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Logo Critique for Small Design Firm
You guys were so helpful with the last logo I worked on that I knew I had to get your input for this one as well. This time it's a logo for myself. I'm starting a small web design business to earn extra money for school.
The logo will accompany a new design for my website which I want to have a gardening theme. The idea is that I can help people "grow" their business with a well-designed website (sounds korny, I know, but it should be good when it all comes together).
So here are my two variations of the logo. Your thoughts and comments are much appreciated.
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27 May 2005 — 4:56pm
Could it somehow say business and grow at the same time? While I do think the concept is interesting enough to pursue I wonder if at the moment it is too literally a plant.
27 May 2005 — 5:06pm
I'm not sure I'm following you Tiffany, can you explain?
27 May 2005 — 5:14pm
A quick answer would be...and the wrong answer...instead of a leaf have a dollar bill in the shape of a leaf. Or a money tree. Or a ... what represents growth in business that can also be used to show growth in a garden?
27 May 2005 — 5:28pm
I see what you mean. That's pretty smart, I wouldn't have thought of that. I'll give that some thought and see what I can come up with. If anyone has suggestions on how to merge the two ideas, I'm all ears.
27 May 2005 — 5:45pm
I agree with Tiffany. The design looks as if it is for a landscape designer rather than graphic/web designer. The business/financial spin on the logo design will tie in much better to your message of helping businesses to "grow."
Jeff Fisher :: Engineer of Creative Identity
Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
Author: Savvy Designer's Guide to Success from HOW Design Books
28 May 2005 — 5:12am
Peter also remember weeds grow too. Nobody wants their business to go to the weeds. Also explore other options on your type. I think its too tight and I'm not fond of the all caps look. You might make it more accessible, friendlier.
31 May 2005 — 11:45am
I'm with dan -- it seems like your choice of type conflicts a bit with the growing theme, and to an extent even the business of web design. to my inexperienced eye, it feels heavy-handed and somewhat utilitarian.. (unfortunately i'm not sure of what i'd suggest to help it)
31 May 2005 — 1:48pm
While I completely agree that the type -- in this instance -- seems heavy and perhaps clunky, I believe that the logo/illo should be solved before worrying about the typeface choice as the illo will, most likely, guide the type selection.
2 Jun 2005 — 2:46pm
Ok guys, I'm at a standstill. I've been trying to connect growth with buisness and I keep coming up short. I think part of my problem may be that I'm too attached to that pretty little leaf. I think the key lies in what Tiffany asked before, "What represents growth in business that can also be used to show growth in a garden?" I'll keep working. And by the way, I'd like to say that your comments have been refreshingly insightful.
2 Jun 2005 — 3:38pm
What about a tendril or something a bit funkier? Tendrils reach out & grab to help the plant grow.
2 Jun 2005 — 3:40pm
Then you could have a logo type with more curves & flair like - Coquette
http://www.ms-studio.com/FontSales/coquette.html
2 Jun 2005 — 3:50pm
Tendril. What a superb name for a [certain kind of] font.
hhp
3 Jun 2005 — 12:39am
A font I'd like to see.
3 Jun 2005 — 5:17am
Is there a way to use a business graphic for growth and add a leaf to imply blossoming/growth, etc.? Integrate it into the graphic/symbol? The leaf would certainly be distinct in that setting, as long as you avoid your current gardener/landscaper thing.
As Tiffany suggested, a tree (long-term, strong growth) might be a good direction.
3 Jun 2005 — 9:33am
My problem isn't so much with coming up with an object to show growth. I can think of plenty (a blossoming branch, a root system, a tree trunk, a leaf, fruit, etc.); my problem is connecting that to business. What are some things that show business? All I can think of are those generic photos of people in business suits climbing stairs.
Eben, I like your tendril idea, but I'm not sure people would know what it was. They might mistake it for a vine or even a coil and then the metaphor is lost.
3 Jun 2005 — 10:24am
I think that you may be treating the logo a little to litteral a manner here. You probably shouldn't be creating some frankenstein hybrid of a kind of platonic ideas/icons of 'business' & of 'growth'. Like a tendril making a dollar sign... god forbid. That might be okay for a spot illustration in some ham handed business journal- but not a logo.
