It’s no secret that, here at Flavorpill, we’re big fans of literature and design — so we get pretty excited when we see them combined in new and aesthetically pleasing ways. Thanks to Street Anatomy, we came across Penguin’s new campaign for kids’ classic audiobooks, and we are smitten. What we love most about the advertisements is how they combine the monochromatic, detail-oriented illustration style of anatomical drawings with the pastel colors and fantasy of children’s literature. Now that we think about it, Penguin is responsible for some of our favorite ads ever. After the jump, check out our brief history of Penguin campaigns that would make even Don Draper smile.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The maxim is just as applicable in product design as it is in everyday life. Consider the Airstream and the Fender Strat, widely celebrated products that have looked the same for decades. And yet, this week has brought the news that Volkswagen has debuted a “more masculine” version of the iconic Beetle. The new version is VW’s attempt to broaden the car’s appeal by attracting male buyers. Will it work? Only time will tell, but we can sure pass judgment now. After the jump, we examine the new Beetle and a few more classic products that have been redesigned over the years, with varying degrees of success.
Cheeky painter Harland Miller creates irreverent reinterpretations of Penguin Classics. The paintings, many of which he compiled in a 2007 Rizzoli book, often prod at a deeper truth about the author or text, or just plain make fun — like his oh-so-appropriate titular approximation of every Hemingway novel ever and his stab at imagining Poe’s delusional mindset. Plus, as A Continuous Lean points out, Miller is a model in a new Dunhill campaign, which only reminds everyone how much they want to spend that thousand dollars on his art instead of on fancy-manly accessories. Indulge yourself, and click through for a gallery of Miller’s Penguin-inspired artworks, but be warned: profanity abounds.
In celebration of its 75th anniversary this year, Penguin Books has released Postcards from Penguin: One Hundred Covers in One Box, which like it sounds, is a box set of 100 postcards featuring some of the publisher’s most iconic paperback jackets. Priced at $25 (which, if you do the math, is just $.25 a card), this seems like a stylish but affordable way for bookworms and/or graphic design nerds to encourage themselves to send more snail mail. We also think they’d look pretty tacked up on your walls. Click through to check out a selection of postcards from the collection.
The design-minded bloggers at Creative Review tipped us off to Penguin Decades, a cool new series from the UK branch of the publishing giant. The concept is simple enough: they are re-releasing five novels that helped shaped Britain in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. But what makes it exciting is the fact that they’ve asked a handful of talented people to produce the cover art, under the direction of John Hamilton. We agree with CR that John Squire’s work for the ’80s is certainly the most striking; and yes, we’re talking about John Squire of The Stone Roses. View all five of his covers after the jump.
If you’re a reader, you know the dilemma. You may love to give and get books, but you’ve got at least a few friends or family members who just aren’t into what you’ve hand-picked and lovingly gift-wrapped for them. Never fear! We present our handy list of eye-candy books for even the toughest crowd.
This morning we opened a package from Penguin Books that elicited oohs and ahhs from the female half of Flavorpill HQ. Famed fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo — whose work has appeared everywhere from Vogue to The New York Times — has created a series of couture-inspired covers for new Penguin Classics Deluxe Editions of three of our favorites.
The books feature fancy French flaps and luxe packaging, and will be published August 25, 2009. We plan on collecting them all. Find images of Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights after the jump. Read More »
