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ERECTOR
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texture with lines
ERECTOR
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I N N O V
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A T I O N
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IS THE CALLING CARD OF THE FUTURE — Anna Eshoo, representative oF Silicon Valley IN CONGRESS
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We owe our existence to innovation. Our species exists thanks to four billion years of genetic innovation – Gary Hamel management experT
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CONTENTS
The PAST AC Gilbert_10 History_14
THE TRANSITION Our Image_ 24 Innovators_26 Positioning_36
THE STANDARDS The Logo_40 The Colors_50 The Type_54 The Graphics_56 The Photos_58
THE FUTURE Extensions_60 Brand Chart_66 Expansions_70
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in 1913 A.C. Gilbert created the erector set inspiring A new breed of innovators for years to come
The American inventor, doctor and athlete, A.C.
1888 Born in Salem,
Gilbert earned his degree in sports medicine from
Oregon
Yale, which he financed by working as a magician. Rather than pursuing a medical career, however, Gilbert co-founded Mysto Manufacturing, a manufacturer of magic sets in 1907. By 1913, Gilbert had invented the Erector Set, a construction toy inspired by the steel construction girders being used on the New York Railroad. In 1918,
1902 Transferred to Yale, financing his education by being a magician 1900 Broke the world record for consecutive chin-ups
Gilbert became known as “The man who saved
1908 Tied for the Gold
Christmas,” when he convinced the Council of
medal in London Olym-
National Defense not to ban toy production due to
pics for pole vaulting
World War I, arguing that Erector toys were bene-
1907 Gilbert co-founded
ficial for children’s futures. Gilbert was also cred-
Mysto Manufacturing,
ited for originating the idea of providing benefits
producing magic sets
for his employees. He then went on to co-found
and later the Erector set
the Toy Manufacturers of America organization as well as opening the Gilbert Hall of Science in New York City, a science and technology museum that promoted interest in science as well as selling his company’s products.
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The CONSTRUCTION toy quickly took off BECOMING THE LARGEST TOY COMPANY IN THE WORLD
The Erector set consists of various metal beams
also added microscope sets, chemistry sets and
with holes for assembly and nuts and bolts. Along-
other educational toys to his product line, reaching
side the beams, mechanical parts such as pulleys,
over 150 patents during his 50 year career span. In
wheels, gears and small electric motors were found
1938, Gilbert acquired the rights to the American
making the toy more life like. The fact that you
Flyer toy train line from W. O. Coleman and moved
could use the Erector set to build a model then take
their production from Chicago to New Haven. Gil-
it apart and build a completely different model
bert was praised for his strict adherence to scale
made it unique. Erector became the most popu-
realism, making American Flyer trains look more
lar construction toy in America, with A.C. Gilbert
real and less toy like. Gilbert turned his company
selling more than 30 million sets by 1935. Gilbert
over to his son upon his retirement in 1954. He then published his autobiography, ‘The Man Who Lives in Paradise.� Following his death in 1961, his family sold their remaining shares in the A.C. Gilbert Company, six years later the company had gone out of business.
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1913
Doctor and inventor, Alfred Carlton Gilbert came up with The Erector Set toy, inspired from girders being erected. It claimed to be “Educational, Instructive and Amusing” and was backed by the first major American ad campaign for a toy.
1916
The company was reorganized as the A.C. Gilbert Company and became America’s biggest toy manufacturer as boys all across the country wanted the set for Christmas.
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The United States Council of National Defense considered a ban on toy production. Gilbert argued successfully against it, taking his toys to Washington to persuade Congress that the investment in the future was equal to or more important than the investment in the war. The press gave him the nickname “The man who saved Christmas.”
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The Erector system was completely overhauled to include over 70 parts. ”Erector” was now called “The New Erector”, The Worlds Greatest Toy”. As the company grew, the area around the Gilbert factory became known as “ERECTOR SQUARE”.
1931
The largest (and most sought after by collectors) No 10 Set was introduced. Advertisements claimed it to be “The Climax of Erector Glory”, the set weighed in at 150 pounds.
