Novelty Typecasting

ience–
erstanding of its aud
chine with a clear und
ma
pop
and
r
and
ection of co-founde
young) fans of irony –
Under the creative dir
thful (but not always
you
joy
,
ing
d
rov
ine
aphs
tra
imp
e
er
egr
acturing ‘Lif
Nash, who was nev
of design and wit tel
Blue Q has been manuf
culture maven Mitch
the delicate balance
ts
how
duc
pro
d
esise
pra
obs
ly
ny
ous
universal
that, in turn, tickle fun
igner but has the zea
bringing, mind altering,
gh as a graphic des
moods and messages
brash
has cornered the
pany’s website. Althou
Q
e
com
Blu
,
the
s
one
say
of
s
so
ind Blue Q’s corporate
eye
8’,
since 198
sions and keen
bones. As the brain beh
roveimp
tes
life
Sta
d
ed
ign
ite
ion
Un
des
ent
aforem
market in the
unique ways of using
I cannot vouch for the
boutique specialty gift
brawn Nash inspires
ering’
t
alt
for
nd
‘mi
com
e
senses
and
tur
ate
ng’
cul
inn
ngi
bri
eal to visual
ers to twist their
ment, the so-called ‘joy
with products that app
and encourages design
th.
tru
e
the
ton
of
e
h
g
onc
hig
sin
y
at
par
usl
are
al
t
cio
nti
nds spe
ual products tha
is not far from an existe
zone. This perhaps sou
of humor to make vis
ng coteer
ndi
oth
te
xpa
qui
ong
r-e
e
am
eve
don
e
ng,
an
nci
hav
for
e
refere
ing. He would
This is particularly tru
since in this article I am
serious and self-mock
who have
’, ‘If
ers
ser
Kis
aph
ng
s
ogr
ndi
‘As
typ
bra
like
am
and
es
,
tre
with titl
more mains
rie of artists, designers
things, breath sprays
well as the captain of
joyful
’, and
the
and fabricated Blue Q’s
derstand Modern Art
‘Un
al’,
always felt happier as
Leg
but
re
–
We
sh
Na
ana
conceived, designed,
Mariju
ship – Cap’n
eets
from body
sw
–
that
ed
ts
es
box
duc
rul
pro
and
ted
’
y
elt
stil
ray
se
Sp
nov
ent
aking tho
brands of eclectic
‘Instant Swedish Acc
prodigal outsider, bre
Accent ’,
h
gums to candies,
g
Iris
t
win
tan
che
‘Ins
m
’,
fro
ers
y.
ps,
ang
mediocrit
fragrances to soa
called ‘Candy from Str
pound creativity into
yl tote
.
a Bigot’, to name
to magnets, from vin
conventional wisdom
low
ublican’, and ‘I’m Not
fol
Rep
a
not
t
s
from bumper stickers
No
doe
‘I’m
sh
Na
y
sheners to breath
erformance
tur
fre
h-p
air
cen
hig
of
he
car
m
f-t
nd
fro
ble
n-o
rs,
tur
sly
y,
bags to coaste
a few, but given his
He works in a two-store
chalugh
infantile wit,
quirky (often tastefully
ated in a once vital, tho
highly sophisticated
loc
y
and
tor
ign
fac
des
sprays, most featuring
no
ss
pia
cra
r
me
&
t
for
‘Ho
n
l’,
vei
Gir
st
rty
eri
‘Di
,
sum
tt’,
city
like ‘Cat Bu
ped a flowing con
w England industrial
lenged) brand names
Nash has astutely tap
’,
long depressed, old Ne
llet
‘Mu
l’,
Rea
t
d‘Ge
hea
ch’,
ic
‘Total Bit
setts. Blue Q’s histor
Flashy ’, ‘Miso Pretty ’,
in the body politic.
