"A logo is really the first core message, the identity, that any brand provides to the world. And it has to be a logo that will work not just on a website homepage and on business cards but also as its Twitter or Facebook icon. So, you want it be distinctive and yet simple at the same time." (O,Dell, 2011)
Sounds simple, but how many iterations does one well-made logo go through before it achieves the ideal representation of a company's product/services and culture? As a designer, the research into what makes an organization's personality could be a lengthy, but necessary, step before even approaching the challenges that come with the actual design of a logo. One small image requires a lot of legwork.
Design Mortality:
One important thing to keep in mind about logo & symbol design is shelf life. How will the image hold up against the test of time?
Branding can make or break a company. Think about the logos you are exposed to on a daily basis. When well constructed, they can be almost invisible yet subconsciously recognizable (logo game anyone? http://www.sporcle.com/games/g/corplogos); if poorly constructed they stick out like a sore thumb and repel any potential clients. Have you ever thought less of a company because of the quality of their marketing? Does it diminish the credibility in your eyes?
As mentioned in the article, especially when referring to web-based materials, the web is constantly changing. Therefore, a webpage from 10 years ago looks nothing like a webpage designed today. Here is an article observing trends in logos. This is over 2 years old, do you think they still hold true? Or have logos changed with the times?
http://mashable.com/2010/09/28/web-logo-design-trends/
The Designing Process:
A designer is only as good as their toolbox. There are numerous tools out in the web that can get the job done; which ones do you choose? It's good to be familiar with a variety of tools so you can work with whatever you have. Churn out a masterpiece in Adobe Illustrator, or produce high quality in Microsoft PowerPoint in a pinch. Go out on the web and explore. Broaden your horizon by soaking in what appeals to you and draw upon those for inspiration. Be a sponge for design and see how your own products improve.The following link gives a brief rundown of 33 tools broken into 3 categories: Inspiration, Design, and Development.
http://mashable.com/2011/05/14/dev-design-resources-2/
This is an AWESOME resource. 100 different sources of inspiration:
http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/design-inspiration/
Do you have any tools you regularly reference/use? Web-based or otherwise?
References:
Chapman, C. (2009). 100 Great Resources for Design Inspiration. Mashable. Retrieved February 1, 2013. From http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/design-inspiration/
Hernandex, B.A. (2011). 33 Essential Resources for Developers and Designers. Mashable. Retrieved February 1, 2013. From http://mashable.com/2011/05/14/dev-design-resources-2/
O'Dell, J. (2010). 11 Trends in Web Logo Design: The Good, the Bad and the Overused. Mashable. Retrieved February 1, 2013. From http://mashable.com/2010/09/28/web-logo-design-trends/
Image Sources:
Logos: http://mashable.com/2011/03/24/logo-design-fundamentals/
Toolbox: http://www.sleekdesignstudio.com/perch/resources/toolboxwithicons-.jpg
Have you ever thought less of a company because of the quality of their marketing? Does it diminish the credibility in your eyes?
ReplyDeleteYes. I have looked at companies and if their website is not designed well or it is confusing I tend to think less of their company. If they cannot even put together their own website what does that say about what they are going to do to my stuff or the service that they provide to me. I think this also transfers over to the logo. If the logo is not done well it may seem as though they do not care. Also a poorly designed logo will probably not stick into the consumers mind. Resulting in less of a chance that they will remember the company.
This is over 2 years old, do you think they still hold true? Or have logos changed with the times?
Yes and no. Even if there are trends it does not mean everyone is following it. Some people always try to go against the grain and do the opposite of whatever other people are doing. Some trends last longer than others and some people are late adopters and follow trends that are not trends anymore. Some companies re brand to stay current with the time where other companies do not. Coke’s logo has not changed much over the years. I think the logo design ultimately depends on the company and their needs. If the logo fits well I do not think the changing time or trends are a factor.
Do you have any tools you regularly reference/use?
Web-based or otherwise?
http://www.boredpanda.com/negative-space-logos/
This website has some interesting examples of logo’s using negative space.
http://justcreative.com/2008/01/08/how-to-design-a-logo/
This website has some good information on designing a logo.
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteI have most certainly thought less of a company if their marketing strategies or designs did not appeal to me, and I would assume this is the case for everyone. However, I don’t believe that I have ever (or at least not very often) intentionally, or even consciously, lost respect for a company because of its poor marketing, but rather I think this loss of respect happened on a subconscious level. As part of the inundating visual culture that surrounds us today, logos and other visual marketing impact us more than I think we are often even aware. We each sustain loyalties to some brands, for example, not because of a product’s actual quality, but rather what the logo makes us believe about the product and its quality.
