5 ms·

Logo Design from Start to Finish

92 points by theandym 17y ago

heyitsnick 17y ago
Interesting article. But does anyone else find the finished design (the vertical shown on the bottle with the leafy 'V' then the letters 'ero') just looks like the product is called 'Ero'? It's certainly the first thing I saw.
maxstoller 17y ago
For those of you who enjoyed this submission, David Pache (Dache) has a section of his portfolio dedicated to such articles. For example, here's the design process for the Directed Edge (YC '09) logo: http://www.dache.ch/thedacheboard/article/directededge_logo/ http://www.dache.ch/thedacheboard/article/directededge_logo/.
- theandym 17y ago
  Great link. It is really important for startups to establish solid visual identities.
benofsky 17y ago
> Logo design in today’s world is totally underrated. I totally disagree take for example the case of the Pepsi versus the Coke logo changes: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/07/pepsivscoke.jpg http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/07/pe... and who is still on top? Coke, because they still have the better product (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC.html http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC.ht...). So, in my opinion a good logo is totally overrated. Sure, Pepsi and Coke are well established brands and maybe this won't apply to a startup but I wouldn't say either of the logos are particularly outstanding, especially the most recent Pepsi one but if I prefer Pepsi over Coke, the logo ain't stopping me. Edit: Just to add, really liked the article just thought the above was an interesting thought.
- docmach 17y ago
  How does Coke have the better product? Maybe Coke's dominance is due to choosing the right logo and sticking with it instead of constantly changing their visual identity.
  - benofsky 17y ago
    You know, now I think more about it, I would very much doubt it does have a better product but that it is down to branding, so maybe logo is important. Not really so sure anymore :). See my reply to briansmith.
  - unalone 17y ago
    Coke's product is less sweet than Pepsi. What that means is that if you're drinking a lot of soda, Coke takes much longer to start tasting repulsive than Pepsi does, even though at first sip Pepsi might taste more delicious for some. That was what led to the New Coke disaster. In taste tests, five out of seven people tested preferred the New Coke taste, because it was sweeter. But when rolled out, people found it got old fast. And while now New Coke is seen as a branding disaster, the truth is if it had been a more appealing product, the brand would have caught on and it might have led to a rout of Pepsi. While most of a brand is perception, the product does matter somewhat.
    - kyro 17y ago
      I actually find Coke a lot more sweet than Pepsi, which is why I've always preferred drinking Pepsi. To me, Pepsi is a lot more clean and crisp, while Coke is sweet and foamy. Of course, I'm sure you'll find people fiercely arguing either of the products that have been competing for ages now, so trying to come up with a rubric based on your taste preference is pretty useless.
      - slyn 17y ago
        "Of course, I'm sure you'll find people fiercely arguing either of the products that have been competing for ages now, so trying to come up with a rubric based on your taste preference is pretty useless." The only people still arguing are those who have not experienced the cola-nirvana that is RC cola. Interestingly enough even RC had it's own can label redesign recently, getting rid of its classy old-school look for a more modern one. The armchair designer in me preferred the old one, it seemed to fit the brand name better. I remember back when it first hit me how perfect the logo design for the Nike swoosh was, it blew my mind. Ever since then I've tried to pay more attention to what companies are trying to portray through the images, fonts, and colors they use in their advertising and logo's.
boredguy8 17y ago
That really looks like two blue leaves to me, and not much at all like water.
- chrischen 17y ago
  Isn't it supposed to be two blue leaves?
  - pbhjpbhj 17y ago
    Article "As you can see, I had the idea of creating a “V” from two “leaves” of water." I don't like the concept, it doesn't say high fashion to me (though the bottle possible does but not in a water-y way) and in no way suggests water - it's more like a lotion bottle to me. I liked the Vero as a logo but the vertical doesn't work as the v is too separated and undefined. "ero" suggests it might be a sex aid, perhaps "cooling lotion". The bottle shape reminds me of "salad cream" - http://greenpasturesint.com/cannedbottledboxed/HeinzSaladCream.jpg http://greenpasturesint.com/cannedbottledboxed/HeinzSaladCre... Nothing particularly unusual about the methodology though I might change my mind once I've seen the questionnaire.
ahoyhere 17y ago
You could get a better logo in 5 minutes with $10 by cruising iStockPhoto. Leaf logos are so, so, SO incredibly passé. This isn't design, it's trendwhoring.
- boundlessdreamz 17y ago
  Try to substantiate your point, when you dismiss something as "easy to do". If it takes only 5 minutes, link to a better logo from iStockPhoto
zaidf 17y ago
I'd be curious to know the dollar range(not exact price, obviously) these folks charge for the logo design.
Ras_ 17y ago
Vero. Now there's a name not suitable for the Finnish market. Vero = tax. Then again, selling water to Finland would be like selling freezers to Inuits. Nice logo. Applied here to the company website: http://verowater.com/ http://verowater.com/ Like heyitsnick, I also read the bottle as logo + "ERO".
Mz 17y ago
I imagine the author of the article actually knows the difference but doesn't clearly distinguish this in the article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo "A logo is a graphical element (ideogram, symbol, emblem, icon, sign) that, together with its logotype (a uniquely set and arranged typeface) form a trademark or commercial brand." So the logo would be the leafy V and the rest of the word combined with it would be the "logotype". That distinction doesn't seem to be made in the article and I think that's a little confusing. I'm sure it's best to design the two things together as they go hand-in-hand, but, strictly speaking, "logotype" is not the logo. I mention it because if you are a start-up trying to do your own logo, that detail might be helpful information. RE: Remarks that the word looks like "ero" on the vertical design. I think it would be more obvious that the leafy V was also a letter if the "V" part of it (in white) was in the same color as the rest of the text. I would also think it would be possible to find a typeface that more closely resembles the style of the "V" in the leaves and this would likely make it more apparent that it's part of the word. Also: I'm reminded of a passage in some book (by Heinlein?) that mocks advertising with "subliminal" sexual suggestions. In the book, a woman proclaims "There's a purple cock in my kitchen!" (The imaginary brand involved a purple rooster as the symbol of a cleaning product, if I recall correctly.) It makes me kind of wonder if the appearance that it says "ero" is some subconscious effort to "sex up" the product. Sex sells and all that.

