Branding From Within

branding from within

major project report

Emily Homer

MA Graphic Branding & Identity

London College of Communication

10 November 2010


Submitted in fufillment of the Master of Arts in Graphic Branding and Identity, London College of Communication,

University of the Arts London. Copyright © Emily M. Homer, November 2010


major project report

table of contents

Introduction

4 Background

5 Project Foundation

Research

9 How do brands organize people?

10 Identity & place

13 Design activism

14 Inclusive design

17 Brands as cultural enablers

18 Other relevant projects

20 Finding a local issue

22 Brixton Village / Granville Arcade

Development

27 Interviews

28 Project brief

31 Initial ideas

32 Investigations

40 Prototypes

43 Flexible identity

44 Evaluation

Final outcomes

48 Identity

50 Final format

54 Interactive prototype

58 Reaching a wider audience

60 Feedback

61 Critical reflection

63 Bibliography

69 Acknowledgements

major project report / 3

introduction

Can an identity system bridge cultural gaps in order to successfully communicate ideas and change behaviors?

4 / branding from within

1 www.brandingthroughpeople.com

My main goal for the Major Project is to enable

people to simplify or solve an issue in their own lives

by using a brand or identity system that I create. I

will explore how a visual identity can successfully

improve a complex cultural, social or ethical issue.

It is important to me that the brand or identity

system I create has major personal or social

communication aspects that allow people to use

connections with the other people around them in

order to improve their lives. After all, brands are

built through the interactions between individuals

that adapt and evolve over time.1

As a professional and educational goal, I set out

to create work that shows my ability to think

strategically about how a visual identity system can

work in a way that is not conventional or expected.

background

introduction / 5

As I brainstormed ideas for possible issues that

could be solved with an identity system, I realized

that at the center of it all were questions about how

exactly visual communication works or doesn’t

work, and how it can be tailored for specific needs,

be it emergency relief, education, community

and environmental issues, health and well-being,

people with disabilities, and any other innumerable

possible topics.

I was most interested in how cultural identity

relates to visual identity, but I wondered how I could

tackle such a wide field of study without drowning

in information and never being able to find a focus.

Realizing the breadth of my field of study, I then laid

out a series of research investigations into several

different design categories in order to lead myself

towards a problem within that field of study. These

topics and my findings are outlined in the next

sections and will explain how I came to the final

practical outcome for the Major Project.

project foundation


1 Alastair Faud-Luke, Design Activism: Beautiful Strangeness

for a Sustainable World

research

“In giving form to the dominant socio-political and socio-economic norms, design simultaneously confers meaning and values, and affirms the dominant paradigm. Contention of the dominant paradigm implies the existance of a counter-narrative(s).”1

1 Nicholas Cristakis & James Fowler

Connected: The Amazing Power of Social Networks

and How they Shape Our Lives

research / 9

My first investigations for the Major Project

centered around how branding can organize people.

A common known example of this is that people

associate themselves with “tribes” according to

product preferences or lifestyle choices. This same

idea also relates back to cultural identity.

While this idea is commonly only applied to

commercial products, I witnessed a different form of

this during the 2008 US Presidential election with

the campaign of Barack Obama. Obviously within

politics it is not unusual to identify yourself with a

candidate or political party, and campaign slogans

and graphics are commonplace. However, Obama

went above and beyond just a political campaign

and presented himself as a brand. Through social

networking on his website, supporters could

organize real world social activities, finding

other like-minded voters in their area and overall

engaging much more direct participation than they

would have done otherwise.

His logo was used by citizens all over the country on

signs, banners, badges and even homemade cakes

and cookies. People made Obama’s campaign their

own and in turn then took more ownership of their

vote and opinions. They (or we, as I include myself

in this “tribe” and experienced first hand how well

the Obama brand worked) were inspired by our

participation to vote, and we encouraged others to

vote as well. In fact, Obama supporters were more

likely to mobilize their friends and family to vote

than any other candidate’s supporters.1

If a brand like Obama’s can mobilize a large

portion of a huge country like the United States

to be enthusiastic about something as dividing as

an election, then surely visual identity can help

improve other complex cultural issues.

how do brands organize people?


1 www.commonground.org.uk

Cultural issues of course are rooted in a sense of

place. How often are you asked, “Where are you

from?” My personal background has given me a

confusing answer to that question, and I’m not

alone. My generation has traveled more and lived

in more cities than our parents’ generation. For me,

where I grew up and where my parents live is no

longer “home” to me, and I now live in a different

culture completely. Coming from abroad has made

me much more aware of America’s outward-facing

cultural identity, and changed how I feel about my

place within that culture. Living in London has of

course also made me very aware of identity within

British culture compared to what my previous

assumptions or ideas had been, and the differences

have surprised me.

London is a fantastic mix of cultures and people,

and I can’t help but notice the issues that occur with

so many different people in one place.

On a smaller scale, I wondered what a certain

location’s “feel” has to do with it’s identity? I think

it is essential to really, truly understand a place in

order to know what it’s cultural identity is, but that

is easier said than done.

