DESIGN CHATTER
2001: A Typographic Odyssey
May 02, 2025
Director Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey didn’t just imagine the future, it practically designed it. From the clean authority Gill Sans lends to it, to the tech-forward cool of Eurostile Bold Extended (that practically every other sci-fi movie used going forward…no, really), the film defined the visual language of sci-fi as we know it. Real-world logos, minimalist UI, and purposeful type choices (hello, Futura and Univers!) all make the future feel oddly familiar.
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When a Design Request is Bigger Than It Seems
May 02, 2025
Tight deadlines. Hectic schedules. Mountains of work. It’s a less-than-ideal situation, especially when you wear multiple hats. If we may be so bold, partnering with a design agency like ours can take some of this weight off your shoulders.
However, this can lead to misunderstandings about what is or isn’t considered a “simple request.” Some are easy peasy, while others are more complex and time-consuming.
Understanding the differences between them helps avoid uncomfortable conversations and sets realistic expectations.
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Ads For…Rats?!
Apr 30, 2025
Move over, Times Square! there’s a new target audience in town, and it’s not the tourists. Ads For Rats is a cheeky (or is that…cheesy?) project from five VCU Brandcenter grads who built teeny tiny 13-inch billboards just for New York City’s most infamous residents: rats. Yep, real billboards, real ads, but hilariously reimagined for every rodent life: like Band-Aids as sleep masks, and rubber bands as gym equipment. While it started as a joke, the project quickly turned into a deeper commentary on how marketers communicate at scale,
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Leaning Into The Ship
Apr 25, 2025
Who says history has to be serious and boring? The new identity for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard throws out the dusty museum playbook and goes all-in with clever copy and bold visuals. Creative studio SomeOne turned a centuries-old naval collection into a cheeky, modern brand using one simple word: ship. With punchy headlines like “Tough ship” and “Oh ship!” plastered across imagery of their nautical showpieces, the campaign leans into emotional reaction and surprise. Each ship gets its own color palette and typographic essence,
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Next “Level” Car Design
Apr 23, 2025
Imagine getting to design cars without worrying about crash tests, fuel economy, or angry legal teams. That’s exactly the creative freedom Jérémy Sachot found when he swapped real-world auto design for designing cars inside video games. After gigs at big names like BMW, Sachot now leads vehicle design at The Crew Motorfest, where he helped build a completely fictional brand called Ivory Tower. Instead of following strict engineering rules, he focused on bold shapes, layered materials,
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A Subway Map Reimagined for the Digital Era
Apr 18, 2025
New York’s subway just got a sleek new look. The MTA has rolled out a redesigned map that forgoes geographic accuracy in favor of clean lines and better usability. Created by the MTA’s in-house design team, the updated map simplifies the spaghetti of subway routes into a simpler style that is easier to use on the screen of a mobile device. It keeps the classic color coding but adds a white background, black dots, and horizontal labels for an ADA-friendly refresh.
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