Case Studies – The Real Source for Logo & Brand Identity Inspiration
Need Inspiration?
Inspiration comes from all around us. There is no ONE and only way. This post focuses on the limited reliance on using logo inspiration galleries for your main source of inspiration. We will look at the written word, in the form of case studies, as a healthier alternative.
Dont Drool Over Eye Candy
When you need a healthy shot of inspiration in the veins, don’t get caught up with the seemingly endless variety of logo and design inspiration galleries. So much focus is placed on these sites, that we seem to assume these are the only places to get current inspiration. This is far from the truth. These galleries offer a very limited perspective on design, usually just surface eye candy. Inspiration comes not just from pretty colours, but the reason why those ‘pretty colours’ were used.
It’s all about context. Logo design galleries don’t offer this essential ingredient, ‘in context‘. They are out of context, and this can be very misleading, especially for the less experienced amongst us. It is also can make a logo look like alost soul if it’s placed out of context. Some logos need to be seen in situ, in the environment for which it was designed. Not just a gallery, sitting idly on its own.
I should note here that the one exception to the above. LogoGala.com ‘Fresh Logo Inspiration’. Deron Sizemore has done a great job of allowing designers to add ‘context’ the the submitted logo designs. One should not underestimate the value of this feature in a logo inspiration site. It helps us understand the ‘whys’ of a particular design, rather than just seeing ‘pretty colours and shapes’. I reviewed LogoGala here on IJC : LogoGala.com Review – Logo Design Inspiration and Information
Read Case Studies – Read Books
In my most humble opinion, use these galleries wisely. Appreciate them for what they are, but don’t rely on them. If you really want the low down on why people design logos and brand identities, then the answer is this, read.
Read and soak it up.
Case studies give the insight needed to fully understand and appreciate a certain design. They make you see the challenges faced, the thought processes involved, the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’. Why was that colour used? Why was that typeface used? What is the hidden meaning for this logo? All these questions and more are usually answered.
This is the only real way to fully understand the process involved to create meaningful logo and identity designs. Also you are reading. Reading is good. Preferably read a book, rather than online. Make it part of the working day. It is research, it is like being home schooled and the tutor being the designer you have always aspired to be. You are learning from the best, you are gathering valuable knowledge only available in that publication.
What Case Studies?
I am often asked, which case studies have I recently read and where. The simple answer to the latter is that I just shop around, mostly on Amazon for new logo and identity books, books that feature case studies opposed to just pictures. I don’t really mind what case study it is, they all offer valuable insight. Don’t be fooled by the company being studied, it may not sound interesting at first glance, but I can assure you that once you start reading the process involved, you will be hooked. You will be wanting more.
Some recent studies I have read involve the redesign for the Bank of New York, DKNY, Burton Snowboards, Brains Brewing, AOL. The reality is, for every major brand, there is a case study somewhere to be found and read.
7 Recent Books with Case Studies
These are books that I refer to from time-to-time, or have recently purchased. These have various doses of case studies. I will add that both volumes Logo Design by Taschen, have some very interesting studies, and are very well written, almost like a novel. LogoCritiques, maintained by Erik Peterson, recently reviewed Logo Design Vol 2.
And no self respecting designer should be without Identity Crisis by Jeff Fisher.
- Logo Design – Vol 1 – Publisher : Taschen
- Logo Design – Vol 2 – Publisher : Taschen
- Logo Lounge – Vol 3 – Publisher : RockPort
- Designing Matters, Logos – Publisher : RockPort
- Logo Savvy – Publisher : RockPort
- Identity Crisis – Author : Jeff Fisher
- Designing Brand Identity – Publisher : Wiley
Say what again?
In conclusion, it is simple. If you want to have a deeper understanding of logo and brand identity, if you seek knowledge and not just ‘pretty pictures’, if you are a knowledge seeker, then read case studies. Keep reading. Make it part of the work routine, daily or least weekly. The reality is reading one case study can take just a small fraction of the working day. And is a better use of time than looking at ‘pretty pictures’ as a main source of inspiration.
My new post series called I Want The Bestest Logo You Have Designed – Ever is my own way for people to explain the process and reasoning behind their own favorite logo designs.
Colophon
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Article Posted On: July 1, 2009 at 12.36 pm
Written By
In Categories: Branding, Identity, Logo design, inspiration
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23 Comments
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I agree! Online logo galleries often start looking similar after awhile. We need to branch out for inspiration! The best logos come from our own creative ideas from random, everyday events and places.