“Local distinctiveness is not necessarily about beauty, but it must be about truth.”1

identity & place

1 www.commonground.org.uk2 www.commonground.org.uk/distinctiveness/d-rules.html

research / 11

Common Ground is a group that is “focussing

on the positive investment people can make in their

own localities, championing popular democratic

involvement, and inspiring celebration as a

starting point for action to improve the quality

of our everyday places.”1 Their Rules for Local

Distinctiveness2 are a fantastic starting point for

investigating local identity. Here is a brief sample

of some of the Rules:

• Taketheplace’sfingerprint.Forgetwords

such as resource, site, customers and the

public. Abstractions lead us astray. Think and

talk about places and people.

• Makeanalphabetofyourownplace.Work

to reinforce local distinctiveness. Play your

part, celebrate your differences.

• Revealthegeology.Usethebrickandstone

of the locality. Reinforce the colour, patterns,

craftsmanship and work of the place.

• Namescarryresonancesandsecrets.

Giving versus finding identity is the underlying

issue. The idea of finding visual identity in order

to successfully give visual identity is what I believe

keeps a location’s identity truthful.


1 Photo by flickr user bugbrooklyn2 Photo by flickr user ikarus50

1

2

1 Alastair Faud-Luke, Design Activism: Beautiful Strangeness

for a Sustainable World

research / 13

A very current discussion in design today is that

of design’s role in activism. Be it social, political, or

cultural issues, designers are more and more aware

of how the work they do affects the culture it lives

within. Designers are also aware of the potential

their work has to change behaviors and opinions.

Alastair Faud-Luke wrote that urban ecological

productivity projects such as the High Line Project

in New York City (at left) or the Dott 07 Urban

Farming Project “clearly illustrate the catalytic

potential of design to encourage communities to

take action.”1

Faud-Luke also notes that successful design activism

“often requires a deep understanding of the target

audiences, their culture and constraints, or good

design intentions may go adrift.”1 This is a perfect

example of how the principles of branding and

identity translate very well to those social, political,

or cultural issues because it is in a brand’s very

nature to create a visual representation of what the

target audience will identify with.

design activism


1 www.designcouncil.info/inclusivedesignresource/

Inclusive design is a field that I did not know

anything about before embarking upon this project.

I think that the principles of inclusive design relate

very well to my intended outcome in that designing

a visual identity that bridges cultural gaps will

need to take many different target audiences into

consideration.

Inclusive design is a general approach to designing

in which designers ensure that their products and

services address the needs of the widest possible

audience, irrespective of age or ability. Two major

trends have driven the growth of Inclusive Design:

population ageing and the growing movement to

integrate disabled people into mainstream society.1

How can inclusive design help to ensure the

messages communicated about my brand reach the

widest possible audience effectively?

Wire Design created a great example of inclusive

design with it's Id project. This project was

undertaken as part of the Inclusive Design

Challenge from the Design Business Association

(DBA) in 2009. The theme for the competition was

"Addressing the needs of people with sedentary

lifestyles." Wire's approach was a comprehensive

system that allows the user to take control of their

situation, connects them with the resources they

need, and enables them to create the change that is

necessary in their lives. At right are examples of the

components to this project.

What I like most about this project is the fact that

the user is directly involved with the identity, and

visually the identity reflects that aspect. Id creates a

framework that helps solve a major issue for a wide

variety of people, and is a unique experience for

each user. It shows that a visual identity or brand

can encourage participation on a personal level.

inclusive design

1 Id Frame — Books2 Id Self — Starter Pack3 Id Space — Interactive Game4 Id Space — Website

research / 15

1

3

2

4


1 Images from www.dreamfactoryuk.com

1

1 Ulrik Hogrebe

The Dream Factory

artrebels.com

research / 17

Honda created an exhibit in the UK called The

Dream Factory to promote the launch of a new

car, the CR-Z. The exhibit displayed the work of

20 "Culture Engineers" and its purpose was to

encourage others to do something creative and

different in whatever way that suits them.

While this concept does not have anything directly

to do with the launch of a car, I did find it very

interesting that a large company such as Honda

would create a project like this in order to encourage

culture from the ground up.

One of the creators of the project, Ollie Olanipekun,

had some interesting things to say about why

Honda undertook something as unique as The

Dream Factory.

“With The Dream Factory they have set out to

encourage people to go for it with their ideas,

whatever their ideas might be (…) Honda have

never tried to talk to people like this before, this is

very direct and very open. They are saying that we

shouldn’t be afraid to fail in anything we do.”1

The Honda brand aims to be about innovation, and

creating a project such as The Dream Factory gives

authenticity to that goal.

In an article about the exhibit, Ulrik Hogrebe writes,

"I strongly believe that brands should be enabling

culture – instead of bombarding us with empty

product-propaganda, they should be enabling us

to produce rather than consume."1 This is what I

think Honda was attempting to do with The Dream

Factory. While the project may not have anything

directly to do with cars, it reflects the values of

innovation and creativity upon the Honda brand

and for that reason is a successful. Rather than just

an extension of a brand like this example, I would

like to create a brand where the identity itself is

about enabling culture.

brands as cultural enablers


1 Imogen Carter

Ben Eine's alphabet street

www.guardian.co.uk

2 Images from

arrestedmotion.com

2

Ben Eine – Alphabet Street

This work does not intrude upon the neighborhood

but instead becomes a conversation piece. Eine says,

"The nicest reaction is seeing kids skipping down the

street calling out the alphabet – or parents saying

my work has helped their kids learn their A to Z.”1

other relevant projects

1 Images from spin.co.uk

1

research / 19

Spin – Futurising

Created for a networking event for London College

of Communication, Futurising's identity is one that

works across a multitude of media. I particularly like

that the event wayfinding is customizable.


