best of The Decade regarding all things advertising. You can vote for a myriad of categories such as: Best Agency, Best Production Studio, Best Promotion, Best Brand etc. etc. There is a large range of print, outdoor and commercial selections to entertain and delight. My vote for "Best Non-Super Bowl Ad of the Decade" is split between Goodby's Comcast Rabbit and Honda Grrr (Wieden + Kennedy) as I am sucker for clever writing, brilliant visuals and rabbits. Cast your vote now!

Fresh Cherry

Thought I'd post something from my latest online portfolio for Dr Pepper Cherry that I thought turned out rather well. Now with more explosive Cherry visual impact and taste! Dig it.

chipsheean.com

It has come to my attention that designing and producing your own portfolio site is very similar to giving birth (though I am sure my wife would have a few words on the subject...). After many years of never having a spare moment to do my own site, I finally found both the time and the determination needed to get it completed. The hardest part was sifting through all the hard drives, collecting the work and trying to construct a thread or feel that told my story. Additionally, writing the copy, shooting the pieces, trying to figure out the proper canvas from which to project the work and the right navigation - it all takes time. When it came to the About page, I knew that I did not want to have a photo or one particular piece from the book tell the story - so, I decided to take something from my sketchbook which is a common exercise for me and depict it in a pictogram. A collective of images and symbols that quickly described myself quickly. Clever? No. Easy? Yes.

All and all, I'm pretty happy with the result and I've gotten a lot positive feedback and some possible projects as a result.

Jim Carrey

I recently discovered a new site devoted to all things related to the highly entertaining (and possibly disturbing) comic Jim Carrey. The site seems to have been heavily directed by Jim and incorporates all of his various film characters and personas that he has portrayed over the years. What I love about the site is that it is a content-rich, insane joyride through the world of Jim Carrey. With graphic elements and links that seems to go from one rabbit hole after another, It's as if someone peeled back top of Jim Carrey's head and poured the contents into the internet. A perfect vehicle for the entertainer and raises the bar as an authentic interactive experience.