This has been a crazy week for new logos! It seems as if everyone decided to start a business now! Or maybe it just seems that way because less staff equals more work for the non-vacationers. Either way - lets look at some more logos, shall we?

I admit I like anything that resembles a coat of arms. The design suggests class. If there were a lot going on in the design (too much detail), the logo would not work. But, it’s simple enough and recognizable. While there are plenty of logos out there that choose this design it’s hard to differentiate between them, therefore, keeping it simple with less colours helps retain it in one’s memory.

Coffee Works, and so does it’s logo… haha. I think the first thing that caught my attention was its colour and shading. The lighting effect seems to make it stand out, as if you can reach for the cup of Joe. And sometimes the call for caffeine is so strong; you’ll reach out for anything. Also, by the looks of the logo, the place seems like it would be pretty trendy.

This logo’s cool factor is due to the fact that it seems to be just floating there. With the very simple shading under the spheres, there is the illusion the entire company name is suspended in air. It’s also a very simple design and the use of the orange in the center distributes your attention evenly throughout the design.

If you have a logo you’d like me to post in my blog - send it to: lisa@logoadvice.com
It would be my pleasure! Thanks again to www.logobob.com

I took some time to look through our collection of logos created for several small businesses to find what I would consider ART!



This first logo got my attention on to it – then all around it. I found my eyes circulating (or triangulating?) the three 3D images that make up the triangle. You’d think that would be distracting enough to not notice the company’s name, however, this is not the case. With the clever use of colour, your eye becomes drawn to the underlined “o” which is the same colour as the bottom image of the triangle – forcing you to read the name containing the “o”.



If this company decided to use the letter “HDS” only as their logo, it would have been the lamest logo ever. With the addition of what looks like a transparent globe (or beach ball?), the logo looks great! It also creates a false grandeur on the “HDS” lettering, which now looks like it is towering over the world. This look gives the impression of being a very worldwide oriented company.



I really like this logo because it looks valuable. With the light reflection shinning on the “M”, the logo looks like it might be worth something, suggesting that maybe the company is worth looking at. Anything having a metallic look suggests value. Of course, it’s not easy getting the perfect metallic look, but this logo managed to get it right.

More logos to come! All courtesy of www.logobob.com

I discussed an interesting topic the other day: whether or not you would consider logos to be “Art”. Then came the question whether or not you’d consider graphic designers really artists. After all, they are designing something you asked for. Then does that make you the artist? I guess that roots to the very general question of what is art? That’s not something I will get into in a blog… essentially I want to point out the fact that you can bring out your creative side for potential logos, flyers, pamphlets, templates or whatever it may be for your business. It is something you should, no doubt, be proud of.

Generally designers prefer when clients suggest in detail what they expect to have designed, that way there are less redos and more satisfaction on both sides.

Think of your designer as a blank canvas, and your ideas are the tools required to create a masterpiece. Let your ideas flow and watch the designer create art!

Here's a list of "blank canvases" you can contact for further information:

www.logo-mojo.com
www.logobob.com
www.companylogodesign.com
www.logodesign.us
www.a-logo-design.com
www.printinghut.com

My girlfriends and I were having a chat about potential restaurants we would go to that evening, when someone said: “Ladies, how ‘bout we go to the… the place… darn! I can’t remember the name!” This has happened to everyone, a moment of forgetfulness.

I realized this potential choice could have been a great place to dine, if it weren’t for the fact that my friend couldn’t remember the name. Maybe she had a lot on her mind? Or maybe the name just wasn’t memorable enough to make a permanent spot on the Rolodex of restaurants in her mind.

In my previous blog, I posted funny business names that stood out from the ordinary. I’m not saying your business should have a funny, play-on-words company name. If your company name is too “funny” it may not be taken seriously, so, avoid using humor to get people’s attention.

It also helps to have a name that associates with your business. It’s nice to name your company “X” but what does X do? How about “X media”? It still seems vague, but at least we know you’re probably not a bakery, and we can classify you in the media category. How about “X motion media”? Now we can figure you probably have something to do with video. You probably should restrict your name to a few words. The longer the name, the harder it is to remember.

