Adobe and design:unknown
From 1993 to 1995, design:unknown's principal designer Jonathan Caponi produced the original identities for Adobe's key digital video software—Adobe Premiere 4.0 and After Effects 3.0. The horse and the transmission tower, respectively, stood the test of time, and over the years Adobe gained strong brand equity with these images.
In 2003, Adobe again sought help from design:unknown. The product team had grown increasingly dissatisfied with subsequent versions of the Premiere and After Effects identities, and they were hopeful that we could give them something to be excited about, given our technical expertise, product knowledge, and design skill.
After some research, Jonathan presented new concepts for After Effects and Premiere. Once more, the primary images—horse and tower—took center stage.
Says Jonathan, "I was so excited that we could bring the Premiere horse back to its glory and restore Premiere's 'personality.' I felt that over time, the horse identity had been lost in the attempt to show product features."
Adobe was happy. And they were happy with Jonathan’s concepts for the After Effects identity as well. "After the team reviewed a number of sketches, we agreed to use the full tower. I placed it on a natural background, and added rich color and layering. I also rendered the image for print in After Effects, using video stills, vector artwork, imported 3D objects, and photos—a nontraditional way of doing illustration that took advantage of the product’s capabilities."
Adobe's next assignment: An identity for their DVD authoring software, Encore. And yes, we came through. Today design:unknown is responsible for developing the brand identity for all of Adobe's digital video product line. With us, Adobe knows they will achieve outstanding concepts, quality execution, and an exciting, consistent brand identity.