McIrv Logo

Not really feeling this, that 'ribbon' looks more like a roll of toilet paper to me!
I think its too abstract, without the explanation i would not have a clue what it was,

I think you should get your mothers illustration skills involved, get her to sketch some of your ideas and then you could tidy them up with your computer,

Talk between you and make sure you have a true understanding of what the company will be and write a mission statement. Once you realize this you will be able to come up with a mark or logo that truly represents your company.

The concept of the m and i in negative space works well you just need to refine it.

Hello Mcg,

you have two strong names and a pleasant name synthesys.
but chose just a McDonalds logo (the 1st of their older logos) with a gift...

I think you could rethink your strategy. =\

Something like the name wrote by different type fonts. =]

where is the ribbon? Sorry but the whole thing seems to me a bit complicated here.

Crap...I'm seeing toilet paper too.
As pointed out by qwertyale, the concept needs to be reworked.

Good work on the brief. Fantastic.

One of the problems you're facing is you guys offer a wide variety of services, so it'll be next to impossible to represent them all in a logo.

I don't know how serious you guys are in regards to the name, but McIrv sounds like fast food. It's sounds a little gimmicky. McGovern and Irvine sounds like a professional, no nonsense company.

In regards to the ribbon, it's not working. It looks like a ducks head. You might want to go for somethign more general, without being generic. I think for this situation a type-only logo might be in order.

I love the thought process behind thit though, you've come up with a solid brief and even critiqued yourself. I'm looking forward to seeing more ideas from you. In regards to the skecthing, you don't have to be a Rembrandt to come up with quick thumbnails and trust me, being able to quickly put ideas on paper is a skill that will serve you well in your career.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get a McGriddle.

Thanks for the great feedback so far, guys. (And that's a good point about the toilet paper, Robbie — ha!)

The last time we sat down after pancake breakfast to hammer out what services we'd each be able to bring, my dad came up with this vision statement:

"We promote a balance between human elements and material or technological influences in the design of visual and written products.

Our purpose is to provide value to the business relationship through consultation, education, design and production management."

Reading this again, I think there are some ideas that could come of it, I'm just not sure what they are yet. I'll see what we can do there. Thanks again!

PLOP!

Nope. The name doesn't work and the logo doesn't either. I think there's a tendency to over think these things when the final piece is supposed to be simple and memorable. Anytime you have to go into some long winded explanation concerning design it usually means you've failed visually. That's what happened here - the logo makes no sense without the explanation. The name sounds cheeseball - like a computer game or something. Very unprofessional. Something like M&I would work a lot better.

Yeah, I'm definitely seeing a duck. Or a Loch Ness monster thingy.
I know your company does a lot of things but I'm sure tours of Scottish lakes isn't on the agenda. I may be wrong...

BTW - we have a disinfectant product in the UK called Toilet Duck. They may be interested in using this if you decide it's not for you! :)

An interesting up tempo name. But it does not say anything. Becauce of this your logo but be clear. The logo does not work for me. Graphic design, new media, illustration etc. does not come out of the wood work. Do more reseach and see what other companys have for a logo.

(McGovern and Irvine)
I'll play:

Vinegove Communications

The IrvMc Group--could treat part of the logo with MC2 further denoting a two-family operating business.

Govine Communications

I think your name seriously needs help, you should work on that first.

I like the name option MC2.

E=...

What do you get when you breed a llama and a duck?

Sorry, but I find this quite repulsive.

i find mcirv REALLY uncomfortable for a barrel of reasons:

- if said just right, sounds like a chicken clucking
- if said just right, sounds like a cat getting ready to yarf
- doesnt actually sound like a name. youd be just as well off calling yourselves pildunt or bladlaf
- just doesnt roll well off the tongue.
- phonetically, i personally draw connections to perv, swerve, curve, nerve. none of which i think reflect well on what youre doing

i think if you HAD to blend your two names mcvine works way better.

and yeah. all that about the tp and duck. pretty much right on the mark. i get the m. i get the i. and i suppose the ribbon thing kind of makes sense. but i wonder if you might consider it more from a binding, or gathering perspective rather than toilet paper or register tape...

I wouldn't worry further about the negative connotations of this name or logo — we've pretty much solidly left them behind at this point, and are trying to think of new things again. (@wzgn: we did, until mid-December, have a cat who suffered from a very...uh, "finicky" digestive system among other things — she's survived by her younger, adopted sister. Maybe that was in our subconscious all along...hglk, hglk, hglk, HGLK...HGAAACK!)

One direction being considered is to go with "McGovern-Irvine". This two-name thing could convey professionalism, stability, etc. It'd also unquestionably be our identity, literally. What I don't like about it is that it could just as well convey that we're a bloody law firm. It just doesn't inspire me, and doesn't seem to fit too well with the more artistic end of the company's services IMO. (Nothing against law firms, of course — my aunt's a lawyer, and we love her.)

Another name we've (er, mostly I've) looked at is "Imbued". This name could imply that our work, whether business or creative, is "imbued" with our craftsmanship, unique talents, etc. and thus passes on those positive qualities to the client. Adjective names such as this also provide fun opportunities to integrate the name into sentences in our communications (i.e. an invoice could have a footer saying something like "thanks for having your work Imbued"). I don't know about other people, but the word's immediate connotations are positive to me. The main objection I've heard to using it is that it's too "flashy" compared to the two-name solution above, although I always thought of imbued as a relatively calm word.

Thanks for all the awesome feedback so far! Any thoughts or ideas regarding these names?

i think imbued is also iffy. again for a few reasons. primarily because on its own, it just kind of hangs there nebulously. i find myself waiting for the next word. like imbued with ___________?

and that idea about integrating the name into catchphrases is WAY trite in my opinion and just comes off as cheesy.

now if you added your service (or something else) it would be better. like imbued solutions. imbued services or imbued document design services. i start to feel better about it.

but i also like the idea of two strong names. it doesnt break any new ground creatively but it sounds WAY less self-conscious than a lot of the cheeky stuff people try to come up with.

if you go with the two names, have you considered "irvine-mcgovern" ? at first blush, i think it rolls off the tongue a little nicer than "mcgovern-irvine" - but thats just my 10 second opinion.

McVine Communications

could be fine

=P