tech
‘The way the world is, something daft is appealing’
So-called rubber hose style is putting a smile on everyday products, even as some designers plead that it’s time to ‘stop putting arms and legs on everything’. What’s behind the ubiquity of this wholesome branding?
TL;DR
- A popular graphic design style, rooted in 1920s rubber hose animation, features anthropomorphic objects with fluid limbs and exaggerated expressions.
- This aesthetic is widely used in branding for independent businesses like pizza places, cafes, and bars, often appearing on merchandise and packaging.
- Influences include 1950s Americana, vintage ironic t-shirts, 21st-century cartoons, graffiti, and specific artists like Charles Barsotti and Robert Crumb.
- Designers like Patrick Schmidt have contributed to this style, blending graffiti, tattoos, and older cartoons, while Karl Toomey notes its prevalence across various industries and global locations.
- The style is seen as a reaction against the flat, corporate graphics of the tech world, offering a playful and approachable alternative.
- Concerns are rising about the style's over-saturation, with templates and AI making it easy to replicate, potentially diluting its original appeal and authenticity.
- Some designers advocate for a return to more handcrafted, 'naive style' aesthetics with visible imperfections, moving away from mass-produced imagery.