Pentagram's Abbott Miller: "Branding Has Become Oppressive"

Abbot Miller, a partner at Pentagram Design, believes that design is about telling a story and creating narratives. He has made books for photographers like Ansel Adams and and artists like Matthew Barney, which he described as "movies you hold in your hand." He has designed exhibition spaces which he thinks of as "a room with a plot." When asked how the graphic design industry has changed since Miller began his career, he stated that the importance of design has grown, and graphic designers no longer have to argue the importance of appearance and branding to their clients. 

"As 'Brand' colonizes more and more experiences and places, you get a zombie-like effect, a placelessness and overdetermined experiences."

Miller stated that he believes that branding has become "oppressive," and that he prefers the term "identity" to "brand." This is because he believes identities are more about a sense of personality and sensibility and can be more muted, whereas brands can sometimes become smothering.

When asked about his creative process, Abbott Miller stated that he always starts by immersing himself in the material, that way he can respond in a way that is informed by the content. He then likes to be extremely collaborative with his team and believes in the social aspect of design.

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