Helvetica NOW: An exploration into living type

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Helvetica™ typeface, Linotype™ invites designers worldwide to take part in the Helvetica NOW poster contest.

Type and typography play a key role in the realm of visual communication – today more than ever. In a world where one is constantly subject to written information (from the mobile phone to the shop next door), type has never been so present in our lives as it is today. Commercial enterprises, advertising, and our dependence on electronic devices have strongly influenced the ways in which typography defines our visual culture. Typography has literally stepped off the pages of the book and into the rush of today’s traffic. Of the thousands of typefaces present in our environment, very few have attained the spread and popularity that is known to Helvetica.

Linotype invites designers to submit their poster design work that has been published between 2000 and 2007 and that uses Helvetica as a primary or secondary typeface. This contest also invites participants to submit posters (published, unpublished, or new designs) that revolve around the role of type in modern day life, and the way that typography – and Helvetica – affects our perception of the environment. The message and the visual exploration of Helvetica’s presence in our lives are open to every designer’s interpretation, and the use of photography is allowed.

The winners will be selected by popular vote. The voting will be carried out online at www.Linotype.com/helveticaNOW starting in mid-October 2007. The winners will be announced in the January 2008 issue of the LinoLetter.

Contest Submission Specifications

Format

The format is open but the overall dimensions should be contained within a maximum of 1600×1600 pixels. High resolution originals are not necessary upon initial submission and are only required in case the posters are chosen to be included in future publications about the contest.

Submission

Only digital files in JPEG format will be accepted. All files must be uploaded using the Helvetica NOW Poster Contest submission form (www.Linotype.com/helveticaNOW).
Note: Uploads require a registered Linotype.com account and login!.

All participants have the option to describe and tag their design work as well as display optional contact information.

Deadline

Submissions will be accepted from July 4–October 4, 2007. Entries will be made public once voting begins and not before that date.

Voting

The voting will start in mid October and will be open to all.

Prizes

Linotype will offer prizes to the first three winners. Together the prizes will be worth more than €15,000.

Fees

There are no application fees for the contest. You are free to submit more than 1 entry.

Upload your design work NOW!

Submit your finished design work for the contest using the Helvetica NOW Poster Contest submission form (www.Linotype.com/helveticaNOW).
Note: Uploads require a registered Linotype.com account and login!

Terms and conditions

By submitting your entry to Linotype, you are offering Linotype a perpetual, world-wide, non-exclusive, royalty free license to your submission which will be accepted upon Linotype’s acceptance of your admission in its sole discretion. The license granted by you shall permit Linotype to use your submission for any purpose in connection with this contest, including advertising, marketing and promoting such contest, but not for any other reason, including advertising, marketing and promoting Linotype’s products, without your prior written consent. By submitting your entry to Linotype, you represent and warrant that the entry constitutes your work product and that you have sufficient rights in the entry to grant to Linotype the license contained herein. Linotype reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify certain entries.

Employees of Monotype Imaging Inc., or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including Linotype GmbH, or other companies associated with the promotion of the Helvetica NOW poster contest, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members (people who share the same residence at least three (3) months out of the year) of each such employee are not eligible.

There are no rights for appeal.