Submit Your Business Brand Logo For Part 18 of Logo Design Round-Up
A while back I ran a series of 17 posts, that collected and displayed your Business Brand Logo; a show and tell of how your brand logo came to be.
I would now like to collect your business brand logo, for Part 18 & 19 of: Logo Design Round-Up – How Designers Brand Themselves. They're may not be enough interest this time round, to warrant giving this another go, but let us see…
What I am after are the logo designs that you use to brand your own: freelance, self-employed, studio, agency, company business, etc.
What This Collection of Business Logo Designs Is Not
This is not a competition, it's not a best of, it's not a who has the best logo, nor is it a collection of logos that I have chosen.
The logo designs you see, are kindly supplied by those that wanted to be part of this series.
How to Take Part in this Logo Design Round-up
If you are interested in taking part in this series, then there are a few guidelines to follow.
To help you see what has been submitted before, here is Part 16 which should give you an idea of what previous designers' did write etc.
Your Business Brand Logo Description
This is a chance for you to provide some insight into your own logo design: How did you come up with the idea? How long did it take? Was it hard or quite easy? Where did the inspiration come from? What fonts did you use? Is there a corporate colour palette?
If you have a tagline, then feel free to write about how you came up with that as well.
Use this as an opportunity to put your own logo design into context, as well as getting some exposure for yourself.
Please feel free to write as much as you want.
I am not looking for brevity, quite the opposite. In my experience, people do enjoy reading the design and thought processes involved with a logo design.
2 to 3 paragraphs is usual, but some people have provided 5-10 paragraphs, which is a good amount of text.
Personal Details
Please supply your full name, business name and job title with full website URL, such as:
'Graham Smith — The Logo Smith: Logo & Brand Identity Designer — http://thelogosmith.co'
This will be the caption for each logo presented in the post.
Specifications for the logo file
- The image size needs to be a minimum of 900px wide, and 600px deep. You can copy my logo above as this is the correct size and is named appropriately. Please look through the previous series of posts for ideas on cropping, background styles etc.
- Please supply a JPEG with Maximum compression.
- Use following naming convention : '{yourbusinessname}-logo-design.jpg'. So mine would be 'thelogosmith-logo-design.jpg'
Where To Submit Your Logo
Please send me any images and text file to: [email protected] or tap me up on Twitter if you have any questions:
Some of the much older logo design collections: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18 if you have missed it.
This old photograph showing the making of the very intricate RTF Eurovision TV logo (Ident), is absolutely fantastic in every way imaginable, especially if you are a logo designer!
I originally found this on Reddit, then proceeded to Tweet it; frankly, was quite amazed at how popular this Tweet became:
When TV show #logos were physical objects. https://t.co/nEt2HFaTcc pic.twitter.com/tAPxyNWT2N
— Graham 'Logo' Smith (@thelogosmith) May 14, 2017
I can openly admit to having no idea that some of the old TV logos had to be created with such painstakingly attention to detail.
This is true creative workmanship.
Unfortunately, I can't find any more background on this photograph, as much as I have tried to search through Google.
There's very little online about this, other than a few articles about RTF in general.
Found via Reddit
This infographic, designed by Market Inspector, presents 9 simple logo tips to consider in order to create a great logo design for your business.
An innovative and memorable logo design is one of the most valuable graphic design assets a company can ever have.
Due to the fact that business success relies on it’s customers and their loyalty, it is important to create a design correctly the first time around.
Rebranding is undoubtedly a long and complicated process, so brand identity should be reflected clearly and transfer the core message to the audience from the first encounter.
Guest Post by Ruta Jokubaityte:
"9 Simple Logo Tips for Designing a Successful Logo for Your Company"
9 Simple Logo Tips for Designing a Successful Logo for Your Company
1. Brand identity knowledge
The logo should be based on the vision, values and goals of your business.
Alignment with the marketing communication strategy and target audience’s needs is crucial in order to match the actual positioning on the market.
These considerations should be the starting point of the design creation process.
2. Turn to basics
As many graphic designers would advise, the primary attention should be kept on clarity of the design.
Qualities like simplicity, consistency, recognition and persuasiveness should be reinforced. Avoidance of overly complicated design is a good strategy to follow in this case.
