This is not an exit

Every time I look at an exit sign, I see the little forward arrow that zooms between the E and the X.




It's like a little everyday magic-eye trick. One of those things you cant stop noticing once you've been alerted to it. Like when you get a green car, all you see on the road are green cars. You wouldnt even notice them otherwise.

I read this article ages back about the most expensive logo over designed. Federal Express in the US payed some slick-mick advertising agency a bazillion dollars for a high concept rebranding. This is what they came up with:





The reason the big wigs justified their multi-million dollar pay cheque was that there is clearly an arrow screetching out between the E and the X, freeing the mind off into the myriad places one could, say, send a bubble wrapped parcel.

And surely it was hatched by some under-payed intern who was sitting staring at their A3 sketchpad at 5 in the morning, doodling with a fineliner, dreaming of the freedom they never appreciated when they were fooling around in their 101 college class. But then, suddenly, an Archimedes Bath moment...

HANG-ON!!

The most sucessfull logo ever designed is arguably the Nike swoosh symbol, and that was whipped up as a favour for 35 bucks by this student called Carolyn Davidson. They eventually gave her shares in the company.

A blag can get you a long way, and if you talk the talk, the walk might rise to meet you.

Just do it.