The 8th of September is National Ampersand Day. Some of you might wonder why the noble ampersand gets its own day, but it’s actually a very special symbol.

The ampersand is a ligature of “e” & “t”? “Et” which means “and” in Latin.

Did I lose you at “ligature”? Well, it’s the combination of two or more characters. Look closely at printed type, specifically words with two “ffs” or a “fi” or “fl” — you will notice that the two form a perfect synergy, with certain aspects of the individual character omitted to print and display the two characters together. If you had to chat to our Head of Creative, Carmen Schaefer — you’d learn this and a whole lot more about the nuances and special characteristics that apply to typography as a whole.

The ampersand developed over centuries and has become one of the most widely used symbols. Can you think of any famous brands with anampersand in their name or logo? You’ll be surprised just how common it is.

We used to be known as The Red & Yellow School of Logic and Magic. And while our name might have changed, the Red & Yellow ampersand will always represent the union of commercial logic and creative magic, the heart and soul of our course and programme content & our unique approach to learning. “Soft” skills used to be taken for granted, but they are critical skills, both in our personal and professional lives. That’s why we took our focus on interpersonal skills and formalised them into 10 Uniquely Human Skills (creative thinking, critical thinking, persuasion, social intelligence, negotiation, mindfulness, leadership, empathy, conflict resolution, adaptability) which are integrated into everything we teach.

With its rich history, functionality and design potential, the ampersand is a marvel and we’re proud to have it as a central part of our brand. Designer and typographer Chaz DeSimone also recognised the beauty of the ampersand, and founded the Ampersand Day in 2015. He has a monthly design project, AmperArt, which features “the ampersand as fun & fabulous art.”.

Keep your eyes on our social feeds for our celebration of this glorious day! #RYThoughtoftheWeek

Find out more about the Ampersand:

https://designshack.net/articles/typography/why-i-love-ampersands-you-should-too/

https://mentalfloss.com/article/58195/where-did-ampersand-symbol-come

https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-ampersand-symbol-1689083