Corporate Identity Manuals, 1976
Edited and introduced by David Carter, this publication from 1976 presents thirteen complete corporate identity manuals, and follows in the spirit of Carter's earlier books.
This edition, the sixth from 1984, includes a striking blue dust jacket with a figure and grid motif. This is hard to find intact and here it is in good condition.
This is one of, if not the first books to fully document corporate identity manuals and includes a really nice selection of projects. These are printed black and white, so some of the allure of today's full colour reproductions is missing, but much can be taken from, not just the completeness of each manual, but the similarities that exist between them and revealed by publishing these together in a book.
There is not much in the way of commentary. The majority of the book's content is derived from the manuals themselves, in the directions and use case examples presented. Common features include the use of grids to aid in the reproduction of logos at scale, allowed variations of the marks and their colour ways. Above and below, four pages present this information for Duquesnes Light, a USA energy provider. Without the colour, a real shortfall, there is a requirement to imagine the yellow.
The lock-ups and scaling of logos make for pleasing moment in the book, and really emphasis the power of repetition, and the usefulness of a well-designed mark seen at different sizes and in various configurations. Burlington Northern is a highlight with examples of rolling stock applications of the mark, but also Savin.
The full list of included manuals are as follows: Andco, Burlington Northern, Con Agra, Duquesne Light, Liggett Group, Louisiana Pacific, Moore Business Forms, McGraw Edison, Pitney Bowes, Savin, Sherwin-Williams, Trust Company Bank and D.C. Turner Construction Co.
The publication is very much a product of its time and while it does not match the reproduction quality we have come to expect from corporate identity manual reproductions from the likes of Standards Manual and Unite Editions, it still offers an interesting look at those smaller identity programmes, and is a chance to reflect on the commonalities and differences present in each.
Title: Corporate Identity Manuals
Author: David Carter
Year: 1976
Edition: 6, 1984
Pages: 208
Format: Hardback w/ Dust Jacket
Condition: V. Good