The public typography you’re too drunk to notice by Patrick Blanchard
Cheers to the freakin’ weekend I drink to that, yeah yeah Oh let the Jameson sink in I drink to that, yeah yeah Don’t let the bastards get ya down Turn it around with another round There’s a party at the bar everybody put your glasses up and I drink to that I drink to that.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Pre-Game
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Typography Cocktails
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Chapter Two: Turnt Up
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Emojional Drunk
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Booty Call
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Chapter Three: Munchies
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Secret McMenu
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Blacked Out
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Conclusion
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Credits & Sources
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1. Pre-Game
L O C AT I O N S Cork & Barrel, 9th St. Cork & Barrel, 23rd St. Jensen Liquor On the Rocks Parkway Wine & Spirits
C O RK & BA R RE L , 9 t h ST RE ET L AW R E NCE KS
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Liquor Run Our first stop of the night is to pick up some booze. Before heading to the bars we gotta get ourselves nice and buzzed so we don’t have to spend as much downtown.
This store has a wide variety of alcoholic selections and a wide variety of typography. Liquor companies pump millions and millions into packaging and advertising each year*, so the liquor store feels almost overwhelming at *According to Kantar Media, Bud Light spent $230 million on TV ads in 2013. Think of all the booze you could buy with that kind of money!
times. Bright colors and crazy type try to compete and grab your attention. While big-name companies have more established brand identities, some really interesting type is found on the “little guy’s” labels—everything from clever hand-drawn typography to lock-ups that came straight outta MS Paint.
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Some of the most exciting type is found before even entering the store. Bright, neon letters or hand-painted signs attract customers and try to draw them into the store. Some liquor stores post their sales and special deals on signs outside or in the windows. This way, we can get a game plan before we step inside.
On the outside, each liquor store seems totally different, but inside they’re all quite similar. Usually carrying the same products, it’s safe to say you can know what to expect even when visiting a store for the first time. We’ll start with the hard liquor aisle, where some of the most attractive bottles and labels can be found.
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@33agogo @beyondsweet @nina._s
@c_note_fladger @dwayne.habner @ivanmovesu
@fearofabakedplanet @mustlovebeats @yvetmichelle
# liquorstore
@boduke70 @willferman @thehubfactory
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Hard Liquor
Out of the entire liquor store, vodkas have some of the most interesting packaging designs because, for the most part, they have to be very flexible. The majority of vodka brands have multiple flavors, meaning their design must translate between the entire product line.
There’s also quite an apparent difference between highend vodkas like Grey Goose and that bottom-shelf Barton’s you keep eyeing. It comes in a plastic bottle— shouldn’t that be a red flag? Even the logo makes it seem like a little step up from rubbing alcohol. Sure, it’s cheap, but is it really worth it?
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SW E D I S H S E NS I BI L I T Y
Svedka vodka bottles have one of the most simple and attractive brands in the entire store. Their bold colors make it easy to tell differences in flavor and allow the brand to stand out.
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Rugged, “manly� typography dominates whiskey brands. Most try to capitalize on the age and tradition of their company with strong, sturdy serifs and handwritten type. Lesser-known, younger brands are forced to take a different approach and tend to choose bold, sans serif type that helps their bottles stand out from the rest.
Rum bottles definitely have the most fun. An alcohol that I ’M O N F I R E
can be marketed to both sexes, these labels see a wide variety of typography. Most play up the Carribean vibes
Fireball is another great example of effective branding. The colors are almost as loud as the liquor itself and speak to the spicy cinnamon flavor. The bottles are readily recognizable which makes it even harder to forget that time you drank a whole one at band practice last semester.
with images of sailor girls or sea monsters accompanied by tattoo-style lettering. Others are much more modern and try to set themselves apart with contemporary type.
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Wine
A lot of wines feature serif typefaces to give an elegant, classy feel, even though we couldn’t be any further from the two. Sans serif type can be found in higher-end boxed wines and younger bottles from small vineyards trying to stand out. Most of the “green” brands feature sans serif fonts to give them a modern, ecofriendly appeal.
