Logobook: a new Yellow Pages

In 2009, a number of the creative talents at the Paris-based design studio H5 made a hilarious animated short film called Logorama, in which two Michelin men police officers try to chase down a fugitive Ronald McDonald in a city made completely of logos. Ludovic Houplain, one of the filmmakers, has now produced an excellent sequel: an enormous collection of logos.

BOOK | Logobook ●●●●
Ludovic Houplain Taschen, 776 p., €39.99

Brussels has no Times Square, but logos are still unavoidable. They’re on T-shirts, shirt collars, handbags, shoes, backpacks, toothbrushes, and the internet is full of them. Originally, they functioned as a proof of authenticity, comparable to a painter’s signature on the canvas. Just look at Kellogg’s, Ford, and Yves Rocher. Nowadays, a logo gives a brand personality, is intended to inspire trust, and ensure that we can (and will) recognize products immediately.

Ludovic Houplain, who has been intrigued by our branded society his whole life, has accomplished an incredible feat with his Logobook, which seamlessly ties in with the film. With the patience of a saint, he collected logos, brand images, and commercial icons. This resulted in an archive containing more than 40,000 items of which approximately 7,000 ultimately made it into the book, neatly arranged alphabetically. Each logo is accompanied by as complete information as possible about the designer and where and when it was created. Obviously, the collection is not complete, but there is still an amazing amount of information and the average quality of the logos is very high. Since logos of the same brand sometimes differ slightly across the world, various versions of some logos have been included. And while Logorama felt rather American, in part due to the prominent appearance of Ronald McDonald and the action film style, that is not the case with the book. Naturally, all the logos of big multinational companies are in the book, but there is far more besides, and that makes it rich and surprising. Houplain also demonstrates that pretty much everything can be sold as a brand, and does not limit the selection to companies. For example, films and events are also marketed around the world, and they often have their own logos too. Just think of A Bug’s Life or Shrek.

It is striking how pure and simple logos have become over the past few decades, except perhaps for brand characters like Choco Prince, Mr. Clean, and Uncle Ben’s, who rely more on their retro appeal. There are no longer any colour restrictions, so pretty much anything goes in that respect. One thing that is not very clear in the book is the extent to which logos are adapted to the possibilities of animation on television and the internet. On the other hand, the great advantage of this two-dimensional collection is that you can quietly look over and compare everything. For example, try to guess what type of company matches which logo.

Graphic designers will love paging through this book for hours, but it also comes highly recommended for people who question the kind of world we live in. It also includes an interesting essay by the French philosopher Gilles Lipovetsky and an interesting introduction by the author himself. Forget the Yellow Pages. Logobook is the new brand culture bible.

Launch & book signing by Ludovic Houplain: 30/5, 18 > 20.00, Taschen Store Brussels, Grote Zavel/Grand Sablon, rue Lebeaustraat 18, Brussel/Bruxelles, rsv.: 02-513.80.23 / store-brussels@taschen.com, www.taschen.com