Studio Ugly created the visual identity for the social campaigns Stadtrand-Buddies and KlingelZeit. These two projects were initiated by AWO Berlin Kreisverband Südost and Neuköllner Engagement Zentrum, and aim to help lonely senior citizens in Berlin-Neukölln by supporting sociable activities with neighbors and volunteers.

The campaigns included a postcard/flyer, a folded leaflet, a bookmark and social media assets. It was typeset in HAL Repost, published by HAL Typefaces. The printed ephemera was produced by Spreedruck.

Early Sans is used for the identity of Nampa Christian Housing, a chain of senior living communities in Idaho.

From Overmatter’s case study:

We wanted to design an identity that didn't patronize people who can no longer afford appropriate housing—the market in Idaho has skyrocketed in recent years, and for many seniors, their benefits ended when their spouses passed away.

As such, the brand needed to be hopeful, charming, and a sense a pride for members of the community. Nampa Christian Housing is the organization dedicated to developing mulitple sites, but each site will be a standalone campus. The brand has to adapt to each location in order to feel 'homely' to residents while still carrying the prowess of NCH so they can continue to develop projects.

Jaime Pintado Ruiz a.k.a. Jimbo is the driving force-serving as the legs, brain, and heart-behind Looping Gramps, a project that brings together his passions, values, and the people he loves. It’s inspired by his grandmother, Marina.

Jimbo’s goal was to “loop his grandma” more deeply into his life, allowing them to share experiences and joy despite the distance between them. Rather than simply providing her with a tracking number for his ride, he chose to involve her in both the preparation and the purpose of the journey. Marina, who has always been a source of support for those around her, now seeks to extend her help to a broader community. Jimbo had long promised her that together they would strive to make the world a better place. When defining the project, they quickly agreed on a shared mission: to combat loneliness among elderly people and to offer affection to those who feel forgotten.

I’m aiming too “loop my grandma” into my life more and more so we can enjoy ourselves together in the distance and more aspects of life. For this reason, this time, I would not just give her a tracking number but I would involve her in the preparation and purpose of the ride. She has helped everyone she has had around immensely and now has this need to help on a broader scale. I always promised her that together, we would make the planet a better place and, when defining this project, we both quickly knew how: fighting against loneliness in elderly people. Giving affection to those who feel forgotten.

Murcia (Spain), the starting point and my homeland. The rest of the route is unplanned and will be guided by my heart. I will ride nonstop and unsupported until the candle goes off, pushing my body to the limits, compromising sleep, and taking certain risks. While lightened, the candle will take care of me, as it always did.

The project's bold typography is a mix of KTF Rublena, ALT Systema and Right Mono.

The Australian design studio Weekdays created the brand identity for the new pasta sauce brand Sorry Nonna, also based in Australia. This includes their packaging, advertisements, and website.

Pensionati.it is a portal dedicated to Italian pensioners and their families. It provides information on a wide range of topics covered analytically and updated periodically,
as well as a collection of frequently asked questions.

It is created by The Italian Pensioners Union (SPI), a general union of pensioners and elderly people belonging to the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), Italy’s oldest labor union.

For the typography, FF3300 used Recursive in several weights from its Sans Linear branch. Illustrations by Marco Goran Romano.

MadeByShape undertook a comprehensive re-branding and web design project for Millennium Care, aiming to reshape the public's perception of care homes. The project involved refreshing various brand elements such as colour schemes, typography, and photography, with a focus on improving user experience and the content management system. This holistic approach aimed to distance the brand from the clinical and corporate aesthetics typical of the industry, thereby creating a more emotionally appealing platform.

Additionally, we consolidated seven separate websites into a single, cohesive website. This not only streamlined the brand's online presence but also ensured that the brand's messaging was consistent across all homes within the Millennium Care group. The redefined website and branding emphasise capturing genuine, daily moments in care settings, reflecting a realistic and positive view of later-life care.

TT Runs is used on a website of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.

The United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) is a global collaboration, aligned with the last ten years of the Sustainable Development Goals, to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live.

International logo variants

Bien Vieillir Ensemble is an exhibition at Cité de l’Architecture. Housing the elderly is more than ever a major societal and architectural challenge. By focusing on projects carried out in France, the exhibition proposes to put into perspective sixty years of reflection and experimentation in the field of housing for the elderly.

