Pattern or Paragraph?

The firm Snøhetta has created an identity for a school—recently created from the merger of four schools—that focuses on the needs of the individual rather than on education itself. The new design perches halfway between type and graphics, merging the forms in a way that creates patterning that can actually be read.

See more being the school’s new identity here.

How the Sound of a Brand Matters

Studies show that “sound symbolism”—the theory that indicates that people attach specific meanings to speech sounds—has a significant effect on what brand names actually say to people.

In one study, “people who were told an ice cream is named ’frish’ think it tastes lighter and has fewer calories, while an ice cream called ’frosh’ tastes creamier, smoother, and richer (even though the ice cream people tasted was actually the same).” Other studies have found connections between “word sounds and concepts for all sorts of characteristics, including size, shape, speed, weight, sharpness, and creaminess.” (Art from Fast Company.)

Read more about why the sound of a brand name matters here.