Ceramics Books and Magazines

With its well-illustrated identity case studies, Catharine Fishel's Redesigning Identity reinforces the importance of identity design as an essential corporate resource during times of strategic change. The multitude of reasons for redesigning identities is neatly categorized into five types of business scenarios that make up the chapters of the book: repositioning, modernizing, managing change, promoting growth, and starting over. Each chapter contains five cases, augmented by step-by-step outlines to illustrate the development of identity designs. Redesigning Identity offers revealing descriptions of designers' experiences. In each case, we are given real-life, behind-the-scenes insight into the before, middle' and after of each redesign. This approach gives the reader a sense of expectation and of surprise as the new design is revealed in each case.

The book's main premise is that an identity-regardless of why it is being changed-should be a reflection of a company's inner self. The companies featured will be familiar to designers the world over, and some of their design briefs will seem just as familiar-for instance, Polaroid's order for the redesign of its electronic imaging identity: Rework this, but don't change a thing! The diversity and challenge of identity design are revealed through the case studies, which include examples of both large and small enterprises and international as well as regional design consultants. Landor's work for Canadian Airlines, for instance, maintains the visual equity of CA's old identity while repositioning the airline with a dynamic visual identity that helps attract savvy business travelers. The work of design firm Dogstar for recruitment company Heavy Talent is shown with extensive background sketches providing a reminder of the craft of design-something all too often forgotten in the computerized design world of today. Other well-researched and amply illustrated examples include Coca-Cola, Steel Reserve Lager, Eagle Star, China Youth Press, and Nando's restaurants.

I am sure that this book will offer young designers useful guidelines for the identity design process and provide more experienced consultants with reminders of best practices for identity design. For design creatives, design managers, marketing managers, and others, Fishel's entertaining and informative book is an excellent view of identity design.


Something out of the standards   January 3, 2001
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Finally a different book. This is a book about graphic design concepts and restyling, success stories and marketing strategies. It embraces productions from around the world, with a nice spot on mockups, preliminary studies, skecthes drawn on the edge of newspapers... A nice way to learn when and where big ideas for big companies can come from. A singular book, worths its price.


Strategie   April 6, 2000
 7 out of 13 found this review helpful

The most powerful visual help and communicational graphics for your own business. It focus on the best examples of logos and letterheads design, it's a great tool for research and for viewing what's going on on identity design. Check it out and keep your own identity