Jeffrey AronsonSteve Jobs wrote, “Most people make the mistake on thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
That adage has been a hallmark of the work of Rovers North’s Creative Director, Thompson Smith. His designs signaled the values and gave vision to the ANARC Diamond Jubilee. They articulated the hopes and aspirations of the 100-plus volunteers who organized and ran the event, and conveyed to the 1,000 attendees that their participation would be magical. Thompson contributed a vast number of hours to the Jubilee, ensuring consistency of design from trail signs to t-shirts, logos to registration tickets, trail maps to RTV flags.
The Lake Tahoe, CA native grew up a gearhead; his father took family vacations in a Porsche 911E and introduced him to SCCA/Formula One champions such as Mark Donahue and Denny Hulme. The 19-year-old Thompson headed off road in the ‘80s in compact pickups featuring his own, custom suspension designs. Since joining Rovers North in 2000, Thomopson has lived the Land Rover life through his travels and adventures with a NAS Defender 90 and a Range Rover Sport, in addition to past and present Porches, Audis and MINIs.
In 2019, Gerry McGovern, JLR’s Chief Creative Officer, sat for an interview published in this magazine. He said that “Design represents the values of a marque. It’s the glue that pulls it all together.” That’s what Thompson’s vision and talents accomplished for the ANARC 75th anniversary celebration, and that’s what he’s done daily for Rovers North and Rovers Magazine over the past 23 years.
Thompson’s designs and graphics also provide the visual background for the Land Rover enthusiast community. For his considerable achievements, we think he’s Fabulously British [or to be more precise, Scottish -ed].