of having a reference point as using that reference point. “The client
mentioned the cube to me when I was given the problem, and I’m sure the
other designers who worked on the logo must also have heard about it,”
Rand presumed.
The NeXT logo was successful in part because the cube was
symbolically related to the product itself, but Rand insisted that the shape
was only important in sparking the idea. “Some reference was made to it
being like a child’s block,” he continued. “I really think that is one of its
virtues and part of its charm. However, the logo is not designed to be
charming, it is designed to identify.”
Before the logo could do the job, however, Rand had to sell the
mark to Jobs. For this he had a pronged strategy. The first was to present
only one logo. This underscored his own confidence in the solution and
deflected indecision on the part of the client. The second was to “speak”
only through a presentation booklet that concisely explained the rationale
and showed the applications of the logo. Jobs had seen all the timeworn
futuristic clichés—arrows, clouds, lightning bolts—in the book. However,
he was unprepared for Rand’s twenty-page book, entitled “The Sign of the
Next Generation of Computersfor Education.. .”
From the beginning of this limited (fifty copies), Platonic
document, Rand announced his premise: “What should a logo for NeXT
look like?” he asked in text set in Caslon, which led into a concise narrative
that condensed decades of communications history into ten minutes of
reading time.
First he introduced the concept of type itself: “Choosing a
typeface as the basis for the design of a logo is a convenient starting point.
Here are two examples: Caslon and Bifur. Caslon is an alphabet designed
as far back as 1725 by William Caslon. It appears to be a good choice
because it is both elegant and bookish, qualities well suited for educational
purposes... .” He described the nature of his faces, their quirks and virtues,
and concluded by admitting, “Attributing certain magical qualities to
particular typefaces is, however, largely a subjective matter.”
Next he defused the client’s need to sample a variety of typefaces:
“One reason for looking at a number of possible typefaces is to satisfy one’s
curiosity. Another, and perhaps more meaningful one, is to study the
relationship of different letter combinations, to look for visual analogies,
and to try to elicit ideas that the design of a letter or group of letters might
inspire.” He offered some examples that were intended to pique the reader’s
interest, and offered this warning: “Personal preferences, prejudices, and
stereotypes often dictate what a logo looks like, but it is needs, not wants,
ideas, not type styles which determine what its form should be... .”
tuis.
(Tuis.)
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