Milton Glaser’s interest in trompe l’oeil, implied movement, and color gradients were at peak levels in the 1970s. But he didn’t always require the giant canvas of a poster, or even a book cover or album sleeve. Glaser’s lesser-known letterhead and logos designs were personalized mini-experiments in color and dimensionality.
Milton Glaser. Zaire 74 letterhead, 1974.
The best-known of this group, Glaser designed the logo for the huge 1974 music festival in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) that was meant to accompany “The Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman. The fight was delayed due to Foreman’s injury, but the music festival, organized by trumpeter Hugh Masekela (also connected to Glaser) and music producer Stewart Levine, went on as scheduled. Both the fight and the music festival were featured in the 1996 documentary, When We Were Kings.
Milton Glaser. Astoria Press letterhead.
For Astoria Press (an NYC-based printer to the Push Pin Graphic, as well as Peter Paul and Mary souvenir books from the 1960s designed by Glaser and Push Pin) Glaser designed lovely (though possibly impractical) lined color gradient stationery.
Milton Glaser. Security Printing letterhead.
Letterhead for Security Printing Company features an “S’ that seems to circle the page.
Milton Glaser. Jorge Santana logo.
This typographic treatment for Mexican guitarist Jorge Santana (brother of Carlos Santana) appeared on the back of his 1978 self-titled album designed by Glaser, but it seems the logo was also distributed on its own; we have this in our collection as a sticker.
Milton Glaser. Bonnier International Design AB letterhead.
A three-dimensional “B” for the International Swedish design and media group Bonnier is placed in the corner of color blocked stationery.
Milton Glaser. Music Scene logo.
Can one happy and one sad eighth note make it work? The generic nature of this company name makes it pretty impossible to research. If you know anything about it, let me know!
Milton Glaser. Cue New York letterhead.
This New York City listings magazine covering theater and arts was published from 1932-1980 (at which point it was, ironically, bought by then Rupert Murdoch-owned New York magazine). Glaser’s dynamic logo takes up a third of the page.
