Something I didn’t realize before is that the TimeWarner symbol is not just an eye, it is actually both an eye and an ear. The eye can be seen with the top line entering the center of the swirl, and the ear starts with the inside squiggle and goes downwards. I think this is a logo represents that the company is a source of entertainment aurally and visually, which is a good summary of the TimeWarner company which provides cable and internet services, both forms of visual and auditory entertainment. When Geisbuhler first presented the eye/ear version, there were two separate companies, Time Inc. and Warner Communications. The chairman of the Time Inc. company was not a fan of the original design, however, he listened to the chairman of Warner Communications and let him make the final call on what design to use. Originally, the two companies had lettered designs so there was some pushback from the joining of them as it would be a design change, but after many drafts, they settled on the eye and ear design which represents a joined and working company. It is a very simplistic design even though it represents much more. With only one color used, it is a way of saying that the company is easy to work with and a simple process (which we all know is completely false..). Geisbuhler tends to make a design “simple enough so it is memorable, distinct, leaves a lasting impression, and can withstand technical reproduction” [1].

 

Image 1

[1]

http://globaldesignstudies.blogspot.com/2009/11/steff-geissbuhler.html?_sm_au_=iVVSSQFtZDq0DmrN