Information on the client
Zündfunk is a series by the Bavarian Broadcasting Association (Bayerischer Rundfunk) and noted for its critical examinations of complex political, social and cultural themes, with a strong core of music journalism at its heart. The cultural philosophy and extensive knowledge of popular music which characterizes this core have made Zündfunk a unique source of education in popular culture.
Task
Development of a revised edition for the 40th anniversary, documenting additions and latest developments. For the new edition, the whole plan has been illustrated by hand.
Approach
40 years of Zündfunk mean 40 years of pop culture history. In 2004, for Zündfunks 30-year-anniversary, the programme's editorial team worked with Designliga on the idea of presenting this knowledge in a form more appropriate for pop culture contexts than a magazine.
In January 2014, the third edition of the City of Pop is being published. Designliga developed a highly complex information diagram based on an imaginary city – an analogy that proved to be extremely suitable for bringing interconnections to life and providing orientation within a system. For example, 'Depeche Mode Midway' separates the pop 'district' from the new wave 'quarter', the Bryan Ferry sails down the Mainstream River and Michael Jackson is a monument in the heart of the pop district – with its face obscured by scaffolding. The first issue of the City of Pop had over 800 streets and squares and over 350 icons each developed individually for the artist. The reverse of the map shows a timeline of the main social events. The entire print run of City of Pop was snapped up almost instantly. The major Munich gallery Pinakothek der Moderne added it to its collection of advertising, the Neue Sammlung. An on-air game (radio broadcast) was developed for City of Pop.
Like a real city, City of Pop continued to develop. Buildings were demolished and new ones built; streets vanished or were rerouted. The City of Pop grew to a total of over 1300 streets and squares, adding over 500 icons. The reverse of the map shows a 40-year timeline tracing major events and placing them in an overall social context.
