Opinion BY Armin

Midnight in the Garden of Type and Image

Before moving to a 20-acre lot in 2006, Johnson’s Backyard Garden (JBG) was literally just a garden for, well, the Johnsons, Beth and Brenton in Austin, TX. Today JBG is a 70-acre certified organic farm that functions through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, meaning that members buy a “share” in JBG’s crop and in return they get delicious boxes every week of whatever the hard-working people have harvested. JBG counts with over 1,000 members making it the biggest CSA farm in Texas. Earlier this year, JBG started using a new logo created by fellow Austinite Ryan Rhodes who happened to end up living in the Johnsons’ old house.

There’s no deep philosophy behind it really. There’s just that gut feeling you get when you see something and it just feels right. Hard to put in words I think without sounding really silly. When I started exploring designs for JBG, I had just finished a poster of a quote my dad said to me as a kid all the time, “Can’t never could.” [Shown above]. Always stuck with me. I made the lettering using pieces of wood that had been inked and printed. So I tried to do some illustrations of beets and carrots and making the letters JBG with those pieces. It felt right. It reminded me of plotted farm land, or crop circles, or quilts. It was very elementary to a degree, a back to basics, building block exercise for me. And then I realized that a farm is very much like that. Using what you have… the land, the equipment, your hands, hard work, different people from different backgrounds… and putting those pieces in action to produce something that changes seasonally. Much like the boxes of produce, you never get the same thing twice. There’s a system, but it’s a very organic one, pardon the pun.
— JBG’s blog

Beyond being cool, and I’ll get to that in a second, the new logo replaces the previous logo which was the result of a $300 design contest back in 2008, so right off the bat, the new identity is a winner.

Tomato box in use, above, along with side and top views, below.

As mentioned in the opening quote, the new logo and identity revolve around inked pieces of wood that are then arranged quite organically to make up letters that then make words, or shapes like roosters and beets. For an organic farm, its seems like there couldn’t be a better fit than this identity. Granted, it could be applied to any organic farm in the world but, let’s face it: cool, weird, funky things like these tend to grow better in places like Austin. Some might remember this work from London-based Airside in January of 2009 — I have nothing else to add on that, just wanted to note it. What I like about the JBG work is that has an interesting balance between the woodsy and organic with something almost mechanical and early bitmap. Plus, those tomatoes look amazing. They need to be eaten, pronto.

Ryan’s work for JBG first spotted via Public School.

cmdp’s comment is:

Looks like someone hired Tim Burton for a branding job.

On Jul.06.2010 at 06:21 AM

Corrupt Network’s comment is:

Just perfect. Except the plastic wrapped tomatoes.

On Jul.06.2010 at 06:35 AM

Everett’s comment is:

This is perfect. Let’s hope he got more than just a measly $300; this type of thinking and effort is worth much more.

On Jul.06.2010 at 06:48 AM

Erwin’s comment is:

What’s with all the grayscales??? This should be as colorful as possible, you could use all kinds of veggie colors like fresh green or orange, mixed with warm brownish tints, some wood textures here and there… Now it’s, despite the varity of different shapes, a bit dull… Like an old newspaper or a black and white photocopy… Still digging it though!

On Jul.06.2010 at 06:56 AM

Lester’s comment is:

This is my favorite branding system posted in a long time. I say branding system instead of logo because, as a whole system I really love it, although the logo itself looks like JBC instead of JBG to me. I like the version with the squared-off bottom-right more, as it looks more like a G.

But overall, whoa… Gorgeous. Especially love the Homegrown Tomatoes, and how beautiful it looks printed on the boxes.

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:11 AM

sam’s comment is:

I agree with erwin, as far as colour goes - inject it in! just not into the foods!

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:13 AM

Lester’s comment is:

Having thought a little more about this brand, I think the reason I love it so much is it’s just so damn risky. I’m not sure I could have taken those risks when doing an identity, but I’m glad that Ryan did. Look at the ‘e’s in the word “never”—those shapes don’t even come close to resembling an actual letter ‘e’, yet it’s immediately (at least for me) recognizable as an ‘e’. I think most designers would have been too worried that the audience ‘wouldn’t get it’ and would have dumbed it down.