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THE GLORY DAYS
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1948
the first artificial heart pump WAS CREATED USING ERECTOR SET PIECES. Yale Medical School student William Sewell used erector set pieces to create. Erector was a toy from his youth
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THE DEATH OF A PIONEER
1961
A.C. Gilbert died and the company went into decline. Although A. C.’s son remained as head of the company, the real power rested with the new majority owners, the system was redesigned, adding many plastic parts, but the “clunky” looking models failed to compete with the new, realistic, scale, plastic models coming into the market.
1967
The company filed for bankruptcy.. The Gabriel company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania bought the “Erector” name and continued to market the recently redesigned system. Sales were slow and by the 1980s the trademark “Erector” was acquired by Ideal Toys and then Tyco Toys.
1998
Erector was inducted into the National Toy Hall of
2000
Meccano bought Erector brand and unified its
Fame at “The Strong” in Rochester, New York.
presence in all continents. It is considered the longest continuous running brand in the toy industry.
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“Hello, boys! Make lots of toys!” In the past, Erector was very much a toy company. With the main slogan being “Hello Boys,” Erector’s image was all about wholesome, educational fun, targeting children and their families.
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FOR OUR 100 year anniversary WE’RE relighting thE spark. FORGING AHEAD TO THE BOUNDARIES OF CUTTING EDGE INNOVATION.
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cutting edge innovation Striving for cutting edge innovation, Erector now has a new sleek and sophisticated image to reflect that. With elegant, black on black imagery, dynamic lines, Erector has left the field of toys and moved on to more grown up territory.
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INNOVATORS IN THEIR OWN FIELD With the rebirth of our brand comes a very new
QUALIFICATIONS:
target audience, or should we say a grown up one.
1. Innovative
They are the grown up Erector set users of the past,
2. Boundary pusher
whose love for innovation and creation has mani-
3. Strives for success
fested itself into more than just a hobby. It is now part of their daily life, no matter what the profession or industry they exist within.
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THE CEO
Jasper is the head of one of the largest tech
Name: Jasper
companies in the world that has been producing
Age: 26
one revolutionary product after the other, most of
Occupation: CEO of
which were envisioned by Jasper. A large per-
multinational Tech
centage of his money is invested in researching
company
new cutting edge materials and technology that can better his products. Jasper finds great joy in mentoring many of his employees.
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The Hacker
The URBAN PLANNER
Name: Tim
Name: Damien
Age: 22
Age: 36
At the age of 5 Tim was given his first camera. By
Damien has been an Urban Planner for 16 years
7, not only had he mastered using the camera but
now, launching his own firm in 2005. As well as
had also taken it apart and reassembled it several
continuously looking for ways to improve cities’
times. He is now a world renown photographer, that
functionality, Damien is credited with introducing a
has produced a revolutionary idea for a camera.
revolutionary traffic light system that cuts down
Time is still deciding who to sell the idea to., look-
on traffic. He teaches a class on sustainability in a
ing for guidance in his endeavor.
near by university.
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The Music Producer
The Architect
Name: Zack
Name: Sarah
Age: 27
Age: 39
Zack broke into the music scene in 2009 with his
For her MFA thesis project, Sarah presented a
fresh minimalistic music. He then capitalized on
groundbreaking idea in architecture. The project
his fame, teaming up with an electronics music
garnered much interest and she is now working
instrument company to create a line of easy to use,
on bringing it to life. Sarah was the head of the
educational synthesizers. In addition he is also
Architecture club at her University. Upon gradua-
working on a set of high end headphones that are
tion she co-founded her own firm with her
safer for consumers hearing.
former professor.
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WE’RE MOVING INTO THE REAL WORLD No longer just a toy, Erector is now meeting the needs of innovators operating in the real world. In the past Erector was positioned in a space were it competed with the likes of Lego and Mega Blocks, now Erector sees itself among competition such as Tech Shop and Maker Bot.
complex
033 New Erector Smithsonian Chemistry Set Tech Shop
toy
real Maker Bot
Old Erector
Lego Nanoblocks Plasticville
innovationclub.net
Lincoln Logs
Kickstarter
Tonka Mega Blocks
simple
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WE’RE GOING GLOBAL While in the past Erector was a common name in the American household the new Erector is aiming to go global. Providing a hub for innovators worldwide, linking them together for optimum boundary pushing and ground breaking ideas.
selective New Erector
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MIT Innovation Club Maker Bot
local
global Tech Shop
Old Erector
Plasticville Lincoln Logs
innovationclub LinkedIn Nanoblocks Mega Blocks Lego Tonka Kickstarter
accessible
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Erector’s NEW IDENTITY 100 years in The making
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OUR NEW LOGO Erector is all about enabling and inspiring innova-
Logo components:
tors to push boundaries. Our logo is a reflection of
1. The Mark
that, the individual lines representing all the differ-
2. The Signature
ent components that go into the innovation process, the building blocks of innovation that come together to form a whole. A community of innovators coming together from all corners of the world to help, inspire and motivate each other.
