julyaugpreview2012

DROGA5 NICOLETTA CECCOLI NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA CHEN DESIGN ASSOCIATES EXHIBIT PHOTOGRAPHY ANNUAL 53

July/August 2012 Twenty-Four Dollars www.commarts.com

by Ruth Hagopian

CHEN DESIGN ASSOCIATES

W

hen designer Joshua Chen met chef William Werner, they sensed an instant rapport. Werner wanted to start a high-end patisserie using local sourcing, high-quality ingredients and exciting new flavor combinations. He interviewed several designers and recognized Chen as someone equally passionate about his craft.

“I had all this branding imagery, photos of my work, ideas I thought would be helpful and some of the designers didn’t even want to look at them,” Werner said. “But Josh just pored over it.” In the process of working together, what began as a traditional designer/client relationship has now evolved into an exciting new business venture that gives Chen the opportunity to shape and communicate ideas on a foundational level while developing products with mystique, emotion and, even, brand love.

Chen Design Associates is located on a quiet side street in the heart of San Francisco’s Financial District. Flanked by the rare bench and tree, the formal architecture of the 105-year-old building complements the casual, industrious vibe of cda up on the fifth floor. The large, sky-lit studio is bright and open, while Chen’s office is more like an elegant man-cave with a balcony and tabletops casually spread with his books and ephemera. During his 21 years in business, Chen, 45, and cda have survived both the dot-com and real estate recessions, and now a staff of ten cultivates work with diverse clients and products. “You hear that, in order to survive, you have to specialize,” said Max Spector, art director and design director.

“But it seems like what’s worked for us is the opposite. We want to expand what we offer, not specialize.”

cda’s clients include Chronicle Books, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The North Face, Stanford University, Masons of California, the University of California, Berkeley and People’s Harvest, to name a few. Its creative approach blends intuition with analysis of what a design solution says, how it speaks to the end user and what it communicates to the audience. “We really value the intuitive part, the uniqueness, the unexpected,” Spector said. “Ultimately some of that has got to be there if your design solution is going to make the audience pause and take notice.” As an art director, he has no interest in cda’s creatives fostering an identifiable look in their designs. “We work against it when we recognize traits or stylistic leanings. As Stefan Sagmeister says, ‘Style equals fart.’

I interpret that to mean there’s no good reason to actively cultivate your own style. We want to have more tools in our arsenal.” Before cda developed the look for Werner’s brand, Tell Tale Preserve Company, it began with its identity. Why is the logo a strawberry, held by a caliper with a tiny rolling pin attached to it? “I think it just invites people to ask those questions,” Chen said. “Maybe it’s a twist, maybe it’s a new way of presenting this food or maybe it’s a juxtaposition of the modern versus the old and how those two things work together.” cda developed Tell Tale’s entire brand from logo and stationery to packaging and the look of the retail store, but when the investor financing fell through, the patisserie already had a sizable following established. A new company, Outfit Generic, was formed and Chen became chief design officer, one of the company’s five partners. The idea was to come up with a name that would be intriguing, but also wouldn’t limit creativity.

Joshua C. Chen is creative director on all projects; both he and design director Max Spector wrote the captions, unless otherwise noted.

Right: “Over two years ago, the Masons of California decided it was time to redesign its member publication, the California Freemason. We found Josh and his team to be the best fit for what we were looking for,” said Angel Alvarez-Mapp, creative services manager, Masons of California. “A 162-year-old organization can’t just go completely wild and crazy. CDA has a strong eye for typography; they are great illustrators as well, taking really abstract topics and somehow bringing them to life without being trite or expected. You look at it and go, ‘damn, that makes a lot of sense.’ The February/March 2012 issue about Freemasonry and its effect on democracy is a perfect example of this.” Laurie Carrigan/Max Spector, art directors; Laurie Carrigan/Joshua C. Chen/Jordan Cullen/Debbie Ladas/Wes Mitchell/Max Spector, designers; Joshua C. Chen, creative director; Margaret Hartwell, senior brand strategist; Jordan Cullen/Debbie Ladas/Wes Mitchell/Max Spector, illustrators; Angel Alvarez-Mapp, Freemasons of California, client.

