Different markets call for different types and styles of logo. The logo’s personality should reflect the brand’s personality. The application of the research and the conversations will result in a design that works for that particular brand and its goals. It would be a mistake for me to design as if I was a robot producing generic brand identities. Each of us humans have unique personalities. It’s the same for brands. We should create distinct designs.
Let’s take this Rock-A-Bye logo and compare it with this Kappa Kappa Psi award logo.
The Rock-A-Bye logo is for a brand that sells preschool clothing. My first attempts at logo design didn’t quite hit the mark. After discussing the designs with the clients, they stressed to me that I needed to make it “softer” in color scheme and design. I replaced sharper edges with more curved edges. I made the colors brighter and added more playful elements. The target audience included parents of young children. The playfulness and youthfulness needed to be more apparent for the brand to achieve its goal.
The Biennial Awards logo for Kappa Kappa Psi differs in its more sophisticated, cleaner look. While the Rock-A-Bye logo exudes playfulness, the Biennial Awards logo exudes prestige. Prestige requires a different eye and speaks to a different audience. This logo is sharper and also less busy than the Rock-A-Bye logo.
The feel we are trying achieve informs my design decisions. These decisions are made with brand knowledge and ambitions in mind. A toy store is probably not going to have the same branding as a law firm. What is required for a sports franchise may not appropriate for a luxury fashion line. The final logo / brand identity should speak to and for the brand in a proper manner.
~b.