Lloyd’s work has always been so fresh and inspiring that it's hard to believe time has passed at all since its inception. But then, that’s what good design is supposed to be about, isn’t it? Today, John Lloyd works as an independent design consultant, artist and writer. Recently he inaugurated his first website that hosts his archive, giving a broader audience the chance to get in touch with a selective record of his work. Lloyd’s archive has a great educational value, apart from its artistic merits, since it serves, in fact, as an extensive journey through the history of British graphic design. Yatzer found John Lloyd for an exclusive interview, in an attempt to sum up 50 years of success and celebrate the inspiration behind a truly creative mind. We hope that it will cast a light on his incredible career and his charming personality whilst prompting further investigation on his amazing work. Enjoy!

How did your adventure start? When was the first time you were attracted to the world of graphic design? How has this relationship evolved over the years?

As a child, I was always attracted to the creative arts; I enjoyed writing, drawing, and painting. But I was also fascinated by science and technology. My grandfather worked in the printing industry, and when I discovered that printing was an amalgamation of visual art and industrial production, I was captivated—it seemed to be the perfect blend of creativity and technology.

So, on leaving school in 1960 at the age of 16, I became an apprentice lithographic artist in a printing company. This gave me a wonderful grounding in design for print and the full spectrum of printing technology.

As my love of design grew considerably, in 1964, I left the apprenticeship and enrolled as a full-time graphic design student. It was at the London College of Printing that I met fellow design student Jim Northover, who was to become my future business partner in Lloyd Northover, the design company we jointly founded in 1975. We started by doing a lot of print design, but quite soon, the emphasis shifted to corporate identity, where it has remained ever since.

Over the years, I have maintained a close connection with the London College of Printing (now called the London College of Communication) as a visiting teacher and external examiner.

Graphic design is, of course, no longer just about printing; it now embraces the full range of digital and online media, and environmental graphics. And the use of computers has radically changed the way we work. My relationship with the practice of graphic design has, out of necessity, evolved to accommodate these changes. But, for me, the fundamentals of what makes good and effective corporate design remain the same.

You have had an amazing career, having been one of the pioneers in corporate design. I was always curious about the interaction with the client and the relationship between creative freedom and commercial appeal. Over the course of your career, can you pinpoint which was your greatest challenge and which your greatest fear?

I have always believed that the relationship between a designer and a client should be one of partnership and trust. To be a successful corporate designer, you need to be an excellent listener; you need to get very close to the client organization and fully understand what makes it unique. Only then can you identify the company’s unique positioning and give full and distinctive expression to its corporate personality.

Successful corporate identity design is all about expressing the identity of the client organization—it has absolutely nothing to do with the preoccupations or self-expression of the designer. Designers who adopt an arrogant stance, insisting that they know best without fully engaging with the client or appreciating its special characteristics, never produce effective or lasting results.

Throughout my career, I have focused on achieving measurable results for clients rather than seeking approval from peers. I am particularly proud of my design consultancy, Lloyd Northover, being awarded the first-ever Design Effectiveness Award in 1989 for our corporate identity programme for Courtaulds. Since then, we have won many more International Design Effectiveness Awards—indisputable proof that the right approach to corporate identity research, strategy development, and design truly delivers measurable benefits to clients.

We have also received purely creative awards, including an International Gold Award from the New York Art Directors Club. However, I have always maintained a self-imposed balance between creative freedom and commercial objectives, ensuring that the work we produce serves both the client’s needs and the integrity of the design process.

Creating a logo as part of a brand identity is, to me, like giving a name to a baby—an identity that will affect them throughout their life, even though, at first, they may not be aware of it. How do you cope with this responsibility? Since so much has been said about what makes a good logo, what variables should one consider when designing one?

A logotype is, of course, only a small part of a broader branding system. Typefaces, colors, formats for communication materials, liveries, buildings, interiors, signs, packaging, and product designs all contribute to the expression of a corporate or product brand. However, the logo sits at the heart of the visual identity system, encapsulating the essence of the organization at a glance.

Products come and go with increasing rapidity; advertising and promotional campaigns have limited life spans; house styles and formats evolve. Yet the logo endures, year after year, providing continuity. When designing a logo, a number of critical objectives must be kept in mind:

1. Appropriateness: The logo must suit the character of the organization.

2. Uniqueness: It must clearly differentiate the organization from its competitors.

3. Timelessness: A successful logo must transcend fads and fashions and stand the test of time.

4. Defensibility: As a trademark, the logo must be capable of legal registration and protection.

5. Versatility: It must work across all contexts and media—on signs, in print, on-screen, and on products.

6. Memorability: The most enduring logos are simple and easy to recall.

By adhering to these principles, a designer can create a logo that is not only effective but also capable of serving the brand over the long term.

Do you believe that the rise of the Internet has changed the way we perceive graphic design and branding? Has it made it easier for good design to stand out?

You could view a website as just another medium for expressing a product or corporate identity, much like a printed brochure, poster, or advertisement. Alternatively, you could argue that the website is rapidly becoming the most powerful and influential medium of them all.

In the past, potential customers might visit a shop to examine a product; now, they often assess it online first. Where they once went to a store or showroom to make a purchase, they now are likely to buy online. Products that were once discovered on supermarket shelves may now be encountered on websites. Brochures and magazine advertisements have largely been replaced by online reviews and digital ads.

This shift means that without the traditional physical expressions of identity—such as actual products, packaging, environments, and literature—serving as a customer’s first interaction with a brand, brand identities must work much harder to attract attention and achieve differentiation. And they must do so primarily in an online context.

A website now has to serve multiple purposes: it must function as a store, a salesperson or service advisor, a product display, a brochure, a catalog, an advertisement, and an after-sales service hub—all in one, on-screen.

The Internet has not made it easier for brands to stand out. On the contrary, within the confines and limitations of a small screen, brands have to work exceptionally hard to achieve recognition and differentiation. These are exciting challenges for corporate designers.