Just M

[Heartburn_02]

I wonder what your opinions are on this "M", considering the 6 attributes, I read about recently, that a logo should possess.

I purposely haven't given any indication as to the logo's application, since I am only interested in how it appears rather than whether you see it as relevant or not.

So forgetting about relevance, I would ask, is it

Simple
Versatile
Memorable
Distinctive
Timeless

Thanks

[Sketcher]

It could be all of those things, but if it doesn't represent your brand to your target market the way you want it to, then it's not good.

What is this logo for? How is it going to be used? What kind of customers or clients is it supposed to attract?

[Heartburn_02]

Thanks Sketcher, but surely from time to time you spot a logo and you think to yourself, wow, that's really superb, without even knowing what the logo is for, or who it is trying to attract? That's why I didn't indicate it's function. I want something which is good completely irrespective of who it's aimed at. Take the IBM logo for example. Is it good because it suits its audience or is it just good, no matter who the audience are?

Here is later iteration also.

[Sketcher]

The attractiveness of a logo all depends on who is looking at it. To me, your logo looks like one for a video game company because of it's style. With some market research, you might find that the people who find your logo attractive are in the 14 - 20 age group. But if that logo is actually for a furniture store, then your logo is attractive to the wrong market.

As for the IBM logo, there's reasoning behind it that is well thought out for their particular market:

http://www.famouslogos.org/ibm-logo

Shape of IBM Logo:
IBM logo holds a rectangular structure which defines high corporate approach of the company. Inside the rectangle, the words IBM are inscribed in a highlighting fashion. This shape was adopted in the new IBM logo design and has never been used earlier.

Color of IBM Logo:
Black tint is used graciously in the IBM logo. This is one of the most professional colors that can be used for logo designs. Black explains the strength of the company and gives a new direction to the logo class.

Font of IBM Logo:
IBM logo represents a very simple and hard to forget typeface. The letters are emblazoned in a bold font which projects decent characteristics of the firm and its products. Alphabets in IBM logo have horizontal stripes which furthermore underline the attributes of IBM industry.

[skribe]

Neither one of your logos say "M" to me. The second one I find more attractive, but nether one communicate anything to me. In my opinion a good logo communicates a idea or a message. A great logo can communicate without any supporting logo text.

[Heartburn_02]

Originally Posted by skribe

Neither one of your logos say "M" to me. The second one I find more attractive, but nether one communicate anything to me. In my opinion a good logo communicates a idea or a message. A great logo can communicate without any supporting logo text.

Thanks skribe.

Could you say that about the Apple logo though?

What idea or message would it communicate?

Would it communicate anything?

Yet it is still recognised as being "good".

[skribe]

Uh well yes it says "Apple." Which just so happens to be the name of the company. So it communicates effectively.

Not all company names are so easy to capture. Nor are ideas always easy to present in every logo.

[Sketcher]

The first Apple logo consisted of Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree. The current logo evolved from that. It represents discovery and innovation, all things Apple is known for.

[Heartburn_02]

Originally Posted by skribe

Uh well yes it says "Apple." Which just so happens to be the name of the company. So it communicates effectively.

Not all company names are so easy to capture. Nor are ideas always easy to present in every logo.

Exactly my point.

The viewer doesn't need to know anything about the product or the company to appreciate the logo.

It stands alone on it's own.

As I said at the thread start, I'm not really interested in who thinks what is relevant since that is personal opinion.

I was more interested in the graphical impact rather than a psychological analysis.

A psychological analysis isn't required to know for example when an image is badly out of balance.

[Heartburn_02]

Originally Posted by Sketcher

The first Apple logo consisted of Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree. The current logo evolved from that. It represents discovery and innovation, all things Apple is known for.

I didn't know that history, yet I still appreciated the logo.

I imagine very few of the population know that either.

I would never have connected the two without your telling me, yet I still can't connect the chunk of the apple that is missing with the Issac Newton story, or how the missing chunk portrays anything to do with innovation.

Its all very well in hindsight saying it is very suitable, but I do believe that it is possible to say the graphics of such and such are good or bad without knowing anything of the theory, but just by viewing the graphics.

I believe once you tie yourself to that theory you have limited yourself to a large degree, since you are in reality saying you can't give an opinion on an image until you get some data first about the image.

I don't for one minute suggest I understand what goes on inside the mind of an abstract artist or what they are trying to convey, achieve, express. But nevertheless, I can look at their work and can either like or dislike it instantly.