Pittsfield, Massachu
subuse –
goofy, strip-mallwell as the spiritually
dly
as
ide
ut’,
dec
/Sl
its
rgin
of
t of Pee-Wee’s Playho
e
‘Vi
cen
e’,
‘Gnom
Despite som
quarters – reminis
oufav
al
son
gic
per
ate
my
str
and
iled
r Sins’,
Q is a well-o
lime ‘Wash Away you
looking designs, Blue
Charm’.
of
use
Ho
’s
eve
‘St
rite
5
4
:
Q
e
u
l
B
ting
Novelty Typecas
by Steven Heller
6
2
1 ‘Dirty Girl’ body products
(1999), designed by Haley
Johnson Design with handdrawn scripts. Copywriter:
Mitch Nash.
2 ‘Hot & Flashy’ body products
(2005) designed by Haley
Johnson Design in an Art
Deco pastiche. Copywriter:
Kelley Lear.
3 ‘Miso Pretty’ body products
(2004) designed and illustrated
by Fiona Hewitt. Copywriter:
Kelley Lear.
4 ‘Total Bitch’ soap (2001)
designed by Haley Johnson
Design using collage elements
that parody typical soap
products.
6 ‘Boss Lady’ cinnamon gum
(2005) designed by Haley
Johnson Design in a western
bandana style.
‘Ass Kisser’ cinnamon gum
(2006) designed by Modern
Dog as part of a line of breath
products.
7 ‘Wash Away Your Sins’
towelettes (1999) designed
by Haley Johnson Design
as one of a larger line of
body products.
8 ‘Steve’s House of Charm’
lip balm (2005) designed by
Aesthetic Apparatus. Copywriter: Kelley Lear.
5 ‘Get Real’ good and gritty
soap, using exfoliating
lemon peel (2006) designed
by Haley Johnson Design
in the style of a fruit label,
(Deborah Sims). Copywriter:
Mike Gibbs.
3
32
s,
wing with toys, gizmo
open drawers overflo
as
ll
we
as
ts
duc
pro
ent
During a rec
is filled with its
e Nash and his staff.
other things that inspir
is conceived
jo
gadgets, curios, and
mo
ign
des
how Blue Q’s peculiar
rn
lea
to
d
nte
wa
I
roit
daylong vis
selected typefaces app
I asked Nash how he
rs
rte
sta
for
So
.
like
ped
be
and develo
he responded. ‘It would
‘I never look for fonts’,
ts (subpriate for his products?
y reject submitted fon
nt the kitchen! So I onl
pai
to
ps
chi
nt
pai
d
g
lize and be
pickin
brand name can be sty
that look cluttered. A
)
ers
ign
des
by
ted
mit
idea’.
type must protect the
has his
over the top, but the
el concept. Yet Nash
well as serves) is a nov
‘feel heavy
s
Type that protects (as
say
he
and outline fonts
which include shadow
shouldn’t
ts,
duc
visceral preferences,
pro
se ‘over the top’
ed him, even with the
have
y
rel
me
n
and dramatic ’. So I ask
tha
duct rather
t the content of the pro
point
the
see
the type echo or suppor
der
rea
to help the
presence? ‘Type wants
a brief
to
le,
mp
a heavy and dramatic
exa
of
y
lies, which leads, by wa
rep
ely
sag
he
le’,
sib
duct ‘Miso
as fast as pos
for the bestselling pro
typographic scheme
a pun for
h
discussion about the
wit
,
ms
ite
and more
washes, soaps, mists,
Kong comng
Ho
Pretty ’, a line of body
rid
hyb
s
ard
ironic, loving eye tow
an
h
wit
ed
ign
des
st be in
and
a name
ation and lettering mu
this product, the illustr
h
Wit
r.
ula
nac
e off
ver
l
mercia
otherwise it could com
c concept to succeed,
phi
gra
the
for
c
Fiona
r
syn
t
gne
perfec
e the illustrator/desi
rse, dumb. But becaus
wo
or
y,
sill
in
atively
rel
pla
t
a
en
jus
as
in China, has been giv
in Scotland but lived
n
bor
s
wa
o
’, exwh
her
t,
wit
und
He
wrote the brand aro
image – ‘we actually
ng
usi
ays
alw
free hand to evolve the
many ways. ‘She’s
duct is always fresh in
really
ks
loo
ich
plains Nash – the pro
wh
t on top of them
s to stack a script fon
three
or
two
of
n
new serif fonts and like
spa
two fonts in the
‘And it’s cool to have
’s
ist
pur
e
typ
handsome’, adds Nash.
