Herman Miller Introduces Collector’s Items from Poster Series

May 7, 2024  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

In January 2024, Herman Miller introduced its refreshed brand identity, which includes the latest evolution of the brand's logo and wordmark. Herman Miller worked with Order Design to design a complete set of brand standards including a rich color palette, a new wordmark, and a starring role for the iconic M logo (originally designed by Irving Harper in 1946). The design and development of Ideas magazine brings this new system to life in tactile form. 

The poster and magazine, along with a sampling of Herman Miller's rich graphic design history, will be on display during a "Picnic on Park" celebration at Herman Miller's New York location at 251 Park Avenue South during NYCxDESIGN from Tuesday, May 21 through Thursday, May 23, 2024. 

Hot Dog Picnic Poster
In 1970, Herman Miller hired its first in-house graphic designer fresh out of Cranbrook Academy of Art, Steve Frykholm. Over Frykholm's 45-year career, his role expanded to Vice President of Creative Design, and included countless awards and achievements. For 20 consecutive years, one of the projects he expressed being most proud of is designing Herman Miller's annual company picnic poster. Each year brought a new design challenge in the form of a picnic theme inspired by quintessential American summer potluck menu items. The colorful artwork grew to become as highly anticipated a tradition as the picnic itself and has made its way into permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and many other museums worldwide. 

The Hot Dog Picnic Poster is the third in the Picnic Poster series to be offered by the brand as a limited-run reprint. Posters previously selected include Sweet Corn Picnic Poster (1970), released in 2021, and Watermelon Picnic Poster (1971) in 2023. 

The meticulous screen-printing technique used to remake Hot Dog Picnic Poster still closely mirrors what Frykholm initiated in 1970, which he describes in a short film produced by the brand: "It's a sequence of events. One color at a time. And then that last one goes on, and it's better than you imagined." The story behind the printing process spans four decades and is covered in more detail in the new edition of Ideas magazine. 

"The Picnic Poster series released from 1970 to 1989 brought joy to Herman Miller employees and represents a well-loved company culture and tradition," said Amy Auscherman, Director of Global Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll. "Originally, Frykholm created the designs for invitations and other promotional materials. The program took off quickly, with posters made available exclusively to Herman Miller employees."

Each poster is screen printed on 100% cotton paper and mounted in an American maple frame available in natural, white, or black finish. The dimensions are 42½" H 28" W 2½" D. Hot Dog Picnic Poster is available to order for $895 USD in stores and online at Herman Miller. Visit the Herman Miller website for your region for availability. 

Ideas magazine
Ideas magazine is inspired by a thought-leader-style publication of the same name Herman Miller published for internal and commercial audiences between 1978 and 1982. The newly released standalone issue considers Herman Miller today by examining ideas set in motion throughout the company's history and highlighting emerging ideas. "There are many reasons Herman Miller is thriving after 100 years, and our ongoing receptivity to ideas is central to the brand's success," said Kelsey Keith, Brand Creative Director at Herman Miller. "The stories we tell in the magazine—and its accompanying social and digital experiences—explore the ideas behind all aspects of design, while tapping into Herman Miller's spirit of adventure and history of innovation."

Ideas is being released as a standalone print issue and initiates a resurgence of brand stories, some of which will also be published to the brand's websites. Complimentary copies will be available in Herman Miller showrooms globally.

Herman Miller "Picnic on Park" at NYCxDESIGN
Herman Miller's store at 251 Park Avenue South will host Picnic on Park during NYCxDESIGN on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, May 21-23, 2024, 12 pm - 2 pm EST. Visitors will experience a summer picnic, Herman Miller-style, courtesy of a bespoke hot dog cart; receive a copy of Ideas magazine and a collectible tote (available in limited quantities); and get a first look at the Hot Dog Picnic Poster, the 2024 reissue from Herman Miller's iconic Picnic Poster series.