High-end French furniture manufacturer/distributor Ligne Roset celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2010.

The family business is currently under the leadership of the fourth generation of Rosets, brothers Pierre and Michel, recently joined by their sons Antoine and Olivier. Today Ligne Roset does business in 71 countries.

Here’s the evolution of the company logo through the decades.

“Our first logo, before the days of modern branding and marketing. Circa 1930, as we began to establish our upholstery collection pre-WWII.”

“Moving towards the mid-century, our logo evolved to reflect our product; ‘sieges’ as in seats.”

“Our logo in the ’60s.”

“Moving into the ’70s, clearly; ‘the best moment of the day!’ was our tag for a period of time.”

“Later in the ’70s we expanded back to the full Ligne Roset name, adding in the smaller LR mark. As you’ll notice, moving into the ’70s as most other businesses, our logo and branding became more of a focal point, seeing more revisions.”

“Moving past the ’80s, we used this particular logo from 1990 up until very recently in 2007.”

“And our most contemporary logo, which we’ve stuck with through the ’90s and ’10s.”

Looking at the variations, and how they stack-up against today’s logotype, I’m glad the boxed-surround of 1990 onward was ditched. It was restricting, and didn’t benefit the design. It’s good that brand equity has been kept with the use of the same type-style for the past 40 years, and if there was to be a switch from the current iteration, I’d like to see experiments with the original script from back in the 30s. It shows a personal touch that says “high-end” more than the current logotype, and the handwritten style would also suit the family-run nature of the business.

Tip from Molly Washam of Attention.

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Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities isn’t just available in English. It’s also published in the following languages:

• German — courtesy of Addison-Wesley
• Polish — courtesy of Helion
• Chinese Simplified — courtesy of Posts and Telecommunications Press

Translations scheduled for 2011: Chinese Traditional, Czech, Korean, and Portuguese.

ePub format for iPad

My publisher is currently in negotiations with Apple to have all titles stocked in the iBookstore. In the meantime/alternatively, you can purchase Logo Design Love in Kindle format, then read it on the iPad using the free Kindle app.

Chinese lead type mold credit.

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Designer Jens Wickelgren of The Chase takes credit for the gold winner at last years Fresh Awards. The execution shown on the Freedom website is slightly different.

The lack of space between the logotype on the site and the off-cut “bird” makes it seem less like “Freedom” and more like a mistake. I also can’t imagine that Wickelgren wanted the “Travel Group” text treated like an afterthought.

A great logotype idea, sadly not done justice online. Reminds me of the Guild of Food Writers logo by 300million.

Tip from Blair Thomson of Believe In.

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This reversed option (below) came about in 1939.

“Wolfgang Schmittel joined the Braun design department as a freelancer in August of 1952. Upon his arrival, he revised the Braun logo and also gave it a reduced, constructively comprehensible form.”
— SIGHT UNSEEN

As we see it today.

——

Update: 23 July 2010
Daniel sums it up nicely when he says, “I absolutely love the geometric simplicity of the current incarnation, although their actual product and packaging design leaves a lot to be desired.”

——

View more evolution posts in the imaginatively-named evolution category.

Via Sight Unseen.

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In a quick follow-up my previously published Indian rupee options post, a new symbol has been approved by the Indian cabinet.

Those reading via email subscription can view the YouTube video here.

The design was chosen in a competition won by a teacher at one of the country’s Indian Institutes of Technology. Uday Kumar’s design was chosen from a shortlist of five and he was awarded around £3,500 in prize money. Interestingly, the short-list of five that was in circulation didn’t include the chosen option.

The symbol won’t be printed or embossed on currency notes or coins, but will be included in the Unicode Standard and major scripts of the world to ensure that it’s easily displayed and printed in the media.

The symbol will also distinguish the Indian currency from some other currencies in the region, like those of Pakistan and Nepal — also called rupee.

Among currencies with distinctive identities, only the pound sterling has its symbol printed on the notes.

Reported elsewhere:

• The Times of India
• Telegraph.co.uk
• Network World

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November will bring the first Brand New Conference. Looks excellent, doesn’t it?

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“The logo’s interlinking hands in the yellow and green of Brazil and shaped like a trophy aim to enhance Brazil’s image as a warm, hospitable nation. The design is taken from an iconic photograph of three hands triumphantly raising the World Cup.”
— QUOTE FROM WORLD FOOTBALL INSIDER

Some have likened it to a “facepalm.” I can see the resemblance, but personally, I’m just glad it’s an improvement on many of the previous World Cup logos.

Watch the launch video below (or here on YouTube).

Read more thoughts over on Abduzeedo.

Excerpt image courtesy of The Shrinking Foodie.

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If you can’t see the YouTube video above, view it here.

The Economic Times ran a survey asking for a selection from the options below.

It’s likely the chosen symbol will show the Hindi alphabet “R” with two lines, and the Hindustan Times reported the new rupee symbol would come from a shortlist of the following five.

Thanks for the tip, Guido.

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Via Ace Jet 170.

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Loan Fund for Musical Instruments — designed 1978

“Corporate identity for an organisation that provides money for the purchase of musical instruments. The mark symbolises the combination of music and finance.”

Nicholas — designed 1969

“A corporate identity programme for an international pharmaceutical group, including the design of a unique alphabet for use on signs. Designed at Allied International Designers, London in 1969.”

The archive includes a “reflections” section where you’ll find various talks and articles produced by Lloyd over the years. Here’s an excerpt from his Beyond the logo article, first written in 1985 — yet still relevant today.

“A company’s true corporate identity is the sum total of all the impressions it conveys to all its audiences. A corporate image will be influenced more by the way telephones are answered, the performance and reliability of products, speed of delivery, the quality of after sales service, attitudes to the environment and personnel policy than it will by the logotype on note paper and truck sides.

“This is not to say that a corporate identification system is not worthwhile. A consistent and coordinated way of identifying a company can undoubtedly help it to achieve a higher profile and can influence the attitudes of all those who come into contact with it.”
— JOHN LLOYD

British Airports — designed 1986

“Corporate identity linking all Britain’s major airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Southampton. The project covered all aspects of implementation: airport and office signs, vehicle livery, communications and design management.”

View the John Lloyd archive here.

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