The Story Behind 826 National's Branding and Design

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While we're on the subject of the importance of design to the success of nonprofits, let's take a moment to contemplate the standard bearer: 826 National. The pros behind this tutoring center-where each location (there are seven) features a fake retail store, selling whimsical items against theme like "pirates" and "time travel"- have just released a monograph of every odd and wonderful product they've ever offered. The combined effect of seeing them collected in one place is a staggering testament to their total commitment to design and branding-plus it's real pretty. And if you've ever wanted to know the origin story behind a half-gallon of antimatter or a replacement robot larynx, this is your chance. Check out more scans from Essentially Odd (that's the name of the book) here, and buy yourself a copy here.