Who's in your logo?

Recently I've been working on a new logo that requires having some sort of people icons in it. And it's tough. You wouldn't think that the shape the color, representing the right feel (are they strong? are they whimsical? and they childlike?) would be so hard, but all those subtle nuances slowly come together to create the right feel (or at least they should).

Unfortunately, I haven't hit my creative inspiration yet, so it's led me to search in the best place possible: Google. And while searching Google for logos with people icons I came up with some very interesting options. None of these work for what I'm doing, but some are quite amusing and deserve to be shared with you. Hope you get a kick out of them too.

Oh - and I promise to post the logo I'm working on, with the people icons, once it's finalized and available for (semi)public consumption.

A shop that specializes in voodoo dolls perhaps? I bet they get a lot of interesting clientele.

We make videos and we don't care who likes them. Or doesn't like them, I guess.

You need gears? We're your place - have a beer while you're at it.

This one is just funny for the emoticon age.

Alyssa Mintus Photography

In my attempt to blog more frequently, I thought I'd share a logo I recently did for a friend who is a very talented photographer. Alyssa (great name, huh?) started her photography business several years ago, and because she is supremely talented, it has grown by leaps and bounds. She took our family pictures last summer and did a wonderful job.

But, more importantly than her logo is how wonderful Alyssa is at capturing memories. Check out her web site (and her logo on it) here:

Calling All Branding Lovers

For all the font lovers, graphic designers and bradning junkies out there. I've found a new time suck for you: the retail alphabet game.

I first came across this game about 5 years ago, and spent countless hours analyzing each letter in an attempt to finish the 4 puzzles that had been published. Today, while working on a logo, I came across the 5th edition (which has been out for 2 years, but whatever, I've been busy...). Of course I spent an inordinate amount of time trying do locate the brand within which each letter came from, and along my travels, I also came across this article, about branding and the retail alphabet game. So, I share them both with you as something new take up your time as well. As if you didn't have enough things that did that already...

I'm really going to do this

As you can see, my blog is pretty pathetic up until now. I've posted all of what, 4 times? (hangs head sheepishly). It's not that I don't want to post, or don't have stuff to say (believe me, my colleagues are tired of getting an earful!) It's just that I never seem to get around to posting it.
But that's going to change... starting now. I'm resolving to update this blog at least weekly from now on. Hopefully it'll be interesting, maybe even inspiring... But at least I'll be saying what I have to say.
So, stay tuned...

Ban Comic Sans

I'd like to devote just a moment to the horridness of the font Comic Sans. I have a personal abhorrence to this particular typeface. In hell I imagine the only correspondence possible would be through typing in very large comic sans writing. I fully support sites like bancomicsans.com and this interview about why it's not safe for unregulated use.

It's actually not so much the font itself however, as how it's used. professionals everywhere seem to love this typeface, and they comment it's "casual" and "fun". Actually, it was designed by Microsoft for use in comic book-like bubbles that held informational text. Comic Sans has NO place in the professional world. None. It has kid-like characters and a very unrefined appearance. Yet everyone from program managers, to inventory specialists to accountants find it appropriate for the office.

I particularly cringe at those who use it as thier email signature. Have you ever seen a CFO with a Comic Sans signature? It screams "Hi, I'm supposedly an intelligent, upper level executive in charge of major financial decisions. But I want to appear 'friendly' and 'approachable' to you, so I'll write like I'm five." Seriously people. It's business. If you really need something that is more fun and casual, try Futura, or Gill Sans, or another basic, pre-installed, sans serif font with bulbous characters. I promise they look better than your current, "cute" option.

And if you must use Comic Sans, I beg you, please keep it to the only appropriate place: your toddler's circus themed birthday party invitation.

Branding, it's not just for cows.

There are days at work when I feel sort of bad telling people that they can't create their own organizational flyers, invitations, postcards, or whatever other creative masterpiece they've dreamed up. I don't like having to be so controlling - it feels like I'm a dictator. But then I realize how much they need to be told no, because otherwise I'd have lime green and magenta logos and 85 different abbreviations of the agency name, (and let's face it, the 26 acronyms we currently have are about 25 too many).

Branding stanards exist for a reason, especially in the corporate world. I will never understand a promotional piece with lime green clip art, the font comic sans (which may be the worst font ever created, but don't get me started on that), and an agency slapped across the piece as an afterthought. Worse still, some people neglect to add the logo altogether and actually distribute it publicly. Not only does it reek of disorder and bad taste, but unless your corporate brand involves lime green and Comic sans, it has NOTHING to do with the organization you are trying to represent. I just don't understand why this is such a tough concept.

The idea of branding itself can be a little bit complicated to grasp, especially if you don't take up residency in the world of marketing and communications. But rather than get into a philosophical discussion about what a brand is, or is not, let's focus on the visual aspect. If your corporate colors are navy and grey, and your corporate font is Bodoni; Lime green script used with clip art probably isn't going to conjour the image of your company. And if it does, it certainly won't give people the right impression of who that company is.

Yes there's the exception to the rule, but when every case is the exception to the rule, it's hard to be consistent. And sometimes consistency doesn't make people happy - a big curse for branding. Mark Sczepanik writes a great blog entry on it here. The point is, originality isn't always a good thing, especially when someone has no idea who you represent. I'm not asking you to color within the lines - maybe just stay on the page. And if you can't reign in your creativity with crayons that much, maybe leave it to the people who know how.

Somebody just tell me what to wear

I'm in my cousin's wedding next week and she gave me and her other attendant free reign of dresses and shoes, with a few restrictions:
- Dark red dresses that are similar, though they don't have to be exactly the same
- Flat sandals that are semi-dressy, as this is a beach wedding, so heels won't work
- Whatever jewelry we would like

If you think this is nice and less restrictions make it easier you're wrong. This is when I envy men - my husband walks into our closet daily and picks out a pair of chinos and a complimentary polo shirt. That's it. Add shoes and a belt in one of a whopping 2 color choices and he's out the door. For me it's more like: does this cami go with this cardigan? and if so, can I wear this skirt? Is the skirt too springy for this time of year? And if the skirt is OK, can I wear those sandals? Nope, because I haven't painted my toenails. And it goes on. Because of course, I haven't even thought about jewelry for the day yet.

So, picking out a dress for this wedding and then also finding shoes and jewelry has proved to be a bit of a chore. Find me a suitable frock in one distinct color and fabric, but different styles to fit very different body types and without a hefty price tag (because let's face it, it's supposed to be versatile, but despite best intentions, you'll really only wear it once). Meanwhile the groomsmen simply need to show up the day before the wedding, pay their $59.99 rental fee and be off to their requisite round of golf.

It's times like this I really just wish someone would tell me what to wear...