1 Bruce Nussbaum

Is Humanitarian Design the New Imperialism?

www.fastcodesign.com

2 Emily Pilloton

Are Humanitarian Designers Imperialists? Project H Responds

www.fastcodesign.com

Throughout my research, I was always clear about

my intentions for the Major Project. What became a

very big struggle for me was finding a specific issue

that related to my intentions for the project and

would lead me to an appropriate outcome.

Bruce Nussbaum started a heated debate with his

article Is Humanitarian Design the New Imperialism?

about whether we as designers are doing more harm

than good when we use design to solve big issues in

far away locations that may not want the western

influence that comes along with our help. He asks,

"Might Indian, Brazilian and African designers

have important design lessons to teach Western

designers?"1

The discussion about whether designers should

stay local or go global with their humanitarian

ideas was something that really made me think.

Emily Pilloton of Project H Design responded with

a comment that ultimately led me to my practical

output for the Major Project. She writes, "It is

only through this local engagement and shared

investment that the humanitarian design process

shines. It is through this personal connection to

place and people that the human qualities of design

rise to the top of the priority list, through which our

clients are no longer beneficiaries, but experts and

co-designers right there with us."2

The idea of a local issue flipped a switch in my

thoughts about my project. I live in Brixton, and

until now had not thought about what issues in my

local area I could potentially improve with the work

I wanted to undertake. Brixton has a rich history,

good and bad, and seemed to be a perfect starting

point for finding a manageable local issue that

would suit my project's aims.

finding a local issue


My investigations into Brixton's community

issues led me to a conversation with a friend of my

housemate who had volunteered full-time with

the Liberal Democrats in Brixton, Streatham and

Clapham for several months leading up to the

UK 2010 General Election. Ross Bailey had spent

countless hours knocking on doors and learning

what was important to the community citizens in

these areas of South London, and that experience

and knowledge proved to be very valuable in my

problem-finding search.

One of the current issues I discussed with Ross

was the attempt – eventually a successful one – to

get the covered arcades of Brixton Market listed as

historical sites. He told me about Friends of Brixton

Market, an organization dedicated to keeping the

market viable, and how an agency called Space

Makers had taken on a project to reinvigorate a

specific area of the market called Granville Arcade

or Brixton Village. This specific area is a self-

contained, covered commercial space built in

the 1930's and contains about 100 storefronts,

occupied by a wide range of businesses from

various ethnic restaurants to fishmongers and

vintage clothing stores. Space Makers were hired

by the property owners and created a three month

rent-free scheme to encourage creative use of the

space. This scheme was successful with 17 of the 20

shops continuing on and paying rent after the three

months were up.

What Space Makers did was smart, but I started

to think of ways in which to keep that creative

spirit alive within the Village. It seemed to me that

there was an opportunity here to create a project

that would help keep the Village sustainable as

a commercial space while making sure to let it's

uniqueness show and steering it away from that

tricky "gentrification" concept.

When I first visited the Brixton Markets, the aspect

that initially drew me to Brixton Village/Granville

Arcade was the fact that when I am there, I cannot

place exactly where it feels that I am. It doesn't feel

like any other part of London I have visited, and at

the same time feels like it could only exist in a city

like London. There are so many different sounds,

smells, colors and people that I felt like I was abroad

but couldn't tell you where exactly. I felt very

inspired and wondered how can I could translate

that feeling visually.

brixton village / granville arcade

research / 23

Bailey put me in touch with Dougald Hine, creator

of Space Makers Agency, and I met with him to get a

deeper insight to the issues within the Village itself.

Hine confirmed most of what I had found myself

through reading any article or comment board

I could find about Brixton Village. We discussed

that there are two very different audiences for the

Village – one is very tech savvy and one isn't, one

has been using the market for decades and one is

just discovering it. We also discussed the tension

centered around the gentrification issue and how

the local people really did not want to lose the

character and culture that already exists due to too

much outside influence. The culture in the market

should be celebrated, not changed.

As Space Makers' project with Brixton is nearing

its one-year anniversary, Hine explained that he

feels the property would have been better suited to

something like a three-year plan, and was worried

about the sustainability of the Village.

I knew then that this place fit what I wanted to do

for my Major Project. It has all of the qualities I

wanted to explore in an identity – cultural diversity,

community purpose, and an opportunity to

encourage participation within a personal network.

Design and visual identity was not part of the Space

Makers project, but I felt that it could really improve

the space and make it more successful.

Moving forward with my project now meant

extensive exploration into the market and how it

works in order to really get to know the culture and

character that I so want to preserve.

