No.007_11 Cultars Magazine - Cultars
I contributed to the design and planning of Cultars Magazine, showcasing unique companies in each issue. The first edition includes interviews with Earthquaker Devices (EQD) founders Jamie & Julie as well as employees, Taka and Samantha. Distributed at our event ‘CHAT (Cultars Hears, Asks, and Talks)’ and freely available at workspaces and universities, the magazine explores the EQD’s intriguing hand-drawn cat illustrations inside their effects pedals. The interviews reveal founders’ insights on products, industry, and company culture, with additional perspectives from Professor Junko Kumakura on the intersection of culture, arts, and business. The B3-sized tabloid is designed for readability, incorporating a touch of informality, with a cover featuring Jamie and Julie’s silhouettes. The online version can be accessed here.
Details
No.007_12 Degital flyer and scenes at Cultars’ event ‘CAHT’
A key consideration during the design process was to avoid creating a too serious layout. Many of the companies we feature share the commonality of being unconstrained by norms and embodying uniqueness. Cultars, as a platform for such content, also consciously avoids becoming overly serious or formal in its branding efforts.
In addition to constructing the layout with oversized text, typography navigation elements were designed to intentionally introduce noise and convey information that might be understood without explicit statements. This idea was inspired by the annoyance of Microsoft’s office assistant (known as the dolphin character in Japan).
No.007_11 Cultars Magazine
Client: Cultars
Art Direction
Text and Edit by Naoki Takahashi
2022