logo design love

The importance of brand identity

No escape! (33 logos in 33 minutes)

Problem / Opportunity

“What you take away is just as important as what you keep,”

The Guild ofFood Writers

Why is branding important?

Because people often choose products based on their perceived value rather than theiractual value.

Anyone can design a logo, but not everyone can design

the right logo.

Elements of iconic design

Keep it simple

● Used across a wide range of media.● Easier to remember.

Make it relevant

● Industry● Client● Audience

Incorporate tradition

● Trends come and go like the wind● Logo should last

Aim for distinction

● Recognizable● Shape or outline● Black and white

Commit to memory

● Quick glance to make an impression● Logos you remember● Use of negative space

Think small

● Adaptable logo● One inch,without loss of detail

Focus on one thing

Just one. Not two, three, or four.

It’s French. It’s property.

The seven ingredients in your signature dish

1. Keep it simple.2. Make it relevant.3. Incorporate tradition.4. Aim for distinction.5. Commit to memory.6. Think small.7. Focus on one thing.

Remember that rules are made to be broken

The process of design

Laying the groundwork

● Educating your client about design

● Educate yourself about your client

● Details of your client’s business

● Reasons for seeking a brand identity

● Expectations of process and final design

● Time

● Patience

It’s all in the design brief

● Questions ● Design brief● Decisions

Telephone, video chat, in person, or by email, an online questionnaire face-to-face

Gathering preliminary information

● The organization’s name● Its location● Number of years in business● Number of employees● The product or service sold● The challenges faced● Who the competitors are

Determine who the decision-maker

Asking the tougher questions

● What does your audience care about?

● How do people learn about your product, organization, or service?

● What words do you want people to associate with your company?

Assembling the design brief

● Recording telephone conversations ● Editing an email back-and-forth. ● Stripping the chat down to just the meaty

parts.

Designers need to be editors.

Keep your designs focused.

From pencil to PDF

Mind-mapping

Word association, Thought cloud

Mind-mapping

● Collecting your thoughts● Generating ideas● Getting into a creative groove● Associating words with images

Sketching

Sketch as many ideas as possible.● Single thought. ● Merge two together.● Combine a group.

Sketching

The Tenth Commandment

Sketching

Example 1

The Tenth Commandment, down-to-earth, welcoming, and authentic

Example 2

Filmaps.com, share and discover filmmaking locations.

Dress for success

● Document your work in a PDF file

● Only your best ideas

Murphy’s Law!

Black and white before color

Focus on the form and ideas.

Woodmere Art Museum monogram concept

Black and white before color

Woodmere Art Museum signature concept

Black and white before color

Woodmere Art Museum perspective concept

Leaving color for the end

● Detail that can be easily changed● Turn off effective idea because of color

Monogram, simple graphic shapes, emphasize dimension and connection.

Where Photoshop comes into play

In context, Test drive

Where Photoshop comes into play

End Result

● Client focus on end result

● Tangible concepts

● Books are judged by their covers

● PDF file name with date “version control”

Recap the main points

● Mind-mapping: different design directions

● Sketching: control, creative freedom

● Don’t show all of your sketches

● Focus on the idea not color

● Identity presentations look professional

Practical logo design tips

Questions, questions, questions

● Client’s desires

● Whom its competitors are

● Past identities

Understand print costs

Printing budget, color costs limit the scopeof your design.

Expect the unexpected

● Always estimate longer

● Deliver sooner

● Lots of little elements together

A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does

Xerox isn’t a photocopier, mercedes isn’t a car

Just because it’s relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do better.

Not every logo needs a mark

● Distinctive logotype

● Future expansion

● Mark or symbol might prove restrictive.

One thing to remember

All strong logos have one single feature that helps them stand out.

Don’t neglect the sketchpad

● You don’t need to be an artist

● Ideas flow much faster when you use a pen

and paper

● Carry a notebook with you at all times

Leave trends to the fashion industry

● Longevity is key

● Don’t follow the pack

● Stand out

Step away from Photoshop

● Vector graphics, Illustrator is your software

● Leave Photoshop for photos

Work in black and white

Color will rescue a poorly designed mark

Test at a variety of sizes

Try printing your work to ensure it’s clean, with a good level of contrast on paper.

Reverse it

Logo on dark backgrounds in other words, supply a white version.

Turn it upside down

● Looks OK when viewed upside down

● Appears on a book on a coffee table

Don’t be afraid of mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. Learn from them, and move on.

A logo is not a brand

1. Logo is part of a company’s brand identity

2. Mission

3. History

4. People’s perceptions

Thanks

Mai MoustafaSenior Designer

eSpace