Many different brands give color coding to their packaging to help convey the type of wine inside. Red type and images for red wines, cream for whites. This color coding is especially useful for wine newbies like ourselves who don’t know the difference between moscato and malbec.
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Another interesting example of wine typography can be seen in the scoring labels placed by the price tags of some bottles. There are wine tasting and judging competitions and the best bottles are given scores based on their performance. Ranked on a scale from 1–100, each wine is carefully considered for taste, color, aroma, and a number of other criteria. The highest scores have their awards posted next to the bottles in-store, making it easy for customers to pick cheap and tasty wines.
SLAP IT
Franzia (can be seen opposite) has become the standard boxed wine for “slap the bag” parties because it’s cheap and perfectly sized. The bags of wine are taken out of their boxes and held above the drinker’s head or passed around the party.
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Beer
The typography seen on beer labels is completely different from the liquor and wines. More casual and friendly in comparison, these examples of type tend to be brighter and show more variety.
Beer packaging as a whole targets a wide range of drinking personalities. Each unique brand gives the consumer a new experience and a new set of type and color to identify with. Part of choosing a beer to drink is choosing how you represent yourself through the bottle or can you’ll be carrying around all night, and the liquor companies have created a look for every type of person.
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@ollstar @phillelliott
@adambruderer @folmerz
#craftbeer
@optimusprimevan @spencey777
@kirillolmezov @sheridanshelley
In this comparison, it’s easy to see the main differences between craft beers and big-brand brews like Pabst Blue Ribbon. The craft labels have much more personality while the corporate beer has typography that’s been refined over many generations, giving an experience that’s very specific and targeted.
@lori_photo @trish_ng5
@loydhanson @savagelypeachy
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@gabyazkaos
@swayland79 @pbr_bmore
@rideone_r1
#PBR
@jwphoto1214 @xtramed
@turntfergie @xbtla
@summer_lynsey
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SPECIAL TOPIC ONE of FOUR
Typography Cocktails
Next time you’re in the liquor store trying to make up drink combinations on the fly with the flat soda you have in the back of the fridge, remember these recipes. Based on the most beloved fonts and classic cocktails, these drinks are sure to bring your mixologist skillz to a whole new level. Guaranteed to please even your most pretentious design friends!
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SPECIAL TOPIC ONE of FOUR
1.
Times New Roman In an Old Fashioned glass, muddle 4 dashes of Angostura bitters, 2 sugar cubes, an orange wheel, a cherry and a splash of club soda. Remove the orange rind, add 2 ounces of bourbon and fill with ice. Garnish with a fresh orange wheel and a cherry.
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Comic Sans Pour 1 ounce lemon rum, ¾ ounce raspberry vodka and ½ ounce Triple Sec over rocks in a tall glass. Add orange and cranberry juice to fill. Pour into a mixing tin and back into the glass. Top with a splash 7-Up and serve with a crazy straw.
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The HELLvetica Pour ½ ounce Green Crème de Menthe into a shot glass. Add ½ ounce blue curacao, top with 1 tsp Everclear, and ignite. Take care, and it’s probably smart to extinguish before consuming.
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The Cheap Stuff
Most of the pricing and sale labels in the store are handwritten. Nothing special but they’re what we’re scanning for—haven’t paid full price for a bottle of booze in over a year. Momma would be proud (kinda).
I found out the handwriting on the Protocolo tags are that of Margaret Cooper, the owner of the Cork & Barrel off 9th Street. “I’ve never really had anyone notice it before,” she said. But you notice it—your eyes dart around the store scanning for those pink CHEAP BOOZE tags.
The sales are also handwritten on a marker board by the cash registers and coolers. Mosly some beers that are too bland or weird for our taste, but the different handwriting adds another element to the typographic environment.
