Logo Design Love » Talking

Indian rupee symbol selected

David Airey — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:37:16 +0000

Gurpreet Singh shows his artwork depicting Uday Kumar’s new graphic symbol for the Indian Rupee.

In a quick follow-up my previously published Indian rupee options post, a new symbol has been approved by the Indian cabinet.

Those reading via email subscription can view the YouTube video here.

The design was chosen in a competition won by a teacher at one of the country’s Indian Institutes of Technology. Uday Kumar’s design was chosen from a shortlist of five and he was awarded around £3,500 in prize money. Interestingly, the short-list of five that was in circulation didn’t include the chosen option.

The symbol won’t be printed or embossed on currency notes or coins, but will be included in the Unicode Standard and major scripts of the world to ensure that it’s easily displayed and printed in the media.

The symbol will also distinguish the Indian currency from some other currencies in the region, like those of Pakistan and Nepal — also called rupee.

Among currencies with distinctive identities, only the pound sterling has its symbol printed on the notes.

Reported elsewhere:

Published on Logo Design Love

Brand New Conference

David Airey — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:08:19 +0000

November will bring the first Brand New Conference. Looks excellent, doesn’t it?

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The folly of logo design SEO

David Airey — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:01:17 +0000

Here I share the often shady SEO tactics in the “logo design” niche, and highlight what you’ll be competing against, should you choose to.

Let’s start with a little context.

A quick Google.com search for “logo design” pulls the following top 10:

logoyes.com
logoworks.com
logodesign.com
logodesignguru.com
thelogocompany.net
logomaker.com
logoblog.org
logomyway.com
e-logodesign.com
logodesignworks.com or logoinn.com (interchangeable)

Most of these websites have been running for many years, and have generated a huge amount of backlinks (SEO equity).

#2 on the list, Hewlett Packard’s logoworks.com (embroiled in the incredible Logoworks saga from a few years back), also owns #3, logodesign.com, and #6, the DIY logomaker.com.

#4, Logo Design Guru (LDG), has it’s own DIY logo maker, logosnap.com, which hovers around #15 in Google’s results. LDG also owns “Graphic Design Blog” (graphicdesignblog.org) which you might’ve seen — a site known for the practice of logo raiding (where logos are featured without any attempt to credit the designer responsible, purely to boost SEO and increase traffic). The main banner on graphicdesignblog.org points to the LDG-owned design contest site, mycroburst.com (most of you will know why I think there’s a problem with online design contests).

LDG has its own WordPress blog (logodesignguru.wordpress.com) that does a nice job of logo raiding.

Is that my hand on the LDG blog? Yes, it is.

But I think LDG’s WordPress-hosted effort (screen-grabbed above) is a lesser link-generation project than its main blog — and #7 on the list — logoblog.org. Logoblog.org showcases what is supposedly a client-determined list of the top 10 logo design companies, so surely it’s a coincidence how the owner is ranked at #1, with sister-site Mycroburst close behind at #2.

LDG has yet another design blog (blog.logodesignguru.com) where I found this useful quote:

“Don’t be a thief. Blogs are meant to share genuine thoughts and opinions and although content writing can be difficult at times, it’s better to have the satisfaction of knowing that ideas you share actually belong to you and are completely original.”

Good advice. So I’d like to see logoblog.org and graphicdesignblog.org practice what they preach and at least give credit to the oblivious designers whose logos are being regurgitated over and over — you know the posts; “20 great (insert animal name here) logos” etc. No link. No credit.

Paid links with specific anchor text

One of the most effective ways to achieve strong search engine rankings is through links that point from other sites to yours (the strength, or trust, of the site linking to you makes a huge difference, too) which is why #8 on the list — the design contest site logomyway.com — is continuously buying “paid reviews” on high-traffic blogs such as John Chow, SpeckyBoy, Naldz Graphics, 1stWebdesigner, WebAppers, and many more.

I once received a Google penalty for selling links without using the “nofollow” tag (Google urges webmasters to use this tag on paid links so as not to game the system). But nowadays it seems like Google has become less strict, because all of the above reviewers (with the exception of John Chow — who knows more than most about the consequences) have sold Google juice to logomyway.com (i.e., they don’t use the “nofollow” tag), therefore helping elevate the contest site up the search engine rankings.