The same applies to your brand’s web design which needs to be user friendly and enhance customer experience with the company.
3. Key to success - being authentic
Competitor analysis and knowledge about the trends is always beneficial but should not be the main focus.
If you want your business logo to stand out and shine through the cluster of brands, then try to have something that others do not.
Instead of following a certain trend, one can break the rules and create something unique that fits well with the company identity.
Being just a follower will always leave your brand a couple steps behind.
4. Personal design process
Pursuit of creative ideas and implementation is never done in a straightforward way.
Adjusting the design process to your own working style and way of thinking has the benefit of efficiency.
For inspiration, the steps of the process can be:
- Briefing and setting the direction
- Online research for visuals
- Keyword research
- Sketches
- Reflection and revision
- Final drawing.
5. Be comprehensive and detail-oriented
Make sure to check the look of the design in different formats, even the ones you might not even plan to print.
For example, on t-shirts, websites, banners or business cards, they might provide a very different look from what you may have expected.
Additionally, the color psychology and its application are also one of the aspects to consider.
Catchy, and at the same time balanced design, color choices have certain effects on people’s perception and expectations of the brand.
6. Avoid banalities
The most innovative and interesting ideas do not come in the first brainstorm session.
The initial filtering and deeper exploration process is necessary to have something truly unique.
Such popular visuals, for example, use the thought bubble for ‘chat’, or shopping cart for ‘retail’.
These are definitely over exploited ideas, which in the consumers' mind no longer have an element of surprise, they have also lost their memorability factors.
Due to clichés, logo design does not bring any extra value that is expected, and the brand blends into the big pool of other similar visuals.
7. Conduct online research
A good old-fashioned keyword research should be implemented to generate ideas.
Nevertheless, make sure you know the limit and stop the research once the 10 of the most relevant and appealing designs are gathered.
Those designs should be collected having the brand values and identity in mind.
8. Mind map technique
Mind-mapping technique is used for filtering and expanding ideas further until they are fully developed.
A range of different idea combinations can be found after the keywords are moved to the mood board - an arrangement of images, text or materials to evoke a certain style.
This way something completely new may emerge.
After mind-mapping, try to run a quick search and check whether a similar logo already exists.
9. Sketching
Pen and paper: your best friend for quick ideas.
Do not start working on a computer right away since it will be less flexible.
Furthermore, keep all the sketches since these are a great source for ideas. This is especially relevant for creative people such as designers.
If you are not an artist or designer, after sketching out your logo ideas, it may be good to hire a professional graphic logo designer, or a skilled logo artist to help you make your final logo.
Guest Post by Ruta Jokubaityte
"9 Simple Logo Tips for Designing a Successful Logo for Your Company"
Here are some recently completed client logos, from my freelance Logo Design Portfolio. Some have been created for commissioned client projects: as part of my freelance logo and graphic design services, whilst some are conceptual: ongoing self tuition, exercising of the old grey matter, to help keep my mind sharp.
Recent Logo Designs from my Logo Design Portfolio
Hire me as your Freelance Logo Designer
If you're looking to hire a freelance logo designer or are looking for a more comprehensive logo & brand identity, then I'd certainly love to hear from you.
Feel free to visit my Contact page, take a look at my FAQ page or dive straight in by filling in my brief.
Logo Designs for Sale
I also have selection of Logo Designs for Sale, which are based from a massive collection of: unused client logo ideas, conceptual designs, icons and marks.
All Logo Designs for Sale, cost only £195, and are only ever sold the once.
This is currently a work-in-process, and I'm focusing on creating a unique rocket themed logo design, that will also look very sexy on a business card.
The main idea behind the logo design: rear view of the engine thrusters of a rocket, but as such an angle, that the rocket body is barely visible as it shoots off into the distance.
Very challenging to find a unique idea for a rocket themed design logo, so this is something I'm hoping is pretty unique.
This rocket logo is based on very simple shapes, using negative and positive space to create the notion of actual physical properties.
Rocket Themed Logo Design and Business Card Mock-up
Embossed Business Card
The business card will ideally be printed on thick heavy card, that has a rough texture to it, then it will be embossed with the rocket logo, as well as subtle starry background.
