![](https://opusmei.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ibm-logo1-1.jpg)
The late Thomas J. Watson of IBM once stressed the importance of quality design, saying, “Good design is good business.” While he was likely referring more to products, he was also a firm believer in the power of graphic design. Graphic design, in the form of a strong brand identity, has the ability to transform a company’s self image and project that company’s core beliefs and principles to the market in a meaningful and powerful way. In the early 1950s the stodgy public image of IBM was a complete disconnect from the truly cutting edge work that was happening inside the walls. Enter Paul Rand and his brilliant interpretation of the IBM logo as a pictogram of a striped “eye,” a “bee” and an “M.” A daring identity for a global business powerhouse that became an icon in the world of business.