Published by Rockport Publishers in 2007, Designers on Design: on the emotional brand experience, by Desgrippes Gobé, features several Asia-Pacific branding and packaging design projects led by Paul Vickers whilst Creative Director in d/g Tokyo.
Proof of the end of the Electric era and the dominance of the Digital era in this sign seen on a former electrical appliances showroom. The type style reflects a late50's - early 60's design aesthetic with its clean sans serif cut and distinctive 'go faster' dropped horizontal bar on the E.
Backlight reactive ink technology creates a 'glow in the dark' effect tattoo that is invisible during the day and only appears under artificial light at night. Not sure about the health consequences...
Magnificent stained glass effect using images from Dutch television on the glazing of the Institute for Sound and Vision, Hilversem, The Netherlands by Jaap Dupsteen. The images suggest light, movement and the pulsating energy of the moving image. Neutelings Riedijk Architects.
Early 20th Century enamel signs for Soy sauce and Japanese rice biscuits 'Osenbe', examples of the first advertising signs to appear in Japan.
When virtually every surface is covered in advertising and messages it becomes increasingly difficult to find somewhere to put your message. These escalators in the Lumine Department Store in Tokyo use the moving handrail as a support.
Japanese graphics and design, like all things Japanese, are full of contadiction. The sublimely minimal, restrained, Zen, purism so often associated with things Japanese and so admired in the west, is contasted with the kitch and visual chaos which is so equally prevelant.
My favourite sign from France. This is a classic stove enamelled plaque fixed to a wall in Paris. The typography, colour and the message are all marvellous. Of course the wall below the sign is plastered with layers of posters, flyers and stickers. The tone is somewhat in contradiction to another message carved in stone in the wall just a short distance away: Liberté, Egalité & Fraternité but then again...
Impossible to convey the incredible three dimentional presence of this 3D lenticular technology Asahi beer advertising on the Tokyo Metro in a static image. But when you walk past these advertisments the can of beer and ice cubes really project out of the poster surface into space. As you pass the image you can see the can as a 3D object.
Interesting ecology sign from the historic Hutong courtyard district in Xuan Wu Beijing which is rapidly being demolished to make way for apartment block towers. The sign is hand painted onto the wall of a building.
This colour blindness test uses a couple of hundred global brands to form the dots of the test. If you are colour blind you will not see the resulting image.
The power of type in communication and conceptual expression is explored in these examples of typographic work by fist year students at the Ecole Bleue, Paris.
The Tokyo Metro signage system is extremely well designed, and thanks to English language station names, extremely easy to use. Each line is colour coded, a circle symbolises the station and colour coded rings the different line connections. Hiragana station names are written vertically, whilst Roman character names are turned to read from top to botom. Times between stops are displayed so that precise journey times can be calculated.
Dutour extends its messaging and branding right into the foaming cream on its Cappachino. The heart motif 'I love coffee' adds a consumable dimension to the coffee brand and builds an emotional experience and connection to Dutour.
A very sculptural piece of street furniture in the concourse of the Maranouchi Building. 
Can dogs read? Presumably they can understand signs and pictograms.
I am particularly intrigued by the use of the Dachshund in the sign from Aix en Provence. Is this only meant for Dachshunds and their owners? Why the choice of this particular breed? Maybe it is just the designer being humouristic, the Dachshund having such a unique and funny silhouette?
Our repositioning strategy for Oliver Grant prêt-à-porter resulted in the creation of a totally new brand identity and complete redesign of the European stores.
Lecturing at the Intuit/Lab Masters in Brand Design and Visual Communications, is part of my educational and academic activity.
Château de Chabans Un art de vivre. Destination branding for a listed historical monument reopend to the public after an extensive renovation programme. We created a brand that reflects the art de vivre that the Château represents. The brand was developed across communications materials from print to entry tickets and t shirts. We also created the exhibition in the Cour d'honneur telling the story of the château, its history and its restoration through the work of the craftsmen and the vision of the owner.
The brand identity for Les Sources Villages Vacances communicates the essentials of this peaceful retreat in the heart of the countryside: nature, space, preserved rural setting, calm. A symbosis with the natural elements.
Product branding and packaging is most prevelant currently on the site, so I am showing some institutional and corporate branding projects that I have worked on to redress the balance.
Not sure that it is very politically correct and in light of recent events, not the most used friendly sation name. But here is the latest Underground station on the Central line extension east to Takeshita-Doori and Harajuku.
Hong Kong's incredible commercial drive and anarchistic signage is illustrated by the convergence of thousands of signs and glowing neon that stretch out from buildings either side of the street to literally meet in the centre. A case of information overkill, the screaming signs become visual noise, finally communicating nothing more than a colourful, graphic pattern of light, calligraphy and letterforms.
Under the railway tracks amongst the Yakitori eateries near Tokyo station, original 1960's posters are still stuck to the walls. This Sophia Loren & Gregory Peck Arabesque poster dates from 1966. Alongside it a Japanese Nationalist drama film poster interprets 007 imagery and clichés.
This is an extremely rare example of disrespect of public property and grafitti in Japan. Infact it is the only example of this sort of street grafitti that I saw in two years.
An inspection cover from Maranouchi district, Tokyo, depicting Hanami cherry blossom. This is an example of the design sense and attention to detail to be seen in many Japanese buildings and streets. Traditional and contemporary designs exist. Here the cover, rim and paving surface have all been designed for the building. Other inspection covers include leaves, flowers, spirals and dragonfly motifs. Photographic images from the history of the area are also engraved into polished granite paving stones - a remarkable urban design detail walked over by millions of comuters daily, enlightening the lives of many.
