Alibris
Job:12-84823 Title:RP-Graphic Design That Works (LDW)
175# Dtp:120/163 Page:27
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Client
Alibris is an online retailer of hard-to-find books.
ART DIRECTOR
Kit Hinrichs
DESIGNER
Jackie Foshaug
FIRM
Pentagram Design Inc.
Process
Though Alibris is an online company that uses cutting-edge technology to function,
the company’s actual product, books, is centuries old. This mix of old and new
became the starting point for Pentagram’s San Francisco office when it set out to
design Alibris’s logo. “We wanted to create a visual representation that looked mod-
ern and fresh but also harkened back to classic book design,” says designer Jackie
Foshaug. Inspiration came from letterpress books of the 1950s, designs that today
feel both modern in that they incorporate simple typography and geometric shapes,
as well as old as they were produced in pre-computer days. For the logotype,
Foshaug chose Bodoni. “Bodoni is one of those great faces that has roots in history
but has a contemporary look because of its square serifs and geometric forms,” says
Foshaug. Next, she added three overlapping rectangles, elements that echo the color
bar forms found in 1950’s book design. Unlike the color bars of old, however, a more
muted palette of orange, olive, and blue was used to give the mark a more contem-
porary feel. As a final touch, the first letter of the company’s name—libris means
book in Latin—was set in italics to aid pronunciation. The italicized a, which resem-
bles the “@” symbol of Internet addresses, also serves as a visual reminder that the
company conducts business online.
What Works
The logo, which consists of the company’s name set in a modified Bodoni against
three translucent, overlapping rectangles, is based on letterpress book design. The
rectangles also suggest a stack of books or a series of pages.
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