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:15 AM

Martin Boath’s comment is:

This is becoming something of a trend these last couple of years – the back-to-basics ink blocking – but that’s not to say this isn’t good; it is. It’s very good. There has been a lot of time, care, attention and thought put into this and using the same set of blocks used to create the type to then create illustrations is brilliant. The fact that each letter is different too highlights the level of detail that has gone into this job.

The criticism that it is too mono? Pretty valid I’d say, though there is something really homemade about the use of black only. But the inclusion of colour would be easy enough to do and would be a great, and simple, way of developing the brand in the future.

Great work

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:16 AM

sdlsd’s comment is:

The fruits and veggies themselves provide plenty of colour, so I have no problem with the grayscale.

I think it’s great. There’s a lot of detail in there that could cause problems (if you listen to conventional wisdom), but it doesn’t seem to be an issue. Most importantly, it looks cool. It makes me want to buy tomatoes.

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:19 AM

nora’s comment is:

I think this is one of the best brandings done in a while, on these posts I mean. I think its fresh and new, and fun. I wuldnt have minded some color though..but love it!

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:29 AM

Julia Spangler’s comment is:

Ryan did a great job balancing the rhythm and weights of the letters in the different phrases. This must have been challenging to apply to all the products; each phrase would be like a new puzzle.

My only question is scalability. Clearly this is a raster solution, which makes me instinctively nervous, but perhaps scalability isn’t really a concern when each application has to be individually pieced together anyway.

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:30 AM

Mr. Kim’s comment is:

I really love the black dot version of the mark… it’s awesome!

But, I’m not sure I’d eat those tomatoes…

^_^

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:33 AM

ScottyM’s comment is:

I like it. But, I’m confused about the two marks (within the holding circle and without a circle)?

Why are they different … and when does the “sans” circle get used?!

(i.e., the tomato package is using the “circle” JBG … without the circle. So, what’s the point of the sans circle?)

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:42 AM

B’s comment is:

I have some of these in my kitchen right now, weird.

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:59 AM

Ricky’s comment is:

This is the best piece of branding I’ve seen here for a long time too. I disagree with the comments about the lack of colour. Let those veggies sing! They’re colourful and weirdly shaped enough.

It stays clear of trying hard to be hand made and quirky… it just is, and in just the right amount.

Well done.

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:14 AM

Lester’s comment is:

I like the black. It’s cheaper to print that way, which for a smaller organization like Johnson’s Backyard Garden has gotta be important. Plus, more than one color might weaken the brand—it’s smart branding to attach yourself to a single color, many times—black printed on brown cardboard looks wonderful to me.

Also, perhaps they tried a version in color and decided that black just looked better and stronger to them. I’m trying to envision it in color, and I think I’d still choose black.

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:26 AM

abu’s comment is:

There’s no deep philosophy behind it really. There’s just that gut feeling you get when you see something and it just feels right. Hard to put in words I think without sounding really silly.

Thank you thank you thank you.
I despise most of branding rationalizations and I really like this attitude.

Just one note: the branding system looks beautiful, but the logo just seems more appropriate for a timber company than for a farm.

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:27 AM

jonathan’s comment is:

Really nice, original and organic feel. I prefer the JBG logo on the right rather than the left, I feel like the bottom of that G is a little hard to read. Really nice cohesive work though, I especially love the “family friends & farm” rhombus on the box!

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:29 AM

Gunter Soydanbay’s comment is:

As much as I liked the visuals, I disagree with their decision of using acronyms.

Not only JBG sounds like an engineering firm, it is also a combination of letters that is pretty hard to pronounce (jaybeegee).

Moreover, JBG loses the human touch that Johnson’s Backyard Garden had.

