We've always liked creating continuity, but with individuality, and often trying, rather desperately, to violate normal design protocols.

We hated working for a client who came armed with a logo and an accompanying design manual dictating specific color options for both the logo and rules applying to corresponding background, how close images could occur to the logo, etc.

This often showed up in presentations of logos where there was a set of rules, but where there was individuality.

One of those is with the Lead Graffiti logo and its use of color.

For years we never used the logo with the same color combinations. We produced upwards of 100 portfolio cards that we used to promote our work and to give away with reckless abandon. These seldom used the same colors and often used colors that were chosen from elements in the main images. You can see 3 of them below.

We liked (still do) violating rules that most design studios and clients lock in at the same level as the 10 commandments.

For instance, most design studio produce a standards manual that lays out the rules, one of which is never put the logo over an image. We almost always do, and take photographs of our work that often demands that we do. Sometimes the overlap is simple. Other times is really impacts the image, sometimes you might argue, somewhat negatively. We still like it.

Another project from back when I was teaching was the choice of a name to represent the Visual Communications program in the University of Delaware where I taught. In the earlier days it was a simpler program consisting of graphic and advertising design. We used the word "DEsigners." Anyone was free to use it anyway thay liked except there needed to be that DE in the word DEsigners. Any typeface, any weights, any colors. It just needed the word "DEsigners" and that sense that we were from Delaware.

With so much of the promotional material being delivered through online the use of various color combinations to help tell the story is quite easy and should be effective.

Hard not to consider Coca-Cola putting people's first names on drink cans.