1 www.commonground.org.uk


development

“Questing for local distinctiveness must err towards the inclusive and welcoming, it is not about designating areas more beautiful or more derelict or worthy of grants. It is about working on an idea that anyone can use to demonstrate the valuables of their place to anyone else. It is about accepting that places mean more to us than we are able to say, and beginning to talk more to each other at the local level about demanding the best of the new.”1


Georgina

Sweet Tooth

Sonia Williams

Collectibles

Etta Burrell

Etta's Seafood Kitchen

development / 27

The shopkeepers at Brixton Village were an initial

and fantastic resource in assessing attitudes about

what's going on within the Village. They are

generally full of stories and are always willing to

share them. After talking with several shop owners,

I decided to record some of their thoughts about

Brixton Village and their stories of how they wound

up there. I asked two main questions:

Why did you choose Brixton Village to open

a business?

Two of these owners said that they chose Brixton

Village almost by accident. Etta and Georgina were

participants in Space Makers' rent-free scheme,

opening their shops simply because they had the

opportunity to do so, and they both have now

become permanent businesses. Sonia chose Brixton

Village because after walking through she "saw

how they had merged the two parts, the old Brixton

and the new, and it felt good," she knew it was the

perfect place to finally open the shop she had always

wanted to.

What do you think is most special or unique

about Brixton Village?

Etta, Georgina and Sonia all agreed that a very

special aspect of Brixton Village is the feeling of

working together with the other shopkeepers

and the customers to build something good for

the community. They felt that the wide variety of

offerings at Brixton Village is very unique and in

turn helps them be successful.

interviews


Who?

James is 25 and has lived in the Brixton area for

about a year. He moved from Manchester and

chose Brixton because there are great transport

links, and the rent is reasonable. He works in

film production for a small independent studio.

James likes that Brixton is an up and coming

neighborhood with lots of creative activities going

on, and that it is very culturally diverse. At the

weekend James enjoys going to the Ritzy cinema,

having drinks at the White Horse, visiting his

favorite museum – The V&A – or walking along

the South Bank if the weather is nice. He likes to

take photographs and is specifically interested in

portraits, and finds all the diverse people in Brixton

to be great subjects for photos.

Who?

Monica is 57 and has lived in Brixton all her life.

Her parents chose Brixton when they moved from

Jamaica because of it’s growing Afro-Caribbean

community. She has never really considered leaving

the neighborhood because she loves the sense of

community and feels very much at home. Because

of the lack of large grocery stores, Monica does most

of her shopping in the markets around the Brixton

tube station, and has gotten to know many of the

shop owners over the years. Monica works at the

Lambeth Housing Council as a receptionist and lives

with her daughter Cheryl. She enjoys cooking and

makes everything from scratch whenever she can.

project brief

development / 29

What do they currently think?

The target audience may be aware of Brixton’s

markets, but they are not specifically aware of

Brixton Village, why it is different than the other

markets in Brixton, and what is available there, be

it events and activities or just what kinds of shops

are open currently. They are also not aware of the

very active community network that exists within

Brixton Village.

What do we want them to think?

Brixton Village is a place I can come for a wide

variety of shopping needs, and also a community

hub for creative activities and entertainment.

Brixton Village is a place where my voice can be

heard by my neighbors in Brixton and where my

opinions are taken into consideration.

Where?

Focusing on residents who live within walking

distance of Brixton Village will allow a local and

community based campaign to be successful. Using

web-based applications of the identity will also

reach the more technology-savvy audience profile

without alienating the second profile. This will in

turn reach a wider London audience without having

to adjust strategy.

How?

Creative coordinates should drive the design and

strategic decisions made about a brand. For Brixton

Village’s identity, the creative coordinates are:

personal, conversational, and experiential.

creative coordinates:

personalconversationalexperiential

development / 31

initial ideas

The main goals for the identity of Brixton Village

are three-fold. It needs to enable improvement in the

market, should utilize the existing communication

network, and needs to use visual identity in an

unconventional way. The existing personal network

would benefit from a tool to increase successful

communication. The visual identity should be a tool

that creates a framework for participation.

In my experiments I wanted to find a graphic

language that would successfully and truthfully

represent Brixton Village. By getting to know the

market itself I hope to translate its unique-ness

visually, while making sure to not be an external

force that is simply placing a new facade on the

Village without taking into consideration what's

best for it.

How do you brand something that doesn't

necessarily want to be branded? How does visual

communication stay clear when there is strong

duality with two very different target audiences?

How can I let Brixton Village be Brixton Village?

My first output idea was centered on a poster to

encourage conversation between shopkeepers

and their customers, even if it is not verbal

communication. Customers could leave comments

on the posters, similar to how a review website

works but in a physical form. Other physical forms

of information typically found online followed,

including a map of the Village and an information

wall. An actual website is included as well with

the goal of reaching a wider audience than those

already using Brixton Village.


investigations

Associative word list

These words describe feelings, sights, sounds,

concepts, and anything else that comes to mind in

relation to Brixton Village.

