In case you were wondering…
…the logotype is of a Decoder Ring.
I picked the decoder ring in the months after relocating to Brooklyn from Florida in 2004. To me, the decoder ring and the kids radio programs that once utilized them as premiums represented a nascent version of the type of interactive engagement that most interested me - one that had audiences of a bygone era tuning in to hear their comic book heroes reach out to them to help solve riddles and puzzles, turning the one-way medium of radio interactive; decades before the internet made this kind of campaign widespread.
Meanwhile, “Tradecraft is an old word that used to refer to the work, or craft, of any profession, or trade. It likely acquired its specific association with spy work during World War II, though it is a word most heavily associated with the Cold War. (from vocabulary.com)” I co-opted this phrase as a cheeky way of referencing the myriad of skills and knowledge that are brought to bear during a production.
In 2005, after I picked the decoder ring as design inspiration, I reached out to a co-worker and artist friend, Jason Polan, to complete style frames that would eventually turn into (with the help of various other vector artists) the logo you see today. In the years after, Jason went on to be a hugely appreciated artist, known for his “Every Person in New York” drawing series and book as well as collaborations with Uniqlo and Warby Parker, amongst other brands. In the forward to “Every Person…” Kristen Wiig described Jason’s drawings as “the perfect reflection of the beautiful and unique people of this city.”
In appreciation and memoriam of Jason, I offer those style frames and some of his other original works here.
