The Amazing History Of London's Most Enduring Logo

FOR OVER A CENTURY, THE LONDON UNDERGROUND ROUNDEL HAS GOTTEN INTO THE DNA OF SOME OF THE WORLD'S TOP DESIGNERS. A NEW BOOK EXPLORES HOW.

It is hard to imagine a simpler symbol than the one that brands every London bus, subway, and station, the London Underground Roundel. Although little more than a dark blue bar placed across two red-rimmed semi-circles, the Roundel has evolved from humble signage meant to tell passengers where to get off the train to an emblem that represents not just a metropolis but its people as well. The Roundel's incredible journey is being freshly explored in Logo for London, a beautiful, lavishly illustrated new book. Published by Laurence King, Logo for London tracks the Roundel's cultural, artistic, and social importance over the last hundred years as it became the world's most well-known transportation symbol.

"Like many millions of other people commuting through London, I saw this symbol at every station countless times per day," says Logo for London author David Lawrence. A design historian stationed at the University at Kingston University, Lawrence began to wonder how such an abstract symbol as the London Underground Roundel became an important part of the life of the city. "I rather foolishly made myself the man responsible for trying to interpret it for as wide an audience as possible." After 15 years spent poring through city archives, papers, and ephemera for any mention of the Roundel, Lawrence's book is the definitive history of an important cultural icon.

While simple, the genius of the Roundel's design is that it is a perfectly abstract symbol for the concept of a subway itself. It implies what it stands for. The Roundel's semicircles form opposing platforms seen on either side of the intersecting line, an underground railroad that both divides and unites the symbol as a whole into a destination. "It's entrancing in its simplicity and power," says Lawrence. "The Roundel is neither picture nor typography. The Roundel is always instantly recognizable as itself in whatever context it is placed while simultaneously communicating the idea of transportation, urban cool, and serving as a visual metonym for London itself."

The London Roundel traces its origins back to 1906, when the Underground Electric Railways Company of London, shortened to the Underground Group, decided they needed a way to tell passengers riding on the subways where they were within the bowels of the city's vast underground labyrinth of stations. What was wanted was signage that was easy to read and had a distinctive enough design that it would stand out even amongst the busy visual background noise of subway billboards and advertisements.

It's true that there have been occasional attempts to abandon it. In 1933, the Underground Group was renamed to be London Passenger Transport Board. Although "Underground" had previously looked satisfying written across the Roundel's blue bar, the London Passenger Transport Board's name was just too unwieldy. It couldn't quite squeeze in. And attempts to ditch the Roundel to accommodate the Underground's longer new name proved wildly unpopular. When it was clear that the symbol itself could not be abandoned, the abbreviation L.P.T.B. was crammed into the Roundel's topmost semi-circles, and a thick line was added to the inside of the ring to visually counterbalance the extra weight of the letters. Even this solution, though, didn't last. In what Lawrence refers to as a "unique and interesting example of an organization changing its outward facing name just to suit an iconic symbol," the L.P.T.B. eventually renamed itself to London Transport.

What makes the London Underground Roundel so unique amongst logos? "It is one very few symbols in the world that represents a city, a place, a transportation network, and an experience of place, all at the same time," Lawrence tells Co.Design. "People associate the Roundel with their time in London, and from that cultural association, it has moved into an entire network of counterculture uses and appropriations." In fact, the Roundel has made the leap from train platforms to fashion labels, record covers, club fliers, beer labels, and more. Even better? The Roundel stays classy and elegant no matter where it goes, with none of the implied hokeyness of similar symbols like, say, the "I (Heart) N.Y." slogan.

Epic Story in 3 Minutes

It's only Tuesday, but this ad for a telecom in Thailand, may be the best thing you'll watch all week.

The spot weaves a story about kindness rewarded over the course of 30 years. While the tale could have been rendered maudlin, it instead receives a cinematic treatment that is genuinely affecting. Many commenters raved that the ad is "better than a Hollywood movie" and that it made them cry.

Do share your thoughts on the tearjerker ad in the comments.

