Apple... Who are you? Part 4 of 4

In 1958, designer Paul Giambarba was hired as a freelancer by polaroid, in order to revitalize and polish up polaroids brand. Giambarbas work over the next 25 years was to become some of the most important work polaroid could ever attain. As polaroids plastic fantastic wonderland invaded supermarket shelves everywhere, no eyes went unhypnotized by these delightful dazzling striped packages.

The original 5 rainbow stripes of polaroid met consumers for the first time already in 1968. Wrapping itself around, not just film packages, but also camera packaging. It was to become nothing less than a one of a kind commercial revelation beyond comparison. A simple concept of razorsharp honest appeal, that within a multifarious 1960´s and 70´s design revolution, still managed to both hug and smash consumer familiarity in its tiresome face (simultaniously).




In 1969 a 6th color/stripe was added to the Polacolor and Colorpack range of polaroid. Like seen here on the Polaroid Colorpack II camera packaging.


The sixth color also made it to the front decor of the Landcamera 1000. (1976/77).


According to Paul Giambarbas own blog (and several other sources), the golden years of Polaroid stretched from the years 1958-1977. It has not been possible for me to discover when Paul left Polaroid and where the Polaroid brand really went from there.

But none the less- As i stated in my part 3 of "Apple: Who are you?"- The Polaroid camera was indeed the ipod of the 60´s and 70´s. A statement that i cant spare reinforcing with the quote from Grafik magazines John Weich in his article on polaroid in 2005- "Like Apple today, Polaroid supplemented its superior product with superior branding. . . .". So i guess this means that polaroid and apple fairly obviously share more than just a simpler side of consumer electronics.

Remembering last weeks post on polaroid and apple packaging. Heres the deal: As Polaroid rode out its final years of "bigger" wave of godliness, late 1970´s (presumably around 1976/77). California based apple computers brought out an rather interesting new logo in about the same time, to be exact- 1976. Aside from rainbows being somewhat popular back then, what possessed a "simular" thinking company like apple to use the exact same amount of stripes, within the exact same colorrange, just a year after (or same year) Polaroid ends its official hotstreak?

Let me show you. Here ive taken the exact colors from the Giambarba polaroid logo, made them run into the first "official" brand Apple logo.


So from all of that trouble, all of that fuzz.... them doing what they do best. What am i getting at? Well, my philosophy is that Apple design appeals to us thru Deja Vu. You might not know its origin from the first moment you cast your eyes on an Apple device, but none the less- they have managed to replicate, parallel and concentrate all the greatest actions in design history and squeezed it in to one little affordable dream. A dream we all partially used to recognize fragments of growing up. A dream that today is the very pinnacle of our very society, not just as consumers but as developed consumers. The dream of being able to afford it, understand (without understanding) and live a nice and neat life (without having to pay too much for it).

And my god, we all succeeded.

Apple... Who are you? Part 3 of 4.

Believe it or not, being minimal, and straight to the point via package designs, is a very rare thing. And being unique.... rewards. Its no secret that apple over the years have won alot of admiration (and awards) for their absolutely minimal and yet stylish packaging. Often apple packaging, especially for ipods, show the item in hiding, by a 1:1 scale around the outside of the packaging. Like seen here with the u2 5th generation Ipod.

Front. Actual product size on the outside of the box.

back and side.

Most significant and greatly typical for apple packaging is also, the actual size of the complete box, compared to the item inside. Especially with apples ipodline, its crucially important to underline the evermore smaller sizes of their devices, so they limit the packaging to being not much bigger than the products itself without too much glorification involved on the outside. What you see is what you get!. A very admirable "marketing strategy", that absolutely (unlike mcdonalds menus) radiates an honest image of the object in question. Isn´t that something even the dumbest consumers appreciate? honesty and trust?. And, yes! i personally agree- Apple makes trustworthy products wrapped in honest "no nonsense" packaging. So, lets conclude that all our mommies were right. Honesty does go along way.

Oddly enough another trustworthy yet fashionable company had a simular concept during the 70´s and 80´s. The Ipod of cameras- Polaroid. Like seen here on the box of a Polaroid lightmixer 630.

Front. Actual product size on the outside of the box.

Back. Same thing.

Side.

Hey wait a minute....... what am i getting at?.

To be honest theres absolutely nothing wrong with being one of the few companies that like and adore polaroid cameras. Everyone loves polaroid cameras. So lets just leave it at that. But have in mind for part 4, that Apples Senior Vice President of Industrial Design- Johnathan Ive was born in 1967. So he was a teenager in the late 70´s into the 80´s. Wouldnt it be plausible that he (and/or his co-workers) had a big crush on polaroid already back then?........................ Well, more about that very soon, so dont miss out of the final chapter of "Apple: Who are you?". The chapter where i will take one last big bite at the apple of ive. (let me give you a hint. "North west" ).


Chapter 4 of "Apple: Who are you?". Coming soon.