Logo Sense Undergoes Re-branding!

Rebranding can be a great strategy to breathe new life into a company or business. There are many reasons why a company should consider rebranding; below are just 5.

1. The current brand is old and outdated

2. To reposition itself in the market

3. Its competition is heating up and needs to do something to get noticed

4. It has expanded and now offers different products and services

5. No one knows who they are

The reason why Logo Sense rebranded falls most relevantly into option 1. Logo Sense has had the same look since it began and I thought it was time for a change..and, to be honest, the blue background was starting to make my eyes hurt.

So what does everyone think of the new look? And this guy needs a name!

I’m taking suggestions for a name for the new Logo Sense mascot so if you have one that you think fits, write it down in the comment area!

 

Logo and Branding: Revolver

Clean and simple-minimalism at its finest. Crisp lines and a mix of black with a single, vibrant color really makes you want to take a closer look at these designs. A+ for Revolver.

BP&O - Logo, Branding, Packaging & Opinion by Richard Baird

Revolver is an Australian film production company with a string of awards and a diverse collection of directors and producers. Their visual identity, refreshed by Sydney-based independent design agency Toko, is a simple, clean and coherent expanding logo-type solution – built from the single, well spaced, all uppercase sans serif Helvetica – that utilises a ‘This Is’ prefix to bind, through typographical consistency, a variety of communication and the directors. Its over-sized application alongside finer details, full bleed, bright neon spot highlights and the juxtaposition of both vertical and horizontal layouts across the collaterals introduce a creative and multi-perspective sensibility that keeps the solution from appearing too corporate.

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A New Logo I am Working On…Share your thoughts!

So I am currently working on designing a logo for a new excavating company called BOSS Excavating. To create a “big, tough, and raw” feel, I have used a strong, sans-serif font in all capitals. I’ve created a rough, metallic texture for the font to convey the rawness of the company. I also included a small excavator vector on the third style to add a graphical element.

Along with the type-based logos, I have also created an insignia-style logo. You can see both here below, so let me know what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts. Its time to exercise your Logo Sense….1..2..3……GO!

Type-based logo:

Insignia-style logo:

Some Great Advice from Jamie Wayne, JustCreative

I found this article on the blog JustCreative and thought I would share it. Jamie Wayne shares a lot of great advice for ways graphic designs can get their careers started.

Link to original post: http://justcreative.com/2012/11/06/7-ways-designers-can-get-their-foot-in-the-door/

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7 Ways Designers Can Get Their Foot in the Door

06’12NOV
Archived under Design For Students along with 1 JUST™ Creative Comment

Whether you’re a graphic design student or a young professional, getting your foot in the door is not as simple as it sounds. Taking the first step requires initiative, patience and some wisdom too.

Thankfully, there’s always a way to make it in and this article will provide seven different ways for you to get your foot in the door.

1. Network at Conferences & Events

Networking at design conferences and professional events can be a good way to get meet new people and build a professional stronghold. From conversing with other graphic designers to developers, copywriters, and business owners, exposure from these events can lead to great opportunities. With this said, walking into an event blindfolded may set you up for trouble as first impressions are everything. It’s imperative to keep a few things in mind when making your first impression – be admirable and memorable.

Be Admirable

• Plan ahead for networking opportunities by polishing up your portfolio & business cards.
• Be presentable for the occasion. Is it casual or formal?
• Ask questions and be interested (or act it) in every discussion.
• Don’t try to oversell your skills or services. Tell don’t sell.

Be Memorable

Small talk & elevator pitches are common within these arenas, so listen well, show courtesy and thank those you talk to for their time. Don’t be afraid to smile and lighten up the mood a bit. Offer your business card as you close the conversation and you’ll most likely get the other person’s card in return. Keep the card in case you want to follow up with this person in the near future.

2. Follow Up, Use LinkedIn & Other Social Sites

LinkedIn is a great tool for building networks and getting clients, however it’s also a very handy tool to follow up with those you have briefly conversed with. A quick search of their name should yield a number of results. Before you contact them, think of the best way to contact them? Would they prefer an email rather than a LinkedIn connection?

3. Seek a Mentor

Having a mentor is a great way to learn the ropes. You will learn things such as how much to charge for design, the pros and cons of freelancing, how to improve your creative process, recommended tools, how to present your work, and much more.

It’s important to understand the relationship between a mentor and mentee. Like a relationship between a couple, the mentor/mentee is also a two-way commitment that requires trust and honesty. Help them and they will help you. Ask for advice, seek out new opportunities & if you have to get the coffee, do it with a smile.

