Interaction stage 1

20th Century Fox

20th Century Fox was formed in 1935 with a merger between Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures. The company has branched out since then into the video game industry, TV, Home Entertainment and has opened several highly successful tourist attractions around the world.

The logo of the company is striking and instantly recognisable. It is a culmination of the two original company logos joined together and has developed over the years. See logo.

The logo has a number of spotlights on it. Over the years these have been removed and placed back again. The name under the main logo is the only thing that changes to the name of the subsidiaries i.e. television, film or home entertainment. The company also tries to incorporate the logo into the title sequence of its major film releases.

I like this logo, maybe because I am a bit of a film nerd, but I think the logo liked with the horn section are the brand everybody recognises instantly.



Universal

One of the oldest film companies still producing today, formed by Carl Laemmle who incorporated 8 smaller companies and his own Independent Moving Picture Company. These evolved into Universal Film Manufacturing Company, which developed into Universal Picture Company in 1925. The company now owns film studios theme parks and a home entertainment branch.

Its logo is (excuse the pun) universal and instantly recognisable, as it is a simple globe of the earth spinning in space. An older logo had a plane circumnavigating a silver globe; they later dropped the plane but kept the silver globe. The globe later developed into a full colour representation of the earth.

Again another film company logo. This one I also like but its hard to define why. When I see it I know there is history to this company, there is a nostalgia to the logo in which I feel comfort.

Batman

Referred to as the Bat-Man Created by artist Bob Kane and Bill Finger, published by DC Comics, which started out as Detective Comics in the 1930s.

The character has had its up and downs over the years, Batman was in decline in the eighties after the camp series in the sixties had done a lot of damage and had taken it away from the darker parts of the characters psyche. This was returned by writer artist Frank Miller who wrote ‘Batman: The Dark Knight Returns’ in 1986. When Tim Burton started the Batman film franchise in 1989 this started the character’s rise in popularity again. The dark tone was carried on to the TV with ‘Batman’ the animated series (Warner bro) that intermingled the thirties styling with modern technology. 2005 saw the popular ‘Batman Begins’ film released and later this year its sequel.

The film ’Batman Begins’ also brought a re-imagining of the bat insignia or badge that Batman uses as his sign. Again my nerdy-ness knows no bounds I am a fan of the Batman comic and film and love the old and new bat insignia. There isn’t much more to say.

Superman

One of the most (some say the most) famous comic book superheroes of all time. Created by Jerry Seigal and Joe Shuster in 1932.

Superman has not really changed much over the years, when he first appeared in Action Comics he could not fly thus the saying “can leap tall buildings in a single bound”. It was not until the early forties that the decision was made to make Superman fly. This was incorporated into the Fliescher cartoons from 1941 to 1943.

The popularity of the superhero soared again in 1978 when Christopher Reeves donned the tights for four movies through to 1987. Superman also had a animated series rebirth in 1997 from the same stable as the Batman animated series (Warner Brothers).

2001 brought in another take on the superman legend, ‘Smallville, Superman the early years’, life before tights for the young Clarke Kent. In 2006 Bryan Singer tried to kill the legend by giving us ‘Superman Returns’. This again brought about a re-imagining of the Superman chest insignia trying to make it more modern, we will see, the logo hardly looks different to me, i wouldn’t have messed with it.






Tomb Raider (Lara Croft)

Maybe one of the best-known video game characters of all time. Designed by Toby Gard and first seen in the game ‘Tomb Raider’ in 1996 by Eidos Interactive, Lara Croft was basically an Indiana Jones rip off with big breasts.

The character has not changed much since conception; the only real change has been the improvement in technology.
Croft was presented as an English woman of good stock who travels the world ripping off ancient ruins of any or all artefacts, while killing wild animals and henchmen with little or no hesitation. And all this while wearing a small pair of hot pants and a skintight green top. This made the character more appealing to male game players, but the inclusion of very good puzzles dragged in more gamers.

The character has starred in two motion pictures an animated series and several comic books.
She was dropped after the dismal ‘Tomb Raider; Angel of Darkness’ but has recently been given a new lease of life. The company Crystal Dynamics has tweaked the character with ‘Legend’ and then reinvented ‘Anniversary’ a reworking of the original tomb raider game, another game is due out later this year.




Amnesty International

Amnesty international is a human rights movements, based in the UK. Designed by Diana Redhouse in 1961, Amnesty’s powerful and enduring symbol of a candle wrapped in barbed wire was the brainchild of the organisation’s founder, Peter Benenson.

When briefing artist Diana Redhouse, Benenson recalled the ancient Chinese proverb:”better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”.

Taken from the book ‘LOGO’ by Laurence King:

What can I say about this in my eyes brilliant logo, again instantly recognisable (which all logo’s should be) as the leaders in the fight for human rights around the world.
The indication of the barbaric things one human can do to another represented by the barbed wire used in torture, wrapped around a candle a symbol for hope.







Big Brother Eye

The eye logo for the Reality TV show has become well known in this country. The programme ‘Big Brother’ started its life in the Netherlands and was quickly imported to other countries including ours. It has become a worldwide success and an annual event.

I will not go into the premises of the show but just say that the idea was novel and in my opinion is now like flogging a dead horse and is dragged out because of laziness on the part of the programmers.

The eye motif has developed just as the programme has. It started out in this country as the image of an eye, representing the Big Brother of Orwellian origin the omnipresent watcher. Each year the motif has changed enough to make the new series different and distinct from previous years but it has always remained recognisable as a symbol of the programme.

I have included some examples from over the years. I actually like the logo despite the fact that I loathe the programme with a passion. My wife on the other hand loves it - go figure.




Likes and Dislikes


Likes

Vehicle manufacturer, Germany. Logo designed 1909; modified in 1916 and 1937.

The name Mercedes and the symbol of a star came together by complete chance. Emil Jellineck, an aristocrat who sold Daimlers to friends in high society, also raced vehicles under the pseudonym of his daughters name Mercedes. His orders were vital to the Cannstadt factory, and in 1900 it was decided to make Mercedes the trade name for cars.

Also wanting a symbol, Paul and Adolph Daimler recalled the significance of the star in the career of their father and the company founder, Gottlieb. Starting work at the Deutz Gas engine factory, the young engineer had sent a postcard of the town to his wife, marking his house with a star. One day, he wrote, a star would shine over his own factory.

A three-pointed star was registered in 1909. It was enclosed by a ring in 1916 and, when Daimler merged with rival Benz in 1926, the latter’s laurel leaves and the name Mercedes-Benz encircled the star. In 1937, the logo with a plain ring was seen for the first time.
Taken from the book ‘LOGO’ by Laurence King:

This is a classy logo, with a nice story behind it which is quite sweet and poignant so just adds to the strength of this brand. Instantly recognisable as a good make of vehicles and one for reliability.
I like this simple and elegant design.

Dislike
Car Manufacturer, Japan

Designed in 1997the Mazda’s ‘M’ symbol features a central V that is ‘symbolic of the company stretching its wings as it soars in to the future’.

I dislike this logo mainly because until I researched it didn’t understand what it was trying to say. I didn’t even know it had a V in the logo, I thought it was a crap m in an oval.

It also looks like many other Asian motor companies, which seem they need to enclose their logos in a circle or oval. I think they are trying to emulate the Benz star, but that’s just me. It may be a bit harsh and I actually like Mazda’s cars, I think it’s just an aesthetical thing?