Logo Design

[Noor]

Any PH's offer this service?

Thanks

[jamesuk28]

Go to http://www.fotolia.co.uk search for logo. If you see one you like it can be adapted to your company name in Photoshop. All for less than £1.

[Golfman]

http://99designs.com/

[phoenixblend]

Please don't do either of the above...

jamesuk28 said:

Go to http://www.fotolia.co.uk search for logo. If you see one you like it can be adapted to your company name in Photoshop. All for less than £1.

This is only good if you put absolutely no value on branding. I mean there will be hundreds of people with the exact same logo as you! Why do you think big companies spend millions of pounds on branding when you can get one for a quid?

Golfman said:

http://99designs.com/

For a start this is american. But secondly it is a really underhand form of business that asks people to do free work on the chance you get the business. This was really popular in the design industry till recently and is refered to as 'free pitching'. The design industry as a whole decided to stop it as its unfair and devalues our trade. I mean you wouldn't expect it in any other trade would you?

The other point is the type of businesses that need the jobs so badly to do them for free probably not that brilliant (though this might be a little unfair of me) but more importantly you can't understand a companies needs from a short brief - I will normally spend a few hours just talking to a client before even putting pen to paper. Finally that site doesn't seem to give the chance to explain the thought process behind the brand and means the brand will be chosen on the clients tastes rather than the clients customers or the businesses needs.

Sorry for rambling and no offence to the posters - I just felt the need to defend my industry

Edited to say - Good branding need not be expensive but could be the most valuable part of the company (some organisations the brand can make up 90% of the value).
Also to say - Though this will not apply to some companies - for instance a jobbing plumber who freelances.

Edited by phoenixblend on Thursday 1st May 19:50

[Jack Blag]

I totally agree with phoenixblend. A logo is supposed to reflect what you do as a business. It is a "brand" that helps identify your product or services. How anyone can choose their company identity by randomly selecting an image and a font and thinking that they have created a unique logo... all for a £1? Bargain!

I would be happy to help you out or give you some free advice. Just drop me an email and have a look at my website: www.nuovonero.com/Services/branding.html

Edited by Jack Blag on Thursday 1st May 20:19

[jamesuk28]

For the small business these are worth considering(www.fotolia.co.uk etc). You can make the logo a lot more individual by changing colours, adding text, changing fonts, and adapting the logo. Nobody is suggesting they are designed to replace bespoke logos, nor are they as effective as a one off. For a startup company however paying hundreds or even thousands of pounds is not an option.

To be fair a customer could pay for a "one off" and have it easily copied so I think your critism is a bit over the top. For a cost effective solution they are worth considering.

Here is another one http://www.istockphoto.com or there are loads of logo design / maker software products out there too. If you want "one off" then pay a graphic designer if not consider the above.

[Jack Blag]

Good design does not need to be expensive. It is however important to give your branding careful consideration when launching a new company. In a world dominated by "image" and "perceived values", it is important to get the detail right. (IMHO)

[jamesuk28]

Jack Blag said:

Good design does not need to be expensive. It is however important to give your branding careful consideration when launching a new company. In a world dominated by "image" and "perceived values", it is important to get the detail right. (IMHO)

OK tell me then, if I were a new company wanting a logo / corporate brand, what would be a ball park or starting figure For your services?

[phoenixblend]

jamesuk28 said:

Here is another one http://www.istockphoto.com or there are loads of logo design / maker software products out there too. If you want "one off" then pay a graphic designer if not consider the above.

I see your point James (though I disagree - sorry). Once thing though, you wont be able to use istock as they are stock photos and the licence wouldn't cover it.

[Kinky]

I asked the same question yesterday here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

And I have to say, I got some excellent responses

Some of the work done by some of our fellow PHers is simply astounding.

K

[rpguk]

My take on it is if you were planning on spending a few quid on getting one properly done then spend the money and you should have a unique and flexible logo which will work just as well on your embroidered polo shirts as it will on your letter heads. Also less chance of legal issues in future.

If you were only planning on creating your own logo anyway or getting the kids to come up with one (and I'd be inclined to think that this makes up a large portion of startups) then James' idea isn't so bad.

