DM112 - Graphic Design
Corporate Identity and Visual Systems

The technological advances made during World War II were staggering. After the war, productive capacity turned toward consumer goods, and many people believed that the outlook for the capitalist economic structure could be unending economic expansion and prosperity. With this bright view of the future in mind, "Good design is good business" became a rallying cry in the graphic-design community during the 1950s. Prosperity and technological development appeared closely linked to the increasingly important corporations, and the more perceptive of these comprehended the need to develop a corporate image and identity among diverse audiences. Design was seen as a major way to shape a reputation for quality and reliability. 
The use of visual marks for identification had been in existence for centuries, of course. In medieval times, proprietary marks were compulsory as a means of enabling the guilds to control trade. By the 1700s virtually every trader and dealer had a trademark or stamp. The arrival of the industrial revolution, with its mass manufacturing and marketing, increased the value and importance of trademarks for visual identification. But the visual identification systems that began during the 1950s went far beyond trademarks or symbols. The national and multinational scope of many corporations made it difficult for them to maintain a cohesive image, but by unifying all communications from a given organization into a consistent design system, one could be projected to accomplish identifiable goals.
The first phase in the development of postwar visual identification resulted from pioneering efforts by strong individual designers who put their personal imprint on a client's designed image. The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) of New York City moved to the forefront of corporate identity design; William Golden (1911-59), CBS art director for almost two decades, brought uncompromising visual standards and keen insight into the communications process. The effectiveness of the CBS corporate identity did not depend on a regimented design program or application of specific graphic elements, such as a single corporate typeface, to all corporate communications. Rather, the quality and intelligence of each successive design solution enabled CBS to establish an ongoing and successful corporate identity.
A corporate philosophy and approach to advertising emerged in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Advertising was created not by an outside agency but by internal staff; this permitted CBS to maintain a unified approach to advertising and other graphics. Golden's CBS Television ads often used unusual spatial relations. Fine artists including Feliks Topolski, René Bouche, and Ben Shahn were commissioned to create illustrations for CBS advertisements.