Try to use words that associate with your business without actually mentioning the type of business, for example, If I said I would bring you to a place called “Chapters” where do think you’d b going? a) A Florist shop b) A Jewelers c) A bookstore. Obviously, the answer is C. Or, if I said the name was “Daisy’s” then the answer would be A.

If you can’t come up with a name yourself, there are professionals who can help you. They can also help look into the legal side of picking a name. The last thing you want happening to your business is: picking the perfect name, establishing a name for your business, then getting a lawsuit for copyright, and having to start all over again.

Be creative! And do your research!

These past 2 weeks have been a lazy workweek… possibly because of the excitement of long weekends in mind. So, since my mind is focused on more fun subjects, I decided to post a blog on funny business names.

It can be difficult coming up with a name for your business. It seems like everything is already taken. Coming up with a name is just as difficult as coming up with a logo, and since that is the first step to creating an identity for your business there should be plenty of consideration involved.

Instead of getting into that, however, I’m going to post up a list of funny/cool business names that easily caught my attention. Have fun!

“Passion Knit” – I’m sure you can figure out what they sell here… knitting stuff!!

“T’s me” – I couldn’t find a link to this business… I’m going to assume they sell t-shirts.

“The Monkey Bar & Grill” – Interesting play on words for a restaurant.

“Drapes and Sew Much More” -  A company that sells drapes and so much more products involving sewing (really?!).

“Copy Cat Reproductions” – something having to do with photocopiers maybe?

“Maid in Canada” and “Maid to Measure” – professional cleaning services offered in Canada.

“Grabbajabba” – sounds like a baby’s first word? Hope they credited the kid for their creative assistance.

“Ba-ba-lu’U” – Another child’s design. Ironically enough, it’s a very sexy/classy/luxurious club in an upscale town. I don’t think the name says sexy.

“Mr. Jerk” – We all know a Mr. Jerk, but to name a business after him? That’s bold.

“The First Cup” – I always wondered what happened to the first cup? There has to be a first before there’s a “Second Cup”.

If you know any funny business names, let me know! I can’t get enough! 

When building a rapport with clients or other businesses it is worthwhile to show your appreciation by presenting them a promotional item as a gift. This small gesture may help to provide loyal customers by keeping them aware of your company. Clients may also feel compelled to continue doing business with you since you show awareness to them.

After looking through massive lists of possible products you can put your name on, I cam up with a list of 3 (for now) that seem practical and would be appreciated.

USB keys

Everyone uses/needs at least one of these - even if it’s only 256MB (not much for today’s standards), it’s a decent amount for customers who might be in a rush to back up something. Everyone appreciates extra storage and it’s not really a product people budget in for office supplies. It’s still very handy to have around. However, it can get expensive when ordering a big quantity.



Mini Dry Erase boards/Cork boards.

I write To-Do lists on everything I see. I’m sure you have made to-do lists at least once in your life. Dry erase boards/cork boards are excellent little products that can help remind us of the work – at the same time be reminded of your company. Even if it ends up getting placed on the company refrigerator with messages such as “moldy lunches will be thrown out next week” or several pizza place phone numbers, the point is, it’s getting used. And if it ends up in the lunchroom, better that way! Everyone’s favorite room in office is the lunchroom.
They are also not very expensive as long as you order in bulk.



Business card holders

Nowadays, everyone has business cards. To be honest, even though I have tons of business card holders, I still appreciate them. That way I can place them everywhere, in the office, in my bag, at home – anywhere I may come cross an opportunity to hand out a card. And while I’m reaching for my card, I’m being reminded of the thoughtful company that gave me the holder.



Basically, you’ll want to give out a useful product that will continuously remind the receiver of your company. Check out promo websites and see what other products interest you!