Previously, I posted a link about the acronyms that work, so I don’t want to clutter here with the same link. The name is very long and it needed to be shortened. But I think Johnson’s Backyard, Johnson’s Garden, J’s Backyard are all better names that JBG.

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:34 AM

jonsel’s comment is:

I’m glad you pointed out the Airside work for Greenpeace from a few years ago. They share some conceptual roots, definitely, but I think this is better. It’s just freakin’ gorgeous. I even love the monotone look. It feels very grassroots and basic while being very well-considered in design. A great solution for a local business.

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:38 AM

Erwin’s comment is:

Off course the logo won’t always be used in combination with the actual fruits en veggies, and then it might look a bit sad cause of the lack of color.

Those bags have a really “charcoaly” feel about them… And that’s not really mouth-watering (except when by charcoal you think of BBQ!)…

I bet those shirts and bags would sell a lot faster if it had some bright colors in them.

However I have to admit it does look cool on the wooden crates…
In a way I get the comparison with Burton’s work (although that was probably a joke…)

I still like the originality and handmade feel of it, but it could (with some small adjustments) be a lot more tasty and fresh!

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:42 AM

Sam’s comment is:

Nice to see an honest quote from the designer/company that isn’t full of stupid marketing speak!

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:51 AM

Sam’s comment is:

Oops, Abu already said the same thing. Should really read all the other comments first :P

On Jul.06.2010 at 08:53 AM

Steven Hoober’s comment is:

While I like most of the treatments, I also agree that color would help. I’d be pining for one of those carrot shirts if it was orange and green.

But the logo itself, bleh. Doesn’t read, doesn’t express “backyard garden” or even “something edible.” Sorry, just not getting that at all.

P.S. Voting broken for me again. No button so cannot vote or see other’s voting. And why just “execution”? Would rather have two so I can express the logo is meh but the whole system is pretty good…

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:07 AM

David’s comment is:

our world should be this gorgeous. great work.

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:10 AM

dglassdes’s comment is:

I’m with Abu and Sam. Love the straightforwardness of the quote. The branding is great too. Excellent turnip t-shirt!

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:12 AM

Rondal’s comment is:

Definitely a very honest-looking branding package, though I agree with everyone else in regards to showing some more color (and being deathly afraid to eat those tomatoes). I’m glad they didn’t go the route of an overly polished, large corporation identity as this approach makes them stand out all that much more and the integration of the “hills” into the typeface is a nice, understated touch.

@Martin Boath: In time everything eventually becomes a trend, haha. I don’t mean that to sound like a smart-@ss, you’re comment simply inspired that thought. It’s true though, wouldn’t you agree?

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:12 AM

Narretz’s comment is:

It’s good, I really like it. But was it neccessary? The old logo wasn’t that bad.

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:17 AM

niko’s comment is:

I would love to see those illustrations with a splash of colour, right now they look decayed and unappetizing.

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:26 AM

Eric’s comment is:

Beautiful. The black and white is functional and gives the packaging a nice amount of authenticity. No multinational corporations here. The color comes from the product itself.

The illustration style of the type translates well to the product illustrations. It feels appropriately earthy and primal, and it looks great stamped on cardboard and screened on the tote bags. Great job!

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:36 AM

Glenn’s comment is:

Aboslutely love it

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:40 AM

JSu’s comment is:

Love it. I love my CSA, but I would switch just to experience this stuff every week. Too bad Austin is so far away!

Where can I get one of those beet tshirts?

On Jul.06.2010 at 09:54 AM

Martin Boath’s comment is:

@Rondal — I agree that many styles cross over and become a ‘trend’ – I’m sure we could all compile a long list of examples – but I’d be wary of embarking on a project that is so distinctive-looking but the style of which has been doing the rounds for a couple of years now (the brilliant work shown by the fantastic Airside is just one instance). There may come a point in the not-too-distant future where we will all wail if we see ink blocking used… again.

