If you’re working on a new logo, you’d be hard pressed to find a better reference than the new Marks book from Pentagram. This one will no doubt be on the shelf of every Designer and Ad Agency by the end of the year. Available from Amazon for $40.

Both Paula Scher and Pentagram have solid bodies of work and as such deserve a fair amount of respect. A recent visit to a HP microsite, however, revealed a site which attempts to “present advice on brand identity design, video tutorials for small businesses and brand identity templates for small businesses.”

At best, this site gives an introduction to brand identity to the uninitiated. At worst, it gives the public an overly simplified idea of designing brand identity and further cheapens it by giving away free “customized work” from a brand name designer.

While there is no substitute for working with a trained designer, many may not realize this. In any case, the perceived difference has been lessened. In the same way it would be irresponsible for a doctor to encourage self-medication, this too seems wrong. It is a disservice to the graphic design community, and ultimately, their potential clients. At the end of the day, Paula Scher and Pentagram benefit more from exposure (and potential financial compensation) than they loose from the lessened value of their work.

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