The starting point of the design system is Scrabble, which is one of the most popular game we find in retirement homes in France.

The scenography has been designed by 19-86 and Razzle Dazzle, and the graphic design, signage and catalogue by République Studio. The typeface in use is Gerstner-Programm FSL, used in only one weight plus its correspondent italic.

Status et image de nos aînés dans la société française (“Status and image of our seniors in French society”) is the thesis project of Laura Dalex as a student in graphic design, Master 2 at the ECV Paris. From Laura’s portfolio website:

Everything starts from an obsession. Mine. The one that pushes me to take an interest in something that is commonly found in our landscapes; seniors. In a society where the feverishness of our physical exchanges eludes the digitalization of our meetings, our deans are fading away. Dead before their own death, they are gradually erased from a landscape that no longer accepts them. Their invisibility stems from the indifferent gaze of a young, dynamic and impatient society.

Through an edition fueled by the reflections of researchers and authors, and illustrated by revealing images from image banks, I wish to denounce the societal death in which we lock our elders. Supported by my personal impressions, this project is part of a momentum revealing the harmful effects of the image and negative representations of our elders.

Massilia and Oroban – both issued by Blaze Type – are used throughout.

Primary Paper is a biannual print magazine co-founded by Jessica McGowan, who is also the art director. Each issue is focused on a contemporary societal theme that can be treated through an artistic lens. This way, a wide range of contributors can offer their unique perspective on these topics which touch us all.

Issue 2 is dedicated to the topic of age. In a society where the fear of aging is ever-present, facing this theme seems crucial in order to deconstruct our perception of getting old. These last few years, photography has given more place to older models, and the beauty industry starts slowly to be closer to “real people” in terms of representation. Following this path, the second issue of Primary Paper wanted to celebrate the value of tradition, maturity and experience through different contributions: a portrait series, about family, an insight into the relationship between mother and child, among others.

Primary Paper is set in Neue Helvetica for the most part, as we can see in the logotype, with huge capital letters grabbing the attention at first sight. Each issue presents a different second typeface: for this one, Jessica McGowan chose Cardinal Fruit from Production Type. We find Cardinal Fruit in semi-titling uses or quotations, adding delicate touches to a strict layout. The contrast between the rigidity of Neue Helvetica, its plain shapes and wide counter forms, and the elasticity of Cardinal Fruit, with its condensed design and dancing italics, bring the magazine some sensibility and make the topic of age a little less impersonal.

“Holidays” (No. 329) ft. Aesthetic. Having been issued by the Dickinson Type Foundery in 1882, the Victorian face with the ornate caps is the oldest one in the mix. In 1980, it was available from Photo-Lettering, Facsimile Fonts, VGC, and others.

Covers for various clip books of line art issued in 1980 by Harry Volk Jr. Art Studio, Pleasantville, New Jersey.

The booklets from this volume exemplify the dominance of ITC for display typography in the United States in this period. There are nine different typefaces from the library of the International Typeface Corporation, including less common ones such as ITC Uptight Neon (1970) and ITC Quorum (1977).

Letraset (the company that would acquire ITC in 1986) was also influential: There are two originals by the British manufacturer of dry transfer lettering sheets, Compacta (1963) and Cathedral (1978). Many other faces were available from Letraset (as well as from various phototype providers), too, among them revivals like Harrington, Tintoretto, Dynamo, and Peignot, or adaptations of designs that originated in phototype like Tonight, Yagi Double, Checkmate.

Exclusive designs by Photo-Lettering are less frequent than in the late 1960s and 1970s. They are still represented by Benguiat Caslon and Hasler Circus. Filmotype faces – which used to be omnipresent on Volk booklets in the 1950s and 1960s – have largely disappeared, with the exception of Filmotype Quiet (1954), a stencil design that by 1980 had been copied by PLINC, VGC, and others.

All covers feature the logo designed by Herb Lubalin and introduced in 1976, here with the subline in caps from Kabel Black.

See the previous post about the clip books issued in 1955 for more information on Harry Volk Jr. Art Studio.

“Wedding” (No. 328) ft. partly overlapping caps from Harrington. The typeface was first issued by John Haddon & Co. in 1899.

“Graphic Arts” (No. 331) ft. Benguiat Caslon. Because nothing says Graphic Arts like overlapping swash caps.

