Pentagram Sucks...
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- max_prophet0
I'm sure even Pentagram have difficulty handling asshole clients with multi-million dollar global accounts.
Saying they suck is pretty naive and ultimately, stupid.
- Amicus0
any firm is only as good as its recent work. What they did in the 70s 80s or 90s for that matter doesn't count if they have burnt themselves out and lost their creativity.
- tomkat0
thread marked as blasphemy.
- ukit0
No designer or firm should be above being questioned. Too many people simply accept the fact that so and so is the greatest because they read it in a book somewhere.
- Iggyboo0
I actually took a look at the majority of their identity portfolio that people were griping about. Ok, the majority of the work there shown is only taken at a snippet of what their entire branding systems are. That being said Pentagram offers a clear aesthetic that is typographic driven. I do not really care for their recent aesthetic as can be seen with their "edgy" cut off type in the nyc creative but it comes together and works on the Sak's creative. And if you look at ruby tuesdays, I have to say I really like that creative it's simple and type driven but it works. You don't need too much when doing great creative. Pentagram has it when it comes to keeping it simple, but no one, no company can always do great creative forever. But their doing decent creative imo 2 cent opinion.
- Amicus0
For those that didn't get it... I woke up feeling like a bear with a sore head as it was extremely hot here in Melbourne overnight and I slept badly. I saw a couple of boring, sub excellent (sucky) logos from a respected Design Firm and overreacted to the max.
If only I'd been able to get back to sleep I wouldn't have shot my mouth off so quickly and worded my reaction to the logos (not the rest of the identity) in a more considered fashion.
- cannonball0
This whole industry is managed by perception. How the hell do you think they got to the top of their roost? Through hard work? They perpetuate the illusion of being better. Maybe there's talent there and maybe there isn't. When it comes down to it, I don't see their work as better than anyone else's, but somehow they "appear" that way. I believe it's that quality that largely differentiates us designers to other people (and to a huge extent, to each other as designers). Selling yourself. I for one am awful at it, no matter how good I may or may not be at designing.
- simply put: pretentiousnessJG_LB
- Big, nice office, famous clients = more famous clients.bainbridge
- Iggyboo0
This is a very interesting response to Pentagram. People are attacking pillars in the design community ( maybe due to the recession and job losses ) when you start throwing barbs at that studio. They have honestly done some great work in the long run. In the short run I agree I have seen some less that great identity design / conceptual branding from them but no they do not suck. Their expected to do the best creative however possible, in my opinion.
- MT090
Pentagram designed the logo and brand standards. However the NY Philharmonic it seems is having another agency (MunnRabot) do it's advertising and collateral...assuming that is the actual booklet/ handouts and print/newspaper/magazine advertising etc. Found this out via google after some detective work of my own. It even says it on their site ( www.munnrabot.com )
- refunktion0
now i want a job there.
- Amicus0
quote from onewhoslaps
"hmmmm.......
i'd worry about making a website that works before you go start bashing established work and great historical design institutes.
amicus website - http://www.comingsoon.com.au/
"Web Site not configured" "Wow... and he/she don't have a site listed themselves. I think I heard whispers about a pot? Or was it a kettle?
- typist0
i think pentagram set the bar of corporate identity in the 80s and 90s
but the latest identities they create are below their standard, still the application of the logo through out save it somehow
pentagram's work? more like logopond's work to me
doesnt say ballet or NYC to me
bad logo, good application- almost my point... but why should a logo needing saving by it's application?Amicus
- agreed. a lot of their work looks stock to me.dirtydesign
- I did not realize that Pentagram was this bad, I might change my mind about them?utopian
- cough http://www.kiggen.be…tank02
- magnificent_ruin0
as much as anything, people admire the systematic programs enabled by a well-funded, well-organized insfrastructure
- jfletcher0
I met one of their old parnters at a design conference both of us were speaking at. During a dinner he expressed "we were different, because he is a craftsman". Mostly becasue I hand interaction design and not graphic design in my talk. I thought he was a complete douche, not to mention his talk was terrible and boring.
As for Petagrams work, I like a good amount of it, and they are well respected. Besides the one guy, no problems here.
- pepe0
but see, 'boring' and 'sucks' are two very different things. logos you buy through craigslist suck, but pentagram logos are boring sometimes. i would think they are pretty good if not interesting if it werent for their public speaking engagements. everytime ive seen a partner from there speak i felt like i was a homeless man walking into burberry by their tone. i think they hol themselves to a higher place, and may have been there in the 70s or 80s but now there are too many good designers to be that elite.
- I happen to think that good design is interesting, and therefore boring is bad design ergo - sucks!Amicus
- Amicus0
I'm glad that my post has at least got some people thinking... even if my initial post was poorly written and not thought through.
I do stand by my initial opinion that many of their recent logos are boring. It's my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
- Many of their recent logos do look like college interns created them.utopian