The embossed rocket themed logo design will then have a Spot UV (shiny varnish coating) applied, to give the overall effect of a rocket silhouette amongst the deep space and stars.
Images below show my main logo sketch idea of the thrusters, then also the development and progress of drawing the vector illustration in Illustration.
Case Study: Baze iOS Application Icon & Baze Logo Design
This Baze logo is an example of a client asking for a cheeky 'quick and cheap' logo & iOS application icon design; me being in an usually festive and cheery mood, and going along with said cheeky request.
From the client emailing me about doing a possible application icon for Baze, and me doing said Baze logo, took all of 30 minutes or so.
Probably the quickest, most efficient logo design project I've ever taken on, and the result being an incredibly pleased, and supremely grateful, new client.
Plus I love it, so it's a great logo design for the portfolio, and a bit of pocket money for me in the process.
The Baze Logo & Icon
It's a pretty simple idea, that just came to mind pretty quickly after drawing a relatively bold and clean letter 'B'.
The client also wanted to see if it were possible to shoe-horn the letter 'z' within the 'B', for which I saw a likely solution in my head.
After a few well placed curves, circles and a few round guides, it did look like the usually awkwardly shaped letter 'z', could actually be neatly positioned within the 'B'.
All without the overall logo looking like this angular shape was literally shoe-horned in.
This is a brief 'before & after' of a brand logo redesign (featured image above) that I completed for Homes Alive Pets, a Canadian pet store chain.
I'll be updating this post with further information relating to this projects development.
We didn't actually start the project intending to update their existing logo, instead the brief was to design a totally new logo design, and accompanying brand identity.
During the process of exploring logo ideas and concepts, it became apparent to the client that it was actually far better to keep with the existing logo, but to update/refresh it.
This made perfect sense given the accumulated amount of: brand equity, customer and client awareness, that Homes Alive Pets had successfully established in previous years of trading.
The challenge then was to craft a new pet dog, and a new pet cat, that would create a more comforting and characterful duo.
There were quite a few revisions and styles of the dog and cat, but both the client and I fell in love with the final design.
Logo Case Study - Logo Redesign for Homes Alive Pets
What I liked most of all with the new design, is how I wrapped both tails of the cat and dog, so as to make them look like they are almost cuddling and protecting each other.
I am actually really fond of this dog & cat duo.
It's certainly not a new or unique logo idea, to have a cat and dog represent a pet company, but as it was already part of their brand, I did what I could to make it as 'uniquely theirs' as possible.
Adding some floppy ears to the dog, and generally making both of them look a little more realistic, really seemed to make the whole logo far more welcoming, and friendly, as well a tad more cute. :)
Brand Name & Tag Line Creation
There was also a slight change in the brand name, so from: Homes Alive - Pet Centre, it became: Homes Alive Pets - simply wholesome, and naturally healthy.
I was able to help the client craft their new tag-line, which meant I also was then able to ensure it slotted nicely into the the space to the right of 'Pets', and took up two lines. Little details like that that might be overlooked, but the bigger picture is always so important.
As a little 'nod' to their Canadian heritage, the client asked that I popped a maple leaf on the letter 'i', it's subtle enough,
The new logo proudly displayed high above the store (apologies for the poor picture quality).
I love how the actual logo has quite a lot of depth. Looking at the dogs head, and ears from the right hand side, looks really good.
Just a few of the colour options we look at for Homes Alive Pets.
Very early drafts of cat and dog style, even including a photo of me and my German Shepherd, Miss Charley.
Great little find by John Gruber, of Daring Fireball, the other day: Evolution of the 007 James Bond Movie Logo Design, which was originally posted on The James Bond Lexicon, a Tumblr site.
Don't think I've ever really given much thought to the actual logo for 007, at least not until now.
Some quite subtle changes every few years until 1993, then they finally seem to be satisfied with the logo. Or, they just got fed-up changing it for every movie.
As John Gruber pointed out: "Not sure what they were thinking with the one from 1973 — italics are essential."