“Birthday” (No. 332) ft. skewed caps (a contra-rotalic?) from Compacta on candles. Illustration by Tom Sawyer.

“Religion” (No. 334) ft. Cathedral for a cover on a cover.

“Winter” (No. 335) ft. the snow-capped letters of Igloo.

“Show Biz” (No. 336) ft. stacked glyphs from Tonight.

“Occupations” (No. 338) ft. Yagi Double.

“Communications” (No. 340) ft. ITC Benguiat Bold Condensed Italic (1979) and the comeback of the landscape format which would become the standard in subsequent years. The Volk logo is now shown in reverse on a black triangle. “Clip Book of Line Art” is set in ITC Avant Garde Gothic.

“Fitness” (No. 748) with caps from ITC Uptight Neon, set on a curve.

“Marine” (No. 749) ft. Filmotype Quiet. Illustration by Tom Sawyer.

“Summer” (No. 750) ft. ITC Bauhaus Outline with the alternate M, filled with sunbeams.

“Tourism” (No. 751) ft. ITC Bauhaus.

“Couples” (No. 752) ft. tightly spaced caps from Benguiat Caslon, here just with a single swash O and no overlaps. Primary Illustration by Tom Sawyer.

“Executives” (No. 754) ft. Peignot and a border full of handshakes.

“Family” (No. 755) ft. Times New Roman.

“Autumn” (No. 756) ft. ITC Serif Gothic.

“Homemaker” (No. 757) ft. Circus.

“Education” (No. 758) ft. Atrax with middle dot (·), apostrophe (’), and mid-word linebreaks.

“Christmas” (No. 760) ft. Tintoretto, a typeface that was not made to be used in all caps, as the letter I shows: The J-like form works OK in initial form, but sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of a word.

“Energy” (No. 762) ft. stacked caps from Dynamo.

“Transportation” (No. 763) ft. caps from Wedge Bold by Lettergraphics [edit: it appears to have originated at VGC, see comments], which is Egyptienne Bold Condensed Bold Condensed customized with triangles cut from the letterforms.

“Insurance” (No. 764) ft. Compacta Bold Italic in lowercase, with an omitted i dot.

“Senior Citizens” (No. 765) ft. all-caps ITC Souvenir with initial and terminal swash forms.

“Crowds” (No. 766) ft. ITC Bauhaus.

“Human Relations” (No. 767), again with oblique Compacta in all lowercase and no i dot.

“Money” (No. 769) ft. Molé Foliate. Primary Illustration by Tom Sawyer.

“Circus-Fair” (No. 770) ft. Hasler Circus.

“Spring & Summer Sports” (No. 771) ft. ITC Lubalin Graph and its sans-serif sibling ITC Avant Garde Gothic.

“Drop-Ins” (No. G111) ft. Pabst Extra Bold Condensed. The logo of the Grafika subseries is in ITC Fat Face with ligatures for ra and fi, accompanied by Kabel Light with omitted tittles.

“The Gals” (No. G112) ft. ITC Newtext and a rare photographic cover.

“The Guys” (No. G114) with tightly spaced City caps.

“Contests” (No. G116) ft. ITC Quorum.

“Printed Forms” (No. G117) ft. overlapping caps with swash initials from ITC Bookman Outline. “We’re moving” is in an unidentified (homemade?) variation on the Electric Circus theme, see also Electus.

“Gimmicks” (No. G119) ft. a fairy tale castle à la Neuschwanstein and caps from Checkmate.

“Children” (No. 358) ft. Filmotype Fairbanks in a box. The secondary typefaces are Futura Extra Bold Condensed and News Gothic.

Covers for various clip books of line art issued in 1963 by Harry Volk Jr. Art Studio, Pleasantville, New Jersey. See the previous post about the clip books issued in 1955 for more information on Harry Volk Jr. Art Studio.

Most of the typefaces are either Filmotype originals, or foundry typefaces that were adopted for this phototypesetting machine.

“Courtesy” (No. 112) ft. Volta, two weights of Venus Kursiv, and News Gothic Condensed.

“Leadership” (No. 114) ft. Latin Wide with Venus Extended and News Gothic.

“Circus/Fair” (No. 362), ft. Filmotype Quentin, Venus breit halbfett, News Gothic, and Times New Roman.

