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ELEGANCE IS KEY TO ZIG?S ELYSIAN BRAND
CHICAGO IL
zig's Chicago office was tapped to create branding for the Elysian, a 60-story, uber-luxury hotel and residence newly opened in Chicago's affluent Gold Coast neighborhood. zig worked on everything from the print advertising, stationery and packaging, to luggage tags and coat check. "We had to articulate the brand at every imaginable touchpoint," says zig. "We focused on the idea that nothing, from key cards and valet tickets to the face of the telephone, was insignificant." Print was shot in the hotel's courtyard and evokes the client's commitment to returning travel to the elegant experience it used to be; the business cards use thick stock and are letterpressed. Even the smallest details were carefully thought out: a bookmark, for instance, is provided in each room and guests are encouraged to keep it. The Elysian's trademark pale pink and silver gray palette run through the branding. Creative credits for the brand ad include Creative Director Stephen Leps, Art Director Chris Berry, and photographer Jeff Sciortino. For the associated collateral, Leps worked with designer Genevieve Beharry, Design Director Andrew Cloutier, and photographer Karyn Valino. The team also came up with a Brand Book to bring to life the hotel for investors, stakeholders and employees. Kevin Lynch was Creative Director on the brand book project, and with Art Director Janay Blazejewski. Natalie Taylor was copywriter across the board.
Contact: www.zigideas.com

Saying? I Love New York? With Legos
NEW YORK NY
Illustrator Christoph Niemann has puzzled together a tour of New York's five boroughs with Lego simulations of the city's architectural landmarks and icons. Among the imagery: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, a yellow taxicab, a Nathan's hot dog and various noshes. The book, I LEGO N.Y., is published by Abrams Images.
www.abramsbooks.com/Books/I_LEGO_NY-9780810984905.html

THE URBAN FOREST PROJECT GROWS
Worldstudio first planted its Urban Forest in New York's Time Square. The street banner project was a huge success, garnering the attention and support of the design community and local media and organizations. Following the two-month display, the 175 banners were recycled into tote bags and sold to fund scholarship and mentoring programs. According to Mark Randall, principal of Worldstudio and Urban Forest creator, the program exceeded the expectations of all.

In Toledo, next up, the project is funded by the City of Toledo's 1% for Art Program, administered by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo. Key supporters include AIGA Toledo Chapter; Off Contact, the official UFP Toledo banner printer; Space237, the official gallery sponsor of UFP Toledo; and SWEAT (Summer Workshop for Experimentation and Thought) an independent and nonprofit collaborative workshop.

In San Francisco, which plans its hanging for later in the Spring, there has already been a sneak preview: a January gathering of designers, artists, students, business and civic leaders, along Mayor Gavin Newsom and residents from the Bayview community, to celebrate the environment, education and public arts. Urban Forest Project partners in San Francisco at the event included: Academy of Art University, AIGA SF, City and County of San Francisco, Friends of the Urban Forest and Adobe Youth Voices. After the banners are displayed, they will be recycled into unique products by Academy of Art University students to be sold at auction. The proceeds will benefit Friends of the Urban Forest to advance their goal of "creating a greener San Francisco, tree by tree."

Liska Furnishes Timeless Image
CHICAGO IL
Liska + Associates built a full-range of branding for custom furniture maker Chai Ming Studios. Every point of the brand program— naming, website, advertising, marketing materials, binders, showroom graphics, product labeling, promotional items, photography by Bill Zbaren — was designed to highlight the timelessness and artisanal detail in each piece of furniture. A highlight is a stationery system with a clear gloss foil stamped behind the logo to show the paper texture and have a subtle texture change, a characteristic of many pieces of furniture. Steve Liska is the Design Director, and Kim Fry and Liz Johnson served as Designers on the project.
Contact: www.liska.com

FORTUNE REINVESTS IN UPGRADED DESIGN
NEW YORK NY
Fortune, the embattled business magazine from the Time Inc. empire, has unveiled a dramatic redesign in the wake of plunging advertising revenue. The new look is described by Creative Director John Korpics as a "wholesale reinvestment in the brand." In addition to a new nameplate, new sections inside, new columnists and an emphasis on longform journalism, the magazine is now printing on better-quality paper and better cover stock. The relaunch featured four separate covers, each depicting soldiers who are the next wave of business executives. It's the mag's second makeover in a little more than two years, and this time it also comes with a reduction in frequency from 25 times a year to 18. Among business magazines tracked by Publishers Information Bureau, Fortune fared worst in terms of advertising pages in 2009, with a 36%drop during the 12-month period, compared to 2008.
Contact: www.Fortune.com

AGENCY BREWS COFFEE-CENTRIC LOGO
NEW YORK NY
Caribou Coffee customers nationwide are finding a new coffee-centric caribou on their cups. The 17-year-old brand has undergone a makeover, courtesy of Colle+McVoy, which rolls out this year and into early 2011. Central to the rebranding, the company's logo has been adapted to a simpler but playful representation. Most noticeably, the leaping caribou is now a coffee-brown color and is assembled out of graphic elements, including a coffee bean at the heart of the animal and "C" shaped antlers. The shield element in the original logo has been updated to a rich blue color with a new shape that echoes national park system signage, a nod to the Caribou founders' hike in Alaska's Denali National Park where they were inspired to begin the company. A redesigned website and extensive out-of-home campaign kicked off this spring. "Our brand relaunch runs much deeper than the new logo design; it really signifies the evolution of our company. We are passionate about and committed to creating the best cup of coffee possible and an experience that extends beyond our products," said Alfredo Martel, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the client. Mike Caguin of Colle+McVoy served as executive creative director.
Contact: www.collemcvoy.com

NAACP Elects To Emphasize - Voting
NEW YORK NY
Hyperakt's annual report for the NAACP — America's oldest and most influential civil rights organization — focuses on the power of voting as the ultimate expression of power, justice and freedom. With the historic election of President Barack Obama top of mind, Hyperakt's design team used the report to highlight the power of the vote. It further outlines the organization's achievements in this arena, as well as in community health and education, criminal justice, economic equality, and legal advocacy. Credits go to Hyperakt's Julia Vakser and Deroy Peraza for creative direction and design, and to designer
Contact: www.hyperakt.com