Ray Nichols and Jill Cypher interview

Hagley ID:
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  • Early Life and Career
    Partial Transcript: Okay we're recording
    Synopsis: In this segment, Ray Nichols and Jill Cypher talk about their early educational and career experiences
    Keywords: Advertising; Alpine, TX; Graphic Design; Louisiana Tech; University of Delaware
  • Graphic Design Work
    Partial Transcript: So what's the difference
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher talk about their experiences and motives within their graphic design work, they also mention their work with direct radiography
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; Elon Musk; Graphic Design
  • Trust with Clients/Culture of the Industry
    Partial Transcript: Right it sounds like
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher talk about gaining trust with clients and some of the ups and downs of working in the graphic design industry
    Keywords: Delaware; Direct Radiography; Graphic Design; MRI; Philadelphia, PA
  • Working with Direct Radiography
    Partial Transcript: Actually can we talk
    Synopsis: Nichols discusses the background of Direct Radiography and their role in the design and marketing aspect of the company
    Keywords: Apple; Direct Radiography; DuPont; General Electric; Jim Culley; Microsoft; selenium; University of Delaware; x-ray
  • Working with Direct Radiography pt. 2
    Partial Transcript: And we did this presentation
    Synopsis: In this segment, Nichols and Cypher explain how they convinced Direct Radiography to name their technology and the companies that they were up against for this deal
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; Jim Culley; mammography; Sterling; WB Doner
  • Pitching to Direct Radiography
    Partial Transcript: So they wanted an
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher walk through the process of presenting their advertising ideas to Direct Radiography and how they eventually got the account
    Keywords: Cypher-Nichols Design; Direct Radiography; Greenville, NC; Jim Culley
  • Working with Engineers/Magazine Advertising
    Partial Transcript: So how did you get
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher talk about their conversations with engineers at Direct Radiography and how they worked with magazine advertising
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; Lothar Jeromin; radiology; Singapore; Topography; University of Delaware; WB Doner
  • Advertising Audience/Access to Company
    Partial Transcript: Yeah but sometimes a
    Synopsis: In this segment, Nichols and Cypher discuss the audience for their work and the access that they had to Direct Radiography
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; General Electric; McCormick Place; Radiological Society of North America; radiologists; x-rays
  • Using X-ray Technology in Design
    Partial Transcript: And eventually you had the
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher detail their idea to use the x-ray machine for marketing images, including a calendar
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; Jim Culley; Photoshop; x-rays
  • Specific Advertisements
    Partial Transcript: Right sounds like you hit
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher show and discuss specific ads that they created for Direct Radiography
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; General Electric; mammography; Newark, Delaware; Porsche; radiologists; Selenium; X-rays
  • Specific Advertisements pt. 2
    Partial Transcript: So this was one of those
    Synopsis: In continuing their conversation on specific advertisements, Nichols and Cypher mention the work that they did for the Hagley Museum's Annual Report
    Keywords: General Electric; Glenn Porter; Hagley Museum; Jim Culley; Time Magazine
  • Relationship with Direct Radiography/Creative Process
    Partial Transcript: No it was a good
    Synopsis: Cypher and Nichols explain their relationship to Direct Radiography and the steps of their creative process, including having to produce ads for other countries and languages
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; General Electric; Germany; Japan; Model T; Newark, DE; Turkey
  • Changes to the Industry
    Partial Transcript: So how did the work
    Synopsis: Cypher and Nichols explain the changes that have occurred in the advertising and design industry overtime, especially the pace of the work and the influences of technology
    Keywords: Direct Radiography; FedEx; Photoshop; University of Delaware; Visual Communications
  • Daily Work Experience
    Partial Transcript: So what was the difference
    Synopsis: Cypher and Nichols describe their good and bad days at work, including conflicts with working at the University of Delaware, burnout, and the thrill of being a part of a completely new technology
    Keywords: Advertising Agencies; Cypher-Nichols Design; Direct Radiography; Hologic; University of Delaware
  • Approaching Advertising and Design
    Partial Transcript: So I see that we are
    Synopsis: Cypher and Nichols bring up things that were not previously addressed in the interview, specifically their approach to advertising and design and how design work impacted their work as professors
    Keywords: Graphic Design; University of Delaware
  • Final Interview Thoughts
    Partial Transcript: Well maybe how you would
    Synopsis: Nichols and Cypher wrap up the interview and offer some final thoughts about working with the Hagley Museum
    Keywords: Advertising Club of Delaware; Glenn Porter; Hagley Museum; Jim Culley; Letterpress; Ray Culley
Details
Title

Ray Nichols and Jill Cypher interview

Date Created

2021-05-03

Abstract

In this interview, Ray Nichols and Jill Cypher talk about their graphic design and advertising career and their work for Direct Radiography. In working for Direct Radiography, Nichols and Cypher worked with engineers and became very familiar with the company's technology and showcase this familiarity throughout the interview. They also go into many big campaigns they worked on throughout their career, including design work for the Hagley Museum. Cypher and Nichols offer insight into the advertising and graphic design industry and how that intersected with the medical imaging field.

Interviewee

Nichols, Raymond, 1946-
Cypher, Jill

Interviewer

Spohn, Benjamin

Associated Name (corporate)

Hologic (Firm)

Biographical Note

Ray Nichols (1946-) and Jill Cypher (1952-) work as artists and graphic designers for their letterpress company, Cypher + Nichols + Design. Nichols has a degree in advertising and worked as a professor at the University of Delaware for 32 years. Cypher has a math degree from Louisiana Tech and worked at the University of Delaware in the publications office and graduate school. Nichols and Cypher combined to create Cypher-Nichols Design and then worked as the advertising team for Direct Radiography and helped to present and market their technologies.

Subject(s)

Diagnostic imaging
Breast--Radiography
Medical technology
Graphic artists
Advertising

Find all items with name(s)

Nichols, Raymond, 1946-
Cypher, Jill
Hologic (Firm)
Spohn, Benjamin

Genre

oral histories

Language

English

Type of resource

sound recording

Extent

1 WAV file. (02:05:32:00).

Repository

Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library

Original Collection

Hologic Medical Imaging oral histories (Accession 2020.201)

Finding Aid

https://findingaids.hagley.org/2020_201

Preferred Citation

[Description and dates], Hagley ID, Box/folder number, Hologic Medical Imaging oral histories (Accession 2020.201), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807

Access Condition

Access to this item is provided for educational and research purposes only. The user assumes responsibility for obtaining permission from the copyright holder to publish or distribute this image. If you would like more information, please contact askhagley@hagley.org

Hagley ID

2020201_Nichols_Ray_and_Cypher_Jill_20210503

PID

islandora:2661943

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