Words in bold are what I feel are the most important

and dominant qualities of the Village.

development / 33

texturepatterncolorfulvibrantbrightdirtyhomemadepaintedsmellyfishyexoticnostalgichistoricaltraditionhistorylongevityafricanjamaicancarribbeanbritishfruitvegetablesmeat

offaloldneweconomicallightcommunitypeoplecreativeinnovativeall-purposegenerationalblueyellowredgreenlondonbrixtoncoveredall-seasonparticipationexcitingdaringunexpected

ambitioncharacteruniquelovedetailspridedynamiccornucopiajumblemessfriendlyopenmusicalartisticculinarydiverseculturalperformancepeelinghuman plasticmetalglassconcrete

vinylsilkcottonpeopleyoungconversationalcelebratesocialpublictensionbuildtimemixedurbangroceryartauthenticsteelall-weathereverydayinspiring


Ninety images of Brixton Village interiors used for typologies

Typologies

Seeing imagery of Brixton Village is a very good way

to get a quick idea of the personality and character

behind the place.

Categorizing this imagery helped me to understand

the diversity present within the Village and led me

to using a grid system in further experiments.

Finding dominant colors within Brixton Village

Blue Yellow

development / 35

Green Red


Food products

development / 37

Architectural elements

38 / branding from within research / 38

Typography

At right is a sample of the type explorations I

conducted. I never truly felt that one typeface could

successfully convey enough about the market to

communicate the message necessary.

development / 39

MetaPlus

BRIXTONBRIXTONBRIXTONBRIXTON

BrixtonBrixtonBrixtonBrixton

BRIXTON VILLAGEGRANVILLE ARCADE

Brixton VillageGranville Arcade

Spierkermann’s original brief for the German Post Office in 1984 called for a font optimized for “the detailed requirements of small type on bad papier”. This earlier font (PT 55) was not accepted by the customer and the project was cancelled. Finally launched under the FF Meta brand name, it was one of the most popular typefaces of the last decade, often referred as “the Helvetica of the 90’s”.

MetaPlus


BrixtonBrixtonBrixtonBrixton



Spierkermann’s original brief for the German Post Office in 1984 called for a font optimized for “the detailed requirements of small type on bad papier”. This earlier font (PT 55) was not accepted by the customer and the project was cancelled. Finally launched under the FF Meta brand name, it was one of the most popular typefaces of the last decade, often referred as “the Helvetica of the 90’s”.

Gill Sans

BRIXTONBRIXTONBRIXTON

BrixtonBrixton



The roots of Gill Sans can be traced to the typeface that Gill’s teacher, Edward Johnston, designed for the signage of the London Underground Railway in 1918. Gill´s alphabet is more classical in proportion and contains what have become known as his signature flared capital R and eyeglass lowercase g. Gill Sans is a humanist sans serif with some geometric touches in its structures. It also has a distinctly British feel. Legible and modern though sometimes cheerfully idiosyncratic, the lighter weights work for text, and the bolder weights make for compelling display typography.

Gill Sans


BrixtonBrixton



The roots of Gill Sans can be traced to the typeface that Gill’s teacher, Edward Johnston, designed for the signage of the London Underground Railway in 1918. Gill´s alphabet is more classical in proportion and contains what have become known as his signature flared capital R and eyeglass lowercase g. Gill Sans is a humanist sans serif with some geometric touches in its structures. It also has a distinctly British feel. Legible and modern though sometimes cheerfully idiosyncratic, the lighter weights work for text, and the bolder weights make for compelling display typography.

Bauer Bodoni


BrixtonBrixtonBrixton



Bauer Bodoni





Adobe Caslon Pro + Swash Caps





Caslon’s roman became so popular that it was known as the script of kings, although on the other side of the political spectrum (and the ocean), the Americans used it for their Declaration of Independence in 1776. The original Caslon specimen sheets and punches have long provided a fertile source for the range of types bearing his name. Identifying characteristics of most Caslons include a cap A with a scooped-out apex; a cap C with two full serifs; and in the italic, a swashed lowercase v and w. Caslon’s types have achieved legendary status among printers and typographers, and are considered safe, solid, and dependable.

Adobe Caslon Pro + Swash Caps





Caslon’s roman became so popular that it was known as the script of kings, although on the other side of the political spectrum (and the ocean), the Americans used it for their Declaration of Independence in 1776. The original Caslon specimen sheets and punches have long provided a fertile source for the range of types bearing his name. Identifying characteristics of most Caslons include a cap A with a scooped-out apex; a cap C with two full serifs; and in the italic, a swashed lowercase v and w. Caslon’s types have achieved legendary status among printers and typographers, and are considered safe, solid, and dependable.

Gotham

BRIXTON BRIXTONBRIXTONBRIXTON



Every designer has admired the no-nonsense lettering of the American vernacular, those letters of paint,

plaster, neon, glass and steel that figure so prominently in the urban landscape. From these humble begin-

nings comes Gotham, a hard-working typeface for the ages.

Gotham celebrates the attractive and unassuming lettering of the city. Public spaces are teeming with

handmade sans serifs that share the same underlying structure, an engineer’s idea of “basic lettering” that

transcends both the characteristics of their materials and the mannerisms of their craftsmen. These are

the cast bronze numbers outside office buildings that speak with authority, and the engravings on corner-

stones whose neutral and equable style defies the passage of time. They’re the matter-of-fact neon signs

that announce liquor stores and pharmacies, and the proprietors’ names painted majestically on the sides

of trucks. These letters are straightforward and non-negotiable, yet possessed of great personality, and

always expertly made.

