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Blog – Insights by Stefan Willerstorfer

May 25, 2011 Stefan Willerstorfer Stefan Willerstorfer Acorde, Acorde in Use, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Hans Peter Janisch, INFO, INFO – Der Südfinder, Newspaper, Newspaper Design, Südfinder

German newspaper INFO – Der Südfinder trusts in Acorde

The German newspaper INFO – Der Südfinder is a regional newspaper in Baden-Württemberg with a circulation of more than half a million copies. German newspaper designer Hans Peter Janisch restructured the newspaper and brought its appearance up to date. The new design was presented at the end of May.

The centrepiece of the revised typography was the introduction of Acorde as the newspaper’s main typeface. Acorde is used for text as well as for headlines and demonstrates its ability to be a true workhorse. It perfectly contributes to the fresh and modern feel of the newspaper.

Cover of the first issue of the redesigned newspaper. Various impressions of the newspaper’s new appearance.
April 18, 2011 Stefan Willerstorfer D&AD Acorde, Award, British Design & Art Direction, D&AD, England, London, Stefan Willerstorfer, United Kingdom

Acorde succeeds at D&AD

The London-based organisation D&AD (formerly known as British Design & Art Direction) has been celebrating outstanding work in design and advertising for almost 50 years. It was founded in 1962 by a group of designers and art directors including David Bailey, Terence Donovan and Alan Fletcher.

In D&AD’s annual competition work is judged in 25 different award categories by 25 different specialist juries. Year after year the very best work is showcased in the renowned D&AD annual book. This year’s typography section features Acorde among a handful of carefully chosen typefaces.

The judging of the D&AD Awards in London.
April 15, 2011 Stefan Willerstorfer Japan Typography Association Acorde, Applied Typography, Applied Typography 21, Award, Grand Prize, Japan, Japan Typography Association, Stefan Willerstorfer, Tokyo

Acorde wins the Grand Prize of Applied Typography 21

Applied Typography is an international design competition organised by Japan Typography Association, Tokyo. The design competition awards prizes in about a dozen different typographic design categories such as editorial design, visual identity and type design. While Best Work awards are given to several selected entries receiving high ratings in each category, the Grand Prize is awarded only to a single work or designer in the competition judged as particularly outstanding.

As you can imagine, I feel very honoured by receiving the Grand Prize for the type family Acorde. »Its intelligent and broad-brushed element is very beautiful and the readability and visibility are of high grade, which resulted in getting everyone’s favour without reservations«, explains judging committee chairman Tsuyokatsu Kudo, about the jury’s decision to award Acorde the Grand Prize of this year’s design competition.

Judging committee chairman Tsuyokatsu Kudo opens the ceremony of Applied Typography 21. The Grand Prize of Applied Typography 21 goes to the type family Acorde.


Jury member Yoshimaru Takahashi states that »although the inclination to break with foundation is going around the present world of typography, the message of reconsidering its foundation to produce a high quality functional beauty can be seen in this work.« His colleague Toshiyasu Nanbu adds that Acorde is a typeface »that literally walks the royal road of typography.« I guess he is as curious as I am about where this road will further lead Acorde.

Yuki Nishimura reads out my written comment on winning the Grand Prize for Acorde. Group photo of award winners and jury members of Applied Typography 21. Chatting, eating and drinking at the party succeeding the official part of the ceremony.
April 1, 2011 Stefan Willerstorfer Tokyo TDC Acorde, Award, Exhibition, Japan, Korea, Osaka, Seoul, Stefan Willerstorfer, Tokyo, Tokyo TDC, Tokyo Type Directors Club

Acorde succeeds at the Tokyo TDC Annual Awards

The Tokyo Type Directors Club (TDC) was founded in 1987 and organises the annual Tokyo TDC Awards design competition. This year’s winners are going to be published in the annual design book Tokyo TDC, Vol. 22. Among the winners is the type family Acorde which received the status Prize Nominee Work.

The winning entries can be seen in the travelling Tokyo TDC Exhibition 2011 which is being shown in Japan at Ginza Graphic Gallery in Tokyo from April 1 to April 25, at ddd Gallery in Osaka from May 10 to July 2 and in Korea at Samwon Paper Gallery in Seoul from September 3 to November 5.

The Ginza Graphic Gallery in Tokyo hosts the TDC Exhibition 2011 from April 1 to April 25. Some impressions from the TDC Exhibition 2011 in Tokyo. From May 10 to July 2 the TDC Exhibition 2011 is shown at the ddd Gallery in Osaka.
February 14, 2011 Stefan Willerstorfer FontShop Acorde, FontShop, Valentype, Valentine’s day, Yves Peters

Valentype 2011 – a love declaration to Acorde

On the occasion of Valentine’s day, FontShop’s Yves Peters asked the readers of his popular blog, The FontFeed, to declare their love to a type family of their choice. The readers designed images of declaration by using typographic, illustrative or photographic means. A jury consisting of Jürgen Siebert, Ivo Gabrowitsch, Stephen Coles, and Yves Peters selected five winners among the entries. The reward for every winner was a font package of four styles of the typeface they had declared their love to.

Just have a look at the gallery to see the winners, the various entries and the love declaration to Acorde.


January 10, 2011 Stefan Willerstorfer Stefan Willerstorfer Acorde, Award, California, Communication Arts Award of Excellence, Communication Arts Typography Annual, Stefan Willerstorfer, United States

Acorde wins Communication Arts Award of Excellence

Communication Arts has been publishing annuals showing the best in visual communications from around the world since 1959. But still 2011 marks a change. It is the first time – and certainly the beginning of a long tradition – of publishing a distinct annual specifically focused on typography.

The Communication Arts Typography Annual 1 presents the best work in various typographic categories such as books, periodicals, identity, packaging, and typeface design. It is a brilliant achievement that Acorde was among the first typefaces receiving the Communication Arts Award of Excellence in this category.

The first Communication Arts Typography Annual.