Simple But Different
Trevor Beattie
My last Blog was about somebody from the Midlands area. In this entry in response to the Simple But Different lecture i am going to be talking about another Midland born creative.
Growing up in the Balsall Heath suburb of Birmingham Trevor Beattie has become one of the most influential creatives in media of the modern day.
He has influenced my perceptions of good graphic design and i have personally sat and listened whilst he gave a speech at Birmingham Symphony Hall.
His work usually consists of a simple, yet highly unique style which has projected Trevor Beattie to the top and in turn has done work for a list of clients. His work usually covers TV, Online, Print, Social, Mobile & Outdoor work.
He is partner of BMB (Beattie McGuinness Bungay) a highly successful creative advertising set up, and his work is projected through the company. Along with a range of other creatives Trevor Beattie and the rest of BMB have some of the most unique and simplest forms of visual communication on the current market.
For instance, this highly controversial advertising campaign commissioned for clothing company FCUK (Now re branded French Connection) caused all kinds of uproar.
Why?
Because of 4 letters that can't even be pronounced properly. It's an act of pure class in my personal opinion and i can see why it caused such uproar. So simple, yet it had never been done before.
Some examples of the FCUK campaign:
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| FCUK U |
Such simple design work yet it caused absolute uproar in media society. The advertising campaign which was visualised as being slightly dyslexic, had its haters and its lovers yet the popularity showed success. The FCUK image helped French Connection UK sell over half a million T-shirts, and in turn transformed the retail group into an international name.
With it's success came it's downfall and the slogan was removed buses and New York taxis all together. It was deemed "highly obnoxious" by high court officials, Beattie responded by saying he didn't know what all the fuss was about.
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| Influential & Inspiring Trevor Beattie |
I remember back in school, on non school uniform days: a letter would go out each year to all parents telling them not to let kids wear FCUK branded merchandise as it had previously caused offence to some of the local residents. It was shocking for me to hear that, people actually got so offended by it that they complained to the school. Literally 4 letters arranged in a certain way had this affect on people world wide.
Trevor Beattie tore apart what was deemed "socially acceptable" within media, yet it had such a massive affect on so many people positively aswell as negatively.
I personally think it's brilliant, the visual puns it subtlety put across the world worked magnificently especially with the brand image and merchandising of French Connection at the time. I can see why it may have upset some people, however i disagree with the criticism as i believe if it wasn't for innovative design work like this then the visual advertising world would be a lot less creative alongside with almost meaningless messages.
’What I am doing is the future, what they (other ad agencies) are doing is the past.
Public relations is essential to the future of
advertising.’
It's the simplicity of this ad campaign that makes me appreciate the work most. One of the most controversial, simplistic pieces of advertising i think i have ever seen.
Trevor Beattie clearly has a set of values that make him so successful in his department of work. He is a multi millionaire and is a very high status figure in the world of design. However he not only holds these very successful values, he holds a set of values that show a generous amount of compassion. Not everyone who is as wealthy and succesfull as Beattie have these values.
Yes, he values his status and wealth however he gives alot of his money away to help the less fortunate. He generates a lot of money for people in the midlands, and who have suffered forms of social injustice. This shows what a complex man he really is, with many sets of values that he holds close to his heart.
This is why i declare Trevor Beattie as another of my "Heroes", he is Birmingham born and it inspires me to think he grew up in this grey, gritty, slightly depressing city (at times) and how his creative flow has tentacled on helpless international eyes.
Some other of his simplistic, slightly controversial Wonderbra ads:
It's refreshing to see such simplistic work and i think i can learn a lot from Trevor Beattie.
If appropriate i should maybe try not and overthink ideas and think about those 4 letters that one man jumbled around, and the visual success it had.
FCUK.
Simple, but Different.
6th February 2012
Simple But Different
Trevor Beattie