Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Ponderings from the trenches
As designers, creators, makers and individuals that get to express ideas
for a living, whose ideas are we expressing? Are we really coming up
with original ideas, or just recycled bits of our own lives that we get
to explore? As I move forward in my education and professional career,
I’m going to be much more aware of where the work I do is coming from.
Perhaps an idea will be formed when I get the chance to remove myself
from my surroundings, to not be so influenced. The only problem is, no
matter where I go, I take me with.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Your logo is horrible
That's what I'm thinking. In my head, as I look at your company's logo. I'm thinking that the illustration of what is supposed to be an adult and child actually looks like the adult is strangling the kid. I've seem it before. An image meant to convey comfort instead looking like one of those horrible graphics you'd see on the 10 pm news. These are logos created with the right intention gone horribly wrong. Why does this happen? Oh, let me count they ways...
1. A friend did it. And you didn't want to hurt their feelings.
2. You know someone, who did it as a favor. So you don't want to hurt their feelings.
3. Your wife did it, and she studied art 30 years ago. And you don't want to hurt her feelings.
The problem is, you're hurting yourself. Because that logo, that single mark, represents your company. Which is valuable. Big brands know it. They write manuals and style guides about how it's supposed to be used. They understand that it needs to be protected. That it can't show up on an ad on a busy background. Or too close to text. Or distorted.
But the issue is different for smaller businesses. I see it all the time. An emotional attachment to a mark that might be dated, implies an unintended negative connotation. Like strangling. Or death. Or sexual favors.
As designers we understand that different colors, type, styles, and symbols come together to form a concept. It doesn't happen when someone's friend knows someone who likes art. It happens when we research, understand the business, the culture, and the intended audience in order to create the right meaning. Do yourself a favor, and don't let anyone do you a favor.
1. A friend did it. And you didn't want to hurt their feelings.
2. You know someone, who did it as a favor. So you don't want to hurt their feelings.
3. Your wife did it, and she studied art 30 years ago. And you don't want to hurt her feelings.
The problem is, you're hurting yourself. Because that logo, that single mark, represents your company. Which is valuable. Big brands know it. They write manuals and style guides about how it's supposed to be used. They understand that it needs to be protected. That it can't show up on an ad on a busy background. Or too close to text. Or distorted.
But the issue is different for smaller businesses. I see it all the time. An emotional attachment to a mark that might be dated, implies an unintended negative connotation. Like strangling. Or death. Or sexual favors.
As designers we understand that different colors, type, styles, and symbols come together to form a concept. It doesn't happen when someone's friend knows someone who likes art. It happens when we research, understand the business, the culture, and the intended audience in order to create the right meaning. Do yourself a favor, and don't let anyone do you a favor.
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