HOW DO YOU FIND A MENTOR?

It all depends on the scenario however there are a few methods of finding a mentor;

In Person

Once you’ve connected with someone and got to know them and have established some trust, it wouldn’t hurt to ask if they have the time to show you more of the ropes. Let that person know you’re interested in learning from them and see what they have to say. Be flexible with them, as it’s them doing you a favor.

Online

If you’re breaking the ice online, take extra care in crafting your approach, as it can be very difficult to convey personality through written communication. Always let them know you appreciate their time. If the person doesn’t have the time available, then it wouldn’t hurt to ask a few questions. At the very least, seldom communication may lead to a slowly growing relationship. Get them on your radar, and keep them there without being a pest.

4. Take Up Pro-Bono Work

Taking up pro-bono work will not only help a special cause, but it will build up your portfolio which will help you land more projects & strengthen your credibility in the long term.

Before taking on pro bono work consider the following; Is there enough time to make the commitment? Are you financially capable of accepting a pro-bono project? What kinds of organisations would you do pro-bono work for? Make sure you are suited to take on pro-bono work before endorsing a false commitment.

5. Get Your Work or Portfolio Reviewed

Sharing your portfolio with seasoned professionals and asking for a review can help you gain new insights on the execution of your creative ideas.Constructive criticism is encouraged and you should always aim to take away new ideas and possibilities. Follow the motto; seek criticism, not praise.

Sharing your work will also allow other designers to observe your style, thought process, and results. This will allow others to lend you advice, which may lead into a steady stream of communication.

6. Start a Blog & Guest Author

Don’t overlook the benefits of starting a blog. In conjunction with social media sites, a blog can help establish your online presence, as well as be the frontier of your voice and portfolio.

While some authors write on their own blog, others will contribute their articles elsewhere as a guest author. Guest authoring is a great way to share your voice with audiences elsewhere and connect with others on an international scale.

While each one of these ways can help you gain more exposure, utilizing several, if not all, will maximize your chances significantly.

7. Take Action

As a last piece of advice, I want to recite a few words, courtesy of my mentor,Chase Talon, that inspired me to push myself through the doors.

“THERE IS ONE THING AND ONE THING ALONE THAT LEADS TO SUCCESS. THAT IS ACTION. MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT YOU WANT AND BEGIN MOVING FORWARD WITH AN UNWAVERING, UNRELENTING, INCESSANT VIGOR TO SEE YOUR GOAL TO IT’S END. NEVER LETTING FEAR GUIDE YOU. IT’S AN ILLUSION. ALL FEAR, AND NEGATIVITY ARE, IS A TEST TO PROVE HOW BAD YOU WANT SOMETHING.”

*Jamie Wayne is a graphic designer for Ad Force Creative in Northwest Indiana, a webmaster & graphic designer for the Center for Innovation through Visualization & Simulation at Purdue University Calumet, and a member & writer of the Northwest Indiana Creative Professionals. Photos fromBigStock.

Do you or your business need a logo designed? Or how about graphics for your social media pages?

If you need a logo or social media graphics designed, please contact me through the Contact/Hire Me! page.

I offer my services at a very affordable rate, and will work with you (presenting you with drafts and taking direction) until I have created a logo or graphics that you or your business can be proud of.

Below are some examples of my logo design work. To view an example of my social media page design (apart from Logo Sense), feel free to look at http://www.recycletherim.com, facebook.com/recycletherim, and http://www.twitter.com/recycletherim.

 

In the Process of Re-branding, Hewlett-Packard is Rumored to Soon Sport a new Logo—Let’s Take a Look

Since the mid 1950’s, the HP logo has remained virtually the same seeing just minor adjustments and tweaks here and there. While 60 years or so is a long time, HP has become a globally-recognized brand so why would they change their logo? Well, HP is in the technology industry—an industry that is changing rapidly and becoming more high-tech day by day. A company within the technology industry should have a logo reflecting that, shouldn’t it?

If you said “yes”, you’re right.

So with this in mind, nearing the end of 2011, HP hired Moving Brands to revamp the existing, and out-dated, HP logo.

I present to you, the “soon-to-be” HP logo. Drum roll please—badumbadumbadumbadumbadumbadum…..

In my opinion, this logo is fantastic. It is modern, reflecting the high-tech nature of the technology industry, simple, and sleek, all while maintaining its identity that it created over 70 years ago. The characteristics of the new logo are also in alignment with HP’s products, as they are moving towards more modern and minimalist-designed computers, printers, etc.

