Unimark International
Encyclopedia
Unimark International was an American
design
firm founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1964 by seven designers: Ralph Eckerstrom, Massimo Vignelli
, James Fogelman, Wally Gutches, Larry Klein, Robert Moldafsky and Bob Noorda
. Unimark filed for final Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1977, and no longer exists. Although the firm was relatively short-lived, it had a key influence on the direction of American design aesthetics, and set a philosophical direction for corporate design that is still widely followed.
Former Bauhaus
faculty member, Herbert Bayer
was an early member of the Board of Directors. The graphic style of Unimark's projects was decidedly modernist
. Unimark rejected the idea of the designer-as-artist, embraced standardization and systems and pioneered the use of the grid as a tool for corporate communications. The typeface Helvetica
was most often used by Unimark designers.
The firm was an early specialist in designing corporate identity systems and branding. Clients included American Airlines
, Ford Motor Company
, Gillette, JC Penney, Knoll
, and the New York Transit Authority
who continue to use Unimark-created trademarks and graphic standards
.
Due to the significance and history of the Unimark name, a number of copy-cat design companies have adopted it in order to attract business. However, none of these firms are connected in any way to the original Unimark International.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
firm founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1964 by seven designers: Ralph Eckerstrom, Massimo Vignelli
Massimo Vignelli
Massimo Vignelli is a designer who has done work in a number of areas ranging from package design to furniture design to public signage to showroom design through Vignelli Associates, which he co-founded with his wife, Lella...
, James Fogelman, Wally Gutches, Larry Klein, Robert Moldafsky and Bob Noorda
Bob Noorda
Bob Noorda was a Dutch-born graphic designer who lived and worked primarily in Milan from 1954 to his death in 2010...
. Unimark filed for final Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1977, and no longer exists. Although the firm was relatively short-lived, it had a key influence on the direction of American design aesthetics, and set a philosophical direction for corporate design that is still widely followed.
Former Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
faculty member, Herbert Bayer
Herbert Bayer
Herbert Bayer was an Austrian American graphic designer, painter, photographer, sculptor, art director, environmental & interior designer, and architect, who was widely recognized as the last living member of the Bauhaus and was instrumental in the development of the Atlantic Richfield Company's...
was an early member of the Board of Directors. The graphic style of Unimark's projects was decidedly modernist
Modernity
Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance...
. Unimark rejected the idea of the designer-as-artist, embraced standardization and systems and pioneered the use of the grid as a tool for corporate communications. The typeface Helvetica
Helvetica
Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann.-Visual distinctive characteristics:Characteristics of this typeface are:lower case:square dot over the letter i....
was most often used by Unimark designers.
The firm was an early specialist in designing corporate identity systems and branding. Clients included American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Gillette, JC Penney, Knoll
Knoll (company)
Knoll is a design firm that produces office systems, seating, files and storage, tables and desks, textiles , and accessories for office and for the home. The company also manufactures furniture for the home by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Harry Bertoia, Florence Knoll , Frank Gehry, Maya Lin and...
, and the New York Transit Authority
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
who continue to use Unimark-created trademarks and graphic standards
Corporate identity
In Corporate Communications, a corporate identity is the "persona" of a corporation which is designed to accord with and facilitate the attainment of business objectives...
.
Due to the significance and history of the Unimark name, a number of copy-cat design companies have adopted it in order to attract business. However, none of these firms are connected in any way to the original Unimark International.