Before the Logo

[patkennedy78]

Logos, we love em, we hate em, the good ones are great, and the bad ones are awful. I struggle with this part of design a lot. HOW to make a great logo. So I want to poll everyone and see what you do before you start sketching. Before you've picked those key words to play off of. Initially what are you asking the client? What is in that block of info that you take to the drawing board? I know we have some full time Freelancers here, so please feel free to spill your guts :p

I'll throw out a few obvious questions I'd ask a client:

What do you; do / make / what service do you offer?

How did you get started, what is your company background or history?

Who Buys your product or uses your service?

What makes your product or service different?

What is the personality of your product?

How do you want people to perceive your company?


Lets Keep the list going. If all goes well maybe I'll put together a sheet that can be used as reference.

[morea]

who are your ideal customers? That's important.

[transmit failure]

who is your competition?
what do they do right?
what are they doing wrong?

[morea]

How would you describe your business to someone you were meeting for the first time?

Is there any particular idea that you would like emphasized in the logo design, or anything that you specifically DO NOT want emphasized?

[patkennedy78]

Are there any taboo's or cliche's in your industry or associated with your product.

Keep em coming people! Good Stuff, good stuff.

[BJMRGTIVR6]

This may not help with a current logo, but I usually ask what logos or even websites they like. That way I have an understanding of what they like and why they hay say they don't like them after the first run. A lot of people want everything in a logo but might like Apple's look of sleek design or maybe they like a newspaper logo which may br more traditional/old-fashioned.

[budafist]

I'd love to ask my clients these questions, but unfortunately, most of the time they deal with the sales guys who don't ask the right questions....another reason to freelance...

[capezio]

I find it interesting to know if their brand was a person what kind of a person would they be, how would they dress, what car would they drive, mobile phone type, what kind of dog/cat do they have, are they tall slim, short, fat,blonde brunette, male, female etc

[patkennedy78]

I'd love to ask my clients these questions, but unfortunately, most of the time they deal with the sales guys who don't ask the right questions....another reason to freelance...

So what other questions would you ask. I'm sure you've said "Damn sales guys, why don't they find out if....." or "What idiot doesn't ask...."

[patkennedy78]

I find it interesting to know if their brand was a person what kind of a person would they be, how would they dress, what car would they drive, mobile phone type, what kind of dog/cat do they have, are they tall slim, short, fat,blonde brunette, male, female etc

Hmm, is this sarcasm? I really can't tell. :confused:

[Nekolove]

Also, I like to know what the overall message/feeling is. What do you want people to know/think/feel when they look at the logo. I think that cuts to the core of creating any mark, but unfortunately is not the way many clients think. Too many clients seem to be short-sighted/detail oriented when it comes to logos rather than thinking about the final goal of the mark.

[Jeff Fisher LogoMotives]

The most telling question for me is always in regards to what a client DOES NOT like in regards to logo designs, and specifically logo designs in their own industry. Few clients can really convey clearly what they DO LIKE or DO WANT. It's always much easier to get solid information about what they dislike about certain logo designs, or don't want.

- J.

[budafist]

Well, there are questions that I would ask, what do they do, target market, colours they like, colours they hate. Often things they hate are quite useful in design because it can save time if what they hate is what you like.

I work blindly at work and hope for the best.

[capezio]

Hmm, is this sarcasm? I really can't tell. :confused:


No it wasn't sarcasm, sorry you thought it could be. I just find it helps to visualize a brand personality more. I have done this a few times even to the extent of creating a mood board, I know it sounds bizarre but for me it works. I don't just do this I also do many of the things mentioned already.

[patkennedy78]

Ok Capezio, you've got me intrigued. Mood Board? Tell me more!!! Can you give a working example of what you were talking about with this.

[transmit failure]

I have refrained from asking what the client wants or even likes in color/design/other logos, because I am concerned that they will be too 'stuck' on getting a red swoosh, to see that a completely different design would actually work better and be more successful for their company. Seems like at that point they would just want us to make something that that one person thinks looks good, as opposed to what would be appropriate for their business.

