Flemke - Is this your McLaren? (Vol 5)
Discussion
bobo79 said:
flemke said:
Because the typography and logos are usually drawn by car designers, not by calligraphers or lettering designers.
Perhaps they should... shoddy typographic choices are an industry wide problem and genuinely quite bizarre considering how important appearance is to the car market. Why do Mclaren feel using a typeface from a tacky computer game score board is appropriate on the switch gear of a million pound car?Part of the problem is that a car designer, or a person whose job is aesthetic design of some sort - will be loath to admit that he or she cannot properly design a font or a "simple" logo.
I’m not 100% sure about that. Designers in other fields (such as my own) would never dream of designing a typeface (which requires rare skill and patience) for example. Though I certainly consider myself capable of understanding an appropriate typeface for a job (which appears unusual in the automotive field). But is odd that apparently no one in the aesthetic food chain takes a step back and notices the errors being made...
bobo79 said:
I’m not 100% sure about that. Designers in other fields (such as my own) would never dream of designing a typeface (which requires rare skill and patience) for example. Though I certainly consider myself capable of understanding an appropriate typeface for a job (which appears unusual in the automotive field). But is odd that apparently no one in the aesthetic food chain takes a step back and notices the errors being made...
You think this logo was designed by someone who knew what he or she was doing? 
On the other hand, I don't think that car designers would create an entire font, as that takes a lot of time and effort which could not be justified with so many fonts already in existence.
flemke said:
You think this logo was designed by someone who knew what he or she was doing?
On the other hand, I don't think that car designers would create an entire font, as that takes a lot of time and effort which could not be justified with so many fonts already in existence.
Horrid. I'd like to submit this for appraisal.On the other hand, I don't think that car designers would create an entire font, as that takes a lot of time and effort which could not be justified with so many fonts already in existence.
Where to start...?
flemke said:
You think this logo was designed by someone who knew what he or she was doing?
That is indeed hideous - though it's important that McLaren shouldn't be singled out - it's an industry wide phenomenon. The weird thing is this sort of thing shouldn't be influenced by 'car designers' - it should have been done by a branding consultancy that should (in theory) know what they are doing...The Mclaren logo is reasonable enough - and there are many other classic car logos - Ferrari (sorry), Porsche, Lotus, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW are all very strong, iconic logos that have stood the test of time.
Contemporary cycling manufacturers fall into precisely the same trap thought least Colnago and Campagnolo still look good (for the most part)
flemke said:
On the other hand, I don't think that car designers would create an entire font, as that takes a lot of time and effort which could not be justified with so many fonts already in existence.
It's very unusual to come across print or digital designers that ever design their own typeface - as you say there are normally perfectly appropriate typefaces already in existence; you will find that some branding companies will create bespoke fonts for certain brands (for example the [rather mixed] recent refresh of F1); but it doesn't take a typographer to understand typographical language which is why most graphic designers never need touch FontLab.I wonder if the issue is more to do with education - typically graphic designers will learn about typography extensively during their studies, whereas this isn't typically dealt with in 3D design courses (to my knowledge), where I would assume the majority of automotive stylists emerge from.
flemke said:
bobo79 said:
I wonder if the issue is more to do with education - typically graphic designers will learn about typography extensively during their studies, whereas this isn't typically dealt with in 3D design courses (to my knowledge), where I would assume the majority of automotive stylists emerge from.
I think this is it. Car stylists get thrown this job by default, and everyone thinks it's easy. Then they do a bad job, and because you always have to be very very delicate with the felt-tip gang, nobody says "hang on, this really is pants. Perhaps we should give this to a pro instead"
AlmostUseful said:
A good friend of mine has just done the pre-delivery detailing on the old Blu Alfa P1. What a lovely looking car.
https://instagram.com/p/Bh9Vb9bhqYG/
I would like to speak with your friend.https://instagram.com/p/Bh9Vb9bhqYG/
Can you suggest how I might do that - perhaps you could give me a name there and I shall call number on their website?
Cheers.
bobo79 said:
flemke said:
flemke said:
AlmostUseful said:
A good friend of mine has just done the pre-delivery detailing on the old Blu Alfa P1. What a lovely looking car.
https://instagram.com/p/Bh9Vb9bhqYG/
I would like to speak with your friend.https://instagram.com/p/Bh9Vb9bhqYG/
Can you suggest how I might do that - perhaps you could give me a name there and I shall call number on their website?
Cheers.
That sort of thing?
SpeckledJim said:
flemke said:
AlmostUseful said:
A good friend of mine has just done the pre-delivery detailing on the old Blu Alfa P1. What a lovely looking car.
https://instagram.com/p/Bh9Vb9bhqYG/
I would like to speak with your friend.https://instagram.com/p/Bh9Vb9bhqYG/
Can you suggest how I might do that - perhaps you could give me a name there and I shall call number on their website?
Cheers.
That sort of thing?
_dobbo_ said:
I appreciate that, thank you. I am hoping that AlmostUseful can contact his friend so that the call is expected, rather than, "Hey, there is some dude on the phone calling himself 'Flemke' who wants to speak with whoever...."flemke said:
_dobbo_ said:
I appreciate that, thank you. I am hoping that AlmostUseful can contact his friend so that the call is expected, rather than, "Hey, there is some dude on the phone calling himself 'Flemke' who wants to speak with whoever...."flemke said:
NickCQ said:
You need your call to be announced in advance?
Not normally! 
It's just that in this case it might simplify things if the person knew that I would be making contact, rather than receiving a cold call starting with, "You wouldn't know me, but...."
NickCQ said:
flemke said:
NickCQ said:
You need your call to be announced in advance?
Not normally! It's just that in this case it might simplify things if the person knew that I would be making contact, rather than receiving a cold call starting with, "You wouldn't know me, but...."
AlmostUseful said:
flemke said:
I would like to speak with your friend.
Can you suggest how I might do that - perhaps you could give me a name there and I shall call number on their website?
Cheers.
His name is Chris, he’s also on here with his trading name I think. Can you suggest how I might do that - perhaps you could give me a name there and I shall call number on their website?
Cheers.
I’ll let him know to expect your call.
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