56

Photography Annual 2012

Communication Arts

57

1

2

84

3

Photography Annual 2012

4

Advertising 1 John Fulton, photographer Rick Bryson, art director Brett Compton, creative director Jay Geisen, executive creative director Anika Howe, producer Chris Bodie/John Fulton, retouchers Brunner, ad agency Eaton Corporation, client “For a campaign illustrating the longevity of Eaton’s Advantage Series of clutches. Print, digital and pointof-sale in North America, it was also used to design an actual geriatric hula doll for client promotions.”

Headline: For the longest lasting truck on the road.

2 Simon Harsent, photographer Noah Regan, art director/creative director Alice Quiddington, art buyer Cameron Gray, producer Cream Studios, retoucher The Monkeys, ad agency Sydney Opera House, client Poster promoting the Ship Song Project for the Sydney Opera House.

3 RJ Muna, photographer Alonzo King Lines Ballet, client 5

Image created to advertise and promote the dance company’s 2011 repertory season.

4 Tyler Gray, photographer/retoucher Paul Riss, art director Matt Antonello/Paul Riss, associate creative directors Todd Mackie/Denise Rossetto, creative directors John Stevancec, producer DDB Toronto, ad agency Geoff Craig, Subaru, client Headline: There’s a reason our crash-test dummies last longer than most. IIHS top safety pick on all models.

5 Morgan Silk, photographer Jim Chambers, art director Chris Ringsell, creative director Tony Swinney, retoucher Sky Creative, ad agency BSkyB, client “Used in a nationwide UK press and poster campaign promoting the second series of the BAFTA-nominated TV series Mad Dogs on Sky HD. This single-page portrait of British actor Marc Warren, who plays Rick in the series, was widely seen in digital six-sheet format and was enhanced with an added tracking motion, lens flares and animated Sky logos.” Headline: Mad Dogs, New. Unmissable. Exclusive.

Communication Arts

85

1

Self-Promotion 1 Dennis Murphy, photographer “Black Vulture. Direct mail and poster and part of my Hand Check! series.”

2 Cade Martin, photographer Sucha Becky/Pum Lefebure, art directors Pum Lefebure/Jake Lefebure, creative directors Tom Wright, Neenah Paper Company, design director Polly Spadaviccha, stylist Dean Krapf, makeup artist Design Army, design firm Neenah Paper Company, client “The image was originally shot for Neenah Paper Company as a redesign and relaunch of its Classic Papers Brands. We were asked to create imagery for a series of paper swatchbooks that would each showcase a different product. The images were also used on the Neenah Paper website.”

3 Randal Ford, photographer This outtake from an animal packaging shoot was used in direct mail and online.

2

190

Photography Annual 2012

3

Communication Arts

191

Back Issues

available online at www.commarts.com

November/December 2011: Advertising Annual 52

January/February 2012: Typography Annual 2

March/April 2012: Interactive Annual 18

May/June 2012: Illustration Annual 53 © Gregory Manchess

Single Issues December 2008 $24 2008 Advertising Annual; Fresh: Annick Poirier; David Strohl; Isobel January/February 2009 $8 Elixir; Jim Krantz; United Airlines; International Poster Design; Verve; Social Causes & the Web; Exhibit; Fresh: Jon Reinfurt; Sarah Wilmer; Bilder Branding March/April 2009 $24 Herman Miller; Milton Glaser; 50 Years of TV Graphics; 50 Years of International Coverage; Monster Type; 50-Year Timeline; Tim Mantoani; Exhibit; Fresh: Noumeda Carbone; Steven Wohlwender; egg May/June 2009 Interactive Annual 15 $24 ˇ c; Bruketa&Zini ´ Mark Holthusen; David&Goliath; Sam Weber; Exhibit; Evolution of Interactive Media; Fresh: Lorenzo Petrantoni; Fernando Decillis; EightHourDay September/October 2009 Photography Annual 50 $24 Stamen Design; BooneOakley; John Hendrix; Principle; Exhibit; Fresh: Femke de Jong; Sean Williams; Hucklebuck Design Studio