While we’re on the subject of logos, we’ll continue with the importance of colours in logos. For now, I’ll focus on Yellow/Gold Grey/Silver Brown/Bronze. The reason I paired the colours up, is because they generally have the same functions, and sometimes it’s difficult to get the metallic look of gold, silver and bronze so companies pick yellow, grey, and brown as an alternative.

If I want my company to reflect value, honor, or quality – I’d choose Yellow/Gold:

Well of course every owner wants their company to reflect value or quality, but sometimes it just doesn’t work with certain businesses. It may be too intimidating to prospective clients. It may give an impression that the company is too majestic and some clients are looking for simple, or feel they would not be able to afford the products/services offered by the company. Still, yellow or gold illustrates high standards that may be helpful for clients who are looking for quality and professionalism.



If I want my company to reflect value but simple and affordable – I’d choose Grey/Silver.

If you don’t win the gold, but get the silver, it means there is potential. Grey/Silver gives the idea that it is suited for the middle class. Some companies do focus on the middle class since it is highest consumer group. Grey and Silver can also get away with looking like platinum - which is still worth more than gold. If you do choose to have a grey logo, try to get your designer to make it look metallic or paired with another colour, grey alone may be a little dull.



If I want my company to reflect practicality and affordability – I’d choose Brown/Bronze.

Brown is a very earthy colour, suggesting elemental or basic needs. If you provide a service or product that is regarded as an essential need or service, then brown or bronze can help give the notion that your company is more or an investment than a luxury purchase. Since Bronze is the lowest on the metallic scale (of bronze, silver, and gold) it suggests affordability (not to be confused with ‘cheap’) as well as quality.



Ask yourself some questions before you decide to get that logo designed. How do you want your company to be presented? Who are your potential clients? These are questions your logo designer will most likely ask you, so be prepared. You may want to use yellow as your main colour, but your designer may suggest otherwise. Everyone has their own ideas on colour. You may remember a yellow bike you had when you were a kid, and now the thought of yellow made you think of youth or fun times. What may be fun for you may be considered different for others. Try and go for a more generalized idea represented by the masses.

If you feel your logo’s colour isn’t working out to your original thoughts, change it! There’s nothing wrong with a little change. Ask one of our designers at logo-mojo!

         VS.      

Coca Cola and Pepsi have always been rivals in the beverage industry, but if you never heard of either of them, and you had the choice to choose one, which would you go for basing your decision solely on the logo? I decided to take this question to the public and surprisingly the results were split.

Here were some answers I got from asking: Which logo do you prefer the Coke or Pepsi logo? And why?

“(Pepsi) Cause of the colour balance if you needed to know why.  ;P”

“(Coke) I like the font...”

“(Pepsi)..better colours”

“(Pepsi) its cooler lookin”

“(Pepsi)dunno....like blue and red... haha”

“(Coke) I dunno its just a classic lol”

“(Coke) I like the bright red”

“(Coke) red w the bubbles w the nice font lettering…classic”


If you doubted me in my last blog when I said colour is very important, here’s the proof that it does make an impact. Five out of eight responses mentioned their choice was based on the colours used.

Both companies use red in a way to catch attention. I’m sure had Coke used a dull brown as their logo, I wouldn’t have gotten responses like “I like the dull brown”.

I also noticed something interesting about the responses. The majority of people who answered Pepsi were more technical oriented people (i.e. computer engineers or bank managers) while those who chose Coke were more artistic/creative (i.e. writers or performers). The Coke folk seem to like the ‘classic’ look, while the Pepsi people prefer a more modern design. 

I personally belong in the creative/artistic category. I prefer the Coke logo for it’s more cursive font, it’s single use of a colour (red, my favorite) and it’s use of old motifs (i.e. the original coke bottles). Still, Pepsi’s logo is ‘cool’ looking with it’s yin yang balance of blue and red, simple font, and 3D effect.

It seems like Coke and Pepsi are at a split vote in the beverage department as well as for the preference of their logos. I’m sure both companies are aware of the reactions they get from their logos, and that is why they both seem to target a different group of individuals.

So if you know what look you are going for and who you'd like to target, let your logo designer know! Maybe they can create a brilliant design that will get as response like "It's cooler lookin".

