Articulate – print ad, Cooper & Beatty, Jim Donoahue, 1960

This ad was produced in 1960, just one year after designer Jim Donoahue joined Cooper & Beatty under the direction of Allan Fleming. It offers a clever visual metaphor: what initially appears to be a meaningless jumble of letters is, in fact, quite legible – once viewed through the lens of C&B’s design expertise.

The concept plays directly into the firm’s long-running advertising strategy: that Cooper & Beatty could make sense of the seemingly nonsensical, shaping content into communication. Set in Gothic Condensed Title – a straightforward, geometric sans serif – the ad’s type reinforces the point. The letterforms are clear and uncompromising, allowing the visual idea to take the spotlight.

This approach, equal parts wit and restraint, became a hallmark of C&B’s advertising during the 1960s. It also speaks to a broader shift in typographic thinking at the time – one where clarity, structure, and conceptual sharpness were replacing ornament and flourish. – Brian Donnelly

Artifact Text

Articulate
'The essence of the artist is that he be articulate' Swinburne
Cooper & Beatty, Limited, type craftsmen, 401 Wellington W., Toronto