DIY TATTOO INK GUNS

I was in Botswana this week and most of the countries newspaper covered the escape of 3 death-row inmates, this made me think of prison and how inmates are capable of designing incredible tools while behind bars and also able to find their way out of tight security. Others develop ways of boiling water using the light bulb connection, some invent new of charging cellphone batteries  and then, there are those who make motorised pens which are used to cut into the flesh of fellow inmates. Several years ago, a my ex-convict friend tolled me that in South African prisons, nails and makeshift blades, are rubbed into the wounds with a mixture of melted black rubber seals, ground red brick, trash bins, batteries, and saliva  to ink tattoos, I wonder if they've started making motorised ink pens these days.

The saying; necessity is the mother of all inventions, has never rung more true than in pirsons around the world.

Famed Louisiana-born tattoo artist Scott Campbell created a series of realistic ink wash paintings on paper depicting novel and improvised tools. Campbell built these DIY contraptions as part of a project to administer tattoos to inmates inside Mexico City prisons and document prison tattoo culture.

The series of watercolors capture the essence of the unique machines. The use of black ink with a definitively applied brush technique is unforgiving and requires focus as strokes can’t be changed or erased once painted.

Campbell unveiled the realistic paintings at a recent solo exhibition at OHWOW in Los Angeles titled “Things Get Better.” Scroll down and see the impressive series of makeshift ink guns:

Girls at War

Since Chinua Achebe's death, my Facebook feed has been inundated with great quotes from the great writer. There is a particular Achebe book that I love, it's a excellent example of how great literary work can inspire good book cover design. 

Above image is the first stage book cover of "Girls at War and Other Stories" by Chinua Achebe. The book is a collection of short stories about life in Nigeria.  One of my favorite aspects of Achebe's writing are the titles he chooses for his books.  In his titles he says so much with very few words.


Girls at War and Other Stories reveals life in Nigeria and traces twenty years in the literary career of one of this century's most acclaimed writers. In this collection of stories, which displays an astonishing range of experience, Chinua Achebe takes us inside the heart and soul of a people whose pride and ideals must compete with the simple struggle to survive. Hailed by critics everywhere, Chinua Achebe's fiction re-creates with energy and authenticity the major issues of daily life in Africa.

Sketches for Girls at War

Hand lettering

Final book cover

Coca Cola Small World Machines

It has been a while since I've posted. Think it's appropriate that my first post after a month, is one that speak to reestablishing relations, to the exchanging of ideas and to how advertising can be used as platform to address or assist in solving social issues. 

In March 2013, Coca-Cola set out to break down barriers and create a simple moment of connection between two nation, India and Pakistan. The Happiness Without Borders initiative, also known as “Small World Machines”, provided a live communications portal between people in India and Pakistan and showed that what unites us is stronger than what sets us apart. The key to engaging with each other through the machines was simple: people in India and Pakistan could complete a task, like touching hands, drawing peace, love, and happiness symbols, together.

In March, the vending machines were placed in two different locations, one in India and another in Pakistan. People were encouraged to put their differences aside and complete a friendly task together – wave, touch hands, draw a peace sign or do a dance – in order to receive a Coke. The actual “Small World Machines” are live portals that take the shape of Coke vending machines. The machines are the first of its kind and have the ability to virtually unite people. In order to connect people in two different countries and capture such an intimate experience, Coke and Leo Burnett created unique 3D touchscreen technology to project a streaming live video feed onto the vending machine screen while simultaneously filming through the machine to capture a live emotional exchange.

This technology resembled the act of looking into a full-length webcam, face-to-face with another person. At the same time, people were encouraged to interact with touchscreen animation including peace signs and smiley faces drawings that could be traced together with hand-to-hand connection. Once the shared tasks were completed, a celebration screen emerged which triggered the vending machine to dispense a free Coke for each person.