[capezio]

OK Pat I'll try I'm going back with this one so bear with me.

I'll use the example that I did for my degree major project. A real spa with bath and body products but self initiated project to re-brand.

Narrowed down to brand values of "pure self indulgence, qualiy time and rejeuvenation. > the empahasis being on Pure and quality.

The promise being absolute spiritual excitement and bliss.
The big idea being simply "Nirvana"
From that I did a mood board for quality and luxury just pics cut out of mags, showing textures colurs and imagery and type.

I then thought about the brand personality and cut out pics such as a female face, the things I thought this person would have dog little scottie, car a mini, cosmetics clinique, traditional kitchen with aga but table with cloth and bright red flowry poppies. white bathroom natural soaps.

So on evaluation of the mood board my conclusion was that
The face of the spa as a brand is pure in terms of the complexion, traditional peaches and cream look, however would she wear lace? maybe she would but not in a twee way but in a chic contemporary way with an old fashioned twist. She is fun, likes excitement, is confident likes nice things with good design, smooth clean lines, watch, phone—stainless steel. Uses Clinique cosmetics known for their "pure formulation, bathroom clean and simple, but kitchen is warm and cosy with touches of fun and a joie de vie evident in the bright flowery cloth and tote bag.

From this I had a basis to start building my brand to appeal to 2 audiences. 1. the women that visit the very expensive spa and 2 the women that aspire to the spa through the sensorial experience in their own bathroom by the products they buy in the high street chemist chain quite cheaply.
The USP being the sensorial experience of the spa in yopur own bathroom.

Now I've wittered enough and confused myself.
Its quite hard to explain without the benefit of images and this was weeks of work.

[transmit failure]

^^that's great, would you be willing to post your results?

[jsnyder]

I have a questionaire that I use which is made up of many of the questions you all have stated all ready, but here's a link to it anyhow.
http://www.jsnyderdesign.com/downloads/identity.doc

I like to send them a Word doc that they can fill out so I then have all their comments to copy, paste, etc.

[patkennedy78]

Oh wow capezio...Thank you, some very good insight there!

J - thank you as well. A great document, clear concise, great to get the cleint started.

[Broacher]

I thought this might have been a discussion about what the public visual landscape looked like before advertising every available surface entered the picture. Like when hockey arena boards were white, racing car drivers wore plain coveralls, and t-shirts were solid statements of hue.

I'd say more but I really need to... evaluate this: http://www.wizmark.com/

[patkennedy78]

wiz - mark, LMAO!!! nice one Broacher! Do you actually have those where you work?

But please, do ad your 2 cents on the topic.

[deadlift]

that was me with a really think southern accent ... and "bear" = beer.

i have a slightly different perspective then some of the others... kind of. all of the previous responses are things i would ask as well, but i want the logo to MEMORABLE as much as anything. the logo should be representative of the market and client, but should not be lost in it. if you had a lumber yard, you're probably thinking trees, ya know? maybe play off of that theme. this depends greatly on the client though. some would just want a "tree".

i am actually working on a logo for a guy in my bass (fishing) club. first thing out of his mouth is "i want a picture of a bass, with ..." i stopped him there and asked him to look at the industry (he makes soft plastics, ie worms, lizards, etc.) and to tell me which logos everyone could recognize from a mile away. then he understood why i suggested something different. i told him that the logo was not an ad, it was the company.

other things (apologies if these have been mentioned):
1. budget
2. useage (ads, brochures, t-shirts, stickers, etc.)

* if this is a freelance job, i'd tell the client that after a certain stage of concept, they would have to pay for more changes. i had a client (internal - i was at a big company) who i did over 70 logos for. everytime i brought something in, he'd want what i did last time ... it was ridiculous.

best of luck,
deadlift

[morea]

http://www.creativelatitude.com/downloads/client_questionnaire.pdf

[patkennedy78]

OOH! Thanks Morea. Way to keep this thread alive!

[morea]

mwa ha ha!!! I saw that link and I thought of you, pat. :D

I don't count as a necromoancer if the thread was still warm, do I? :o