Johnson Banks

Johnson Banks is a design consultancy in London founded in 1992 by Michael Johnson. The company specialises in brand consultancy and visual identity systems, focusing on work in the cultural, Government and charity sectors.[1][2][3]

Johnson Banks
TypeLimited company
IndustryBrand consultancy
FoundedLondon 1992 (1992)
FounderMichael Johnson
Headquarters
London
,
United Kingdom
Websitejohnsonbanks.co.uk

Work

The organisation's work includes rebranding charities Shelter,[4] Christian Aid,[5] and the 2010 rebrand of London's Science Museum.[6]

As well as branding the company has also conducted several experimental typography projects. These projects include a bilingual typeface based on Japanese katakana,[7] a pictogrhic symbol set based on Mandarin characters. In January 2012, in collaboration with Ravensbourne college, they created ‘Arkitypo ’ – a typographic alphabet using 3D prototyping techniques.[8]

Postage stamps

The consultancy claimed 2003's Fruit and Vegetable collection [9] was inspired by the children's toys, Mr. Potato Head and Fuzzy-Felt.[10] The set included additional stickers so users could customise the stamps with moustaches, hats and legs, glasses and shoes.[11] The Fruit and Vegetable stamps won the Design and Art Direction's black pencil award.[12]

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney's first meeting Royal Mail[13] commissioned 2007's The Beatles Collection. Barring Royal issues, The Royal Mail sold more copies of The Beatles' stamps than any other series.[14]

Yellow Pages

In 1999, the Yellow Pages hired the company to update the telephone directory, reduce the amount of pages in the directory and accommodate longer dialling code changes of the late 90's. The organisation designed a condensed Typeface that used contracted ascenders and descenders to save space.[15]

Mozilla

The company led Mozilla's 2016 open design rebrand.[16] Mozilla posted each iteration of Johnson Banks' proposed logos on their blog. After reviewing the blog's comments, they decided on and developed a final logo informed by public opinion.[17]

Selected branding projects

Album covers

Other work

Awards and recognition

The company has won a number of awards including seven D&AD "yellow pencils",[21] one D&AD "black pencil",[22] 13 Design Week Awards,[21] four Art Directors Club of New York "cubes" and six distinctive merits.

References
  1. "Soul search". Design Week. 27 June 2007. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  2. Carson, Nick (7 May 2010). "Michael Johnson Computer Arts Interview". Computer Arts. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  3. "Profile Michael Johnson". Design History. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  4. "Johnson Banks Raises Shelter's Roof". Design Week. 22 April 2004. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018.
  5. "Christian Aid Revived by Johnson Banks". Design Week. 9 March 2006. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  6. "Article about the Science Museum rebrand in Creative Review magazine". Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  7. "Johnson Banks Phonetika". Design Boom. 9 October 2009. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  8. Geere, Duncan (23 April 2012). "Designers 3D-print typeface-inspired 'Arkitypo' alphabet". Wired. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  9. "Fruit and Vegetables". Collect GB Stamps. 25 March 2003. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  10. Heller, Stephen (6 March 2007). "Stamping the Beatles: An Interview with Michael Johnson". American Institute of Graphic Arts. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  11. "DIY Fruit & Veg stamps up for grabs". BBC. 24 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  12. "Fruit and Veg Stamps". Design and Art Direction. Archived from the original on 6 December 2019.
  13. Heller, Stephen (6 March 2007). "Stamping the Beatles". Aiga. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  14. Rawsthorne, Alice (18 February 2007). "Postage stamps: Miniature artwork with mass appeal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  15. "Design space: the Yellow Pages redesigns its typeface". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  16. Rhodes, Margaret (23 August 2016). "Mozilla Wants You to Help Redesign Its Logo. Seriously". Wired. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  17. Margarat, Rhodes (18 January 2017). "Introducing Mozilla's New Logo, Moz://a. Get It?". Wired. Archived from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  18. "Virgin Atlantic unveils livery by Circus and Johnson Banks". Design Week. 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  19. Wong, Henry (4 December 2019). "Pink Floyd box set design: "A surreal metaphor for the band's legacy"". Design Week. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  20. "Big Questions". Justin's Amazing World At Fenner Paper. 7 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  21. Debrett's People of Today entry on Michael Johnson
  22. Page about the Black Pencil award winning project Fruit & veg stamps
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