Gotham

BRIXTON BRIXTONBRIXTONBRIXTON



Every designer has admired the no-nonsense lettering of the American vernacular, those letters of paint,

plaster, neon, glass and steel that figure so prominently in the urban landscape. From these humble begin-

nings comes Gotham, a hard-working typeface for the ages.

Gotham celebrates the attractive and unassuming lettering of the city. Public spaces are teeming with

handmade sans serifs that share the same underlying structure, an engineer’s idea of “basic lettering” that

transcends both the characteristics of their materials and the mannerisms of their craftsmen. These are

the cast bronze numbers outside office buildings that speak with authority, and the engravings on corner-

stones whose neutral and equable style defies the passage of time. They’re the matter-of-fact neon signs

that announce liquor stores and pharmacies, and the proprietors’ names painted majestically on the sides

of trucks. These letters are straightforward and non-negotiable, yet possessed of great personality, and

always expertly made.

Serifa


BrixtonBrixton



The first slab serifs were designed to be oddities. It was their intention to be eye-catching, to be novelties

amidst the world’s conventional book types. Never mind that some of these faces treated different letters

inconsistently, or had inherent qualities that limited the size of their families: these were eccentricities, and to

a novelty typeface, eccentricity is strength.

Serifa


BrixtonBrixton



The first slab serifs were designed to be oddities. It was their intention to be eye-catching, to be novelties

amidst the world’s conventional book types. Never mind that some of these faces treated different letters

inconsistently, or had inherent qualities that limited the size of their families: these were eccentricities, and to

a novelty typeface, eccentricity is strength.


1 Initial poster ideas with various grids

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prototypes

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1 Shop posters with ideas about how comments could be posted.

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1 Karl Gerstner, 1959

Boîte à musique identity

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1 Michael Johnson

All change

www.johnsonbanks.co.uk

2 Jon Hewitt

Flexible Consistency, Consistent Flexibility

www.underconsideration.com/speakup

development / 43

It is no surprise that the benefits of an identity that

can change but still convey the underlying values of

a brand have become even more apparent with the

rise of digital media and applications.

"Organisations, companies, institutions, even

charities are realizing that having identity schemes

that ‘flex’ and adapt to circumstances are more

appropriate in the multi-channel, multi-lingual

world that brands now inhabit."1

After my initial experiments, it became clear to

me that the identity for Brixton Village must be as

flexible as possible. In fact it shouldn't feel like an

identity in the traditional sense at all. Any attempt

to fix a logo or color to the market instantly made me

feel like I was not being truthful to the space. I had

looked to other identities that have been successfully

flexible, but wanted to push even farther than

those brands had to create something in which the

identity itself became a tool that changes to suit

different functions.

Speaking of a project by Karl Gerstner in 1959 for a

record shop in Basel, Switzerland, Jon Hewit writes

that "Gerstner considered the personality he wanted

to convey and then developed a system to express

this personality. The identity didn’t look different

every time for the sake of looking different. It looked

different to communicate a very specific, highly

considered thing. It communicated a personality,

an identity in the human sense of the word identity.

Something which is only possible by showing

change over a period of time."2

The concept of communicating identity in a human

sense by using a visual identity is exactly what the

brand for Brixton Village should do, and I believe

that the grid approach successfully does that.

flexible identity


evaluation

After exploring different ways to visually express

Brixton Village and create a graphic language, I

ultimately decided that this identity can not work

in a traditional way. Because the market is so

diverse and is so many different things to so many

people, the identity needs to reflect that. From my

experiments and sketches came the underlying idea

for a grid-based approach to a flexible identity.

Using a grid is natural for most designers, but for

me the grid became the main driving factor for the

visual language. Everything happens inside a grid

that is proportionate to the A series paper sizes, and

that grid is the only fixed element of the identity.

I think that this approach successfully creates a

visual network that freely allows for maximum

creative expression while still unifying the identity

with a common structure. The devices I decided to

use to express the identity also reflect this concept

and are designed to encourage participation and

reflect the needs of the two separate audiences.

This identity is not about setting guidelines for

how to design materials for Brixton Village. It

is a system that lets materials created for the

market continue to be created as they are but

allows them to work together as a cohesive whole

no matter what their visual language is.


1 Kieran Long

Street Cred at Brixton Market

www.thisislondon.co.uk

final outcomes

“Even more interesting is the idea that, as a culture, we have come to value a simple street market as much as we do monuments or civic buildings. Attitudes to public space in London have changed, it seems, and the intricacy and richness of our city is now better understood than it was a generation ago.”1


1 New Oxford American Dictionary

identity

Naming

I made the decision was made to move forward

with Brixton Village as the name of the market

as opposed to it’s historical name, “Granville

Arcade.” While I am aware of the divide within the

community on this issue, my reasoning is due to

several reasons, first and foremost being that having

“Brixton” in the name connects it to the larger area

and places emphasis on the community. Secondly,

the signage that has already been installed uses

the Brixton Village name. A village is defined as “a

self-contained district or community within a town

or city, regarded as having features characteristic

of village life”1 and therefore keeping village in the

name will enhance awareness of what Brixton

Village actually is.