“Small World Machines” solidifies the notion that what unites humanity is far stronger 

than what sets us apart. The experience evoked many, heartwarming and emotional 

reactions. One Pakistani remarked, “It’s great to connect with the average Indian who 

probably knows nothing about the average Pakistani.” Another Indian said, “It’s 

something to really bring the countries together,” and “It’s fantastic that you’re allowing 

people to see the other side as well, to not let it be a mystery anymore.” During the 

three-day experience, more than 10,000 cans of Coke were given away.

Credits

The Small World Machines campaign was developed at Leo Burnett Chicago and Leo Burnett Sydney by global chief creative officer Mark Tutssel, chief creative officer/art director Andy DiLallo, executive creative directors Dave Loew and Jon Wyville, creative directors Grant McAloon, Vince Lagana, art director Justin Carew, copywriter Iggy Rodriguez, designers Omari Miller, John-Henry Pajak and David Mugford, director/editor Patrick Fileti, 2nd unit director Angus Forbes, creative technology director Chad Mirshak, creative technologists Brendan Crich, Keong Seet, Scott North, executive director of production Vincent Geraghty, directors of production operations Michael Shanahan, Amir Mireskandari, executive producer Adrian Gunadi, producers Stephen Clark and Michelle Browne, executive strategy director Wells Davis, strategy director Olivier Tse, executive account director Bob Raidt, account supervisor Katie Nikolaus.

Leo Burnett partnered with Highlight Films and The Super Group. Set dressing was by Full Circle Corporation Marketing. Music was produced at Song Zu.

Keep Calm & Carry On

You’ve seen it everywhere. From posters at agencies, coffee shops or galleries, to mugs, screensavers, t-shirts and tattoos. Oh, and of course, all its numerous satiric variations online. But, do you really know the origin and history of this iconic poster? The fact that it was commissioned and created back in 1939 yet it was never released to the public? There’s more to this poster than just Urban Outfitters iPhone covers, and it is a very interesting and cool story. Today, we’ll learn the history behind the iconic “Keep Calm & Carry On” poster thanks to Barter Books, home of the original poster.

In the Spring of 1939, with war against Germany all but inevitable, the British Government’s Ministry of Information commissioned a series of propaganda posters to be distributed throughout the country at the onset of hostilities. It was feared that in the early months of the war Britain would be subjected to gas attacks, heavy bombing raids and even invasion. The posters were intended to offer the public reassurance in the dark days which lay ahead.

The posters were required to be uniform in style and were to feature a ’special and handsome’ typeface making them difficult for the enemy to counterfeit. The intent of the poster was to convey a message from the King to his people, to assure them that ‘all necessary measures to defend the nation were being taken’, and to stress an ‘attitude of mind’ rather than a specific aim. On the eve of a war which Britain was ill-equipped to fight, it was not possible to know what the nation’s future aims and objectives would be.

At the end of August 1939 three designs went into production with an overall print budget of £20,600 for five million posters. The first poster, of which over a million were printed, carried a slogan suggested by a civil servant named Waterfield. Using the crown of George VI as the only graphic device, the stark red and white poster read ‘Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution will Bring Us Victory’. A similar poster, of which around 600,000 were issued, carried the slogan ‘Freedom is in Peril’. But the third design, of which over 2.5 million posters were printed, simply read ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’.

The first two designs were distributed in September 1939 and immediately began to appear in shop windows, on railway platforms, and on advertising hoardings up and down the country. But the ‘Keep Calm’ posters were held in reserve, intended for use only in times of crisis or invasion. Although some may have found their way onto Government office walls, the poster was never officially issued and so remained virtually unseen by the public – unseen, that is, until a copy turned up more than fifty years later in that box of dusty old books bought in auction by Barter Books.

The Ministry of Information commissioned numerous other propaganda posters for use on the home front during the Second World War. Some have become well-known and highly collectable, such as the cartoonist Fougasse’s ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’ series. But we will probably never know who the graphic artist was who was responsible for the ‘Keep Calm’ poster, but it’s to his or her credit that long after the war was won, people everywhere recognize the brilliance of its simple timeless design and still find reassurance in the very special ‘attitude of mind’ it conveys.