The Importance of Place: San Francisco
According to Chronicle Publishing Director Lorena Jones, readers frequently say: “I knew it was a Chronicle book when I saw it.” Asked why Chronicle is able to be so inventive, she explains: “the culture here encourages experimentation and we have the freedom to fail. That’s how you innovate.”
Jones finds Chronicle’s strong brand identity and willingness to experiment inspiring and claims the existence of a “special sauce.” “It’s what happens when you attract people with creativity. That becomes exponential when they work together. It leads to a consistent statement we’ve been making to the world for 45 years.”
McSweeney’s Editorial Director Ethan Nosowsky confirms the similarity: “One place we have a lot in common with is Chronicle. They … attend to issues of the physical design of books to the degree that we do.” While he dislikes the word “brand,” he agrees that readers know what they can expect from McSweeney’s books, which is “high-quality writing paired with attention to high-quality design.” The attention to design is rooted in founder Dave Eggers’ training as an illustrator.
- Companies:
- Chronicle Books
- Places:
- San Francisco