Milton Glaser — The Father of City Branding Identity
The designer of “I ❤️ NY” logo passed away
Milton Glaser (June 26, 1929 — June 26, 2020) is an American graphic designer known for the “I ❤️ NY” logo, and the poster of Bob Dylan with psychedelic hair.
He was educated at the High School of Music and Art and the Cooper Union art school in New York and, via a Fulbright Scholarship, the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, Italy.
Serial founder
In 1954, Milton Glaser co-founded Push Pin Studios in New-York with Cooper Union graduates: Seymour Chwast, Reynold Ruffins, and Edward Sorel. In 1968, Glaser and Clay Felker founded New York Magazine. He was president and design director until 1977. And he established his own studio — Milton Glaser Inc. — in 1974. And, Glaser teamed with Walter Bernard to form a publication design firm WBMG in 1983.
I ❤️ NY — the first city branding identity
Throughout his long career, Milton Glaser left more that 400 posters. However, the one of most famous his design is definitely the “I ❤️ NY” logo.
In 1977, the State of New York called Milton Glaser to design a logo to increase tourism because in the mid-1970s, the crime rate in New York City was up so it had a bad image. While sitting in the back of a taxi cab on the way to the meeting, Milton came up with the design idea.
“Glaser loved New York so much that he gave his work to the city for free, hoping it would become public property.”
— THE STORY BEHIND I HEART NEW YORK on Buy T-Shirts Online
National Medal of the Arts
He received so many awards through his career, of course, but remarkably in 2009, he received the National Medal of the Arts award, the highest honor for artistic excellence in United States, from President Barack Obama. And he was the first graphic designer to receive this award.
Milton Glaser died on his 91st birthday on June 26, 2020.