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2. Turnt Up
L O C AT I O N S The Granada Henry’s Jazzhaus Jackpot Saloon Johnny’s Tavern TONIC The 8th St. Taproom
JO HH NY ’S TAV E RN L AWR E NC E KS
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At the Bars Already feelin’ tipsy and ready to party, we head down to Massachusetts Street—the best place for us to find cheap college-budget-friendly drinks, good music and potential hook-ups.
Massachusetts Street (or just “Mass”) is home to plenty of bars and restaurants and is the true hub of college nightlife in Lawrence. People come from all over to experience the live music at the Granada or to buy their friend a Hurricane* for their birthday. There’s definitely a place for ev*Hurricanes are special events that happen every night at 10p at the Sandbar. The participant climbs on top of the bar, puts on a
erybody on Mass; whether you’re looking for a crazy night with loud music or a chill evening with a close friend as you sip martinis and discuss existentialism.
hula skirt and coconut bra, then dances as a mess of bubbles and napkins are blown through the air. A bachelorette party fav!
But before we dive into the typography found in the Mass bar scene, let’s take a quick look at a few of the places we can go.
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H E N RY ’S
A town classic and a personal favorite, Henry’s is part coffee lounge part bar. Henry’s Upstairs is where they serve the booze. The place is pretty dark and plays music that pretty much everyone can enjoy. They also serve pretzels with the drinks which are perfect for balancing out those martinis. Just be careful of that staircase on the way out!
TONIC
TONIC has a vibe that’s the most “big-city club” in Lawrence. The bar is separated into different rooms and segments, making it easy to sneak away with someone or avoid that creep that keeps trying to grind with you. Drinks are more expensive here, but if you’re looking to dance and get nasty, there’s no better place. TONIC also has an extensive back lounge that can be rented out for private parties, making it a hit at graduation.
the PIG
The Bourgeois Pig is arguably the most chill place downtown. Here, you’ll find drinks that are a bit pricier but well worth it. Notorious for its hipster crowd, The Pig is the place for quiet nights of drinking and conversation. Probably not what we’re looking for tonight, but you should try
JAZZ HAUS, 9 t h STR E ET L AWR E NC E KS
the Moscow Mule sometime. Soooooo tasty.
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JAZZHAUS
The Jazzhaus is a popular spot for people looking to kick back and listen to live music. The owners book bands from all over the nation playing shoegaze, synth pop, funk and soul and every genre in between. Even KU’s African Drum Ensemble performs here. While there’s not an elevated dance floor like TONIC, there’s still plenty of empty room at the foot of the stage for you to get down.
R E P L AY
Replay Lounge is unique in that it’s half-inside, half-outside. The outer portion features a giant fire pit and booths, its own bar and plenty of open space making it a great place to dance as local DJs throw down their latest mixes. On the inside you’ll find another stage and some pinball machines. There’s less seating on the inside encouraging partygoers to stand and listen to the live music or chill around the bar. Like the Jazzhaus, all type of genres play here, including the owner’s screamo-punk band.
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The Specials
At any bar downtown, the best (and sometimes worst) place to find handwritten typography is the specials menu. At the beginning of each night, the bartenders write the new drink specials, letting customers know what’s cheap. The specials board is usually a chalk board or dry-erase board, allowing the previous night’s drinks to be easily re*Henry’s is one of those places that lets the employees draw on
placed with the new ones..
the menu. You’ll find menus that are handwritten and decorated with a lot of personality, especially in the coffee shop.
In some bars*, the specials menu provides a canvas for the bartender to show off their creative side. Pictures and drawings of drinks sometimes accompany the handwritten text, adding an extra personal touch that makes looking for your cheap fix even more exciting.
@billsoldtavern @bigmikesbar @kalelsgirl @nykki_lunar
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@heistlc @alohabaltimore @cusaloon
@justinriddle @shutuptommy
@baincaribley @marialivinlife
@kalelsgirl @baincaribley
@currywurs7 @notnessesarily
# barspecials
@portaviabh
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All of the Lights
Bright, neon signs stick out in the dark night and grab your attention. Seen both inside and outside the bars, these signs give the entire night a colorful hue. Most signs feature liquor brand names or messages like OPEN or BEER. After a few shots they all blur together and their glow lights your path as you sway your way to the bathroom. A bright green RESTROOM sign is your Star of Bethlehem.