I have almost made a point of not visiting inspiration galleries recently, found them to be just brain deadening. For at least my needs.
I am learning much more from reading the thought process for existing identities. These are where my own imagination with what is possible is kick started.
Graham, thanks for mentioning my book review. You’re doing an awesome job at providing some great resources for designers. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, appreciate the words. At the end of the day, we have a great community, and ultimately, we all support each other in various ways.
I like the saying, ‘what goes round comes round’. We are fortunate to be in a awesome industry, full of colour and life.
Great article, reading is one of the best sources of inspiration for me. It definitely blows flipping through galleries away.
Good information, thanks for the read. :)
Welcome, glad it was of use
ah, great article, I like idea about reading books, though I spend now too much on computer, I just have no time for them, but in future :)
I think we all fall into the trap of relying on the computer too much, as its just always there. But it does suck culture and life from you.
Reading a proper printed book helps keep your feet on the ground and also helps reduce stress… :)
Designing Brand Identity is a great book, with some wonderful case studies. Not to mention a good guide for the designer showing the process of developing a brand. Great addition to your list!
Good Post Graham!
I think general awareness is a must for a brand creator. There is nothing more important than being in tune with what is happening around you .. this leads to a good absorption of current trends, the flow of information between consumers and clients and how it is projected through various media. Each identity project is unique and different in its own way, no amount of gawking at logos in galleries is going to prepare you to fulfil that project. The real inspiration comes from the deep-rooted understanding of the project at hand itself, don’t you think?
Hey. You are right of course! I just should add that I didn’t make it clear that the focus of the post was a direct comparison between the reliance on logo online galleries and the healthier written option of case studies.
SO thanks, after reading you comment I added a small intro to the post just to clarify it wasn’t about saying ‘reading case studies IS the only way’. It is however more thought provoking and beneficial to read the ‘whys and hows’ opposed to just checking out the eye candy.
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Great article, reading is a nice sources of inspiration that you can easily turn to over and over again. Most logo galleries today have so many variations of the same thing too much time looking at them makes the brain hurt.
True, true. Also, most galleries are just clones of existing galleries in any case. You seen one, you pretty much seen them all.
I agree, Graham. Very good article. Thanks for mentioning LogoGala in there as well. I can’t tell you what it means that you and some other great designers have expressed that they like what I’m doing with the site. Hopefully I can only make it better going forward. Once a couple freelance projects are complete, I should have time to move forward with some new site features that I think will really make it a better.
Spot on, Graham. I find design portfolios with contextual imagery infinitely more interesting.
Now there’s a disadvantage of having most of your clients overseas — you rely upon them to send photos of implemented designs rather than take them yourself.
Quite right, I have come across this problem. Although most clients are more than happy to send over complete marketing kits once complete for me to do with as I wish.
I am trying to break more into the UK market now, just due to easier logistics.
Glad you found the post agreeable.
Interesting read… though I viewed your portfolio and found that it contradicts your very first point?
“It’s all about context… Not just a gallery, sitting idly on its own.”
First and foremost, I am specifically talking about Logo Inspiration Galleries here, not personal portfolios. Mine is not a Inspiration Gallery, ergo, not specifically tied in with this post.
Yes, it would help immensely helpful if designers did, as a rule, included documentation with every logo design. Given the sheer number of logos in some peoples portfolios, you can imagine the task at hand.
If you had taken time to look past the first post, you would see that I am making attempts to write up detailed logo process posts for each design I have in my gallery.
In the meantime, you would have also seen that to bridge the gap, I am creating a series of ’snapshot’ posts for every logo I have, that includes a brief description of the post. Two of which were only posted in the last week.
As I said, it’s about context, but you took the article out of context by not taking my whole site in as a whole. Therefore, this post in effect, you took out of context, by rushing in with a comment trying to prove a point.
But thanks for contributing regardless. :)
There was no rush, merely an observation… as a new visitor to the site via this post, it was a fleeting visit.
I read the article in question, had a quick look at your portfolio, noticed the contradiction, pointed it out and left.
Unfortunately I did not stay around long enough to digest previous articles or the whole site.
But hey, thats one of the fundamental problems with the web… you cannot control the end user.
Good luck with the updates and should I have time, I look forward to reading them.
Cheers
Andy
Useful article
I impress your article collection. please sir more detail in case studies in your site article.
Graham – Just came across your article. Thanks so much for your mentions of “Identity Crisis!” = J.