I’m honored to be included in Graphic Design USA’s People to Watch in 2016, a list of creatives that, in the past, has included icons such as Saul Bass, Milton Glaser, and Massimo Vignelli. From the magazine: “GDUSA starts each year by choosing a group of People To Watch who embody the spirit of the creative community. Individuals we have come to know and respect for a combination of talent, leadership, success, newsworthiness and community service. In a field so deep in talent and broad in numbers, this is clearly a subjective process. Still, for five decades, it has seemed to work out pretty well: the roster of past participants is star-studded, to say the least. The 2016 group adds to the glow.” I’m happy to be in such great company.
Author Archives: thinkstudio
Film Festival Design
We designed the identity, posters, ads and other promotional materials for the first annual SOMA Film Festival, running Feb 12-14 at SOPAC in South Orange, NJ. Looking forward to seeing some great films–check it out!
More PepsiCo Press
We’re very happy that our PepsiCo 50th anniversary project is featured on FPO/Under Consideration, where writer Kelly Cree calls the work a “modern, future-driven design”.
Design Museum Article
Pick up a copy of ArtDesk, the new contemporary art magazine, to read my article on “nomadic” Design Museum Boston (also branching out to San Francisco and Portland). They are “redefining what it means to be a museum in the 21st century. We’re online, out in the street, in public spaces, everywhere.” It was fun to write about this exciting group.
PepsiCo in GD USA
The 50th anniversary book we designed for PepsiCo is featured in the new GD USA Magazine where I discuss the challenges of unifying so many iconic brands, and how our design looks toward the future of one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies.
Innovation Lessons
Entrepreneurs, designers and thinkers can always use some inspiration to create innovative ideas. As a graphic designer, I often look to the pioneers of my field for ideas on creative problem-solving. Each of these figures offers important lessons not just in design, but also in innovation that can apply to anyone working on new methods, products or experiences. See my article at Success Magazine for lessons in innovation from Saul Bass, Milton Glaser, John Maeda and more.
Influencers
Check out my latest post at AIGA and find out who influences icons (and future icons) like John Maeda, David Airey, George Lois, Jan Wilker, and Paula Scher. Who are your influences?
Keys to a Successful Logo
Starting your own business or considering rebranding? Entrepreneur has a quick read on the must-haves. See what else is important besides simplicity and brand consistency. My favorite part? “You should still consult a professional designer. Your logo is the foundation for all your promotional materials, so this is one area where spending a little more now really pays off later.”
Font Sunday
Typography fans: I’m hosting Font Sunday for London’s Design Museum on twitter Feb. 21. The theme is international type, so join in and post your non-English type & use the hashtag #FontSunday.
Best of 2014
Fast Company’s Co.Design gave me 2 great honors. They named Graphic Icons one of The Best Design Books of 2014 (which also includes greats like Paul Rand and Abbott Miller), writing “In this crucial book for any design lover, Clifford takes readers on a history tour illustrated with the work of the world’s most famous graphic designers.” They also include my work among The Most Important Design Lessons of 2014 and write “John Clifford takes a spin through history to show how yesterday’s design pioneers have influenced, and continue to inspire, today’s designers.” It’s a thrill. Thank you, Fast Company!