Make the Shift to MKE SHIFT

As previously announced, TypeCon2012 is swinging into Milwaukee this summer. The theme of this year’s conference is MKE SHIFT — a clever play on several words and related concepts.MKE is the shorthand code for Milwaukee County’s General Mitchell International Airport and visually suggests the word ‘Make’.SHIFT is a straightforward term which we’re all familiar with.Putting the two together, we forge the phrase ‘Make Shift’ — which also works on several levels.‘Make’ reflects the creation of things, including type. ‘MKE’ is the host city, an industrial hub which has a deep rooted history of making things. ‘Makeshift’ implies improvisation, creativity, and the temporary or ephemeral nature of things — such as is the TypeCon event itself. ‘Shift’ is a change in direction, speaking to the continuous movement from letterpress to hot type to cold type to the digital desktop to the web.It’s also a tip of the hat to the shift key found on our keyboards.On a related note, SOTA is excited to be working with a group of talented design students from the University of Georgia on the conference identity.We can’t wait to see what they brew up.