Artifact Type: Poster
Title: Think About It!
Pensons-y bien!
Year: 1975
Designer: Uncredited
Stuart Ash (Symbol)
Studio: Uncredited
Client: Statistics Canada,
Government of Canada Metric Commission
Size: 670mm X 450mm
Condition: Very Good
Collection: Canada Modern Archive
Donated: Kindly gifted by David Perkins
The Metric Commission was a Government agency established in 1971 to facilitate Canada’s conversion to the metric system. The identity by G+A Toronto features a stylised M which was adapted from the Centennial maple leaf symbol (also by Stuart Ash).
This poster was produced to provide educational information about the International System of Units (SI). More specifically the unit of time, the second — or ‘s’. The upper panel is reserved for bilingual messaging whereas the lower zone displays an arrangement of 6 graphic pointing hands (graduating from mid-blue to orange) — the extended index finger, also the universal, non-verbal, symbol of the ‘second’.
It is assumed that this piece may have been produced in-house. Whilst the graphics are arresting, the typography definitely does not align with G+A’s standards or strict approach.
You can see more Metric Commission artefacts here