Visit www.commarts.com for a complete list of back issues

November/December 2009 Design Annual 50 $24 Kate Brooks; SS+K; Jason Holley; Exhibit; Fresh: Frank Stockton; The White Room; Shaun Fenn March/April 2010 Interactive Annual 16 $24 Tim Flach; Sustainability; Brian Stauffer; Sid Lee; Exhibit; Fresh: Lisel Jane Ashlock; Matthew Turley; Molho May/June 2010 Illustration Annual 51 $24 Energy BBDO; Zachary Scott; Design in Portugal; Firstborn; Exhibit; Fresh: Rachel Matts; Christopher Wilson; Pomme Chan July/August 2010 Photography Annual 51 $24 72andSunny; Odopod; John Cuneo; Enterprising Designers; Exhibit; Fresh: Karen Klassen; Bryce Pincham; p576 September/October 2010 Design Annual 51 $24 Mark Zibert; Anna+Elena Balbusso; AKQA; Exhibit; Fresh: Lotta Nieminen; Timothy Devine; FUNNEL

November/December 2010 Advertising Annual 51 $24 HUGE; Mimi Haddon; hat-trick design; Kako; Exhibit; Fresh: Eolo Perfido; Justin Allen LaFontaine; Yulia Brodskaya

November/December 2011 Advertising Annual 52 $24 Christopher Wilson; MoMA; Tim Jessell; Taiwan; Exhibit; Fresh: Debbie Powell; Christian Kozowyk; Lucid Inc. January/February 2012 Typography Annual 2 $24 Sara Remington; Tool of North America; Colorado Posters; Justin Renteria; Design Ranch; Exhibit; Fresh: Raquel Aparicio; Wayne Lawrence; Frédéric Tacer

January/February 2011 Typography Annual 1 $24 Michael Osborne; McGarrah Jessee; Tronic Studio; James Day; Christian Northeast; Exhibit; Fresh: Shannon May; Reed Young; Delicious Design League March/April 2011 Interactive Annual 17 $24 Diseño en Buenos Aires; Erik Almås; Underware; Colle+McVoy; Jillian Tamaki; Exhibit; Fresh: Nate Duval; Elizabeth Weinberg; Nivard Thoes

March/April 2012 Interactive Annual 18 $24 Marc & Chantal Design; Zina Saunders; Commercial Type; Christopher Wahl; Duncan/Channon; Exhibit; Fresh: Arts and Recreation; Jungyeon Roh; Ryan Heffernan

May/June 2011 Illustration Annual 52 $24 Mucca Design; Downtown Partners Chicago; Factory Design Labs; Lauren Greenfield; Exhibit; Fresh: Mike Byers; Maren Caruso; RoAndCo

May/June 2012 Illustration Annual 53 $24 Andrew Zuckerman; Helms Workshop; Juniper Park; Method; Exhibit; Fresh: Ëlodie; Deeplocal; Ty Cole

July/August 2011 Photography Annual 52 $24 Hello Design; Penguin; Marco Ventura; WAX; Exhibit; Fresh: Yuta Onoda; Typejockeys; Claire Rosen

Package Deals Interactive Annuals Sep/Oct 2004, 2005

$24

Design Annuals November 2004, 2005

$36

Advertising Annuals December 2004, 2005

$36

Illustration Annuals July 2004, 2005

$24

Photography Annuals

$24

August 2004, 2005

You can order back issues of Communication Arts online at www.commarts.com, by phone at (800) 258-9111 in the US and Canada or (650) 326-6040 in all other countries, or by mail using the form at left. All orders must be accompanied by payment. For shipping within the US, please add $5 (US) per issue. All other countries, please add $6 (US) per issue. California residents, please add 8.25% sales tax. Canadian residents, please add 6% GST. Allow up to three weeks to receive your order.

International orders 4–6 weeks. All back issues are subject to availability, we will refund your money for any issues that may have sold out. For an up-to-date listing of available issues, please visit www.commarts.com.

Communication Arts

215