Graphic elements

The main identity does not consist of any typical

brand elements.

No set font. No set logo. No set colors.

However, a proportionate grid at “A” paper size

will be used on all communication pieces. This

grid is a representation of the existing network

within the Village, and creates a sense of equality

and structure around what is already happening

there. This allows for maximum flexibility,

standardization, and also ease of production

whether it is a brochure or flyers to use in and

around the market. It incorporates the materials

that can already be found at the Village, creating

that feeling of structure without imposing a strict

graphic language.

Photography

While there is no particular set photography style,

part of Brixton Village’s atmosphere can only be

understood through actually seeing images of

the physical space. The colors, textures, and light

present very accurately convey the full experience

of visiting the market and should be used in order to

successfully communicate that experience.

1 Footnote Text

final outcomes / 49


final formats

Posters

The purpose of these posters is to encourage

conversation between the shopkeepers and their

customers. Similar to a comments section on a

shop’s website or a reviews website such as Yelp

or Top Table, these A2 posters are a physical

representation of that virtual conversation.

Customers are encouraged to use the stickers

provided and fill in a rectangle on the grid with

their comments, questions or ideas.

ETTA’SSEAFOODKITCHEN

final outcomes / 51

african queen fabrics

the agile rabbit


what’s going on?

Community Wall

This wall serves as a hub and centralizes any

information about events or other community

happenings into one place.

final outcomes / 53

3rd AvenueTo Atlantic Ave.

To Pope’s Rd.

2nd Avenue

4th Avenue

5th Avenue

6th Avenue

To Coldharbour Ln.

To Coldharbour Ln.

1st AvenueWhat’snext? Tell us what you think.

You are here.

Map and Messages Wall

Encouraging participation, this wall is not only a

way to find what you need within the Village, it’s

also another way to share ideas with neighbors.


interactive prototype

Website

The duality in audience profiles for Brixton Village

means that having digital components as well

as more traditional print media is essential. The

existing online presence of Brixton Village is a

strong one, but it is not centralized on any one site.

This site creates one place for information

about what is going on in Brixton Village, while

encouraging participation and again letting the

Village’s personality speak for itself.

1 Clear navigation for each section of the website. 2 Individual profiles for local residents who have joined the

conversation on the web. Pictures continue to the right and fill

in as more people join.

1 2

final outcomes / 55


1 Shop description including contact information when available.

Empty shops will include information about how to apply and rent

the space.

2 Click on any shop number on the map to find out more about

its offerings.

1 2

final outcomes / 57

1 The physical spaces are an important part of the personality

of the Village. Navigate between each Avenue to get a feel for

that personality.

2 Every shop has a photo, including empty ones, encouraging local

citizens to think about what they could do with an empty space.

1 2


Along with a website comes a need to inform the

target audience that the website exists. Because

there is no set logo, this issue must be solved in a

way that stays truthful to the identity of Brixton

Village and doesn’t impose but instead gives

structure to already existing behaviors. The website

is also an opportunity to reach outside the initial

target audience.

I created a wide variety of small stickers with the

website address, which would be distributed to the

shopkeepers to use how they see fit. Whether it is on

the shopping bags they are currently using or just to

wear while they are working, the decision is theirs

how they feel would be the most effective way to

improve their business.

These small but colorful stickers will travel outside

of the Village and in doing so potentially reach that

wider audience.

reaching a wider audience

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feedback

“I think it’s a really cool project. One of my thoughts

would be to ensure the language is appropriate for

audiences who may be less engaged with digital

environments, which it seems to me that you’ve

done. Equally, self-referring back to online will

build identity, even outside the audience who would

already use the website.

It’s exciting how you pulled together the network

that exists there. Networks are stronger together,

and it’s great you’ve created a sense of equality

within the market with a common concept.

It would really enhance my enjoyment of the

market, I’ve long thought that it was just short

of being really great.

You’ve done exactly the right thing.”

— Ross Bailey

Lambeth resident who frequents Brixton Village,

and political volunteer in South London

final outcomes / 61

critical reflection

From the beginning stages of the project proposal,

I have been clear about one goal – that of doing

something with this project that would use visual

identity to help a specific group of people in some

way. Altruistic as it is, I feel that this is the type

of project that I came on this Masters course to

do — the type of work I probably wouldn't have the

opportunity to do in a professional setting.

I pushed myself to find an issue that had meaning

for me personally, and finding that issue meant

working in a way that I am not used to, i.e. allowing

myself the time to meander around subject matter

and really absorb information in order to help me

make decisions. I am normally very structured

about everything I do, and researching for this

project taught me the value of letting go and seeing

where the journey takes me. In this case it wound

up taking me just down the road from my home,

to a place I probably wouldn't have gotten to know

otherwise but now have a great affection for.

I think that I have demonstrated an understanding

of the relationship between identity, culture,

community, and business success through Brixton

Village's identity. I really enjoyed the research phase

and intend to continue investigating the design

subjects I discovered over the course of this project.

