Bildrauch Filmfest Basel
Ludovic Balland
Mitch Paone:

The Bildrach Filmfest Basel project is just one of the many fine examples of Ludovic Balland’s ability to punch you in the face visually. The deliberately ugly treatment of the fused B and R creates such a gripping impression it becomes quite beautiful when treated in the entire identity. I admire work like this because it challenges our expectations of design thus leaving with a strong memory of the work (whether we love it or hate it).

D&AD Awards Showcase
Common Curiosity
Paul Felton:

The D&AD Awards Showcase is a platform to celebrate the years winners of the D&AD student briefs. Common Curiosity created a display system based around D&AD’s iconic pencil. Pegboard panels are populated with colour coded pencils denoting the level of award each student has won, along with a number of playful ways to utilise the humble pencil, including a big pencil of pencils!

D&AD’s 2017 Annual
Studio Sutherl&
Maisie Benson:

Studio Sutherl&’s design for the 2017 D&AD Annual cleverly reinstates the Annual as the Design Bible needed in everybody’s lives. Simple covers and multiple ribbons, which the reader can use to bookmark projects they admire, keeps the design both elegant and functional. Copy, written by Nick Asbury, repeatedly uses ampersands (in reference to the & in D&AD) to give the Annual an additional element of personality and ownability.

México Te Quiero Pin
Lance Wyman
Rob Duncan:

The great Lance Wyman has designed a pin to help raise money for Mexico. A lovely subtle reference for graphic design fans makes for a beautiful pin design. Pins can be purchased here.

The Boring Company
Luke Robertson:

The perfect name for a boring company. Playful, simple and memorable.

Staple
Christopher Doyle and Co.
Rob Duncan:

Staple, designed by Christopher Doyle and Co. is a small, Sydney based sourdough bakery focussed on producing a limited number of wholegrain, naturally leavened breads using 3 simple ingredients — flour, salt and water. Hence Staple is a great name! The symbol and logotype both suggest the handmade craft in a perfectly imperfect way. The symbol can be hand drawn with a finger aligning with the final step of the baker as they initial their creation before it goes into the oven.

Agatha Christie
Studio Sutherland
Rob Duncan:

Following up from their superb Agatha Christie stamps for the Royal Mail, Studio Sutherland has done it again. Problem solving and clever hidden ideas lend themselves perfectly to a new visual identity for media agency and production company Agatha Christie Limited (ACL). The identity aims to reflect how “intelligently crafted” Christie’s novels and characters are, says Studio Sutherland founder Jim Sutherland.

Orchestra Symphonique de Quebec
lg2 boutique
Rob Duncan:

Orchestras, symphonies, ballets are all dream jobs for graphic design agencies around the world. So many have been done so well it’s hard to come up with something original and memorable. However lg2 boutique managed to achieve it. This is such a simple, clever, elegant solution, combining the shapes of the instruments with a bold ‘O’. Vibrant, lively, timeless and flexible. Everything you’d want for a symphony orchestra identity.

Hiker
Christopher Doyle:

The AGDA Awards finalists have just been announced in Australia and there is a load of excellent work on show, like this wonderful identity for Hiker, a hiking podcast, by Ed. Such a lovely, simple idea based in a truth. I also love the vertical lockup. Minimum moves, maximum impact.