David Marc Marinelli on his favorite logos
You’ve probably noticed our new logo sitting next to the rotating banners in the Lost At E Minor masthead. It was the fruits of an on-site logo design contest and is the work of London-based creative director, David Marc Marinelli. We asked David to give us the rationale behind his winning entry and to tell us about some of the logos that have inspired him over the years: ‘The Lost At E Minor name already speaks in volumes. It stands strong and its complexity commands attention, so I knew early on that the logo needed to be a typographic treatment. It also had to be unconventional, and appeal to the diverse but ultimately design-inspired readership. It needed to compliment the content of the site and have the ability to sit next to any piece of artwork with ease’.
‘With this in mind I went to work creating interesting type treatments that were edgy and eye catching. Some executions were stronger than others, and it was the heavy block typeface of the winning concept that caught the attention of LAEM – its letterforms a throwback to hand-lettered sci-fi posters from the fifties.
As with LAEM, the new logo is all about discovery – with a weathered surface, its heavy forms look like something left by a long lost civilization for us to discover. The logo is bold and robust, built to grow with the LAEM brand and set to take it into the future’.
What other logos do you really admire and why?
‘One favorite would have to be the Tate Gallery logo (Wolff Olins, 1999), which I can’t help but lock eyes with whenever I’m in London. It has a depth which is arresting to the eye and has enabled the brand to be explored in so many ways and by so many designers since its conception. Another would be The Royal Parks logo (Moon Brand, 1994), such a simple idea but so effective.
‘The Woolmark logo (Francesco Saroglia, 1964) is also a favorite. A beautifully constructed and powerful logo – as impressive now as when it was first designed.
But my favorite of all time would have to be Milton Glaser’s ‘I love New York’ logo (1977). Apart from its amazing story of success (and that he designed it pro-bono), it marks the great work of such a profound designer. I think all designers dream of creating marks that carry through time like these ones have’.
What are you currently working on?
‘We’re currently detailing the online face of Creative Order which we’ll have live soon.
‘We’re also working hard in the studio on the second series of Designer People for Ovation network. The first series featured amazing insights into designers such as Chris Lee, Yves Behar, Ed Fella and Ole Scheeren (to name a few) and the second series promises to delve just as deep – profiling the big names and personalities of the global creative landscape.
The titles and graphics for the second series are being designed to guide you on a journey through the six degrees of creative separation. It will air later in the year’.
Tagged: cool logos, David Marc Marinelli, London, Lost At E Minor logo
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Zac said | 29 June, 2009
I really enjoyed this overview David – thanks for the insights.
There’s something magic about a strong logo and I have huge respect for those who can create them. As with all creative endeavors, the best implementations look simple and obvious (yet many hours are invested to make something look simple).