“Couples” (No. 364) ft. Profil and the italic style of Futura Extra Bold Condensed.

“Industry” (No. 365) ft. Filmotype Quiet, with more Futura Extra Bold Condensed Italic and News Gothic.

“Family” (No. 368). Profil here is paired with Venus breit halbfett.

“Atmosphere” (No. 372) ft. more Filmotype Fairbanks and Venus breit halbfett.

“Senior Citizens” (No. 373). The title is set in Quail, another face from Filmotype’s range of “novelty” faces, issued sometime after 1955. This open grotesque with extra contour is not unlike Stephenson Blake’s Echo, but has only a very restrained shade and no lowercase. The text is in Futura and Futura Condensed.

“Good Neighbors” (No. 376) ft. Filmotype Gamma.

“Expressions” (No. 378) ft. an adaptation of Walter Haettenschweiler’s Lawless Type, drawn for the second volume of Lettera, a source book of alphabets published in 1961.

More Filmotype Quentin and News Gothic for “America” from the Paste Pot And Scissors subseries (No. PP&S 44).

“Design” #1 (PP&S 48) ft. Franklin Gothic. “Paste Pot And Scissors” is set in News Gothic caps. “In a quandary?” uses Futura Light Italic.

“Feet” (PP&S No. 51) appears to be modeled after Hellenic Wide (or Filmotype Wand). It’s paired with News Gothic in two widths.

“‎Don’t Forget The Old Folks At Christmas” is a single recorded by Bill Waddington (1916–2000), who “achieved stardom as the pompous ex serviceman Percy Sugden in Granada Television’s long-running soap opera, Coronation Street.” You can listen to the song here.

Samaritan Village makes smart use of Jubilat as the headline typeface for their website. With its compact extenders and the tight spacing geared toward display sizes, the slab serif by Darden Studio produces cohesive and catchy headings. The round dots and ball terminals add a cordial sentiment. Jubilat Medium is used in large and extra large sizes, reversed on colored photographs and fields, or black on white. It’s paired with the sans serif Proxima Nova (Mark Simonson) for text.

Just like the type choices, Samaritan Village’s color scheme sidesteps the stereotypes and yet is fully appropriate for the senior clientele.

In some places, Jubilat is escorted by its confident italic style. This example from the Careers page features the ‘ff’ ligature with descenders.

Juliane Kess, new art director of Brigitte wir magazine, introduced a redesign in spring 2015. The magazine focuses on women over 60 and wants to value this growing — but marginalized in the social environment— age group.

For the sans serif role, Lato was dropped and Brandon Grotesque introduced. For text — and some large italic headlines and quotes — an unidentified Garamond-like typeface was replaced with FF Franziska. Still in use — but much less prominent — is ITC Binary, a quite unbalanced face.

55pluss is a new high quality Norwegian magazine targeting seniors. Focusing on culture, society, literature and art, it wishes to offer something fresh and different to its audience. With the target group in mind, we aimed for elegant yet highly legible typography.

Extended presentation: https://www.behance.net/gallery/38143317/55pluss-logomagazine

yedi70 is a company which aims to change and enhance elder's life quality by providing health, social and activity services. Above all, company seeks to enhance transmission of knowledge, talents and life experience between generations.

In her series Morgenliebe (“morning love”), Katrin Trautner portrays the eroticism of old age. It won her the Gute Aussichten award that recognizes “young German photography”. The book was designed by Felix Link in collaboration with Lukas Weber, and published by Kerber.

Sad seniors signage.

Salvo Sans and Serif (originally called Boomer) were commissioned by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) for their publications and other branding.

A meeting of the Society of Publication Designers reunited Cyrus Highsmith and Courtney Murphy. Their previous collaboration had been on the award-winning redesign of Sunday Independent. This time it would be for a triple feature: AARP The Magazine, AARP Bulletin and AARP Segunda Juventud.

The old choices were “too safe,” Murphy noted. Needing to get with the times and align with the mood of their readers, they were looking to re-invigorate and energize their look. Early sketches of a lively typeface with slabs soon unfolded into a large family of serif and sans serif typefaces that could create specific palettes for each distinctive publication. The success of Salvo Sans and Salvo Serif echoes Murphy’s design philosophy: “The right words draw people in, but on a subconscious level the typeface does that first.”