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WE HAVE HIGH STANDARDS
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14 x
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13 x
0.5 x
2x 0.5 x 1x
0.5 x
0.5 x
4.5 x
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PRECISION IS KEY The logo was crafted with the utmost attention to
1. Horizontal = 14 x
detail, each spacing and line break mathematically
2. Vertical = 13 x
calculated. Great care must be taken to follow these
3. Line thickness = 1 x
spacings in order not to throw the logo off balance.
4. Line Spacing = 0.5 x 5. Line Break = 0.5 x 6. Short line = 4.5 x
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2x
1.9 x
2x
2.2 x
1.7 x
1.9 x
2x 1x
0.25 x
0.25 x
14 x
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15 x
0.5 x
2x 0.5 x 1x
1x
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Engineered to perfection Great care was taken with the craftsmanship of our logo. Every curve, line and spacing taken into account. Every curve matches up to ensure that seamless image that Erector projects.
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WE LIKE OUR SPACE The Erector logo in all its forms, whether the signature on its own, the mark or the logo as a whole needs room to breathe. A certain margin, highlighted on the left, needs to be kept between the logo and other elements such as text and imagery.
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Mark Vs. Signature Erector’s identity can come in three different forms; signature only, mark only and the logo (signature and logo mark combined). Each form is used in different situations. The mark is used when an abstract representation of the logo is needed, the signature is used when the logo or mark needs to be smaller than 0.4" in size.
0.4 ''
PANTONE COOL GREY 5 U /5 C /5 M
PANTONE COOL GREY 10 U /10 C /10 M
PANTONE ORANGE 21 C/21 M/21 U
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OUR Colors The erector logo is compromised of three colors,
Uncoated:
Pantone orange and two different Pantone cool
Pantone Cool Grey 5U
grays. Since the logo consists of a series of lines
Pantone Cool Grey 10- U
indicating the building blocks of innovation it is the
Pantone Orange 21 C
colors that highlight and indicate each separate segment of the logo. The grays are used for the main body of the logo while the orange sets the ‘E’ apart. When extended to our visual system black is added to the mix, being used as the predominant color, with orange used as an accent color.
Coated: Pantone Cool Grey 5 C Pantone Cool Grey 10 C Pantone Orange 21 M Pantone Cool Grey 5 M Pantone Cool Grey 10 M Pantone Orange 21 U
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LOGO Don’t s There are several ways to misrepresent our logo,
01. Don’t flip the logo
these are some basic guidelines to follow when deal-
02. Don’t stretch the logo
ing with out logo.
03. Don’t change the thickness of the lines or spacing 04. Don’t add or remove lines 05. Don’t change the colors around 06. Don’t combine logo mark with logo type
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cutting edge, modern type
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E ISONORM
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV WXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrst uvwxyz0123456789
E VITESSE
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRS TUVWXYZabcdefghijklmn opqrstuvwxyz0123456789
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The building blocks of innovation OUR GRAPHIC ELEMENT The graphic element is greatly inspired by the lines of the logo mark as building blocks.. Lines of various lengths together and stack up to create a whole.
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Black on black
Photo Style The photos used by Erector are dynamic, black on
1. Black on Black
black photos that reflect Erector’s cutting edge, mod-
2. Dynamic
ern qualities.
3. Cutting Edge 4. Intriguing
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THE Business system
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Pushing boundaries
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Extensions
In INDIVIDUAL BRAINSTORMING APP BOOK SERIES
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TIME MANAGEMENT SERVICE PATENT SERVICE CONSULTANCY MENTORING
Innovation from start to finish Not only does Erector help its innovators come up with ground breaking ideas in their fields but it also
TESTING PROJECT MANAGER RESEARCH BUDGETING
ensures that they develop it to its full potential. Erec-
BACKERS
tor provides services and products that help innova-
VIRTUAL HUB
tors along every step of the way, from idea initiation all the way right up to its launch.
