Johnson Banks Explained

Johnson Banks
Industry:Brand consultancy
Foundation:London
Founder:Michael Johnson
Location City:London
Location Country:United Kingdom
Type:Limited company

Johnson Banks is a design consultancy in London founded in 1992 by Michael Johnson. The company specialises in brand consultancy and visual identity systems, focusing on work in the cultural, Government and charity sectors.[1] [2]

Work

The organisation's work includes rebranding charities Shelter,[3] Christian Aid,[4] and the 2010 rebrand of London's Science Museum.[5]

As well as branding the company has also conducted several experimental typography projects. These projects include a bilingual typeface based on Japanese katakana,[6] a pictogrhic symbol set based on Mandarin characters. In January 2012, in collaboration with Ravensbourne college, they created ‘Arkitypo ’ – a typographic alphabet using 3D prototyping techniques.[7]

Postage stamps

The consultancy claimed 2003's Fruit and Vegetable collection [8] was inspired by the children's toys, Mr. Potato Head and Fuzzy-Felt.[9] The set included additional stickers so users could customise the stamps with moustaches, hats and legs, glasses and shoes.[10] The Fruit and Vegetable stamps won the Design and Art Direction's black pencil award.[11]

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney's first meeting Royal Mail[12] commissioned 2007's The Beatles Collection. Barring Royal issues, The Royal Mail sold more copies of The Beatles' stamps than any other series.[13]

Yellow Pages

In 1999, the Yellow Pages hired the company to update the telephone directory, reduce the amount of pages in the directory and accommodate longer dialling code changes of the late 90's. The organisation designed a condensed Typeface that used contracted ascenders and descenders to save space.[14]

Mozilla

The company led Mozilla's 2016 open design rebrand.[15] Mozilla posted each iteration of Johnson Banks' proposed logos on their blog. After reviewing the blog's comments, they decided on and developed a final logo informed by public opinion.[16]

Selected branding projects

Album covers

Other work

Awards and recognition

The company has won a number of awards including seven D&AD "yellow pencils",[21] one D&AD "black pencil",[22] 13 Design Week Awards, four Art Directors Club of New York "cubes" and six distinctive merits.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Soul search. 2007-06-27. 2021-01-06. Design Week. https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031817/https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/21-june-2007/soul-search/. 2018-04-18. live.
  2. Web site: Profile Michael Johnson. 2021-01-06. Design History. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127015301/http://www.designishistory.com/2000/michael-johnson/. 2020-11-27. live.
  3. Web site: Johnson Banks Raises Shelter's Roof. 2004-04-22. Design Week. https://web.archive.org/web/20180814234647/https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/22-april-2004/johnson-banks-raises-shelters-roof/. 2018-08-14. dead .
  4. Web site: Christian Aid Revived by Johnson Banks. 2006-03-09. 2021-01-06. Design Week. https://web.archive.org/web/20180618203536/https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/9-march-2006/christian-aid-revived-by-johnson-banks/. 2018-06-18. dead.
  5. Web site: Article about the Science Museum rebrand in Creative Review magazine . 2 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130128014103/http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/june/science-museum-identity . 28 January 2013 . dead .
  6. Web site: Johnson Banks Phonetika. 2009-10-09. 2021-01-06. Design Boom. https://web.archive.org/web/20200712010513/https://www.designboom.com/design/johnson-banks-phonetikana/. 2020-07-12. live.
  7. Designers 3D-print typeface-inspired 'Arkitypo' alphabet. 2012-04-23. 2021-01-06. Wired. Geere. Duncan. https://web.archive.org/web/20200923225510/https://www.wired.co.uk/article/arkitypo-3d-printed. 2020-09-23. live.
  8. Web site: Fruit and Vegetables. 2003-03-25. 2021-02-04. Collect GB Stamps. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112023506/https://www.collectgbstamps.co.uk/explore/issues/?issue=355. 2020-11-12. live.
  9. Web site: Stamping the Beatles: An Interview with Michael Johnson. 2007-03-06. 2021-02-04. American Institute of Graphic Arts. Heller. Stephen. https://web.archive.org/web/20170901193213/http://www.aiga.org/stamping-the-beatles. 2017-09-01. live.
  10. Web site: DIY Fruit & Veg stamps up for grabs. 2014-09-24. 2021-02-04. BBC. https://web.archive.org/web/20100602091215/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/competitions/quiz/fruitveg_stamps.shtml. 2010-06-02. live.
  11. Web site: Fruit and Veg Stamps. Design and Art Direction. https://web.archive.org/web/20191206110421/https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2004/graphic-design/13862/fruit-and-veg-stamps/. 2019-12-06. live.
  12. Web site: Stamping the Beatles. 2007-03-06. 2021-01-06. Aiga. Heller. Stephen. https://web.archive.org/web/20170901193213/http://www.aiga.org/stamping-the-beatles. 2017-09-01. live.
  13. Web site: Postage stamps: Miniature artwork with mass appeal. 2007-02-18. 2021-02-04. The New York Times. Rawsthorne. Alice. https://web.archive.org/web/20210209041725/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/style/18iht-design19.html. 2021-02-09. live.
  14. Web site: Design space: the Yellow Pages redesigns its typeface. 2021-02-04. Financial Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20180626135449/https://www.ft.com/content/7370afba-e5a6-11e2-ad1a-00144feabdc0. 2018-06-26. live.
  15. Mozilla Wants You to Help Redesign Its Logo. Seriously. 2016-08-23. 2021-02-04. Wired. Rhodes. Margaret. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129081419/https://www.wired.com/2016/08/mozilla-wants-help-redesign-logo-seriously/. 2021-01-29. live.
  16. Introducing Mozilla's New Logo, Moz://a. Get It?. 2017-01-18. 2021-02-04. Wired. Margarat. Rhodes. https://web.archive.org/web/20210108032729/https://www.wired.com/2017/01/introducing-mozillas-new-logo-moza-get/. 2021-01-08. live.
  17. Web site: Michael Johnson Computer Arts Interview. 2010-05-07. 2021-01-06. Computer Arts. Carson. Nick. https://web.archive.org/web/20200808035012/https://www.creativebloq.com/computer-arts/johnson-banks-5108856. 2020-08-08. live.
  18. Web site: Virgin Atlantic unveils livery by Circus and Johnson Banks. 2010-07-29. 2021-01-06. Design Week. https://web.archive.org/web/20201030075627/https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/july-2010-online/virgin-atlantic-unveils-livery-by-circus-and-johnson-banks/. 2020-10-30. dead.
  19. Web site: Pink Floyd box set design: "A surreal metaphor for the band's legacy". 2019-12-04. 2021-02-04. Design Week. Wong. Henry. https://web.archive.org/web/20201029180719/https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/2-8-december-2019/pink-floyd-album-design/. 2020-10-29. live.
  20. Web site: Big Questions. 2011-02-07. 2021-01-06. Justin's Amazing World At Fenner Paper. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094803/http://justinsamazingworldatfennerpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/big-questions.html. 2016-03-04. live.
  21. http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/search/results/22725/Michael+JOHNSON.aspx Debrett's People of Today entry on Michael Johnson
  22. https://archive.today/20130414162933/http://www.dandad.org/index.php/awards/professional/2004/categories/grpd/graphic-design/42785/fruit-and-veg-stamps Page about the Black Pencil award winning project Fruit & veg stamps

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Johnson Banks".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.