There is a hair salon in Hburg that I am 99% sure none of you know about or have ever been to, because nobody in their right mind would choose to go to this place based on its outward appearance to the public (i.e. marketing, location, etc.). Long story short, I went there and the haircut I got was one of the best ones I’ve ever gotten, and it was dirt cheap. The hairdresser barely spoke English, and the entire time she was cutting my hair I was petrified that she did not understand the haircut style I described to her and that I would walk out of my appointment with butchered hair. The sign on the salon’s exterior was small, and a few of its neon letters were burnt out. Basically, the reason I’m telling this story is because I would have never in a million years have imagined that this salon with terrible marketing and appearances would have ended up providing such quality service. The outward appearance of the business is in dire need of a makeover, and I believe that because of this, the business is struggling because the public judges the salon instantly and discounts it as offering little value or credibility. The marketing strategies of a company most certainly are linked to how we perceive it to be deserving of our business.
Question 2:
The article, “11 Trends in Web Logo Design: The Good, the Bad and the Overused,” was fun to read, as it brought to mind many logos that we see on an almost daily basis, and highlighted themes/trends that were observed among them—themes that I never would have noticed myself, had they not been pointed out to me. I think it’s safe to say that although this article was published a few years ago, it is not obsolete, because we still can note many of these themes today. For example, we still see button-like backgrounds, opaque overlapping shapes, scripts/slabs, and color coordinated compound words among most logos today—these are still trends. Surely though, had I been more intentionally alert to logo designs throughout the past few years, I likely would have noticed newer, emerging trends among more recently developed and redesigned logos that could be included in a newer version of the article Caitlin posted. I thought this article was interesting, as it was published in December 2012, and reflects on trends of 2012 logos: http://www.creativebloq.com/how-brand-logo-2012s-design-trends-1212810#null. There is no doubt though that logos change with the times. I would imagine that the social and economic state that currently characterizes a logo’s intended audience/consumers when the logo is first created would have great impact on the chosen design, which would therefore also affect trends among certain logos.
Question 3:
ReplyDeleteThroughout the past few years, I’ve found myself searching for more efficient ways of doing projects within both school and work settings. Oftentimes when confronted with a problem or project (i.e. logo design), I think to myself, “is there a software program out there that will help me do this better and faster?” And then of course I find a program that is designed to solve such problems, but there is always a learning curve when learning new software. To minimize this learning curve, though, I use www.lynda.com which is a great website that provides a lot of free, professional tutorials for a wide array of software (i.e. dreamweaver, photoshop). Of course we can always find tutorials on YouTube also, but I’ve found that the ones on the Lynda.com website are updated often, accurate, and to the point.
Thanks so much for this Raleigh! I will be using it - OFTEN!
DeleteQuestion 1:
ReplyDeleteA company that has poor marketing and advertising persuades me to not invest my time or money. We have a local car dealership that creates the worst commercials. Bigger is not always better and I believe that if I would have just found their car listings in the newspaper or online then I would have a little more respect. In an area such as Charlottesville where local business is king you rely on your advertising to lure customers in.
Question 2:
To me logos are constantly being modified and revamped. Companies have to adapt to the changing of times. Microsoft is a perfect example of how the company has changed their design little by little with the times. A company does not have to create a brand new logo, but is able to utilize the newest of tools to modify.
Question 3:
For me as a Kindergarten teacher I especially use SMART Notebook and SMART exchange (SMART board lessons that have been created to meet specific subjects or grade levels) to transform my instruction visually. I also use United Streaming which is like a YouTube for educators. I google everything and I believe that the only reason that I am is because of attending a conference and learning strategies for improving my search results. I hate to say it, but I do reference twitter often. By following the topics that I am interested in I am able to find articles and videos that appeal to me.
Don't hate the Twitter! Twitter is an excellent source (when used appropriately) and I have personally benefited from Twitter again and again. There's a wealth of knowledge in the Twitosphere when the platform is not abused. My research topic is the utilization of Twitter as an educational tool,m so I'm glad to hear that you (as an educator) reference it!
DeleteI love your questions Caitlin! I find that I look again at companies that have a creative and positive presence and that is quite often dictated by their marketing. I think that is common as we are really just human and what is appealing to us is what attracts us most. I have often noticed that I may not like a logo at first but once it grows on me, I tend to wonder why it was not appealing in the beginning. That is also the human in me as change in new logos is often difficult to accept. I always look back at the old logos later and think, "Gosh, that did need to be changed!"