the
be
’. It may not
nge acts like a comma
words, because the cha
ity.
pur
ic
typograph
so Pretty ’ is not about
e treatdream solution, but ‘Mi
siders more neutral typ
con
r
eve
sh
Na
er
eth
wh
w
kno
to
d
nte
Still, I wa
to be too neutral we end
ducts? ‘Anytime we try
pro
l
tua
cep
con
his
ments for
33
7
8
13
9
ads, into treat products like
has been brought on
t on it.
join
a
in a box that has
cluding ‘Joint’ candy
ona
am
arr
Cas
lude, Michel
Other contributors inc
Stune
tha
Me
r’),
(‘Bird Shoppe
(‘Joy Stick’), Roy Fox
and
s’),
too
Tat
ost
(‘M
ry Smooth
dios (‘Cubical’), Butte
h
mis
ed
bin
com
t
tha
s
dy’). ‘It’
Louise Fili (‘People Can
y.
proudl
e Q strong ’, says Nash
mash that makes Blu
prodQ
e
Blu
of
ign
des
the
The real trick behind
work
wing how to write and
ucts is, however, kno
h Tibor
y who used to work wit
more bang for it’.
with writers. ‘Alex Isle
is
y
aph
ogr
lly
typ
rea
and cheeky
about how design is
Modern, post-Modern,
Kalman taught me a lot
Q’s
e
Blu
rof
exe
ch
g
mu
The fact is
ue Q is really a writin
this the next new wave?
writing’, says Nash. ‘Bl
and
roting
ret
wri
the
and
en
here betwe
es that illustration
aesthetic falls somew
cise’. Nash further not
eth
wh
s
can
iou
o
cur
wh
s
er
wa
les. But I
te. ‘I love a design
grunge typographic sty
together is the ultima
at you
ctions even within his
tin
dis
tive
les the chances of wh
lita
trip
it
qua
e
er Nash saw
illustrate becaus
low
or
nd
ator
h-e
str
hig
illu
as
an
m
g
nk of the
ugh it is also fun teamin
own wares. Did he thi
a qual- can do. Tho
h
me
wit
let
ts
o
cep
wh
con
ers
ck
ign
all qui
like the des
end cheekiness? ‘It is
and a designer. Also I
buy
o
that
wh
art
rs
e
aile
eiv
ret
rec
e
to
‘Th
py
lains.
I am hap
ity execution’, he exp
be a baker in the cake.
of soap
ear
bar
e
a
or
hom
go
gum
can
bad
I
h
wit
nter; hey
our stuff wont put up
is ready to go to the pri
eliver a
r-d
g
tin
ove
to
edi
e
of
hav
rge
we
cha
So
in
.
t I am
with cheap fragrance
lier! But I still feel tha
n’t the
ver
ee Lauder but we are
I like being cute and cle
ce.
voi
s
iou
cur
n
bit ’, he says, ‘It ain’t Est
tai
cer
a
is
Q
e
Blu
tal
ce
am kp either ’. But sin
more often than not I
local drugstore gift sho
in a certain way, and
he
s
doe
e,
viv
tighter’.
sell wares to sur
ut tweaks to make it
a company that must
ing to the creator abo
am
tre
ins
s
ma
way – like the
d done), Blue Q create
test the products in any
Yet after all is said (an
ita
eshes
t
not
hou
is
–
wit
’, says Nash
– even the cleverest
branding firms do? ‘No
novelty, and novelty
er,
ine
eng
ing
an
’s
add
He
ut
ls.
into it, it sel
sh how he feels abo
tion. ‘If my brother’s
sential. So I asked Na
that
y logical, really smart
ver
l
stil
but
rld. ‘There is the saying
box
wo
the
very, out of
more clutter to the
usest
’.
mo
not
Or
the
will work.