But this is done fantastically well and is entirely appropriate with the subject matter so it more than succeeds in this case; it’s not yet another example of using a graphic style just for the sake of it or purely because it looks nice.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:04 AM

ryan’s comment is:

Thank you all for your feedback, it’s really nice to hear from such diverse opinions. And thank you, Armin.

JSu, you can purchase the beet shirt here, http://www.jbgorganic.com/goodies.php … new site in the works. Thanks for your interest.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:10 AM

Jason’s comment is:

Love it, especially the way the “feel” is integrated all the way through, even to the veggie shirts at the end. Like the subtle woodcut style.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:11 AM

Darrel’s comment is:

Wonderful

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:13 AM

Rafe’s comment is:

love the homegrown look to it all - very well done.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:17 AM

obse.’s comment is:

This is absolutely amazing.
And I love how honest that quote sounds.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:19 AM

Sofia’s comment is:

Everything looks great (specially the beet and carrot illustrations), i would just like to add some color to it at some point…

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:23 AM

Glen’s comment is:

I don’t like it. Sure, it may look interesting and fun, but nothing about this makes me think organic. If you just used the stenciling without “Johnson’s Backyard Gardening” you would think of something mechanical, cold, and systematic - pretty much the opposite of organic gardening.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:24 AM

Impossibly Stupid’s comment is:

I don’t really like it. It seems like it’s trying to hard to be “natural”. Seems forced. And the font, if that can be called a font, is not very readable. The concept might have been a great starting point, but the execution fails.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:43 AM

Nick’s comment is:

@Glen I could not disagree with you more… what exactly doesn’t feel organic to you?

To me, it feels perfectly organic, just not typically organic… which is exactly why it works.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:44 AM

Brad’s comment is:

Great work. I do not see the lack of color in the design as a problem. I see it as a smart move. All of the color is found in the product: VEGETABLES! The grayscale identity design is like rich soil upon which the colors of the garden can shine.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:48 AM

Pedro’s comment is:

Just feels right.

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:06 AM

Zack’s comment is:

This is a great example of imaging that when placed onto products and packaging looks really good, but when viewed as a standalone image doesn’t look nearly as good. They should have an alternate image set for use in standalone print.

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:15 AM

Ben Hansen’s comment is:

Love it! …the guys at Public School consistently crank out quality work.
Just found my new CSA.

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:20 AM

Quinn’s comment is:

Very creative, funky, and modern yet natural! As far as the texture execution goes… is this purely a raster solution? Just curious about the effect. Vector with a textured transparency mask? What are your guy’s thoughts? Thanks!

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:23 AM

Joel Felix’s comment is:

Love this!

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:28 AM

David H’s comment is:

I like the logo (though it looks like JBC to me) but I don’t like the decision to continue to use that style for other sections of type on the packaging. The typeface reminds me too much of the annoying, trendy type like this:

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_india_cellular_provider_goes_geometric.php

JBG’s version is a little easier to read, but it triggers the bad memory of the style linked above.

I like the illustrations and their style, so it’s not that I have a problem with the pieced-together style itself. I just don’t like it used on the text.

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:31 AM

wilson’s comment is:

WOOOOOW!!!

altho, the logo is reading JBC a bit too much for me, I think this is a great approach. The lack of color makes the food that much more colorful too… good call

this is so effing awesome design

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:43 AM

Rondal’s comment is:

@Martin: Very well spoken. There is definitely something to be said about the difference between using a ‘trend’ appropriately so that is both artistically and commercially relevant and simply jumping on the bandwagon of bad design.

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:52 AM

Nate’s comment is:

Big time win.

The writeup mentions wood block as inspiration, but I remember doing potato and apple ink prints back in grade school that achieve a very similar effect.

I almost never say it, but I love this.

On Jul.06.2010 at 12:05 PM

Ronlewhorn’s comment is:

Texture=Great. Woodblock print=Great. All Black=Great. Love it.

On Jul.06.2010 at 12:08 PM

Clay’s comment is:

Some of the best work I’ve seen in a very long time. Well done.

