In 2007 D&AD sent out an oversized pizza box containing a bright yellow satin flag brandishing their logo. It was given to a variety of D&AD members around the world. They were asked to do something snazzy with it. A selection of the results was to be featured in the 2007 annual. The whole idea rather incenses me because of its utter waste and I felt the need to protest. This was my response to D&AD’s request…
Needless to say my little effort didn’t grace the pages of the annual nor was my protest acknowledged by D&AD. But thanks to Creative Review it found a cyber audience and started to whizz around the blogosphere. I mention this because I have been thinking about the future of the D&AD Annual.
Apart from the first catalogue style annual in 1963 I have every copy of the D&AD Annual. I still treasure many of them. But as much as I love books, over the last decade the D&AD Annual has, to my mind, become redundant as a vehicle to best record the year’s creative highlights in this digital age...
You had to buy the annual in the early days. Later it was given out free to members but you had to collect it from D&AD. Later they organised a free delivery service. For those of you who are members of D&AD you will be well aware of the rapid increase in size of the annual over the past ten years. This reflects not only the new areas of design but now includes the growing international entries.
Last year’s edition of the annual weighed in at a hefty 3kg. It was delivered to me at a cost, I guess, of around £20 by one of those smartly dressed UPS drivers…
in their equally immaculate chocolate brown trucks…
I signed for it, reached for my still trusty scalpel and slashed my way through the dense cardboard protective packaging and it’s inner plastic shrink-wrapping. It left my studio floor full of debris and me holding the annual fearing a hernia under the weight. There followed a cup of coffee and a ten-minute thumb through – something I’ve done for the last two decade.
Then the tomb was snapped shut and added to my bookshelf, taking its place chronologically with its predecessors. There it will stay in quiet serenity. It was the sight of the discarded packaging and the weight of the annual that got me thinking about the sheer effort and expense to deliver this bibliographic extravaganza to my door.
Here is the DNA of the 2010 D&AD Annual…
On top of all that it travelled 10,000 miles (it was printed in China) to reach me. And all I do is give it a cursory glance as most of the images are too small and lack detail. Then it’s on the shelf with its old buddies. I am sure I am not alone in this casual act.
We are now very well bedded into the digital age (no longer ‘new media’) with its ever-increasing advances. And with a new D&AD president in office, and importantly one from a digital background I would like to pose a question. When is D&AD going to address this issue? He is my solution.
Let’s just re run that UPS delivery scenario again. The only difference is that it is now 2013 (D&AD’s 50th anniversary).
So, I open my door and am handed a slim lightweight package (only 0.68g). I open it with ease, minimal waste. It is a 4th generation iPad, slimmer, faster, bigger memory and a lot cheaper (but knowing Apple it won't be). I discover later that Apple have subsidised this new little miracle to all D&AD members (how nice of them.)...
I click on to discover that it not only has the brand spanking new 2013 Annual – where I can look at the graphics in detail and activate all of the moving imagery, sound and music – but I also have access to the previous 49 annuals as well.
That’s 50 years, 1,450 cm in length, 124kg in weight, 149cm in thickness (think of those poor bookshelves) all reduced to a digital nothingness. As for the 2014 annual? Simple. It’s a download from D&AD. No UPS delivery required (sorry UPS). No Chinese printing. No paper, board, inks, glue, plastic and only one 10,000 miles journey (everything is made in China these days) to get it to your door.
A big step for D&AD and a small carbon footprint for the creative community. (Well done D&AD.)
Couldn't agree more Ken. I treat it exactly the same as you and have exactly the same problems with it as you. Do you think Sanky will take up your hint? Rosie Arnold is a Facebook friend so I might share this with her!
Posted by: Christopher Sharrock | January 12, 2011 at 10:58 AM
Chris, I think you mean Mike not Ken.
Posted by: mike dempsey | January 12, 2011 at 01:30 PM
Just publish it as an eBook, an app, or dare I say a web app, rather than sending out an iPad which in itself will have a big carbon footprint, will be deemed out of date, and likely to be owned by a high percentage of members at D&AD in any case.
Posted by: MimeArtist | January 12, 2011 at 02:49 PM
Excellent. But I think by 2013 the iPad will be even better and I'm sure all members would like an Apple/D&AD 'special edition'. We have got to have something for our membership fee.
Posted by: mike dempsey | January 12, 2011 at 03:05 PM
Couldn't disagree more!
You have collected D&AD annuals for an age and yes you might have a massive collection of books but what about new designers? Do you want them to be totally digital just because you don't want any more clutter and waste? And one designers waste is anothers pride and joy. I would be horrified if something that shows craft in printing would be turned into something as disposable, dull and lifeless as yet another app or iPad magazine.
Whilst I do agree on weight/postage/environment I would circle more on companies who circulate the masses of junk mail I get every day, from utilities and sales that will amount to far far more waste than a collectable annual would make.
Oh yeah and you need a brand spanking £500 device to view it on, luckily I do have one but many do not including students who use the annual as a resource... but of course your not bothered about that because it's what you want.