ngs are always
seeing instantly what
‘the most beautiful thi
the
n
our
bee
has
and
at
ce,
wh
tan
g
rin
lilies for ins
So by now, I was wonde
less’, like peacocks and
e Q products both in
Blu
merely good, beautiful
the
for
of
l
use
sfu
no
ces
e
suc
hav
most
customers
s
ces
suc
at
more pure
wh
and
–
z
buz
make things that are
terms of numbers and
stuff. I would love to
rty Girl’
‘Di
r:
So what
we
er’.
ans
tom
The
cus
y?
ail
pan
core ret
means to a small com
art but that is not our
lion sold
thing
mil
me
$20
‘So
?
ost
not
alm
h
has
wit
he
he like to make that
has been the biggest
uld
wo
s
thi
is
ed
past seven years. An
g. I am working with ind
of that brand over the
h giant eels. Just kiddin
wit
l
gir
a
kof
it
pac
a
tchy brush portra
Rather than building
attributable to the ske
pendent artists more.
Blue Q
ing ? ‘The brand
ing
ter
tak
let
is
led
sh
aw
Na
w
scr
d
No
c’.
composed over han
age, being more organi
sh.
Na
s
ks,
say
’,
boo
! Not the design
with a series of tiny
name’s pretty snappy
into the literary realm
s
wa
‘it
of
ed,
ge
nch
duct was lau
plays, on a broad ran
But at the time the pro
sold in countertop dis
le’,
very simple to suss
n,
isia
Par
mes – like ‘The Holy Bib
rothe
l
Ret
n.
rfu
very spot-o
weird and wonde
It’s
ar.
if
line
like
too
be
not
uld
ywriting is
at the bible wo
up, flirty, and the cop
an exploration into wh
tion
ations of the character
str
illu
The
or, and ‘Sleep’ a collec
od.
dit
mo
y-e
sy
cop
got an art
not for a good
of
g
din
tan
ybe
ers
Ma
und
ng.
r’s
epi
strato
ple, yes, sle
show the designer/illu
of photographs of peo
ticuage
bs work well; she ges
lim
come and gone, and the
The
y.
has
y
bod
aph
an
ogr
the hum
cheeky typ
tess for
hos
TV
can
eri
d.
Am
ive
e
(th
k has arr
lates like Vanna White
of the post-cheeky boo
’.
e”)
tun
For
of
l
hee
“W
design concepts are dic
While some of Blue Q’s
thme
ign
ws for various des
tated by Nash, he allo
st and
dern Dog are really ‘fa
Mo
’s
odologies: Seattle
those
are
re
ck gag. Then the
furious’ and go for a qui
e
don
has
o
wh
n,
Haley Johnso
who use finesse, like
Re’.
shy
Fla
&
t
‘Ho
l’, ‘Get Real’,
‘Sins’, ‘Bitch’, ‘Dirty Gir
ther
New York ad agency Mo
and
don
Lon
cently, the
can
at T. J. Maxx (the Ameri
up in the close-out bin
Brita
of
ise
nch
fra
store, and
discount department
eky
che
for
Q
e
Blu
to
k
ple loo
ish chain). Overall peo
me.
dso
han
n
tha
us
oro
be hum
humour. It’s harder to
att
(Se le
well, as in the case of
So when we can do it
which
dern Dog, for example,
based design firm) Mo
luding
(inc
most hilarious stuff
has done some of our
a lot
get
“Get Lucky”), you
“Less Kill More Bill” and
11
10
9 ‘Joy Stick’ lipstick (Cherry
flavour) (2006) designed by
Michel Casarramona.
Copywriter: Kelley Lear.
13 ‘Joint’ candy (2007)
designed by Mother (the ad
agency) and ‘Get Lucky’ gum
(2006) designed by Modern Dog.
10 ‘More Bill Less Kill’ chewing
gum (2006) designed by Modern
Dog in a wishful thinking style.
14 ‘Miso Pretty’ tattoos (2004)
designed by Fiona Hewitt and
‘World Peace’ tattoos (2005)
designed by Vinnie D’Angelo.
11 ‘Looking Good For Jesus’
fix-it-kit (2005) designed by
Haley Johnson Design in a
heavenly manner.
12 ‘People Candy’ (Hot Brazilian Cinnamon and Turkish
Lemon Sours) (2006) designed
by Louise Fili Ltd.
12
34
35
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