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The Klamath
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By 1956, with the increase in clients as well as staff, a larger space was again needed and Walter moved his company to a waterfront building on Pier 5. These expanded quarters included offices, studios, and meeting rooms for newly formed research groups. From an inconspicuous location, researchers could watch shoppers as they passed through the aisles with their carts, and later interview them about the packages they chose.
In 1964, Walter bought the retired ferryboat Klamath, had its interior turned into office space, and relocated his company on board. This move greatly enhanced the firm’s reputation for innovation and creativity. Although the company eventually outgrew the ferryboat in the late 1980s and moved to its present headquarters at 1001 Front Street in San Francisco, the Klamath remains its distinctive corporate symbol. By the 1970s the firm had changed its name to Landor Associates, and garnered worldwide acclaim. In 1989, Walter basked in his retirement while retaining the title of company founder. But this was more than an honorific; Walter continued to play an active role with the company. Walter Landor was a guiding force in the field of corporate and brand identities, logos, and packaging. A visionary who pioneered the use of design and graphic imagery as business and marketing tools, Walter helped create and develop some of today's best-known brands.