There are a couple neon sign manufacturers in town, but most of these signs probably came from the liquor distributors. Some more unique neon pieces are found in the quiter bars that place emphasis on the quality of their drinks rather than the price.
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BUD LIGHTS In 2013, a group of advertising students went around Lawrence and counted 52 identical neon Bud Light signs. Most appeared in the windows of liquor stores, while the rest were seen at restaraunts and bars. Except for one— it was found on the porch of a Pi Phi senior house.
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SPECIAL TOPIC T WO of FOUR
Emojional Drunk
Shitty autocorrects, typos and an inability to form sentences often blur drunk texts beyond recognition, but many partygoers have come to embrace these little emojis. Easy to understand and more fun to send than actual words, emojis are a perfect way to express all those feelings and hide your level of inebriation from your parents/boss/rabbi. Just don’t go too crazy.
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4.
6.
2.
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3.
5.
7.
9.
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10.
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EMOJI KEY
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14.
13.
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Licky face
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Smiley guy
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Cheesin’
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Sassy girl
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Sexy lips
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Porn stache
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Sweat drops / jizz
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Crunchy face
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Winky guy
10. Russian? Sk8rboi? 11.
Pile o’ shit
12. Smokin’ hot 13.
Applause
14. Killer looks
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Bathroom Graffiti
Even more overwhelming than the neon signs is the mess of typography found in the bathroom. Stickers, graffiti, show posters and carvings combine to completely surround you in type. The colors blur together, the words spin and suddenly it’s way hard to focus on aiming. Let’s just be glad it’s not you who has to clean up the mess.
These walls have been slowly covered since they were last painted over in 2010. Years in the works, these bathrooms are now considered works of art to Jackpot owner and bartender Lucy Ming. “They’re beautiful. Offensive, too, but that’s why I keep them. Even I have stuff on those walls. A lot of memories have been left here.”
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PA I N T P E N S
The most popular graffiti instrument is definitely the permanent marker, followed closely by paint pens. If you’re interested in creating some of your own bathroom graffiti the next time you go out, you can pick up paint pens at art supply or craft stores.
KRINK paint pens are specially designed and produced for graffiti writers, although they’re targeted at the more serious bathroom artists. They’re high quality and have nice “flow”, as they say, meaning the paint is just runny enough so your letters appear dripping wet. While your local Hobby Lobby or Michael’s probably won’t have them, you can buy them online at KRINK.com.
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IT ’S YOUR TURN While the walls of the Jackpot bathrooms are anything but empty, there’s still room to leave your own mark. People from all over the nation have signed these walls after playing a gig or slapped a bumpersticker from their hometown. Why not you?
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@scarlettleefoster @jpchetta @baltz_on_baltz
@derailedink @orangecat7 @victoriaolsondesign
@katherinemhill @cocoa_vila @dawndalion
@catmcnair
@elspethy @richardroman12
@tfalish @tinaxlynn
#bathroomgraďŹƒti
@bynthisthang @shelbyinphilly @xys.t
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SPECIAL TOPIC THREE of FOUR
Booty Call
It’s only one word that implies much more: a “hey” text could mean anything from “hey” to “you should come over I’m half a bottle of wine deep and about to watch some shitty Red Box movie I was supposed to return three days ago but I’d rather hook up with you”.
SPECIAL TOPIC THREE of FOUR
1 All-around, standard “what’s up?” text, safe for anyone but comes across as boring.
2–3 Sent to either a good friend or someone you think you could get down with. Pretty friendly.
4–5 Definitely says “I wanna bone” but still could be played off as friendly and innocent.
6–7 It’s pretty much certain that they’re into you, how haven’t you gotten the hint by now?