Print will never die, digital will sit alongside it but you can never ever replace the craft of a well made book and as designers should protect the medium rather than want to replace it.
Posted by: John | January 13, 2011 at 11:09 AM
Hi John – I think you must have missed the sentence where I said the 'I love books'. I am simply making the point that the D&AD annual in book form is no longer the best way to show the work. Just as traditional photography and cinematography has had to embrace the digital world, so too must we graphic designers. Print will always be with us but no longer exclusively. Horses for courses. Oh yes, also in my D&AD scenario students would have access to an online version of all 50 annuals. Thanks for your strident views.
Posted by: mike dempsey | January 13, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Hi Mike
I'm so glad to have read your blog post today. I still have that huge yellow flag sitting at home because I couldn't bear to throw it in the bin (one day I'll think of something to make with it).
Also we have just thrown 5 copies of the D&AD call for entries in the recycling bin - we all knew about the deadline anyway from the frequent emails they send so didn't need any more reminding, especially with 90% of the paper being taken up with languages we don't read.
The print vs. digital debate is an interesting one. Have you seen Daniel Goleman's analysis - the eco-math of the book vs. e-reader? Even though his calculations are for a typical paperback rather than the more flamboyant nature of the D&AD annual, similiar thinking would apply (http://tinyurl.com/6dewd8a).
Nat Hunter
Posted by: Redfish66 | January 13, 2011 at 02:58 PM
Thank you Nat – I will look at Goleman's peice.
Posted by: mike dempsey | January 13, 2011 at 03:17 PM
Excellent post. Although don't hold your breath expecting anything 'free' from Apple. Nice idea though. I love printed books and print will never die as a medium, but the impact on the environment has to be taken into account by designers. Apart from anything else bookshelves (at least in my home) are finite and are already full. So it's a Kindle for me I think.
Posted by: Gerry Simons | January 13, 2011 at 04:19 PM
Hi Gerry – I think it would be foolish if Apple passed up the opportunity to subsidise one of their most important group of customers. They should.
Posted by: mike dempsey | January 13, 2011 at 04:23 PM
In many ways I agree with the whole sentiment; as designers the number one thing we need to consider is the impact our design decisions have on the future of this planet. So yes, D&AD annual delivered digitally is great.
But there's a problem with e-books in general. The inability to lend someone a book. You know, someone comes over to your desk and asks about that book you're were banging on about. "Can I borrow it they say". And the answer is of course "no". This has nothing to do with just the D&AD annual but like I said all digital publishing. Sure if the book is free it's less of a problem but even then the ability to lend and share is an important part of, well, being a nice human being.
Posted by: Brendandawes | January 14, 2011 at 01:01 PM
Of course, by partnering with print on demand services, those who wanted a hard copy could order one, even removing content they're not interested in, thereby ensuring that copies are only printed and sent to those who want them.
Posted by: Adrian | January 14, 2011 at 01:15 PM
Yes I get your point Brendan. But there is a down side.
They say, " Can I borrow that cracking 1968 D&AD Annual". Being a nice human being you say, " Yes here it is". That's the last you see of it. "Book? No I don't recall you giving me one".
Posted by: Mike | January 14, 2011 at 01:16 PM
Now Adrian - That is a good idea. Everybody's happy.
And on demand printing will be even better by 2013.
Posted by: Mike | January 14, 2011 at 01:30 PM
Still POD doesn't give you the options a beautifully crafted book does, I really like what Faber & Build did a few years ago with customised covers based on book genre with no cover being the same as that is a great example of taking a new idea but making it more desirable.
I just don't see the future of publishing being all digital and thing both print and digital can live side by side. Wired & Project magazine were supposed to be ground breakers but instead they are a bloated mess on the iPad with too many gimmicks.
Also I need to pay £500+ for the chance to look at those bloated efforts.
Also redfish66: Why did you throw 5 D&AD annuals away? You could of given them to a local Uni/College or stuck them on eBay, I would never throw a book away ever.
Posted by: John | January 17, 2011 at 12:06 PM
John - I didn't throw 5 D&AD annuals away! Just the call for entries to the competition...
Posted by: Redfish66 | January 17, 2011 at 04:29 PM
Yeah, I'd have to agree with this. iPad it. Make it affordable.
Posted by: Ian Shimkoviak | January 26, 2011 at 12:19 AM
Calm down you lot. Digital only delivers: it can't help us THINK. In an earlier age we would be cabinet makers or stone masons or luthiers (or painters). We have an eye for form, colour, line and space. Nothing has changed. Let's celebrate this. And keep true to our commitment of beautiful looking work (not forgetting the fact that we have to sell stuff and current fashion: we are, after all, a fashion-based industry: we're flogging stuff). We all know when we see something that's wonderful. It starts with an idea and not style, which glosses over a so-so idea. Craftsmanship is everything. Long live the designer and the one who wittles a piece of wood down to make something. I hope design will come full-circle now away from Mac jockeys and back into craft where it belongs. Discuss! AndyB
Posted by: Andrew Bristow | August 17, 2012 at 10:43 PM