The paid reviews I listed above use specific anchor text in the links pointing to logomyway.com (and I’ll bet the words were specifically requested when the review was purchased). “Logo design” or “logo designer” for instance. The reason? Linking to logomyway.com using the text “logo design” will help the site rank higher for that specific search term.

Last year SEOmoz listed keyword-focused anchor text from external links as the most important ranking factor.

The value of strong, “trustworthy” incoming links is demonstrated by #1 on the list, logoyes.com. It’s part of the high-traffic Web.com Group, and a vast amount of Google juice is passed between the various Web.com brands, making logoyes.com an incredibly difficult site to topple.

Don’t compete. Stand out.

I don’t compete with companies who offer a logo and nothing more (or 99 logos, for that matter). In the words of Michael Bierut, “logos are not that hard to do.” In fact, it’s practices like those I’ve described that frequently have me second-guessing my decision to name this blog Logo Design Love.

My advice for the aspiring designers amongst you is to not concern yourself with these companies or the search results they occupy. Instead, offer your clients more than just a logo. Offer a visual identity system that incorporates a complete range of promotional items (stationery, signage, usage guidelines, web presence, etc.).

If a client needs something you can’t provide (or something you prefer not to specialise in) why not partner with other graphic designers? You may find you can attract a much higher calibre of client, too.

By focusing less on logos, and more on brand identity systems, you will remove the need to compete with the lowest common denominator.

That’s how to strengthen your position in the market.

More logo design SEO posts elsewhere

If you have any insights of your own, do comment or send an email.

“Bullseye” image credit

Published on Logo Design Love

Michael Bierut talking logos

David Airey — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:08:19 +0000

From a recent interview with Pentagram partner Michael Bierut.

“The truth about logos is that they are not that hard to do. If you ask people in the US what logos they like and recognise, they’ll name Target or Nike. Target for example, is just a dot with a circle around it, that’s all it is, so if you want a logo like Target, you don’t need to hire a designer, you barely need to know how to operate a computer program, the logo may as well be anything. God knows we do a lot of them here, but I think the best work in the area comes down to what most designers would agree on: the obvious thing, it’s not the actual logo but how it is used.”

[...]

“There is this peculiar obsession with kerning on Brand New. I’ve realised that it’s because that’s what a lot of the people who comment on the site do during their work day: kern type. They don’t spend a lot of time presenting challenging identities to tough, cynical boards of directors at major corporations. A lot of them would never have done that, but they’ve adjusted the space between letters and it’s something they can react to with absolute authority. It’s fun, it’s anyone’s game, and everyone can have an opinion on a logo. I try to take it all with a grain of salt; I’ve never taken them seriously. I think that you could design a terrible logo for a good company with great people and they could build it into a great program. Alternatively you could design what seems to be a brilliant logo for people who are not smart or energetic or are incapable of associating with anything positive and it would become a terrible logo.”

Read the full interview on Facing Sideways.

Michael Bierut was involved in these previously featured Pentagram projects:

Published on Logo Design Love

Fast food logos trigger fast behaviour

David Airey — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:01:57 +0000

Human behaviour researchers Chen-Bo Zhong and Sanford Devoe have found that subliminal exposure to fast food symbols, such as McDonalds’ golden arches, induces haste and impatience.

“Just thinking about these foods can boost our preferences for time-saving goods and even nudge us towards financial decisions that value immediate gains over future returns. Fast food, it seems, is very appropriately named.”

More information about the study on ScienceBlogs. Via @TheLogoFactory.

McDonalds arches photo courtesy of Metro.co.uk.

Published on Logo Design Love

Are iconic logos designed, or bought?

David Airey — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:01:31 +0000

What are the most iconic logos you can think of?

Coca Cola? IBM? I Love New York? Shell?

These designs have one thing in common: a huge marketing spend.

Can we create a truly iconic logo without the backing of a very fat wallet?

Something I was thinking about earlier.

Shell logo by Raymond Loewy, 1971.

Published on Logo Design Love

“Logos are dead.”

