While I was in London recently, I helped my pals at Grey London with a film about why they’re taking on the names of their original founders, Valenstein & Fatt, to talk about diversity in the industry.
I was originally asked to talk about the typeface they chose to recapture the spirit of Grey, circa 1917, but as it turned out I was much more passionate about how hard it has always been for immigrants and other marginalized groups to assimilate into American culture, despite the myth of the Great American Melting Pot.
Valenstein & Fatt from Valenstein & Fatt on Vimeo.
(I begged them to re-kern that logotype, though.)
Update: A second video, with my take on Valenstein & Gray’s choice of Century Schoolbook for their re-imagined brand:
Valenstein & Fatt: The Logo from Valenstein & Fatt on Vimeo.
Related: This 1977 Schoolhouse Rock video taught one of the best lessons I learned as a kid, and I wish more Americans took it to heart.
Also related: Grey London was the agency that organized the Ryman Eco project I worked on while I was at Monotype. While we were filming the Valenstein & Fatt video, I learned that Ryman Eco snatched a trophy — or rather, a White Pencil — in the D&AD Impact Awards.