Mam and Ergo

Pr*tty

Mam makes plastic stuff for babies. Bottles, pacifiers, stuff like that. And I think they’re logo effectively communicates a lot about their brand. Crisp, well-designed, and simple, but still cheerful and soft enough to be a brand for kids.

Sh*tty

Ergo also makes stuff for babies. Baby carriers to be exact. They’re quite popular. I have one, and it’s a good product. But this sad, homespun logo isn’t helping them any. It’s always odd to me when a brand that prides itself on thoughtful product design utilizes shoddy graphic design. In this case, I’m doubly perplexed that a company that makes baby products—even wholesome, hippy-dippy ones—hasn’t yet realized the importance of growing up.

Perricone MD and Prevage Face

Finally able to get back to it. Thank goodness!

Pr*tty

You have to appreciate the simple typographic identity, first of all. Sophisticated, professional, trustworthy. Secondly, the ad itself is striking. The photograph is beautifully shot, and it really tells a story, topped off with some data-oriented call-outs that feel official without being too egghead. It’s all very thoughtful and engaging.

Sh*tty

The typographic hodge podge is bad enough. Then they’ve taken this poor woman’s face and made it look like one of those diagrams of the cuts of meat in a cow. A weak attempt at pseudo-science that looks more like butchering instructions. Yum.

I've Been Cheating

Yes, that’s right. I’ve been unfaithful. During my month of internet woes, I strayed. What can I say? When blogging got too hard at home, and I couldn’t keep up with my usual P*S* format, I pursued better channels for publishing a couple long form essays I had in the pipeline.

One of them is a piece I wrote for my firm’s blog about being able to accept criticism, more specifically that our clients would do well to accept some along the way, too. You can read that here.

The other is a piece I’m really proud of, and marks my second post published over at Design Observer. It’s a “ten things” list full of advice for design students. Please go here to read it.

And that’s that. My long form mistresses. It doesn’t mean I don't love Pr*tty Sh*tty... she’s still my number one girl. I just can’t be tied down to one blog anymore. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of me to go around.