The Inner Curves of the 7 in 007
I liked the inner curve of the 7, from version 1962 up to 1987, then they straightened that inner space out, and I'm not sure I like it as much.
It was a very distinct #7, and I think they could have managed it, even though they've been thinning out the overall logo each time.
I get that the #7 served purpose of acting at the guns handle, but I think a little subtle inner curve would have been nice.
So practicing what I sort of preach, and just for shits-and-giggles, just quickly mocked-up what I feel looks nice, and keeps with the previous styles without being too clunky and fat.
Happened upon this rather nice Ford Edge Ambigram car logo concept, by reddit user hadukem (don't have a website URL or anything like that, just the reddit link and the imgur link that hadukem posted to.)
Have read some of the comments, and of course, a variety of opinions have been shared. I don't think it's 'dumb', as one person quipped.
It might not serve any higher-purpose, but manipulating existing logo designs can be a fun and useful exercise, and can help to keep ones mind sharp.
There's an element of problem solving with things like this, which one can never get enough off.
I actually only viewed the original Ford Edge logo first to see if I could work out how the ambigram was created.
I gave up after a minute, but when I took at a peek it certainly made sense.
It's quite clean and respectable alternative to the original Ford Edge logo, and whilst I'm sure Ford won't be scrambling to use this, it's also not an idea that should be quashed.
Maybe in another dimension, there is a Ford Edge out there with an ambigram, just like this one, and I think it looks pretty good for a car model emblem.
Came across this post on Virgin's official blog: Virgin Logo The original Virgin Logo Design was used for Virgin Records way back in the 1970's, and the logo was designed by English artist, and illustrator, Roger Dean.
BIOGRAPHY: ROGER DEAN was born in England in 1944,and is an artist and designer internationally renowned for his, album cover designs, posters, books, the revolutionary publishing companies, Dragon’s Dream and Paper Tiger, Eco architectural, furniture and stage design, as well as typefaces, logos and iconic designs for computer games company, ‘Psygnosis’ and redesigned the Tetris Logo."
Read the rest of the Biography on Roger's official website: http://www.rogerdean.com/biography/
The letter shown below was sent in 1979–attached to the letter with the original naked-twins logo letterhead) is a copy of the more familiar Virgin logo.
Virgin: It [the twins logo by Roger Dean] was an embodiment of the early-70s and really summed up the feel of the brand and the artists we represented.
However by the time 1977 rolled around, and we’d signed The Sex Pistols, the logo began to feel a little dated, and didn’t overly reflect the direction we were headed.
Edgy and Less Hippy
So it would appear that in this later period of Virgin's business, a more 'edgy' and less 'hippy' logo design was called for.
Got to love the word 'edgy'…
Part of the reason for this logo update were due to plans to expand Virgin into other industries, so something 'stylishly simple' was needed.
The Original Virgin Logo Napkin Doodle Sketch
This is my favourite part, as I'm always referencing the 'napkin doodle' to my new clients; a way to explain how some of the creative brainstorming process can come about, something as rough as a few words scribbled on a napkin can lead to mighty mighty things.
I'll be referencing this in my client communications from now one, as some clients don't seem to believe me when I say 'napkin doodles' can often lead to the chosen logo design.
In Virgin's case, it was a young designers who came to meet Mr Virgin on his houseboat, and whilst talking about about the logo, scribbled what you see on the napkin.
And that was it, it was love at first sight!
Mr Branson: "It looked like a signature. It had attitude. It had energy. It was in-your-face simplistic."
This original Virgin logo sketch became the official brand mark of Virgin in 1979, and has since disrupted everything from air-travel, to banking, health clubs and hotels.
No denying that the Virgin logo is one of the world's most recognisable brands.
Virgin Logo Refinements
Apart from the original naked twins logo, the Virgin logo has seen a few subtle refinements over the years, but nothing has dramatically changed in these intermediate updates.
I wonder when and if the next Virgin logo update will happen…
© 2006-2017 All Rights Reserved The Logo Smith: Logo Designer & Brand Identity Design Studio, with 25 Years Experience,
Graham Smith: 10 Badgers Copse, Seaford, East Sussex, England. Tel: +44 (0) 7816 527 462 Email: [email protected]
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