What defines a logo?

Logo: a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition.

Someone had made a post on a forum I frequent about wanting a logo done (for free). My comment was to put together some text that reflected their style. They came back and said "but I want a logo". That got me thinking. What really defines a logo?

Obviously you want the logo to reflect yourself or your company or your product in some way or form. This does not have to be done with a fancy graphical illustration. If you notice, FedEx's logo for instance makes use of white space to form an arrow. If you are working with the environment you could have the text a green or blue. If you are working in the food industry then a brown, yellow, or red might due as they often are associated together. If you are working with technology it wouldn't make sense to use a frilly font.

Here are some things I consider when designing a logo:

Your personal style - you are more likely to like what I design when it reflects what you like and what defines you. If you aren't a fan of swooshes because they are overused then I shouldn't be using them!

Icon/Type - sometimes a logo is fine in just type by itself, but sometimes it needs a graphical representation to go along with it. A logo can be a combination of type and a graphic (logotype and logo icon).

Simplicity - you want to make sure that your logo reads well scaled down for things such as business cards and promotional materials. I make sure that illustrations if used (and I illustrate them myself) are not too highly detailed but are detailed enough to be able to understand quickly their meaning/use.

Vector base - you also want to make sure that your logo doesn't look pixelated when scaled up for large format printing and signage or vehicle decals. I work in Illustrator to make sure all work is deliverable in a format you can use on any medium. If you want Photoshop effects, you need to understand the limitations of raster-based graphics which is primarily conformed to the original designed size. There are some instances where this might work such as a blog or web-based use where the design will never be used elsewhere or needed in a higher resolution for printing.

Black and White - I always make sure that the logo can be easily transitioned to black and white and now deliver files with a black and white version. You might not think you need it, but if you are sending a fax then if you have a color logo it will most likely be lost as faxes do not perform in anything other than black and white (no grayscale).

Trendiness - I try and not look at current trends because they can easily date a logo (swooshes, gradients such as in web 2.0 logos, transparency, etc). You want to pay for something that is timeless like a Rolex where it looks good at any age. Obviously, there are times when certain things are required in order to define your company and that takes an exception, but being trendy for trendiness' sake is not necessary.

Firefox 3

For those of you who don't know, Firefox 3 just hit the internet waves! I highly recommend it for internet security and stability. If you still like Internet Explorer, I found a really cool add-on called IE tab which actually loads Internet Explorer in a tab inside of Firefox 3. I've also discovered FireShot which you can use to take screenshots and email them or open them in an editor using the right click menu.

Never Enough Tags

Are you working on optimizing your website for search engines? Are you wondering how much money I pay into advertising? I don't invest a dime! I have spent most of my time saturating the web with myself. I am involved in many forums, directories, and I cross-link with my own other personal websites. My website content has been adjusted to provide more text and information that can be brought up on Google (such as my FAQ). I also make use of ALT tag references (every image can be ALT tagged). I make sure that I keep META tags because whether you believe it or not...I think it's better that they are there than not.

At any rate, make sure the content of your website is heavily populated with your keywords! There is a nice little Firefox extension that I have called SEOQuake that helps speed up that process. It will tell you your keyword density and how it related to advertisers based on Google statistics.

Make sure that you are utilizing the Heading and Paragraph functions of your website correctly. If you are using CSS then you can easily update your CSS so instead of a .title class you use h1.

Diet and Exercise

Are you trying to skim off some extra dollars from your budget? Try doing some exercise before getting a quote! One of the biggest pitfalls is expecting the designer to come up with "everything". You can save money by doing some minor legwork yourself. Sometimes there are clients that want a website but don't have a logo or copy. I can make a logo, sure, but it's going to cost you. I can put in copy, sure, but it's going to cost you.

Here are some bits of advice.

1. Ideally you want to start from the bottom up. Work out your marketing plan and available budget before even trying to go and get a quote from a designer. Plan on getting your logo first rather than at the same time as another project. It will save you in the long run because while I'm working on the website and logo, you could already be handing out business cards with the logo on them. A web presence is good, but your whole company "brand" is going to revolve around the logo, not the website.
2. When getting a budget put together, realize that anything you don't have (photos, text, existing collateral) is going to make the design process longer and more expensive. I have to scout photos that you have to approve and purchase. I do check out micro-stock sites (more semi-pro level at cheaper costs). If I do writing, I have to do research and you have to approve it. If you have existing collateral you want the design to reflect, it speeds up the design process as I can mimic style and keep your brand consistent.
3. If you are wanting design done, have examples of other styles and designs you like ready to show me. This will get me an idea of your design style and also keeps my concepts in line with what you would approve of.
4. It's not always good to jump ahead and purchase a website domain before anything else. Sometimes, web hosts offer free domains within their hosting packages (like 1and1 which I use). Keep that in mind when you are getting ready to have web design done.
5. When thinking about your website, keep in mind that additional pages cost more money to quote so think ahead. When you want a product page, do you also want subpages for different product categories?
6. Make sure your designer is proficient on the spot and keep with that same designer (why ditch someone that works well with you and produces results that work?). The designer should be someone you feel comfortable working with and can trust. The designer should be good at what they do. So many times I get a client that had a previous designer work on the project and they were unfamiliar with proper design techniques in that medium. A logo created in Photoshop is going to looked pixelated and blurry on a billboard. Make sure your designer knows what they are doing. Look into their clients, references, educational background, etc. Your design is an investment, and you want to make sure the most able person is working on it. You don't want to invest into a designer that can't do the job and then have to pay someone else to recreate it.
   