The purpose of your logo aught to be to:
1. Be Different I know I sound like an advert but it's true all the same. I1f your doesn't do this - especially as a designer - a basic tentpole is missing. Who are you competing with? Look at them & be different. Being yourself may well be enough.
2. Be memorable. This is different than being Different. Really. This is the graphic equivalent of a catchy song hook. You want something that you look at & you find yourself looking again. It's not a trick - it's a behaivior of the eye you want & then of the brain.
3. Be yourself. This is tricky & very subjective. You want to have a logo that you don't feel is false, a fake or feels like a sham. For instance, if you were a small neiborhood florist you might not want a chilly multinational corprate style logo. You would want something warmer, friendlier, and maybe more classic classy or fun.
4. Be fast. A logo that takes too long to communicate or be understood is a deadly logo. This is one of the reasons that a hybrid is out. It takes too long to understand & an impatient eye moves on. If the logo doesn't do it's basic job in the short time it takes to glance at it- it's not that great. I'm not saying it should be a pleasure too look at for longer - just that it needs communicate it's basic message very quickly.
It isn't key that an idea as such is imbeded in a logo. Especially for a service industry. Look at the most successful logos - Mercedes, Apple, DKNY - pick your own. You won't find an idea in almost any really successful logo. You will find they evoke a feeling in you. That feeling is enough. And a treatment of Type is often enough to create that feeling.
In terms of process I would make a list of words or phrases that describe the kind of assumptions that you want your logo to create in a viewer. Take stock of your target.
Make sure it's the target you really want.
3 Jun 2005 — 1:52pm
Peter, asking a web design business to grow business might be a little of an over promise, unless you are tied into marketing people and writers. I think the best you can do is offer website design as a tool to help grow a business. Even then you'd need statistics showing growth and percentages vs other kinds of sales promotion and marketing. I think I'd approach your web design business differently, something along the lines of "personal touch" or "one on one" design. Imply your designs aren't cookie cutters but solve a businesses particular problem. Just some thoughts
3 Jun 2005 — 2:29pm
Good point.
4 Jun 2005 — 9:23am
Dan, that is a good point and I was thinking myself that to say my web designs can grow a business is a bit too ambitious. Although, I do offer eBay template design which really can contribute directly to more sales. That service is one I want to feature much more prominently with my new design. In any case, I really do want to set myself apart from other web design businesses by being personable. Being a one man show gives me some advantages over the competition, particularly that I can give more attention to my clients. That's something I do want to highlight on my new site and even in my logo. Perhaps it would be best to go for a wordmark rather than using some kind of symbol. What do you guys think?
4 Jun 2005 — 3:40pm
It seems like a prudent way to go.
And the wordmark's style can be such that it's clear that it isn't a rubber stamp sort of operation. What flavor of anti-generic are you? Caligraphy or Hnadwritting might be one way to go. Personal & unique each time.
6 Jun 2005 — 11:14am
If I go the way of the wordmark it really is key that it stand out from the crowd. I'm thinking something friendly and personal yet still professional. Possibly a script, though a stylized sans-serif could work as well. One other requirement: it has to be cheap as this is all to earn money for school. Suggestions?
Here are some I like:
Chocolate: though too expensive.
Bello: still too expensive.
Koziupack: Similar to Chocolate above, and maybe a bit too fancy
ITC Forkbeard
6 Jun 2005 — 1:44pm
You could also take an font you have & alter the letterforms. That's how the microsoft logo was made. It's a franklin gothic modified & with a bit cut out. That would be cheap. You could also work on a job & use some of the funds from that for the font later.... Having a logo in no way guarantees work. And taking your time wioth an identity is usually a good idea if you can swing it.
6 Jun 2005 — 2:15pm
Peter check out Font Diner. Last year Oscar Meyer used a Font Diner font for their summer campaign. Their fonts are display fonts and inexpensive. I think you could take one and modify it like Eben has suggested and you'd have a winner.
8 Jun 2005 — 6:21pm
Thanks again guys for all the help.