On Jul.06.2010 at 12:22 PM

Ricky Salsberry’s comment is:

Pretty jealous that I didn’t make this.

On Jul.06.2010 at 12:22 PM

rek’s comment is:

Beautiful. It makes me want to go back to the drawing board on a branding project that’s too far along to…

It does need some colour though.

On Jul.06.2010 at 12:37 PM

Nicole’s comment is:

I love this. It’s the most risky, innovative logo I’ve seen on here in a while, and it matches the CSA ethos (homegrown, DIY, a little hipster entitlement-y) perfectly. It’s one of those brands you want to associate yourself with because it will make you look cooler.

Putting my two cents into the black vs. color debate, I think the black is perfect- it evokes xeroxed punk rock flyers to me, which makes a lot of sense for an enterprise like this.

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:01 PM

Mike Jones’s comment is:

Love. Love. Love this rebrand. Such a unique visual style!

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:28 PM

trobs’s comment is:

@cmdp- tim burton??? Are you blind, or just slow… just wondering.

Anyways, this is beautiful, well conceived and produced. Great work.

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:32 PM

marcio K’s comment is:

Pure gold. I want this to win every award show.

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:34 PM

Brendan’s comment is:

They’re totally different works, but this reminded me of the Airplot:

http://www.logodesignlove.com/greenpeace-airplot-logo

This is really, really cool! I kinds of want to get some of those t-shirts :D

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:38 PM

Tori’s comment is:

I’m in love!

I love that it’s only black.
I love the letters.
I love the boldness.
I love that rooster!

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:42 PM

Stripeyhorse’s comment is:

I love it. I Think it looks fantastic, and very organic. I think a bit of colour could have been added, but not to every shape, just one or two random coloured throughout the identity.
I agree with Lester’s comment above that the shapes of the ‘e’ dont look anything like an ‘e’, but I did miss read cant at first, I read it with a ‘u’.

On Jul.06.2010 at 01:47 PM

Dan’s comment is:

Just a trend. Wood type + “where the wild things are” pencil font.
I’ve seen this a lot recently.
-
Where are the triangles now? And space images?
What about retro lines?

Trends trends…

On Jul.06.2010 at 02:08 PM

Jay B’s comment is:

“Just a trend. Wood type + “where the wild things are” pencil font.
I’ve seen this a lot recently.
-
Where are the triangles now? And space images?
What about retro lines?

Trends trends…”

Calling out trends is so trendy right now….

On Jul.06.2010 at 02:24 PM

Keith’s comment is:

It’s amazing, and the black works because it’s low-tech and affordable for the client. Do you need orange to know it’s a carrot? The black and white packaging implies that the money you spend on the product goes mainly back to the success of the farm, rather than to shiny marketing.

On Jul.06.2010 at 02:39 PM

Meredith’s comment is:

Wish I thought of that. It’s wonderful!

On Jul.06.2010 at 02:56 PM

Ron’s comment is:

To the first poster: Please elaborate on what you mean by Tim Burton doing a branding job. I don’t see it.

On Jul.06.2010 at 03:12 PM

Glen’s comment is:

@Nick

It is because the first thing that pops in my mind when I see that is the movie Metropolis (1927), and the second thing that pops in my mind is the title to the CGI movie, Robots.

It feels cold, industrial, and systematic, and does not feel warm, natural, and organic - which I suspect it should as it is an organic farm.

On Jul.06.2010 at 03:46 PM

Steven’s comment is:

I like the grayscale, let the color be brought in by the fruits and veggies. Excellent work!

On Jul.06.2010 at 03:46 PM

Fabian’s comment is:

This is the sort of work that inspires me to create great things. The fact that it has no color really sells the charm of this to me.

On Jul.06.2010 at 04:58 PM

Erwin’s comment is:

@ Glen:
Thank you, I couldn’t have said it better!