8+ Either very drunk, an obvious booty call or a delightfully slutty mix of the two.
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Gig Posters
In the bathrooms there were a shit ton of posters for bands and shows of all kinds, but the posters spill out through the rest of the bar and into the streets. It seems that everywhere you look downtown there are advertisements for the next show or concert. While there are a lot of professionally-done posters for the larger acts, Lawrence’s support of local talent also makes for a poster scene that has more amatuer vibes. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, as these crude posters are sometimes more grabbing than the others.
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t h e JAZZHAUS
The stairway leading to the Jazzhaus in Lawrence, Kansas is known for it’s elaborate mural and horde of gig posters. Gives some entertainment as you try to climb the 37 stairs to get inside.
JAZZ HAUS, 9 t h STR E ET L AWR E NC E KS
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Viewers are often overwhelmed by the amount of type seen on gig poster walls. Because the type is of different sizes, cuts and colors, the wall fuses into a hierarchical mess. Crazy images and eye-grabbing photo effects only add to the confusion, but in a way that makes you want to step closer and try to figure out the whole mess.
To try to strike a perfect balance of cheap but eyecatching, a lot of gig posters are printed with black ink on colored paper. The colored paper gives some life to the poster without having to shell out the cash for colored ink.
There’s a group of local artists that love to take old band posters and reprint copies to stick up around town. Sure, the show might have happened over a decade ago but that doesn’t mean the poster can’t be appreciated for what it is. These old posters contrast against the modern shows with their distinctive typography and simple layout.
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3. Munchies
L O C AT I O N S Burrito King McDonald’s, 6th St. Taco Bell, 6th St.
McD ONA LD’S L AWR E NC E , KS
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Drunk Food We managed to close the bars and are on our way back to your place. But goddamn I’m hungry and you’ve been talking about going to Taco Bell pretty much all night. No shame, though, cuz one of those Locos Tacos sounds sooooo good right now.
Fast food is a great way to round out our evening. Nothing like a cheap burger to lull you off to sleep, right? The Mc WRA P P E R S
typography seen at these joints is a whole different breed than what we’ve seen already tonight. Although it’s in-
McDonald’s burger wrappers feature different product names in each corner. The McWorker can then choose which corner gets seen, making sure you don’t accidentally take a bite of my sandwich.
tended to attract and entice just like the liquor store labels, the type and signage found at fast food places carry a totally different vibe. One that includes a bunch of reds and yellows—two colors that leave you craving more.
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McDon’s
Our first food priority is McNuggets so we follow the golden arches. A classic stop for people on their way home from the bar, McDonald’s has long realized their late night profit potential.
Recently, McDonald’s added a “late nite” menu pretty much catered to drunk people. It features cheap food choices from the best of both breakfast and dinner—such a game changer. This special section of menu is colored a midnight-navy and has much more simple typography and imagery than the rest of menu. Which is a good thing, the rest kind of seems overwhelming at this hour.
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SPECIAL TOPIC FOUR of FOUR
Secret McMenu
College budgets don’t usually leave a lot of room for regular fast food trips, especially when you’ve gotta save plenty of cash for booze. To help add some flair to your McDonald’s dollar menu dinner, try one of these gutsy mash-ups. They’re not for the weak, although being drunk helps transform some of these creations from foul to five-star.
SPECIAL TOPIC FOUR of FOUR
Land, Sea & Air Burger — $3.75 A beef, chicken and fish patty stacked together
McGangBang — $2.50 McChicken stuffed inside a McDouble
Poor Man’s Big Mac — $1.30 McDouble with onion, lettuce and Secret Sauce
Monster Mac — $8.75 Big Mac with eight beef patties
McKinley Mac — $4.75 Big Mac with quarter-pound patties
Grilled Cheese — $1.00 Slice of cheese inside regular hamburger buns
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T-Bell
Taco Bell is a staple in late-night cuisine. So much so, in fact, they even created the “fourth meal” dedicated to party animals like yourself. Cheap food and an endless number of options that all kinda taste the same makes for the perfect drunk binge. Plus, because they’re used to the stoners and drunks coming through the line late at night, they’re extra cooperative and super patient.
