Whitney Branding Response
Corporate Identity — Spring 2021
Whitney Museum Branding Response
What was your initial reaction to the Whitney identity system after reading the first article?
Reading the first article about the Whitney branding helped me to appreciate the design more than I had after my first impressions without any background information. I like that the designers made the design responsive to different formats. I can imagine that being a very helpful quality when it comes to museum branding because their logo has to work in support of a lot of the different art that the museum show. I also appreciate the power of inspiration that came from the design. In the article it was noted that Greenbaum shared, “I immediately started imagining all the designs I could make with this system, and the possibilities seemed endless.” I think it’s important for a design to inspire the people that work with it day in and day out and I can see the flexibility that he spoke about.
In your own words, describe what responsive design is. What are the pros and cons of applying responsive design to an identity system?
I believe responsive design is design that is capable and successfully adapts to its placement and format. In my opinion, there are more pros than cons to responsive design. I think that making a design responsive is more engaging for viewers. When a design reacts to its format, it inspires its viewer to react to its reaction. In other words, it is more likely to catch the attention of viewers. In turn, that helps to imprint the brand in the minds of the viewers which makes the brand more memorable overall. Of course on the flip side, sometimes if a design responds and changes too much to accommodate its format then that could make the brand less identifiable. There could be a less stable image and understanding as a consequence of over-responsivity.
The new Whitney identity has been criticized as boring and duplicitous due its simplistic, open-ended design. Do you agree or disagree — why? Are boring and simple one in the same?
In my opinion, the Whitney brand is simple, but it is not boring. The design is objectively very minimalistic. The thin stroke keeps the design from being overly distracting but the shape and responsivity is very unique. I appreciate that it stands out from other museums’ branding. To me, that is why it is not boring. It is eye catching in the way that it is unlike any other branding I’ve ever seen. I also think that the simplicity of the design opens it up to interpretation for the viewer. The ability to inspire the imagination also helps to dispute the boring claims. With that being said though, I wonder if a logo is the best design format for imaginative interpretation?
