And the Oscar goes to ……
Commendations “for typographic excellence” (23.04.08)

The 54th Show staged by Type Directors Club of New York (TDC) will have its worldwide premiere at drupa 2008. From its beginnings as a members-only competition for Madison Avenue’s type devotees, the award has grown into the world’s highest typography and graphic design honour. An award from the Type Directors Club of New York is considered the equivalent of an Oscar for typography – known to jumpstart careers and earn winners points in creative rankings. Wherever the TDC Show opens its doors, the typography and type design scene gathers to exchange news and views as well as explore beyond the boundaries of the discipline.

Some 2,100 entries from 33 countries came under the judges’ scrutiny in the latest competition. More than half came from the USA, followed by Germany (378), Japan (82), Canada (81), the UK (53) and Spain (40). For the first time in TDC history, entrants from India were also recorded. “The standard of work is extremely high this year,” commented Bertram Schmidt-Friderichs, TDC Chairman for Germany. “And the spectrum ranges from in-your-face advertising to political or social campaigns. There were also designs for the layout of glossy magazines such as the New York Times Magazine’ in addition to annual reports and calendars.”

Among past winners are luminaries of the creative scene, globally active agencies as well as small companies and as yet unknown designers. One of the big names, Stefan Sagmeister, whose client list includes the Guggenheim Museum, Time Warner and the likes of the Rolling Stones, picked up an award for his book “Things I have learned in my life so far”. Others with cause for celebration were Pentagram Design of the USA, Strichpunkt, Ogilvy & Mather, to name but a few. A complete overview of the winners is available online at: www.tdc.org

All of the 225 award-winning works will be on display for drupa visitors to admire in Hall 4 at Stand F 51. Plus, the stand itself promises to be worth taking a closer look. Students under Professor Gertrud Nolte of the Faculty of Design at the Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences designed and produced the stand, communications and advertising media as part of a semester project. The result of their efforts is a red stand with the unmistakable look of a skyline – an impressive sight. “To truly appreciate typography, you have to let yourself fall under its spell. Good typography has an almost magical attraction, created by subtle quality and sensitivity,” said Professor Nolte.

Contact: www.drupa.com

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