The more I look at the logo and font, the more I feel it’s totally unappropriate… Let’s not forget that the font already existed before Ryan started working on this new brand… He probably made it with other purposes in mind…

You can add wood textures all you want, build letterforms in a playful way, but the basic components will always be geometric shapes!!! There’s nothing organic about it! This screams heavy industry/decayed art deco/things you can find in old, rusty abandoned toolboxes… Use black as your only color and it looks like it jumped straight out of a Charles Dickens novel…

People here get so caught up in the originality of it all that they forget to see what the brand should really be about (fresh and tasty)… It’s appealing to us graphic designers because it’s so edgy and risky, but do consumers really think that way too? Do they care that using black ink only will result in cheaper manufacturing??? We’re just over-analyzing everything, heck, I’m even starting to believe the old logo was better (or at least more appropriate)…

Again, I really love the new logo, the illustrations and everything, but just not for a farm!

Plus, I do feel that Ryan’s explanation (considered by many as a breath of fresh air) contains as much gibberish as that of an ordinary design firm, but that’s just me…

On Jul.06.2010 at 05:11 PM

GUS the Gamer’s comment is:

LOVE it on applications, HATE it on type :D

On Jul.06.2010 at 05:17 PM

Ivan Gulkov’s comment is:

I’d bet good money they used images from the “Wood Type Impressions” CD from these guys: http://www.withoutwalls.com/

Used them well though.

On Jul.06.2010 at 05:39 PM

Mark’s comment is:

Fresh,unique,clever I LOVE IT!

Good way to stand out.

only gripe is the G in the main logo looks like a C.

On Jul.06.2010 at 07:43 PM

Marcelo’s comment is:

“There’s no deep philosophy behind it really. There’s just that gut feeling you get when you see something and it just feels right.”

So amazing as the branding system. Great work.

On Jul.06.2010 at 10:20 PM

Shanan’s comment is:

Absolutely gorgeous and completely spot-on. Thank you Armin for giving this some deserved attention.

On Jul.06.2010 at 11:44 PM

Kellie Schroeder’s comment is:

LOVE IT!!

On Jul.07.2010 at 12:52 AM

grubedoo’s comment is:

This is the freshest and tastiest identity I’ve seen in a long time. Sure, some color might be welcomed but press checks will be really easy.

The handmade letter forms by themselves feel a little industrial but when they’re combined with hand written type and vintage images they work REALLY well. They also create an interesting pattern on the tomato boxes and, I’m assuming, other packaging.

I couldn’t disagree more with Erwin, Glen and Impossibly Stupid. Metropolis? Robots? Really? Wow.

I hope this gets into all the GD rags and wins lots of awards.

On Jul.07.2010 at 12:59 AM

m’s comment is:

Fine! Great!

Original and appropiate!
Tees are simply great! I want one!

As for the colors, I guess It’s cheaper to do all the printing b&w, for me it’s ok as the vegetables will always bring color to the packs.

best identity this month!

On Jul.07.2010 at 03:22 AM

Daniel Kent’s comment is:

Great work. I like the mood. Need more clients in PA that are wiling to lead and take risks instead of just being competitors. I love looking at the websites (when provided) of people on here that I disagree with. It is usually just more evidence of our differences.

On Jul.07.2010 at 05:55 AM

bottleHeD’s comment is:

I love this identity work. It has a very fresh, carefree feel to it! Very “indy”, so to speak!

Also, “those tomatoes look amazing” .. I’m sorry, what? Are these the kind of tomatoes you get states-side?

On Jul.07.2010 at 06:36 AM

Kevin M. Scarbrough’s comment is:

This is a brilliant illustration style for a fantastic illustration. Small, independent farm working with hands deserves an equally hand-crafted identity system. It is rich enough to carry through all manner of extensions (as shown) and grow as necessary.

I simply love it.

On Jul.07.2010 at 07:43 AM

Chris’s comment is:

Love it! One of the best things I’ve seen in a while. It’s got life. It’s got personality. It simply WORKS. I’m in the camp that loves the grayscale allowing the fruits and veggies to provide the colour, but the beauty of this is they can add colour in a robust and vibrant way to bags, shirts or anything else and sell it. I’d buy this stuff!

