Wondering what to get the person that has everything this holiday season? How about a box full of trash? No, really. Over at nycgarbage.com, they sell tiny sculptures made of actual garbage from NYC streets. They even have limited edition boxes from special dates like New Year’s day, etc. Check out the examples on the website.
As always, thanks for reading.
Amy Fedele
Creative Director
Bullzeye Design
1. All logos should use vector art.
Vector graphics are geometrical shapes that are based on Mathematical equations. This allows the shapes and text in the logo to be blown up or shrunk down without compromising their quality (ex: getting blurry or distorted). Therefore, you can use the same logo on a business card and a billboard without sacrificing detail or quality. A common file extension for vector art is .EPS so you should ask for your logo in this format upon its completion.
2. Logos should utilize as few colors as possible to establish the identity of the company.
Color is important to the brand recognition, but should not be an integral component to the logo design. Depending on color to distinguish your brand is a very risky chance to take. What if the logo is faxed or photocopied? Will your logo maintain your company’s image accurately in this situation? For this reason, many designers will show you the logo concept in black and white, before they add color. This is a good idea to do, so you know that you are happy with the other important elements of the design before adding the color.
3. Logos should not contain any gradients as a major design feature.
BUT — If your heart is set on creating a logo using gradients, I would suggest making a “web” version of your logo, and another version of the logo without using the gradients to use in your print materials. Gradients, if/when used, should not make-or-break your logo. It should convey the same message whether or not the gradients or color is used.
4. Logos should be functional for many different uses.
It should be able to maintain it’s integrity when printed very large or very small. Also, think of the various fabrics or materials your logo may be printed on in the future (such as clothing, pens, coffee mugs, hats, etc). The shape of the product may distort your logo. Will it still be recognizable in those situations?
5. Add a Tagline to your logo to increase memorability and clarity.
A tagline can be added to a logo to create a memorable phrase that will some up the tone of a brand or product, or to reinforce your audience’s memory of your company.If your company name needs a bit of explaining, a tagline is a good way to ensure that your customers know exactly what your company is, what you do, and what it can do for them.
6. Your logo should be Unique and Memorable.
The most important aspect of logo design is making it unique and memorable. It doesn’t necessarily have to be complex or flashy to attract your customers’ attention. In fact, many of the best designed logos are very simple, while still being extremely memorable (ex: McDonald’s, Nike, FedEx).
Guidelines
In addition to the elements outlined above, there are several guidelines for logo design which many people would consider to be common sense. For example, a logo should not feature the face of a person that is still alive. Additionally, a logo should never include imagery that could be classified as culturally sensitive. This could range from national flags to religious icons. Finally, a quality logo design will never rely on photography, clipart or other forms of complex imagery.
Thanks for Reading about our logo design tips and tricks!
Amy Fedele, Creative Director
BullzeyeDesign.com
Thanks for Reading!
Amy Fedele, Creative Director
BullzeyeDesign.com
Your logo is one of the most important aspects of your brand identity as a company. Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business. But what exactly does “branding” mean? How does it affect a small business like yours?
Branding is your competitive edge, and your promise to your customer. It’s what your company can offer to your customers that others can’t. What makes you unique? Are you the cutting edge maverick in your industry or the experienced, dependable one? Is your product the high-cost, high-quality option, or the low-cost, high-value option? The biggest mistake companies make when establishing their brand is trying to be all things to all audiences. Who you are should be based on who your target customers want and need you to be. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates you from your competition.
Your website, packaging and promotional materials–all of which should integrate your logo–communicate your brand. Too often, businesses are quick to change or alter their identity (this includes your logo, the colors used in your logo, marketing materials, and website, as well as other important parts of your company’s mission statement). Too much of this can be confusing to your existing customers. One rule of thumb is that when you have become tired of your logo, tagline, and branding efforts, that is when they begin to sink in with your customers. Branding, first and foremost, is about consistency.
The foundation of your brand is your logo. When designing a logo, graphic designers try to present your company’s values visually. Be prepared to discuss your company’s values, goals, and information about your target audience, as this will help the designer develop your logo. Once the designer has a good idea of the image you hope to portray, he or she will use fonts, color, placement, size, graphics, and design motifs to convey this to your customers.
Thanks for Reading!
Amy Fedele, Creative Director
BullzeyeDesign.com
Branding is not marketing. Rather it is an integral part of your marketing strategy. It’s also an important part of how you interact with clients, prospects, vendors, employees, and anyone else with whom you come in contact. Branding creates an image.
Your brand strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom you plan on communicating and delivering on your brand messages. Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy. Your distribution channels are also part of your brand strategy. And what you communicate visually and verbally are part of your brand strategy, too.
Consistent, strategic branding leads to a strong brand equity, which means the added value brought to your company’s products or services that allows you to charge more for your brand than what identical, unbranded products command. The most obvious example of this is Coke vs. a generic soda. Because Coca-Cola has built a powerful brand equity, it can charge more for its product–and customers will pay that higher price.
The added value intrinsic to brand equity frequently comes in the form of perceived quality or emotional attachment. For example, Nike associates its products with star athletes, hoping customers will transfer their emotional attachment from the athlete to the product. For Nike, it’s not just the shoe’s features that sell the shoe.
Defining your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. It can be difficult, time-consuming and uncomfortable. It requires, at the very least, that you answer the questions below:
Do your research. Learn the needs, habits and desires of your current and prospective customers. And don’t rely on what you think they think. Know what they think.
Because defining your brand and developing a brand strategy can be complex, consider leveraging the expertise of a nonprofit small-business advisory group or a Small Business Development Center.
Once you’ve defined your brand, how do you get the word out? Here are a few simple, time-tested tips:
As always, Thanks for reading
Amy Fedele, Creative Director
Bullzeye Design - Targeting Your Graphic and Web Needs!
Resources:
Wikipedia: http://www.graphixstation.com/branding.html
