Design and communication

Articles and resources on the intersection of design and communication. Whether you’re a designer or a creative professional, this category is a must-visit for anyone interested in the power of design to communicate and connect with people. From design thinking to branding and visual communication, this category delves into the ways in which design can effectively communicate ideas, tell stories and enrich people’s lives. You’ll find interviews with experts and insights on the latest trends and techniques in design and communication design.

Pioneer 10 plaque: The most ambitious project in communication design history

The most ambitious project in the history of communication design

The Pioneer 10 is the first man-made object we sent outside our solar system. It holds the most ambitious visual communication project ever conceived by a human mind: a message to extraterrestrial life. The authors are Carl Sagan, Frank Drake and Linda Salzman, who carried out this incredible project just three weeks to go before launch. In this article, I explain the design problems and the decisions made by the authors to solve them.

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Dinos with Triquetra, end of seventh century BC, Archaeological museum of Agrigento, photo Giuseppe Gallo.

Trinacria: meaning and history of the Sicilian Triskele

During my years as a communication designer in Palermo, several companies have asked me to design brands based on the Sicilian Trinacria. If you have ever been to Sicily, you have seen it depicted everywhere, especially on tourist products and restaurants. Its distinctive shape makes it one of the most powerful symbols ever conceived in human history. In this article, I re-propose some research on this particular kind of triskelion, which has a history as ancient, complex and cosmopolitan as the island it represents.

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Logo Wars, how brand design influences global economy

Logo wars, how brand design impacts global economy

In an increasingly competitive global market, graphic design can become a tool for real trade war tactics involving consumers of entire continents. One example, and perhaps the best known, is the China Exportation mark, created by some Chinese manufacturers to deceive European citizens into believing they have purchased a product that meets European standards. In this article, I will show you the crucial difference between the two different marks and explain how to recognise them on the products you use or want to buy.

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Pioneer 10 plaque: The most ambitious project in communication design history

The most ambitious project in the history of communication design

The Pioneer 10 is the first man-made object we sent outside our solar system. It holds the most ambitious visual communication project ever conceived by a human mind: a message to extraterrestrial life. The authors are Carl Sagan, Frank Drake and Linda Salzman, who carried out this incredible project just three weeks to go before launch. In this article, I explain the design problems and the decisions made by the authors to solve them.

Read More
Dinos with Triquetra, end of seventh century BC, Archaeological museum of Agrigento, photo Giuseppe Gallo.

Trinacria: meaning and history of the Sicilian Triskele

During my years as a communication designer in Palermo, several companies have asked me to design brands based on the Sicilian Trinacria. If you have ever been to Sicily, you have seen it depicted everywhere, especially on tourist products and restaurants. Its distinctive shape makes it one of the most powerful symbols ever conceived in human history. In this article, I re-propose some research on this particular kind of triskelion, which has a history as ancient, complex and cosmopolitan as the island it represents.

Read More
Logo Wars, how brand design influences global economy

Logo wars, how brand design impacts global economy

In an increasingly competitive global market, graphic design can become a tool for real trade war tactics involving consumers of entire continents. One example, and perhaps the best known, is the China Exportation mark, created by some Chinese manufacturers to deceive European citizens into believing they have purchased a product that meets European standards. In this article, I will show you the crucial difference between the two different marks and explain how to recognise them on the products you use or want to buy.

Read More