Cheap food, cheap design.

I have always been a value range shopper. Really, how much better can a 86p can of chopped tomatoes be than a 19p can? I don't really care that much abut the packaging either, even as a designer. However, this isn't the case for everyone.

Most supermarket's 'value ranges' main selling point is that they undercut named brands. I think throughout time they've persuaded themselves that to show this price drop they must have horribly plain and somewhat utilitarian designs. This started decades ago with Kwik Save's 'No Frills' brand. It even says it in the name. "Yes, you can have this can of beans for 7p but you also get this black and white label that tells the world how cheap you really are". This advertisment of your wealth puts some people off buying value ranges.

So why can't value ranges have some charm and engagement? Even 7 year old Harry Deverill spotted this marketing flaw. In the metro this week, it described how when eating his breakfast he asked his dad why his Brown sauce label looked so boring. His dad told him to write to Waitrose and to their amazement they wrote back saying that they completely agreed and would now be featuring Harry's own design.

That's why when Coley Porter Bell redesigned Morrison's value range in 2010 I was really impressed. The agency's research showed that consumers are embarrassed of having value products in their trolley. They hoped that the bright colours, comical illustrations and bespoke type-face would add an element of fun and I think they've done an amazing job. The new labels are so far removed from all the bland brands of years passed. It still looks plain and its consistency helps shoppers to identify that it is part of the value range but it does it while looking inviting and inspiring to the consumer.

Unexpectedly nice typography from KFC

   

Ahead of its 50th anniversary, KFC has launched this lovely new marketing campaign to promote their slow cooked, original BBQ chicken. Just about everything from this campaign screams 'trendy'. The distressed chalkboard typography, the south-american music and the summer feeling photography. Even the product itself is in fashion because these days you can't be an 'on-trend' restaurant unless your meat is 'pulled' in someway. Louise Direito, KFC innovation manager says "If pulled pork was the dish of 2014, then 2015 will become the year of pulled chicken. Influenced heavily by both our Kentucky heritage as well as the UK street-food scene, the new range is a labour of love for us." The video featured on the website is also current. The southern-American voice over, plot and hazy style is very reminiscent of the iconic Jack Daniels marketing.

The typography is very similar to recent McDonald's advertising campaign illustrated by Alison Carmicheal. I suspect that the Jack Daniels homely southern roots focus and the McDonald's new focus were key inspirations for this campaign.

It almost seems too cool and trendy for KFC, I love it because I'm a designer but will their die-hard fans feel the same way? I believe it is a bid to draw in new crowds by improving the variety of their menu and bringing it more in-line with current tastes of the 'new generation' market. In that sense I think this campaign works because it speaks to that new audience very effectively.

The responsive site design also looks top-notch and works flawlessly. See the full website here: www.kfcpulledchicken.co.uk/

Paper wow

Absolutely gorgeous style produced by Robert Ryan. His brand is extremely recognisable and his techniques truly unique. All of his works are cut into paper then scanned or photographed to produce an individual way of presenting work. I LOVE the shop design and would happily cover my whole house in his fascinating and adorable pieces.

Pottery goes pop

I love this gorgeous illustration that Wood McGrath created for Pottery Goes Pop. It was designed for an exhibition case in the Design Museum London. The display celebrates the work and life of Susan Williams-Ellis, who co-created Portmerrion Pottery. All the elements of the drawing are drawn from the earthenware pottery on display and the colour pallete also reflects the colours of the raw pottery. The element which ties the design together is the geometric custom typeface.

e-ink... the future?

Is this the future of advertising? If it is then will we get to a time when all adverts/magazines/direct mailing using this technology won't stand out from the crowd anymore? This was released in 2008 so until the technology becomes cheaper and more readily available I think not. Audiences don't seem so impressed by it either.

Moving image in print...

http://www.esquire.com/the-side/video/e-ink-cover-video

I want it!

Michael Doret has out-done himself with this beautiful brush script design. His retro styling is rife throughout his portfolio but I believe this type has much more to offer than a typical American sports poster. It's hand drawn effect coupled with it's organic shapes make a wonderful styled title. And only £65... Tempted?

World cup typefaces

Type got a little interesting this time around, thanks to type designer Yomar Augusto. The typeface 'Unitiy', a custom typeface that was designed for Adidas, was the most interesting typeface at this years worldcup. Augusto comes under a new wave of designers from Brazil where he teaches experimental calligraphy workshops.

Unity was THE typeface of the world cup 2010. For adidas it was used across all products, advertising, packaging, retail and film. It was integral to the sub-brand for Adidas's world cup range. It was also on the shirts of the players, Augusto should be over the moon to see his successful typeface viewed by almost 30 million viewers worldwide.

Augusto said: "Adidas had a vision that every element of their football identity was to be linked and unified by one basic shape. This shape can be found as a design element on the official match ball of the World Cup, so the first drawings came from the product designers at Adidas. We at 180 had the task to bring it to life and inject its personality into the whole alphabet.”

The interesting concept behind this typeface is that the whole identity is based around the Official match-ball, it is inspired by the Jabulani football itself. You can see the rounded triangular form of the ball echoed clearly in Numerals, 6,8,9.

The Helvetica Killer

Type designer Bruno Maag of Dalton Magg believe Helvetica's hype and usage is, to say the least, overrated. Not only this, but he dislikes the whole concept and design of the typeface. We all have our own pet hates. For most of us it is'nt that far-fetched. We all hate it when someone has a crack at a corporate poster using comic sans because "it looks friendly"

He dislikes it so much he took the time to design his own reaction to the typeface: Aktiv Grotesk. He wants this to be both an improvement and alternative to Helvetica.

Do Typefaces really matter?

This article from the BBC questions the use of Typefaces. Branding is one thing that baffles the general public.

"80,000 on some text - why don't they just use Times new roman? I do"

Because then you wouldnt know your Carling from your Carlsberg.