TASK FORCE RENTAL SHARED SPACE COMMUNITY LECTURES WORKSHOPS COLLABORATION PAIRING COLLABORATIVE
nitiation
PHASES Development
Refinement
Launch
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STEP 1: IDEA GENERATION THE EUREKA MOMENT
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In this step of the process Erector creates the best environment possible for idea generation by making sure that its members are kept inspired, empowered and motivated at all times.
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THE BRAINSTORMING APP The Brain storming app is there whenever and wherever inspiration hits. It lets you take an existing idea and push it to it’s furthest potential, opening up new ideas and opportunities to explore.
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No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered with a searching but at the same time steady eye —WINSTON CHURCHILL FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
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THE HUB The Erector Headquarters and a free-form space
The Hub will provide:
for innovators from all over the world to work, col-
SHARED WORKSPACE
laborate, inspire each other and bring their ideas
LECTURES + WORKSHOPS
to life.
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it’s the promise of innovation and community that makes co working most appealing — Andrew M. Jones, management consultant
SHARED WORKSPACE Fully equipped work stations are available at The Hub for innovators to use whenever they life. Open 24 hours, innovators can use these stations as their main workspace or simply when they need a change of scenery, drawing inspiration from the innovation going on around them.
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lectures + Workshops 080
Through a series of frequent lectures and workshops, Erector makes sure that its innovators are always motivated and empowered. With a roster of inspiring innovators from all over the globe; giving talks and workshops, Erector’s innovators are always up to date with all the latest knowledge and trends.
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EMPOWERING INNOVATORS The workshops provided at The Hub ensure that the innovators keep their skills sharp, staying at the forefront of their field, always one step ahead. Members are welcome to attend workshops outside of their fields, broadening their horizons, opening up new opportunities.
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STEP 2: DEVELOPMENT
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TIME Management In order to bring an idea to fruition, one must be able to manage their time wisely. As this doesn’t always come easily to everyone, especially those with busy schedules like our innovators, Erector provides a time management service that makes sure you are always on the right path to getting your project completed on time.
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Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else. —Peter F. Drucker, AUTHOR
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A GLOBAL COMMUNITY
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Erector puts innovators around the world in contact, creating a truly global community. Through these connections members inspire and learn from each other, forging bonds that last a lifetime. And collaborations that change the world.
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Every person is defined by the communities she belongs to —Orson Scott Card, writer
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THE Virtual hub
The virtual Hub provides all the services and opportunities provided by The Hub from the comfort of your own room. Innovators can connect with others from all over the world, brain storm and even collaborate. Through The Virtual Hub, innovators can access the Lectures and Workshops, look for backers and apply for patents.
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WHENEVER INNOVATION STRIKES 097
In addition to being the online version of The Hub,
The Virtual Hub
the website is also much more. The Virtual Hub
Resources:
is a social network for innovators, where each
1. Portfolio gallery
innovator can set up his or her profile, uploading
2. Workshops
their portfolio of past innovations and current
3. Lectures
ones in progress. Innovators can comment on each
4. Patent Service
others project, help brainstorm or even collaborate
5. Social Network
on projects.
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STEP 3: REFINEMENT
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PROJECT MANAGER Each Innovator is assigned their own private Project Manager tailored to their specific innovation. The project manager manages every aspect of the process making sure that everything is done right, taking care of all the little tasks, freeing up the innovator to focus on the innovation at hand.
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So you can focus on the things that matter The Project Manager is on hand 24 hours, 7 days a week fo the duration of the entire project.
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testing Special labs are set up to ensure that all of the innovations undergo rigorous testing before they are launched into the world. The Erector labs ensure that only the highest quality products and services are launched into the market place. Innovators can choose to either partake in the testing process or hand over full control to the lab technicians
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ENSURING THE HIGHEST QUALITY
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There is a way to do it better – find it — Thomas Edison,
INNOVATOR
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Designed, printed and bound by Aida ElBaradei Printed on Red River 60 lb paper on an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Typeset in Isonorm and Vitesse.
Photographs Used are from: 500PX.com and Flickr.com
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