New Yorkers and Law and Order fans alike know the “We Are Happy To Serve You” paper coffee cup is an iconic piece of old New York. We’ve loved it because it’s the perfect size for a quick pick-me-up, the kitschiness of it, and perhaps because it’s the cup dispensed by the family-run diner on the corner. We learned a lot more about the man behind the cup (officially called the Anthora), Leslie Buck, who passed away last week. The New York Times obituary tells the story of the refugee from Nazi Europe that eventually became the director of marketing for the Sherri Cup Company in Connecticut. Mr. Buck had no formal training in art, yet the design–with it’s Grecian color scheme and folkloric tone–was an “instant success.” It’s proof that enduring designs don’t always come with rhyme, reason, or a carefully thought-out typeface.

The Partners 2003 (top), Paul Rand 1966 (lower)

It was cool to see a discussion about the Ford Oval in the NY Times last week. We were lucky enough to have the chance to update the Ford Oval in 2003 for the centenary of the company. The mark has become symbolic for Ford, with a lot of pride invested in it – they have a saying in Dearborn that true Ford people ‘bleed Ford blue’! It wasn’t an option to do anything as radical as Paul Rand’s job back in the sixties, especially as Ford were struggling financially at the time. We also found that there were hundreds of versions of the oval all around the world (we lost count at 400), so our task was to create one that could be used everywhere. Needless to say the debates about every slight tweak were prolonged, but we were very careful to preserve the character of the ‘original’. The new Oval revealed on top of ford HQ in June 2003 was the first new standard since 1967. That made us proud too.