David Airey — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:28:10 +0000

Image from Flickr

Simon Manchipp, one of three creative directors and partners at London-based studio SomeOne, said on Twitter yesterday:

“Logos are dead. Yet we have been featured in the new book Logo Design Love as an example of how to do Logos.

“They are a hangover from old-school thinking about branding. There is no desire by the public for a new logo. They are simply an old-fashioned approach to differentiating products or services.”
— SIMON MANCHIPP

Upon questioning, Manchipp explicitly meant, “…that symbols invented to accompany brand names are a waste of time, money and effort.”

I asked David Law, Manchipp’s partner at SomeOne (and the man who kindly submitted SomeOne’s designs for inclusion in my book), what he thought of his colleague’s statement:

“It’s something we have been debating internally for quite a while.

“When you look at brands like O2, its success lies in the richness and depth of its brand world (bubbles, blue grad etc.). This forms a flexible branded platform that is instantly recognisable — you could remove the logo and still know the brand. The logo in itself is not the ‘hero’.

“In the past, brands like IBM and FedEx traded on the logo as the ‘hero’. We see it even today.

“So while we all acknowledge that the logo is not about to disappear — and that it is still an important part of any brand toolkit — there is a case for applying more emphasis on brand worlds.

“The ‘favicon’ or ‘twibbon’ is now the equivalent of the ‘black and white fax’ that we all learnt (years ago) was the minimum requirement for a logo to be recognisable as. These are much smaller applications than we have ever had to deal with, and ones where traditional logos are struggling.

“Brands now ‘move’ as standard — being ‘Apple‘ implies all sorts of physics that lend attributes to the brand and do not rely on the logo to do everything.

“Lastly, the amount of platforms, media, applications (and now ‘experiences’) that need to be branded has multiplied significantly with technology. People simply get bored quicker and brand worlds allow the conversation to ‘flow’.

“Yes, the logo is the ultimate ‘rechargeable battery’ of the brand and is the final distillation of all the brand’s attributes BUT what we are debating (and we haven’t reached any conclusion) is that if the brand world is powerful enough, could the ‘logo’ simply be the company name designed in a simple, ownable way? Possibly, dare I say it, with no symbol to sit alongside it?”
— DAVID LAW

Symbol or no symbol is a valid question, and one I talk about in my book:

“Sometimes your client just needs a professional logotype to identity its business. Use of a symbol can be an unnecessary addition.

“This is something you want to determine at the outset of the project. Ask your client if she has a preference one way or another. If the company is entertaining ideas about future expansion into other markets, it might be better to opt for a distinctive logotype, because an identifying mark or symbol might prove restrictive.”
— LOGO DESIGN LOVE, THE BOOK

Quoted from chapter 11 of Logo Design Love.

So while Manchipp’s initial “Logos are dead” quote might be over the top, it does raise an interesting debate.

Published on Logo Design Love

Slow news day

David Airey — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:01:37 +0000

Apparently it’s harder than I thought to be original.

“You gotta wonder — at least I did — if Apple was inspired by the creative doodlings of AOL in crafting their invitation to their press event on Jan. 27, where the highly anticipated tablet, or ‘iSlate’, device is expected to appear.

“A similar artistic sentiment appears to be at work in both instances. You’ve got bursts of bright colors that encase the company’s logo (Apple) or name (Aol).”

Slow news day at The Baltimore Sun.

Published on Logo Design Love

The Identity Recession

David Airey — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:54:31 +0000

The following is excerpted with permission from Tony Spaeth’s Winter 2010 article in The Conference Board Review.

The identity recession: Why are companies so cautious about rebranding themselves?

A downturn can represent an opportune time to rebrand. In a time of turmoil, companies find themselves rethinking their customer base, their lines of business, their very identity. Some retreat to focus on their core competencies; others look to expand by snapping up troubled competitors.

You’d think more would publicize their shifts with new logos and identities, particularly when newspapers and TV stations are practically giving away ad pages and commercial slots. And indeed, some companies did launch rebrandings in 2009. Several are worth studying for their strategic interest, excellent execution, and perhaps for their courage.

[...]