So you may notice that even through all your exercise, you are still gaining weight. Remember, muscle is heaver than fat so it might take a while to notice results but it's going to make your company stronger, more attractive, and will cost less for design in the future!

Is any overhaul a minor one?

As you might have noticed, Aibrean's Studio got a major facelift. My major reasons why I did this was to attract business that would otherwise go to a design firm and also make it more user-friendly for existing clients. I've started to branch out integration so that clients receive a login and can view everything for their account with me in one location. I have the contract, estimate, and concepts/final design available for viewing there as well as easy bill payment through Google Checkout.

You might notice some things have been renamed, so feel free to browse around the site and get re-adjusted.

Discovering Aibrean's Studio

I was reading the AIGA Client Design Guide (for client's of AIGA members to get an idea of client processes). I came across some questions for designers from clients. I felt like answering them.

Here they are:

1. How does the firm like to work?
   Well I personally like to work directly with you, the client. I also like to make you, the client, feel that you are always #1 (even if you aren't). I give you the utmost attention, and try to make turn-around times short so you feel that you are always the top of my list for priority.
   
2. Who are it's clients?
   I have worked as an independent consultant in many design firms in addition to my personal business of Aibrean's Studio. I have worked with NCR, Ferrari, Standard Register, MeadWestvaco, NewPage, LexisNexis, AAA, Vision Marketing Group, PLIE, as well as many other diverse clients ranging from musicians and tax professionals, to non-profit groups and software companies. That range enables me to work within a variety of design styles with the knowledge of the type of audience base you have.
3. How knowledgeable is the firm about their clients?
   Not only do I talk to them, but I also take advantage of the internet and research my clients and their competition/relevant market. It's not just about making you look good, it's about making you look better!
4. How is the firm viewed by their clients? By the firm's peers?
   Client referrals (a previous client recommends me to another person who becomes a new client) are about 90% of my business. I get the other 10% from the internet and the local AFA membership list. Being a member of the Greater Dayton Advertising Association, I am involved in local professional development meetings as well as volunteer service for the Association in local advertising events. Recently I helped set up for the Hermes award judging. I also have won two Hermes awards in the past two years...a lot to be said of an individual in the business working against other multi-staffed firms that have very extensive job budgets. I am affordable AND award-winning.
5. What is the firm's design process?
   First off, upon initial contact, I have the client fill out a design checklist (these can be found at the right sidebar of my contact page). This gives me an in-depth look at the audience, deadline, subject matter, overall idea, and budget. It's not worth the client's time or mine if the project doesn't have a budget I can work with, but it is if I can quote significantly less knowing more about the project before-hand. After the design checklist is completed, I give the client an estimate and a contract they can sign if everything is in order. From there I start researching and concepting. I send the client an initial rough concept to see if I'm in the right direction. If I am way off, I revise and send a new concept (perhaps altogether from scratch), and if I'm on target I work forward.
6. What kind of design experience does the firm have?
   I have over 5 years of design experience. I have worked in 3 design firms as a consultant as well as my own design business. I am currently active as an Art Director at a local non-profit. I also have a degree in Applied Business in Advertising Art from the most award-winning college here, The School of Advertising Art.
   
7. What kind of results has the firm acheived?
   I have always delivered 100% satisfaction. In terms of actual noted success, I have two Hermes awards from the GDAA. One of my email campaigns had such a good response the company told me they had more contacts in two days than they had in two years.
8. Who will work on your project?
   I do. If there is something I am not able to do (such as advanced programming...I'm a designer not a coder) I will let you know and give you a quote on the service from programmers I have worked with in the past. I also enable you to personally talk with them if needed. They are local as well so if you are a local client, we can meet together to discuss options.
9. Does the firm understand the business?
   Yes I do, and if I didn't I wouldn't be in business.

2008 Bronze Award

I attended the Hermes awards last night and I won a Bronze Award. That is quite an achievement coming from the fact that this year had the highest entries and Interactive was one of the largest categories with 10 Silvers and 21 Bronzes. I was the only individual to submit and win anything.

It says a lot :)