Typography functions as core infrastructure, a device and a tool that helps them to do their jobs properly.
We approached the process very delicately.
We struck a balance between form and function.
Moodboards result in visual derivatives.
Listen first, have good bedside manner, and take the blame, even if it’s not (entirely) your fault.
We love the distribution of information just as much as the design itself.
Elizabeth Goodspeed explores the growing trend of design studios creating their own custom typefaces as part of brand identity systems. The article examines how typography has evolved from a supporting role to a central brand asset, citing examples from studios like Koto, Order, and R&M. It argues that custom fonts offer brands originality, flexibility, and stronger visual ownership in an increasingly crowded design landscape.
The article details how design studio Order collaborated with Herman Miller to refresh the brand’s identity after 25 years, using Frontify as a brand management platform. Through archival research and careful restraint, the team modernized the system while preserving the iconic Irving Harper ‘M’ symbol, introducing the Söhne typeface and an expanded color palette. The result is a refreshed yet familiar identity that honors Herman Miller’s design legacy and supports its global retail expansion.
The Brand Identity interviews New York-based comms+ agency Daly about their reinvention of traditional PR practices. Founder Alex Daly and Managing Director Ally Bruschi discuss their shift to a holistic 'comms+' model, their work with design studios like Pentagram and Athletics, and how they help creative clients build sustained visibility through strategic storytelling and newsletters. The piece highlights Daly’s evolution from crowdfunding consultancy to a full-service communications partner for design-led brands.
The Brand Identity’s feature 'Rules, Relations & Reasons' concludes The A Paper series with a manifesto for the graphic design industry. In partnership with Antalis Creative Power, the article invites James Horwitz, Yah-Leng Yu, Jesse Reed, and Morgane VanTorre to each propose a guiding 'rule' for designers, accompanied by downloadable wallpapers. The discussion explores client relationships, mental health, originality, and creative awareness within the design process.
The Brand Identity interviews Jesse Reed, co-founder of Order and Standards Manual, about the evolution of his Brooklyn-based studio, their publishing ventures, and lessons learned from Michael Bierut at Pentagram. Reed discusses the studio’s modular approach to identity design, particularly for MoMA, and the balance between client work, book publishing, and their new digital brand guidelines platform, Standards.