To quote Hayes Roth, chief marketing officer for Landor Associates: “In a downturn, there is no better way to increase share than to invest in marketing while others are retrenching, just like there’s no better time to buy a house when others are selling. There’s just one catch to the theory: You have to have the cash on hand. And in 2009, the bottom fell out of the capital market, so understandably, clients are cautious about spending money. This has impacted rebranding initiatives, and corporate advertising and PR as well.”

[...]

…good design—systemwide—is just like good accounting: It both reflects and demonstrates the presence of effective management. And a rebranding can be anything but cosmetic: Well planned and timed, it can be the single most powerful agent of change at a leader’s command. And certainly, it can also be the most cost-effective—in the larger scheme of things, we’re talking peanuts. (The base price of implementing a non-retail institutional rebranding can be little more than the cost of a signature change.)

[...]

Prospects for rapid recovery from the identity recession look very good indeed.

Read the full article on tcbreview.com: The Identity Recession.

Tony Spaeth is a corporate identity consultant based in Rye, N.Y. Additional views and reflections can be seen on his website Identity Works.

Via @BlairThomson.

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UEFA EURO 2012 logo revealed

David Airey — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:44:14 +0000

The logo and slogan of next European football championships, EURO 2012, were unveiled yesterday at a ceremony in Ukraine’s capital.

UEFA President Michel Platini (centre), Poland Soccer Federation President Grzegorz Lato (left) and Ukrainian FA president Grigoriy Surkis (right) took part in the official presentation in downtown Kiev.

The logo is shows the stalk of a flower with three branches. A ball is depicted around the central flower, with the left flower being red and white (the colors of Poland’s flag) and the right flower being yellow and blue (the colors of Ukraine’s flag).

“The vivid colors of the logo are a perfect fit with the image that Poland and Ukraine want to give to the world,” said Platini at the ceremony.

“The symbolism of a plant that grows is fully in line with the aspirations of the two host countries, and I am sure that we will be creating history together, with the staging of the UEFA European Football Championship in central and eastern Europe for the first time,” he said.

Quoted from People’s Daily Online.

The following is excerpted from the UEFA website.

Visual identity
The purpose of the logo is to give UEFA EURO 2012™ a personality of its own, with the visual identity to be applied across a range of promotional applications from tickets to web banners. The objective is to help promote the tournament – one of the world’s biggest sporting events – by providing an easily recognisable identity with a flavour of the host nations. The logo takes its visual lead from ‘wycinanka’, the traditional art of paper cutting practised in rural areas of Poland and Ukraine, as a tribute to the fauna and flora of the region.

EURO bloom
The ‘bloom’ logo has a flower representing each of the co-host nations and a central ball symbolising the emotion and passion of the competition, while the stem denotes the structural aspect of the competition, UEFA and European football. Nature has inspired other features of the visual identity, with woodland green, sun yellow, aqua blue, sky blue and blackberry purple being the crucial tones of the palette of colours to figure in official tournament branding.

Uniting ethos
The event slogan, meanwhile, is ‘Creating History Together’. The staging of the UEFA European Championship finals in Poland and Ukraine, a first for Central and Eastern Europe, will have a place in the history books, with everyone involved in UEFA EURO 2012™ – organisers, host countries, host cities, players and fans – contributing to another exciting chapter of European football.

I’d love it if the organisers moved back to a style of design similar to the ’84, ’88, and ’92 championships.

They weren’t perfect, but I reckon they’re stronger than the cartoon designs that have followed since.

Lovely video, though.

Update: 15 December 2009
As stated on Creative Review, the design is by Portuguese group Brandia Central, ~~with strategy and creative direction by Futurebrand~~ who worked alone on the project (thanks, João).

A video of the unveiling presentation can be viewed here.

Image credit: Daylife

Logo Design Love » Talking

Indian rupee symbol selected

Published on Logo Design Love

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Brand New Conference

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The folly of logo design SEO

Paid links with specific anchor text

Don’t compete. Stand out.

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Michael Bierut talking logos

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Fast food logos trigger fast behaviour

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Are iconic logos designed, or bought?

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“Logos are dead.”

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Slow news day

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The Identity Recession

The identity recession: Why are companies so cautious about rebranding themselves?

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UEFA EURO 2012 logo revealed

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