Anyway, we're rebranding and after a long search, we finally found a designer that 'got it' and brought our ideas for the new logo to life.
So, proudly introducing Jason Lawes, graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, doodler, and the man who can in our eyes.
Because we found it so hard to find the right designer for the job, at the right budget, and find someone who could take a somewhat chaotic brief with creative references coming from all over the place (interiors magazines, baby websites and a few objet trouvé type influences), we asked Jason for his tips...Q. What are the three things you really need to include in your brief for a designer working on a new logo?
A. Background info. The more information on the background behind the company/individual etc the better. This helps in understanding what the logo needs to say, and gives a better understanding of the target audience.
Where will the logo be used? Designing a logo for different media can pose certain restrictions. For example if the logo will just be screen printed on t-shirts then there may be colour limitations - this would not be the case if the logo needed was just going to appear online.
The competition. It is good to know of similar companies/individuals in the field, so that the design is different and stands out from the crowd (and of course is better than theirs!).
Q. What is the main thing to avoid when working on logo concepts?
A. Don't over complicate things! Simplicity is the key. With the many requirements for a logo these days across web and print media, sometimes they will need to appear very small. So it is important for the logo to be able to work at different sizes. I think simplicity also helps with brand recognition. It is good to steer away from proceeding with designs that the designer isn't happy with. If you're working on behalf of a client stick to your guns and argue your case about what you think works better, but remember that they have the overall say so!
Q. What are your all time three favourite logos?
A. I do love the Apple logo - very clean, simple, easily recognisable and it has evolved over the years from simple rainbow colours to a more glossy Web 2.0 feel. Another favourite is the Rolling Stones mouth logo, an ageless design which has worked right through from the 60s. Great band too! There are a lot of action sports brands which I love within the snowboard/surf market. Lots of them adapt and change their logos fairly often within the different sports, but O'Neill always maintain recognition mainly through the wave icon - the text can often change.
So, should you be looking for a designer, especially when it comes to branding, we are very happy to plug our latest discovery - Jason Lawes; creative (crucially!), competitively priced and endlessly patient!
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