You'll end up with something which will probably looks fairly professional and you'd have to be unlucky for many people to notice. However you'll also find that if you do much printing you'll be spending time and money on getting the artwork correct. You'll also find yourself rebranding if the company does take off.

I myself have a great graphics company I work with on any serious projects. Costs me a few hundred quid and in return I get a few rough ideas and then as much tweaking as I can handle. I usually find that the less constraints I give them the better the end result.

For more 'experimental' projects (which 9 times out of 10 don't get anywhere) I usually make a contest on one of the many sites which cater for them. I don't have any moral problem with them. People enter of their own free will and are usually at a stage where they are building experience anyway.

For a £50 prize the standard of entries can be fantastic, however they are usually quite contemporary and I think most will date badly (students ) You are also unlikely to have much come back if it turns out the logo's ripped off from elsewhere.

Logo's are an odd thing in that less is usually more. One of the first times I parted with (good) money for a logo I was a bit offended to get a logo which I could have drawn myself in 30 seconds. Except that's what made it a brilliant logo and now everytime I see it; on vans, 6ft high on a banner, on hi-vis jackets and on pens (as well as business cards etc) I realise that it's that simplicity that makes it work so well.

Edited by rpguk on Thursday 1st May 23:09

[Jack Blag]

rpguk said:

Logo's are an odd thing in that less is usually more. One of the first times I parted with (good) money for a logo I was a bit offended to get a logo which I could have drawn myself in 30 seconds. Except that's what made it a brilliant logo and now everytime I see it; on vans, 6ft high on a banner, on hi-vis jackets and on pens (as well as business cards etc) I realise that it's that simplicity that makes it work so well.

A good designer should make it look easy... after all, the Nike swoosh doesn't look that difficult to draw, yet it has become one of the most iconic (and enduring) brands ever.

[Jack Blag]

jamesuk28 said:

Jack Blag said:

Good design does not need to be expensive. It is however important to give your branding careful consideration when launching a new company. In a world dominated by "image" and "perceived values", it is important to get the detail right. (IMHO)

OK tell me then, if I were a new company wanting a logo / corporate brand, what would be a ball park or starting figure For your services?

If you're serious about branding or re-branding your company, then please drop me an email to discuss. I am also very happy to give free advice on where a company should spend its money (if at all). I have over 15 years' experience in design, sales and marketing. It amazes me how many companies are failing but don't understand why that is. When you tell them what they are doing wrong, they are often too arrogant to listen!

[phoenixblend]

Jack Blag said:

rpguk said:

Logo's are an odd thing in that less is usually more. One of the first times I parted with (good) money for a logo I was a bit offended to get a logo which I could have drawn myself in 30 seconds. Except that's what made it a brilliant logo and now everytime I see it; on vans, 6ft high on a banner, on hi-vis jackets and on pens (as well as business cards etc) I realise that it's that simplicity that makes it work so well.

A good designer should make it look easy... after all, the Nike swoosh doesn't look that difficult to draw, yet it has become one of the most iconic (and enduring) brands ever.

I was lucky enough to get a bit of one to one tuition with Daniel Weil from Pentagram who came up with 'Just Do It' et al, and is an incredible guy - and surprisingly down to earth.


Back on subject - I agree with the above. Simple can work so well if it is done right. The main thing people forget is a brand isn't just a logo. It's the whole personality of a business. Sometimes this come across naturally and a logo would compliment this and sometimes it has to be engineered. Which ever its more than just a Mark its a Marque, an air and the bit that mean customers choose you or not.

Edited by phoenixblend on Friday 2nd May 14:05

[ukvoyager.info]

Don't forget to make sure you retain the copyright!

[drivin_me_nuts]

if its worth any good to you trademark the design. That little 'R' can make a lot of difference. Costs little

[Brown and Boris]

And make sure that the logo comes on a format which can be used with all media. I had a logo done in Jpeg which was great for the web site, letter heads etc. but when I came to think about having some exhibition banners made a Jpeg wasn't enough.

Trademarking is £200 via the IPO site plus another £50 per product usage sector.