Choosing colours for your logo can be tricky. Although you may think it’s not that important  - it really is. Our minds easily pre associate colour with certain meanings. When you think pink, your initial reaction may be to think of it as feminine, while blue may be considered masculine. Different shades of colour are just as important, while blue may be considered masculine, a pastel blue or baby blue isn't.

I’d like to focus on a few colours for now. Eventually I’ll deal with other major colours, but for now we’ll discuss red, blue, and green.

If I want a logo to provoke and stimulate an interest (or I own a fast food chain), I’ll choose Red:

Red stands out next to anything, that’s probably why we stop at red lights. It’s a signifier that tells us to “stop” and look. A red logo is great for catching someone’s attention. This is a great feature for fast food chains. While you’re driving home from work and your eye is keeping a look out for anything red, you’ll most likely come across a fast food logo and stop to think “gee, maybe I am in the mood for some KFC”. Red may also be associated with risk taking, and sometimes clients don’t want to take risks, they want to deal with a secure business – which may be a drawback to using red. Don’t decide to go red just because you want your logo to attract attention, there are other colour features that may be better associated with your company.



If I have a formal and professional company, I’ll choose Blue:

The colour of business is blue. Why? I don’t really know, maybe because all of my business text books where in blue, or maybe because the world from far looks blue, and all businesses want to control the world (no…I just made that up). Still, blue has a very
worldly sophisticated connotation to it. Dark blues are a lot more professional looking, so stick with blue if you are a professional.



If I have an ambitious company that aims for growth and progress, I’ll choose Green:

Green has a natural and organic association to it. While money doesn’t grow on trees, it still has the same colour, and if trees and nature are associated with growth, then money can be as well. So, if you want to give off the impression that your company is a money growing investment, then go for green, Green is also associated with being environmental friendly. If your company has a natural and organic quality then you should reflect that by using a green logo.



When I suggest colours, I don’t mean only sticking to one colour. You can have a logo that has all 3 colours I just mentioned, but you should have at least one dominant colour. When you begin your logo designing process, don't forget to ask advice from the graphic designer - they can suggest which colours best suit your company.

Brochures should be a big priority in your company’s development. It becomes the means in which your services/products are identified. There are a few basics you should keep in consideration if you decide to print brochures for your company. Ideally, you’ll want to make one that customers will keep around in case they ever need your company’s services/products.

First you should set a budget before anything. Target how many you would need printed, that way you can decide which features are best for you (quality vs. quantity?).

Colour or B&W?

If you’re printing a large quantity of brochures that will most likely end up in the garbage, then go for the black & white – obviously, because colour is very expensive. Event though you print in B&W, you should make a few copies in colour and keep them around the office. Colour always looks a lot more professional and you’ll want to save those ones to give out to people like investors.

What type of paper?

When you think of brochures, you think paper with a glossy finish to it. People will most likely be less inclined to throw out a brochure that is glossy and in colour. While laser paper usually has a smooth finish to it, ask the printing centre you’re getting them done at to provide you with a sample of different papers and compare prices.

The Look?

A brochure should be designed so that is can be folded or cut down in size. Try not to have a full-page size as you’re brochure. If you’re not sure what to do, get a graphic designer to design one. I’ve already mentioned how much I despise templates for business cards, but that goes for brochures as well. Be original with the look, you want the prospective client to scan the brochure and make note of it. If something sticks out, they will more likely remember your company.

I have a drawer full of brochures, not because I feel inclined to keep every one I get, but they all look so pretty I hate to throw them out (haha… just kidding). There may come a time when I’ll need my windows professionally washed so I’ll consult the drawer of brochures for a local company. While I probably received plenty of window-washing company brochures on regular 20lb paper that cost 0.04$ print on, it most probably ended up in the garbage (I mean the recycling… please recycle folks). Like I mentioned people tend to generally keep around the colour brochures that are printed on glossy paper and you want them to keep it around.

So with those basics in mind - print away!