Brixton Village has taught me about myself as a

designer, strategist, citizen and individual, and for

that I will always be extremely thankful.


bibliography

Books, articles, and websites that have helped me on my way.


books

Berman, David

Do Good Design: How Designers Can

Change the World

Berkeley, California: AIGA: New Riders, 2009

Brown, Tim

Change by Design: How Design

Thinking Transforms Organizations

and Inspires Innovation

New York, New York: Collins Business, 2009

Cranmer, John; Zappaterra, Yolanda

Conscientious Objectives:

Designing for an Ethical Message

Mies, Switzerland; Hove: RotoVision, 2003

Cristakis, Nicholas; Fowler, James

Connected: The Amazing Power of Social

Networks and How they Shape Our Lives

London: HarperPress, 2010

Evamy, Michael

World Without Words

London: Laurence King, 2003

Fuad-Luke, Alastair

Design Activism: Beautiful Strangeness for a

Sustainable World

London: Earthscan, 2009

Glaser, Milton

The Design of Dissent

Gloucester, Massachusetts: Rockport, 2006

Heller, Steven

Iron Fists: Branding the 20th-century

Totalitarian State

London; New York: Phaidon, 2008

Lupton, Ellen

Design Writing Research:

Writing on Graphic Design

London: Phaidon, 1999


McCandless, David

Information is Beautiful

London: Collins, 2009

Noble, Ian; Bestley, Russell

Experimental Layout

Hove: RotoVision, 2001

Noble, Ian; Bestley, Russell

Visual Research: An Introduction to Research

Methodologies in Graphic Design

Lausanne: AVA Publishing, 2005

Perry-Zucker, Aaron

Design For Obama

Köln: Taschen, 2009

Samara, Timothy

Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic

Design Layout Workshop

Beverly, Massachusetts: Rockport, 2002

Steffen, Alex

Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for

the 21st Century

New York: Abrams, 2008

Velden, Daniel van der; Kruk, Vinca

Metahaven: Uncorporate Identity

Baden: Lars Müller, 2010

Venturi, Robert; Brown, Denise Scott;

Izenour, Steven

Learning from Las Vegas: The Forgotten

Symbolism of Architectural Form

Cambridge, Massachusetts; London:

MIT Press, 1977


articles

Adams, Stephen

Brixton Market given Grade II listing

www.telegraph.co.uk, 1 April 2010

Beck, Ernest

The World as Our Studio

changeobserver.designobserver.com, July 19, 2010

Brixton Market given Grade II listing

news.bbc.co.uk, 7 April 2010

Clifford, Sue; King, Angela

Losing Your Place

www.commonground.org.uk.

Fabricant, Robert

Design With Intent

changeobserver.designobserver.com,

11 September 2010

Fabricant, Robert

In Defense of Design Imperialism

changeobserver.designobserver.com, 15 July 2010

Hewitt, Jon

Flexible Consistency, Consistent Flexibility

www.underconsideration.com/speakup

13 February 2008

Humanitarian Design vs. Design Imperialism:

Debate Summary


Lapite, Shade

At the Heart of the Community:

Brixton Village

www.catchavibe.co.uk, 4 July 2010

Linsell, Katie

Brixton cafés face huge rent bills as

landlords ‘cash in’

www.thisislondon.co.uk, 20 September 2010

Long, Kieran

Street cred at Brixton Market

www.thisislondon.co.uk, 14 April 2010


Mendelsohn, Thomas

Gentrification game: Defending

traditional markets

www.independent.co.uk, 12 April 2010

Nussbaum, Bruce

Is Humanitarian Design the New Imperialism?

www.fastcodesign.com, 7 July 2010

“One year on: Is it really working?”

www.brixtonpound.org, 12 October 2010

Pilloton, Emily

Are Humanitarian Designers Imperialists?

Project H Responds

www.fastcodesign.com, 12 July 2010

Popova, Maria

Malcolm Gladwell Is #Wrong

changeobserver.designobserver.com

6 October 2010

Popova, Maria

The Language of Design Imperialism


Rules for Local Distinctiveness

www.commonground.org.uk/distinctiveness/

d-rules.html

The Dream Factory

www.artrebels.com, 24 May 2010


websites

Art Rebels

artrebels.com

Brixton Blog

brixtonblog.wordpress.com

The Brixton Pound

www.brixtonpound.org

England in Particular

www.england-in-particular.info

Friends of Brixton Market

www.friendsofbrixtonmarket.org

Helen Hamlyn Centre

www.hhc.rca.ac.uk

Listed: Brixton Market

www.brixton-listed.org.uk

The Luxury of Protest

theluxuryofprotest.com

Please Enjoy - The Work of Ji Lee

pleaseenjoy.com

Space Makers Agency – Brixton Village

spacemakers.org.uk/brixton

Transition Town Brixton

transitiontowns.org/Brixton

Urban75

www.urban75.org/brixton


acknowlegements

Special thanks to my tutor John Bateson for all of his guidance, feedback and fantastic sense of humor. To Patrick McKnight for his phenomenal photography help, Ross Bailey for his local knowledge, and the community at Brixton Village for their warm enthusiasm. To my classmates for keeping me motivated and laughing, and all of my friends, family, and fellow Thornlodgers for their support.

Most of all, thank you to London for keeping me inspired every day.

Emily Homer

MA Graphic Branding & Identity

London College of Communication

10 November 2010

Documents

Branding From Within