Can logos be interperative?
For those of you that were involved in the forum and critique of my logo for the Storytelling town, here's an update: My superiors didn't buy it.
We create logos for towns and cities bases on their "brand," my superiors think that the logo HAS TO contain cut and dry literal images of things that relate to the brand. The logos they commission often end up looking pedestrian, cheesy and dated.
I am trying to step in and show them alternate ways of describing theses towns by their logo. Take my storytelling logo for example.
Below is part of an email my superior sent me after I sent them my logo comps:
"Unless logos are abstract and have enough money behind them to MAKE the connection, e.g. Nike, Coke, etc. then they instantly have to communicate what the brand is all about."
Is this always true? Is he right? Or am I right in thinking that we can create a logo that evokes an emotion, or sense of being there, in that town, not just a slapstick composite of images that show you what is in the town.
Help. I need to respond to them, but I want some feedback first.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| comps.jpg | 88.77 KB |
User login
Navigation
Latest critique
Active forum topics
Unfortunately since the
Unfortunately since the client holds the money they are 'right' even when they might not be in our design-view.
----
Powerpoint is not a design application
But this isn't coming from the client
This is coming from the owners of my company. The client doesn't see anything until the very end.
studio shanda
In that case, it sounds like
In that case, it sounds like they are expecting something drab and boring and very literal. Not what you've done here. :)
----
Powerpoint is not a design application
It sounds like they think
It sounds like they think these companies started off as multi-million dollar businesses. In fact they've built their brands over the years. Maybe you can remind them that communication is not the same as spelling things out to your audience. They need to give people more credit, we don't need everything spoonfed to us, in fact it's insulting to do so.
So I guess they want an image of one person reading a book to another person?
Exactly..
It is verbal storytelling, they want a picture of someone telling a story.
studio shanda
Oh, that's right. Well that
Oh, that's right. Well that should make for a very thought-provoking logo. :-( Sorry. At least you'll have your designs for your portfolio, right?
Oh good grief! What a
Oh good grief! What a disappointment! So what do they want, a cartoon character with a bubble over his head containing the words, "It was a dark and stormy night..."?
Idiots.
Mara
I love the idea behind your
I love the idea behind your top logo.
This is just another reason I'm glad that my boss does not interfere with any job I work on. I've heard that complaint too many times.
I mentioned this in my topic
I mentioned this in my topic a little bit ago, but I'll mention my opinion again - A logo does not tell a story. It represents a story.
I think your superiors are wrong, simple as that.
------------
Perfectly Lost Designs
"…the Web design community is hopelessly distracted by technical fetish." ~Andy Rutledge
Great point, again
Seraphim... your statement has a very literal meaning with this project. Storytelling. I got an email this morning from one of my bosses saying "What does a tree have to do with storytelling?"
I think that I have more ground trying to sell the tree over the rocking chair. I need to make it look magical, without being spooky.
Storytelling is one of those things that creates an energy field around the whole group which everyone feels and gets connected to. That's what makes it special and difficult to explain.
Any other image thoughts?
studio shanda
Like I said above, I really
Like I said above, I really really liked what you already had. It was subtle.
How about a silhouette of an adult (possibly in a rocking chair) with a child on their lap and another child leaning in (either standing or sitting) listening, intently?
Show them this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Into_The_Woods_CD_Cover.png
Maybe they can figure out what trees and stories have in common -- TO MOST PEOPLE!!!
These people really are morons. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with such nonsense on what should be an absolutely enchanting job.
Mara
Emotions are key
Over 90% of human action is based on non-cognitive emotions. Get those tingling and you'll spark an interest in people before they even know they're interested. Through repeated exposure they'll become more aware of it. I think we've all had the "Oh, of course - it's obvious. Genious" experience about a logo. Or the "I don't know why, but it appeals to me."
For me the tree logo you made gave me the feeling of the same universe I saw in the movie Big Fish. I love that movie and was instantly attracted to the logo and the universe it represented in my mind - even if that is not the connection it has in real life (though similar).