When he was asked to create a logo for the first James Bond film, Dr No, in 1962, the graphic designer Joe Caroff noticed that the stem of the last digit of 007 resembled the butt of a Walther PPK pistol.
So Caroff, who has died aged 103, united the secret agent’s service number and weapon into an unmistakable insignia; its sinuous, italicised tilt conveyed glamour and peril. He was paid a piffling $300 for what was initially intended for use on company letterheads, but went on to become a piece of branding as instantly recognisable as the first bars of John Barry’s theme tune.
