Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story

Discipline: Package design
Format: Package, Album cover
Design firm: ABKCO
Art director: Iris Keitel
Assistant art director: Alisa Ritz
Designers: Diana Graham, Cody Rasmussen
Illustrator: Angelo Tillery
Concept: Lenne Allik
Printer: Queens Group
Client: ABKCO Records

Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story was a tribute to Sam Cooke for his contributions as a songwriter, producer, and performer. SAR was born out of the vision of Sam Cooke and J.W. Alexander, who sought a way to broaden the appeal of gospel music while introducing the techniques of gospel into the world of pop.

The packaging incorporates a black-and-white illustration with minimal type on the exterior. The type is simple, but the use of metallic ink (bronze) augments the design and sets the tone of colors used throughout the package and on the CDs. The interior repeats the illustration and subtly includes Sam Cooke’s signature in black on black. The book continues with classic black-and-white photographs and screens of the metallic bronze. The striking illustration and the continued use of bronze and various screens of bronze create an effective, eye-catching design that draws the consumer.