Great job. Thanks for the inspiration!

On Jul.07.2010 at 09:02 AM

Mike’s comment is:

I love this.

I think the monotone black is what I love the most about it. It gives the the collateral a distinctiveness that will set them apart from any other players who are surely using the typical colours. One-colour printing is appropriate for a smaller farm, with a smaller budget.

On Jul.07.2010 at 10:27 AM

jen’s comment is:

What beautiful, quirky funkiness. Love it completely, especially the chicken.

I love the black too - gives it a traditional feel. Traditional food is about simplicity, and the black totally gets it.

On Jul.07.2010 at 10:52 AM

carlo’s comment is:

Suck it Wolff Olins!

On Jul.07.2010 at 11:45 AM

Stacey Fischer’s comment is:

It’s great when the gut rules. Excellent work.

On Jul.07.2010 at 12:40 PM

David Timmerman’s comment is:

Goes to show why you read the whole article.

Absoltely hated the new logo on the lead-in. Not that I liked the old one (hello ClarisWorks) but this new one meant nothing.

THen I saw how it was used, the block crops, the packaging, the shirts - Love it. If anything, I would emphasize the wordmarks that were on the side of the produce boxes over the block initials, or block wordmark. That and their labels sold me, with the rooster and vegetables sealing the deal.

On Jul.07.2010 at 03:48 PM

collin_corcoran’s comment is:

AMAZING, completely avante-garde work. Keep an eye on this firm and designer.

On Jul.07.2010 at 04:46 PM

agrayspace’s comment is:

Looks like someone bought the wood type dvd.
http://www.withoutwalls.com/index.htm

Good job.

On Jul.07.2010 at 05:01 PM

Teresa’s comment is:

I love reading the comments and finding out all the ways someone else in the designer’s position could have really screwed up what is an entirely fantastic result.

This is brilliant, exactly as it is! Color would distract, cheapen and clash with naturally vibrant beautiful products they’re trying to showcase, and put the printing cost way out of range for a small business. And I totally disagree that farms or food need to use literal representation of plant matter to look alive. You really really wanted to see another block-printed leaf?

Thank goodness there’s a designer out there willing follow his instincts and a client who supports that path.

And those tomatoes are gorgeous! What are you guys eating, hothouse varieties? Those multi-colored heirlooms are divine and hard to ship, which is why you never see them at big markets – not because they taste bad.

On Jul.07.2010 at 08:31 PM

My name is design workshop’s comment is:

Gorgeous! This is one of the best branding systems I’ve seen in the last 5 years. If I had to choose a photo for the word “unique” to appear on the dictionary, this definitely would be one of my picks. Those white and black labels put against those shiny red tomatoes just made my day. Typography, illustrations, merchandise… bravo!

On Jul.07.2010 at 10:28 PM

evan’s comment is:

this is very inspiring. i really like how they went for an earthy soil look in stead of a generic vibrant fruity feel.
i also really like the grainy effects that give the impression of the earthy finger prints on a freshly pulled carrot or turnip.

On Jul.08.2010 at 02:01 AM

ginger’s comment is:

Awesome! I really want one of those t-shirts, anyone know where they are available?

On Jul.08.2010 at 04:19 AM

Noah’s comment is:

I can sense the hands-on contact of each letter form just as I can imagine actual hands digging in the dirt to plant each of those tomatoes. I feel like I’m looking at a patchwork of farms from an airplane window, which is just abstract enough to stray from typical farm imagery. It all feels truly authentic and a little unexpected, which in the end, just makes me smile. I just love how the inked blocks offer infinite illustrative possibilities. This is the kind of work that keeps me inspired and faithful in commerce and design. Might be a little premature, but I think I’d go ahead and back this for best o’ the year (thus far).

On Jul.08.2010 at 05:23 AM

Rob O.’s comment is:

The new logo stinks! The old logo is more evocative of what I perceive the company stands for.