ReplyDeleteI think too often we think of logos as brands and that is not always the case. Some things that have a great brand that never changes still must go through updating of visual art to stay current.
When the .COM era was new and logos were flying off the shelf as quickly as businesses were being made and lost, much of the branding was not effective and far too much money was spent on making the business look great when they had not taken the time to develop a brand that went beyond the computer screen or Super Bowl commercial!
Yes, I have thought less of a company because of their quality of their marketing. For example, there is a local car dealership in the area that plays extremely cheesy (and cheap looking) commercials. They annoy me to the point where I don’t know if I would consider shopping for a car there.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Justin about a company’s website. When a company’s site simply looks bad, or is confusing to me, I tend to think the company isn’t as good as other companies that have better websites. A company’s website is a way to get a glimpse into what the company is all about, and if it is messy, than I will tend to think the company is messy.
I believe the general ideas still hold true; however, as time changes, so does the consumer’s preferences.
Like Shaun, I also use SMART Notebook and SMART exchange to help me when I’m creating lessons while I volunteer in a kindergarten classroom. For both teaching, and also nannying, I rely heavily on Pinterest for lesson and activity ideas. I have found it extremely helpful because people are able to leave comments to make improvements or share what didn’t work.
Question 1: A company's logo and the way they portray themselves is very important (as you have clearly laid out for us, Caitlin!). I have had a couple times where I have been turned off to a company because of their advertising (or lack of effort to their advertising/logo). Relaying to Shaun's comment, I have seen so many commercials where they are so annoying I make it a point NOT to go to that business. While those certain companies are thinking that yelling and overuse of repetition gets people's attention, I wonder if they realize that it annoys people.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: The first thought that came to mind when I was reading your part about changing logos was Apple's logo, of the apple! This was something we went over in one of my classes during my undergraduate career and the Apple was one logo that has evolved over time. Although MacIntosh has kept the same concept, the apple, they have changed the look of it to better match the design field today. Here's a link to the history of the apple if anyone wants to check it out.
http://www.quizzing.in/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/History_of_Apple_Logo.gif
Because technology is ever-changing and field of design grows, it is that important to make a logo match the time in which it is being used. This makes it vital for a company to think about the overall picture/object/structure/etc. of what their logo is going to be, so that it can be transformed with time if need be. MacIntosh's Apple is a good example of an object that was easy to transform to look more recent and updated. On the other hand, I think it is also possible to design a logo that is timeless and does not have to be changed throughout each year or decade, as it does not portray that year in which it was designed (if that makes sense!).
Question 3: As far as tools, the only regular one I have would be PowerPoint. I have used various web-based programs to make designs, such as Wordle (cool one to do with words!). I've also used Photoshop, but have not utilized that as much as I would like since I do not have the money to purchase the software right now. I am kind of like Raleigh in that I kind of just pick various programs based on the project at hand, and choose whatever one will get the job done well without being too time-consuming.
Your question about marketing influencing a company's credibility was especially interesting to me because of the marketing work I have done with my own company and also the current job hunting process I am in. Personally, I do judge a company by its image - ESPECIALLY on a website. Companies with poorly constructed/maintained websites - whether its content or graphic related - stick out to me as a consumer. The poorer the design/composition, the lower their credibility in my eyes; this is even more of an issue for me if i'm looking to purchase a product that cost a lot of money because if a company is producing something popular and expensive, one can assume they have the funds to run a well designed website but for some reason choose not to?
ReplyDeleteI'm also finding this same thing to be true about the credibility of businesses I am currently applying to. I have been to the sites of a few consulting companies that claim to have 100 million dollar contracts, yet cant even figure out how to keep up a good website. These images and messages conveyed through branding, marketing and a company's website are the first representation of that company or product, so if you get a bad first impression, it doesnt matter how competent the experts on the other side of the branding are, they've usually already lost their potential audience.
Another point about branding would be the importance of knowing your audience. The company I currently work for markets specifically to freshmen in college - this means appealing to an audience that is largely still in their senior year of highschool when we want to capture their attention. The person marketing to these student previously used the newspaper or campus ads, which were largely just text. Those text ads had limited success in growing the business. As someone who was more recently an undergraduate and highschool student, I had an understanding of the use of more relevant tools to reach that specific demographic: facebook, google ads, social networks, social trends etc. Not only that, but I was able to develop some "trendy" marketing posters and ads that grab the attention of that age group much better. Will those work forever - no - just as you talk about the importance of branding and design keeping up with the times, I am sure that there will be future ads to come that take advantage of new trends and design techniques to keep my upcoming audience interested and in touch.