The pared-down logos found on vintage Japanese cameras inspired Istanbul-based design consultancy Antrepo to create conceptual minimal logos for web brands like Facebook, Google and YouTube (+ slideshow).
Antrepo, led by designer Mehmet Gozetlik, based the Made in Japan project on 35mm SLR cameras manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s.
The designers noticed that cameras made by Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Minolta in that period all featured simple line drawings in place of the brands' logos, which were normally much bolder.
The line drawings cut production costs by making them easier to apply to the metal camera bodies, Gozetlik explained to Dezeen.
Antrepo took the colourful logos of contemporary web-based companies and services like Instagram, eBay and Twitter and turned them into stark monochrome designs.
The new logos appear to be etched into metal, echoing the appearance of the vintage cameras.
We previously featured Antrepo's minimalist take on well-known food packaging designs.
Earlier this month we reported that famous brands including Heinz, Marmite and Levi's had produced "unbranded" versions of their products for sale at London department store Selfridges.
Last week American Airlines unveiled a new logo and livery for its aeroplanes, while designer Yves Béhar recently revamped the packaging of skincare brand Nivea – see all graphic design on Dezeen.
Here's more information from Antrepo:
Made in Japan
Canon AE-1, Nikon FTn, Ashai Pentax ESII, Minolta XG-1 – these cameras are some of the Japanese 35mm SLR cameras from the vintage '70s and '80s, the "Made in Japan" era, when Japan set the global standard of producing quality.
When we take a look at the vintage 35mm cameras, we notice that almost all of these brands used the same style for their logos and typography – line-based logos and extended-outline fonts.
Almost all of these brands used bold logos on their packaging or advertising in the '70s and '80s.
The production industry created line-based logos for the metal bodies, probably to cut down the production costs. So we try to see the digital world in the same perspective of this vintage style.
What exactly is the point of this? Isn’t it a bit redundant?
Exactly what I’m thinking. Such a lazy recycled idea. And what’s the connection between Japanese-made quality and these social networking brands?
I was going to post the exact same question.
Should we be applauding someone learning how to use Photoshop’s layer styles?
This isn’t Dezeen material. At all.
Dreadful. The words under the logos don’t even make sense. “Pinterest, A pinboard-style photo sharing”. Utter nonsense and unrelated to the logos on cameras from that era.
Agreed… Photoshop 101. However, it was a nice way of presenting an interesting fact. A creative teaching experience. Ha!
How sad.
Why do I feel that the most interesting part of this post is the comments? Have I just wasted a minute of my life looking at the contents of the post? I think so.
This what happens if you are an attention-addicted designer. Really sad.
I like them. They should be adopted or coexist, as some are an improvement. Granted, it’s niche thinking, but nicely considered.
What a completely pointless exercise. There cannot surely be any connection between vintage Japanese cameras and social media logos.
Please, leave logo and identity design to sites that specialize in it.
It may not be a good post, but some of the comments are straight up mean and stuck-up! Get over yourselves.
Perfect avatar name for this comment :)
I know this is a very similar comment to all the above, but I cannot help it: Why, oh why?
Ooph, I wasted time reading this. Anyone can take already existing logos and paste them into silver and black. Now I just wasted even more time!
This is a waste of time.