I do like the tee shirt designs but not the packaging.

On Jul.08.2010 at 08:51 AM

Thomas Paine’s comment is:

It’s cool, I will not knock that. I’m guessing Mr Rhodes had free reign on the entire project, which is of course, unheard of in the professional branding industry.

Looks cool though. Like an art project. It will win awards, for looking cool.

Cool.

On Jul.08.2010 at 01:41 PM

Kelli Annison’s comment is:

“Good Morning America and welcome to the Today show”

http://www.superchefblog.com/images/todayshow_logo.png

On Jul.08.2010 at 03:18 PM

Greg Formager’s comment is:

Apparently the agri-business corporations still have most people ignorant of the fact that there are more than just a handful of varieties of tomatoes in the world.. and that not all tomatoes are red. To all those saying they would be “deathly afraid” of eating those tomatoes: have you never seen an heirloom tomato before? Those pictured above are beautiful! They are supposed to be different colors: yellow, purple, mottled, pink, green, etc and they are all very tasty. Go to a local farmers market, I’m sure you’ll see some there along with a wide variety of other multi-colored veggies that you thought only came in one color (purple carrots, purple potatoes.

Anyway, this branding is great. I love the lack of color. I think color could have easily ruined this. Agree though the the G looks like a C.

On Jul.08.2010 at 05:04 PM

greeny’s comment is:

beautiful bags and tees, but where is the color?????

On Jul.08.2010 at 10:06 PM

My name is design workshop’s comment is:

Man, I can get enough of this beautiful piece. This was meant to be a classic of branding systems. Uniqueness has been reborn!!! Long live to great directors!

On Jul.09.2010 at 02:15 AM

Chris Rugen’s comment is:

http://www.typcut.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/MoralFibers2.jpg

On Jul.09.2010 at 09:06 AM

Stephanie’s comment is:

I haven’t read all the comments (it’s been a long day), but I prefer the black-only design. When I buy good, fresh, produce, I’d rather know the farm isn’t wasting money on printing that can go to paying the much needed people.

On Jul.09.2010 at 04:05 PM

Michael’s comment is:

Goes to show what you can do when you’re freed from the constraints of corporate consensus building. Nicely done.

On Jul.09.2010 at 08:37 PM

smirker’s comment is:

This is one of the nicest identity systems I’ve ever seen!

Why not be monotone, when the fruit and vegetables provide the colour?

Beautiful!

On Jul.10.2010 at 04:34 AM

cubecute’s comment is:

This is really, really, really, really good. I’m jealous.

On Jul.14.2010 at 06:16 AM

Norwegian’s comment is:

I think this work need colours! I dont see this rebranding as great. Its just trendy and will be outdated within one year.

On Jul.15.2010 at 09:50 AM

SIMON’s comment is:

I think it’s great. It doesn’t need color, even though it would look nice. This is a simple and practical approach on a printing cost standpoint. I have a problem with the letter “A”. One version has wood grain on the asender or stem and the other doesn’t. I think the Bauhaus type “A” works better.

On Jul.15.2010 at 02:23 PM

Al-Insan Lashley’s comment is:

This. Is. Great. I am so glad a new site is in the works… I love their logo so much I would like very much for it to be expressed in their site.

On Jul.19.2010 at 09:00 PM

Aaron Levin’s comment is:

This is one pf the “freshest” pieces of branding I’ve seen in a long time. As stated, it just looks perfectly right, nothing else to say.

On Jul.20.2010 at 01:36 PM

Neal Vaulx’s comment is:

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On Jul.27.2010 at 01:46 AM

Manie Muldrew’s comment is:

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On Jul.27.2010 at 05:35 AM

simon’s comment is:

what a crappy logo. old one was better.

On Aug.23.2010 at 04:05 PM

Berthold’s comment is:

A callback to pastiche and woodcuts? Hot sex right there. The original logo is quite nice, most likely the best thing to ever come out of these stupid contests.

On Sep.03.2010 at 04:48 AM