Bringing the Art Directors Club annual into the digital age

This year, for the first time in its 92-year history, the Art Directors Club of New York is releasing its annual as a fully digital edition.

The case

Instead of releasing a printed annual, the ADC is releasing an app, featuring all the winners, and sending out a bespoke iPad case, designed by Pete Rossi of consultancy RM&CO, a former ADC Young Gun winner.

The limited-edition case is designed to sit alongside the printed ADC annuals on-shelf, and is inspired by the 1920s ADC books.

The iPad case (left) next to a 1920s ADC annual
The iPad case (left) next to a 1920s ADC annual

Handcrafted using materials including bamboo, Moroccan book cloth and gold-foil, the cover features an embossed medallion – a version of a coin designed by sculptor Paul Manship in 1920 to honour the best creative work in the world.

Medal

Rossi says, ‘We wanted to create a timeless design coupled with that historic and hand-crafted element.

Bellyband

‘It’s a big statement to the industry about how information can be consumed. The case acts as a tangible symbol that ADC members can look forward to holding in their hands.’

Spine

The case has been manufactured by San Francisco company DODOcase, which uses traditional book-binding techniques.

Producing the case
Producing the case

The case is available free to the first 500 ADC members who download the ADC Annual 92 iPad app, which is released on 11 November.

Producing the case
Producing the case

The app itself has been designed by Brazilian consultancy The Goodfellas, working with ADC member Monica Eunji Kim, and features video, motion graphics and detailed imagery of ADC members.

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Comments
  • Mike Dempsey November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It is what I suggested hat D&AD should do over 2 years ago. They didn’t.

  • Craig Dalton November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It was a real pleasure for everyone at DODOcase to hand craft these cases. We loved the homage to the 1920’s ADC book that Pete Rossi infused into the exterior design. This is the perfect bridge between the historic print version of the annual and the iPad app.

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