I Saw the Signs

There are so many interesting and unique signs here in London that have caught my interest in the short time I have been here so far. Before this trip, I never realized how important signs are and how different they are from place to place.

 This first sign is from my trip to Neal's Yard during my first weekend here in London. The whole area surrounding the sign was very colorful, so it makes sense that the sign has very simple colors in order to make it stand out. The circular design and tree in the center are a familiar design for many healing products, so it makes sense that Neal's Yard Remedies adopted this common design convention. Also, the company name is written in a slab serif font, which makes it easy to read. Also, the simple text allows the tree in the center of the logo to be the main focus, creating a link between Neal's Yard Remedies and nature in the minds of the consumers.

This next sign is from my new favorite market: Marks and Spencer Simply Food. This shop has delicious pre-made meals as well as simple ready-to-assemble dinners. I can't wait to go back. On a design note, however, the sign is very simple. The name is written in sans serif in white, creating a feeling of simplicity and cleanliness. This makes sense because Marks and Spencer want people to understand that their food is fresh and simple to prepare with just their sign.

 This last sign is from my visit to the Columbia Flower Market this weekend. On the way back to the tube, this sign caught my eye because of the unique font. This sign is written in a decorative font that is attempting to imitate a child's handwriting to try to make people drive slower. The idea is that if people think that driving slower will protect the children in their community, they will actually follow the posted speed limit. This is also why the letters are different sizes and written in different colors. This gives the sign a more childlike appearance and hopefully convinces people to be safe and drive slower.
I've had so much fun looking for interesting signs this week, can't wait to find more soon!

Cadbury Factory

Upon arriving in London and discovering that Cadbury products were everywhere, I knew I had to visit the factory during my time here. So, on Friday, I took the two-hour long train ride out to Birmingham and then another short train to Bournville to see the factory. 

When I got there, the building seemed just like a normal factory that just happened to make chocolate, but the moment I walked into the entrance of the tour, I knew this place was something special. Immediately, I was transported into another world where anything was possible and chocolate was an integral part of life. I felt like Charlie Bucket entering the magical Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for the first time. I didn't know where to look; each direction held something magical and exciting.

At the beginning of the tour, I was taught all about the history of chocolate and the history of the Cadbury family and how they got into this business. I learned that John Cadbury began selling tea and other products in a small store that gained popularity when he introduced a storefront window so that people could see the products they could buy from him. 

This window made his store so successful that he was able to experiment with different concoctions of chocolate, leading him to create the Cadbury company with his brother. This shows just how important design is in daily life because the design of a store sign or a product reels you in and can convince you to venture in or keep walking. His choice of opening up his store window for the public to see changed everything. 
As time went on, they knew they had to have a distinctive label to attract customers. After going through many different designs and fonts, they settled on the distinctive label you see on shelves today.

In addition to the characteristic purple lettering, Cadbury products all have distinctive colors and designs to ensure that people can find the product they are after without much trouble. For example, Creme eggs have a yellow splat shape surrounding the purple lettering, which gives people a glimpse of the heavenly treat that awaits them. 

I found it interesting how the design of the Cadbury labels changed over the years to what it is today. The text went from being large block letters to a more fancy and more playful font as the company got bigger and more successful. The company understood the importance of a distinctive color and label to ensure that people would be drawn to their products and be able to find them easily. This recognizable purple color even carries out into the rest of Bournville, making the whole village seem like it stepped out of a fairy tale.

I had so much fun on my trip to the Cadbury factory and would recommend it to anyone who likes chocolate or just wants to feel like a little kid again.