Location Specific, Medium Specific, Time Specific

Modern life constantly shifts across the boundaries of the physical and the digital, so designers are obsessed with flexibility. Does this logo look good big? Does it look good small? Does it look good printed? Does it look good on a screen? Does it look good in dark mode?

Here’s a reactionary thought: how about singular design? Design that is so location and time specific, that it would make no sense in any other context. Design for 5 people. Design to be destroyed by the end of the night. Design that is dated by the next day. Design like an avocado, catch it before its rotten.

This idea, at its worst, reminds me of fast-fashion, something wasteful. Thus, this only works on a community level. It’s design for a moment, a conversation, not to be reproduced 1 million times.

What I’m pushing against is what people THINK a logo or design should be. There are rules that are inflicting a sea of gray sameness upon modernity. This kind of geometry, this kind of font. A logo can’t be a photo, a logo can’t be a detailed illustration, etc. Much of this is in some kind of pursuit of timelessness, swappability.

You know those strings of logos that end up on a website? “These are companies we’ve worked with”, “these people are saying . . “ Imagine a logo so specific, it looks stupid in that lineup.

THAT would be cool identity.