‘Roundhead’ brands are beating ‘Cavaliers’

The recession is leading many brands to adopt austere ‘Roundhead’ principles rather than showy ‘Cavalier’ ones, according to John Bateson, creative consultant and chairman of the Typographic Circle.

Writing in the forthcoming issue of Design Week, Bateson says brands are increasingly starting to ‘don the relatively recessive garb of efficiency, sobriety and propriety’.

He adds, ‘Several posters I’ve seen for banks and other financial brands which, months back, wanted to engage me with clever, entertaining treatments, have halted this self-referential, self-regarding, self-centred nonsense.

‘Instead, there are a couple of lines of type (that you can read from a mile away)here, on a plain background there, and the message is plain as, well, a pikestaff: “Trust us, and here’s why”.’

Bateson continues, ‘So, maybe, expect to see monumental calm in all things design. A focus on helpful information and clear benefits. Hopefully, a return to the quiet confidence of things well made and well done.’

Read Bateson’s comments in full in tomorrow’s issue of Design Week