Insights

Apple has launched a global brand campaign, ‘Designed by Apple’, at least partially in an effort to win back market share from competing smartphone manufacturer Samsung. The campaign brings the focus back to the company’s core values, telling the story of the long process involved in developing the perfect concept. A clear distinction, the campaign implies, between this process and the loveless churning of new products adopted by other electronics manufacturers.

This emotive TV advert, along with a series of press ads, will remind fans why they love Apple, and probably go a long way to convincing some non-believers too: that’s the power of the brand.

I’ve never considered wearing a bow tie, but since the discovery of accessories label Charles Olive, the prospect suddenly seems an attractive one. Not merely due to aesthetics, but also the quirky origin of their prints.

I’ve never considered wearing a bow tie, but since the discovery of accessories label Charles Olive, the prospect suddenly seems an attractive one. Not merely due to aesthetics, but also the quirky origin of their prints.

Surprising as it may sound, the prints on these patterned bow ties have been designed using an Excel spreadsheet! I’m sure any designer will agree, the very thought of the words ‘design’ and ‘Excel’ residing in the same sentence is unsettling, and yet the collection is quite the opposite of offensive. In addition to the pleasing prints, the bow ties are handmade in Britain, which makes me not only want to purchase one, but wear with pride. Bravo Charles Olive.

Available at http://www.darkroomlondon.com/shop/designers/charlesolive

More about the label here http://charlesolive.com/about/

Another clever design for Walkers’ new nuts range TigerNuts when I saw this I was immediately drawn to the product name which is spelt out on the pack using type that morphs into the face of a tiger.

The colours of the bags, the illustrative design used to recreate the markings of a tiger and the typeface used cleverly comes together to give that all important impact on the shelf and instant brand recognition. See if you can spot the bags when you’re next at the supermarket!

Bob Gill (of Fletcher/Forbes/Gill later renamed Pentagram) in collaboration with The Print Club London has produced 6 new prints, each hand finished in watercolour by Bob himself. The work will be exhibited at the Print Club Gallery, Dalston from the 28th of March onwards.