A wide variety of type is seen here—more than at McDonald’s. There are a lot of bold sans-serif elements on their menu for easy reading and cheeky serifs on their sassy sauce packets.* While it may seem their type pairings are *Thanks to their recent partnership with Kraft, bottles of Taco Bell’s Mild, Hot, Fire and Verde sauces can be found at grocery stores in the US.
all over the place, each has their place and distinctive role which makes them work well. My favorite typography can be seen on their breakfast wrappers, so maybe we’ll be back in the morning? Unless you’re too hungover to eat.
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Burrito King
Burrito King has probably the most notorious reputation out of all three fast food joints we’ve stopped at, but that doesn’t matter to you. Their warm burritos* fill you with bliss as you down your third. Everyone knows you’ll be *Currently, there are exactly 86
paying the price tomorrow, but for now, it’s all good.
different burritos available from Burrito King, including their popular chorizo, egg and cheese breakfast burrito.
Burrito King is the only locally-owned place of the three. Their employees are warm and friendly and often post messages directed to students on their sign out front. WELCOME BACK STUDENTS is still up on their board even though the semester’s almost over.
Because this restaurant isn’t corporate, the typography is significantly more disjointed and all over the place. They use so many typefaces it’s difficult to count them all, often with more than four in the same advertisement. Guess that’s part of the charm, though, because it hasn’t stopped you from coming back.
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B U R RI TO K ING L AWR E NC E , KS
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When asked about the menu design, Marcos replied that it was his own. “I had to figure it out for myself,” he said laughing. While it’s not the best menu in town, the colors scream “ROCK CHALK” in support of the college. The typography lacks hierarchy and is pretty plain, making it difficult to decifer at first. Also, a lot of the menu options are given numbers despite having a minor change from the item before it, which can get confusing at times.
The typeface is a neo-grotesque sans serif so it’s not too difficult to read from the car window. Prices are listed immediately following the menu item, leaving little chance of confusion on the order’s cost. Some prices have been crossed out or taped over, making me remember the beautiful “4 for $1” taco special they used to have each Friday. Such a shame they got rid of the deal.
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You finish your burger and find yourself somewhere between shit-faced and dead. That fourth dirty vodka martini finally catches up with you...
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Conclusion
As we’ve seen, typography plays a large part in the going out experience. While a lot of college students enjoy drinking and partying on the weekends, they usually don’t notice the type that surrounds them. I hope that the next time you and your friends decide to have a crazy night out you’ll take a moment to stop and appreciate the public typography before you get too wasted.
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@__.jessy @gothamshero88 @mickermacks @rsiegel28
@tylerclark526 @poohbear0305
@crob_ramos @amandaleighlong @davey.warren @ufromfirsttomax
#blackedout
@kaybabe_xo @lacested
@pinky_nina @mossyoakmaniac
@norcaldriver @nycdollarslices
@cartstagram @woahbryn @nycdollarslices @bockadoo
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Credits & Sources I would like to raise a glass to the following establishments and the people who work there: Cork & Barrel, Jensen Liquor, Abe’s Liquor, Henry’s, The Taproom, Jazzhaus, The Granada, Jackpot Saloon, Quinton’s, Reply Lounge, TONIC, the McDonald’s on 6th street, Taco Bell and Burrito King. I greatly appreciate your willingness to work with me and thank you for letting me photograph your stores, signs, trash, etc. I could not have completed this book without your help.
Most of the photographs were taken in Lawrence, Kansas, with a Canon 40D in the fall of 2014. The others were appropriated from various public instagram accounts. Each user is credited alongside the photo they took in case you’d like to learn more about them or see their work.
This book was photographed and designed for Professor Patrick Dooley’s course Designer as Author taught during Fall 2014 at the University of Kansas.
Typefaces are Mercury and Neutraface.