Collection Guide
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Table of contents
Title: 1185 Design records
Identifier/Call Number: X8294.2018
Contributing Institution:
Computer History Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
110 Linear feet,
157 newspaper boxes, 20 record cartons, 3 oversize boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 2000-2014
Date (inclusive): 1985-2017
Abstract: 1185 Design is a Silicon Valley brand agency founded by Peggy Burke in 1985. The 1185 Design records consist of material created
for the agency’s clients between 1985 and 2017. The majority of the collection is made up of “initial creative books,” which
were produced with some input from clients to establish or explore brand identity and marketing strategies. The remainder
of the collection is made up of product samples, or clients’ end products. These are divided into two subseries. The text
subseries consists strictly of textual and graphical materials, while the software subseries is made up primarily of packaged
software.
creator:
1185 Design.
Collection surveyed by Sydney Gulbronson Olson, 2017. Collection processed by Jack Doran, 2019.
The collection is open for research.
The Computer History Museum (CHM) can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying
any claims of the copyright holder. Requests for copying and permission to publish, quote, or reproduce any portion of the
Computer History Museum’s collection must be obtained jointly from both the copyright holder (if applicable) and the Computer
History Museum.
[Identification of Item], [Date], 1185 Design records, Lot X8294.2017, Catalog [#], Box [#], Computer History Museum.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Peggy Burke, 2017.
1185 Design is a digital brand agency located in Palo Alto, California that was founded by Peggy Burke. Burke, a native of
Cincinnati, Ohio and 1980 graduate (BS, Graphic Design) of the Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning department at the University
of Cincinnati moved to California in 1983 to take a job with Boole and Babbage. Burke worked as Creative Director for their
in-house design group which lead to her decision to begin her own startup with the launching of 1185 Design in November 1985
(hence the company’s name). Initially consisting of Burke as the lone staff member and serving clients mostly located in and
around Silicon Valley, 1185’s initial emphasis was on technology startups and venture capital firms. Among the company’s early
clients were Motorola, Adobe, Sun Systems, and Cisco.
As 1185 Design entered the 1990’s, it expanded its client base to biotech, nonprofit, and consumer markets with a specialization
in areas such as corporate identity, brand strategy and narratives, and digital experience and execution. The company had
grown to 60 employees with offices in Palo Alto, California and Portland, Maine, but the dot-com downturn forced 1185 to cut
its workforce down to 30 employees and close its east coast office in 2001. With the second boom in Silicon Valley, 1185 further
expanded its client base and came into the digital age with fewer products such as printed publications and packaging and
more emphasis on digital advertising, user experience evaluations, corporate branding, and web and mobile design. As of 2019,
1185 Design is still in business.
Scope and Content of the Collection
The 1185 Design records consist of initial creative books and both text and software product samples. The initial creative
books make up roughly two-thirds of the collection. These books are created in the first stages of the design process, often
with feedback from clients that are expressed in handwritten notes within the books. The books primarily explore different
areas designated by 1185 Design, including logos, corporate identity, and website design. However, some books are simply preliminary
ideas sketched out for clients, and others focus on a single product or package. The books are then reviewed by the client,
notes and changes are made, and if the client decides to go forward, a design direction is selected or developed over a series
of revisions.
The remaining third of the collection consists of product samples, which are end products of the design process. These materials
are divided into two subseries. Text product samples are made up strictly of text and graphical materials, such as annual
reports, invitations, brochures, pamphlets, and other advertising material. The software subseries consists mainly of packaged
software by such companies as Adobe and Cisco, but there is also a number of print materials with supplemental software included
in this series.
The collection does not contain files or notes from the meetings with clients that take place any time within the design process.
1185 Design signs a non-disclosure agreement with clients, so the only materials retained from projects are the initial creative
books and end products.
Physical objects and ephemera were separated from the main collection. To view catalog records for separated material, search
the CHM catalog at
http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/search/ .
The collection is arranged into two series:
Series 1, Initial creative books, 1994-2017, bulk 210-2016
Series 2, Product samples, 1985-2017, bulk 1988-2008
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Branding (Marketing)
Branding industry
Corporate identity
Design service--Marketing
Logos (Symbols)--Design
Silicon Valley (Calif.)