Sometimes re-branding can have a negative effect on a business if the new logo is vastly different from the pre-existing one. HP, along with Moving Brands, has hit the nail on the head with this one.

I, here at Logo Sense, can’t wait to see the official unveiling of the new HP logo.

Twitter or Batman?

Today while digging through the web for cool logo designs, I came across one in particular that actually went viral on Twitter on Thursday. Where was I while this was happening? Who knows, but I missed it.

Below is the full article along with the logo. It’s pretty awesome if you ask me.

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By: Stephanie Mlot, PCMag.com

Twitter let fly its revamped logo on Thursday, but some people are seeing more than just a blue bird.

In a Rorschach inkblot-test sort of way, California-based Josh Helfferich tweeted Thursday that the redesigned fowl actually resembled another bird-like creature: Batman.

“So uh … if you turn the new Twitter logo upside-down, it’s Batman,” he wrote, above an attached computerized drawing of the caped crusader.

The image immediately went viral, Mashable reported, gaining almost 1,000 retweets in the hour-and-a-half since it was posted yesterday at 3:05 p.m. Eastern.

The rendering was actually first posted on Wednesday in a mocking graphic by California’sRyan Greenberg, who tweaked the company’s original usage guidelines for its new logo, adding to the authentic list, “Don’t: Change the logo to look like Batman,” with the cartoon underneath.

Bruce Wayne isn’t the only incarnation of the Twitter bird.

In a more appropriate color scheme, Gizmodo reader Ben Flores, a San Francisco designer,sent a graphic showing the obvious Sonic the Hedgehog transformation.

The new logo is actually built out of three sets of overlapping circles, Twitter’s creative director Doug Bowman wrote this week on the company’s blog. “The bird is everywhere, constantly associated with Twitter the service, and Twitter the company,” Bowman said.

That association now comes with a utility belt and the Batmobile.

Link to article:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405555,00.asp

How Branding Works in Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]

Link to original article:

http://mashable.com/2011/12/15/branding-and-social-media/

Project Projects

Changing Lines

Very nice branding for Rich Brilliant Willing by NY based design studio Project Projects.

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Re-branding and How it Can Effect Your Business

When you leave a piece of bread or an open bag of potato chips out on your counter for a day our two, what happens? They go stale–that piece of bread and those potato chips lose their flavor. Then what do you do? You toss them in the garbage.

The same phenomenon happens to businesses. If a business has the same look for a number of years, they become stale–they lose their presence within the public and people begin to look past them.

When a business goes stale, re-branding can breathe new life into it. It can help restore image and reputation, revitalize interest of existing customers, and also spark interest from potential new customers.

Some companies that have benefited from re-branding are:

               Chevron:                              UPS:                        Discovery Channel:

        

If you look at these three examples, it’s easy to see that they all have something in common–modernization. Each of the three logos were re-branded not to create an entirely new identity, but rather to update what was already there. The simple changes went a long way, and re-energized each of the brands. These three examples show that having an image that is current with the time plays a big role in customers’ perception of the company. A company does not want to look out-dated.

While these three companies benefited from re-branding, it is important to remember that re-branding doesn’t always work in a company’s favor. Here are some examples of companies that were unsuccessful in their re-branding:

             Gap:                             Tropicana:                                Kraft:

                

These three examples of re-branding also have something in common–significant change. Each of these three logos has changed dramatically from what was previously there.

GAP’s logo experienced the least amount of change, but the fact that it’s previous logo was so widely recognized made the change seem more significant. With the re-branding, GAP had basically ruined the timeless brand they had created, bringing their identity back to square one.

Tropicana’s re-branding consisted of a large change being made to its logo. The new logo, for whatever reason, excludes the iconic orange with the straw coming out from it. That symbol was unique and recognizable, and made Tropicana stand out. With its new logo, Tropicana took a step back and camouflaged itself into the competition–not a smart move.

Kraft’s re-branding of its logo also went to the extreme, completely changing its identity–an identity that was well-recognized by the public and its customers. The new logo looks like a company with a completely different product line.

The line between successful re-branding and unsuccessful re-branding is thin. Unless under extreme circumstances, re-branding is not meant to give a company a completely new identity. If that is done, existing customers are often lost. Re-branding, however, is most effective when a company simply updates its existing brand to freshen-up its image to re-energize itself in the public eye.

In the end, if a company knows its audience and is aware of their customer’s wants and needs, the tool of re-branding can be used to breathe life into a company going stale.

While stale bread and chips are bad, a stale company is even worse.