92 points by theandym 17y ago

Interesting article. But does anyone else find the finished design (the vertical shown on the bottle with the leafy 'V' then the letters 'ero') just looks like the product is called 'Ero'? It's certainly the first thing I saw.

maxstoller 17y ago

For those of you who enjoyed this submission, David Pache (Dache) has a section of his portfolio dedicated to such articles. For example, here's the design process for the Directed Edge (YC '09) logo: http://www.dache.ch/thedacheboard/article/directededge_logo/ http://www.dache.ch/thedacheboard/article/directededge_logo/.

theandym 17y ago
Great link. It is really important for startups to establish solid visual identities.

benofsky 17y ago

> Logo design in today’s world is totally underrated. I totally disagree take for example the case of the Pepsi versus the Coke logo changes: http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/07/pepsivscoke.jpg http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/07/pe... and who is still on top? Coke, because they still have the better product (http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC.html http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC.ht...). So, in my opinion a good logo is totally overrated. Sure, Pepsi and Coke are well established brands and maybe this won't apply to a startup but I wouldn't say either of the logos are particularly outstanding, especially the most recent Pepsi one but if I prefer Pepsi over Coke, the logo ain't stopping me. Edit: Just to add, really liked the article just thought the above was an interesting thought.

docmach 17y ago
How does Coke have the better product? Maybe Coke's dominance is due to choosing the right logo and sticking with it instead of constantly changing their visual identity.
- benofsky 17y ago
  You know, now I think more about it, I would very much doubt it does have a better product but that it is down to branding, so maybe logo is important. Not really so sure anymore :). See my reply to briansmith.
- unalone 17y ago
  Coke's product is less sweet than Pepsi. What that means is that if you're drinking a lot of soda, Coke takes much longer to start tasting repulsive than Pepsi does, even though at first sip Pepsi might taste more delicious for some. That was what led to the New Coke disaster. In taste tests, five out of seven people tested preferred the New Coke taste, because it was sweeter. But when rolled out, people found it got old fast. And while now New Coke is seen as a branding disaster, the truth is if it had been a more appealing product, the brand would have caught on and it might have led to a rout of Pepsi. While most of a brand is perception, the product does matter somewhat.
  - kyro 17y ago
    I actually find Coke a lot more sweet than Pepsi, which is why I've always preferred drinking Pepsi. To me, Pepsi is a lot more clean and crisp, while Coke is sweet and foamy. Of course, I'm sure you'll find people fiercely arguing either of the products that have been competing for ages now, so trying to come up with a rubric based on your taste preference is pretty useless.
    - slyn 17y ago
      "Of course, I'm sure you'll find people fiercely arguing either of the products that have been competing for ages now, so trying to come up with a rubric based on your taste preference is pretty useless." The only people still arguing are those who have not experienced the cola-nirvana that is RC cola. Interestingly enough even RC had it's own can label redesign recently, getting rid of its classy old-school look for a more modern one. The armchair designer in me preferred the old one, it seemed to fit the brand name better. I remember back when it first hit me how perfect the logo design for the Nike swoosh was, it blew my mind. Ever since then I've tried to pay more attention to what companies are trying to portray through the images, fonts, and colors they use in their advertising and logo's.

boredguy8 17y ago

That really looks like two blue leaves to me, and not much at all like water.

chrischen 17y ago
Isn't it supposed to be two blue leaves?
- pbhjpbhj 17y ago
  Article "As you can see, I had the idea of creating a “V” from two “leaves” of water." I don't like the concept, it doesn't say high fashion to me (though the bottle possible does but not in a water-y way) and in no way suggests water - it's more like a lotion bottle to me. I liked the Vero as a logo but the vertical doesn't work as the v is too separated and undefined. "ero" suggests it might be a sex aid, perhaps "cooling lotion". The bottle shape reminds me of "salad cream" - http://greenpasturesint.com/cannedbottledboxed/HeinzSaladCream.jpg http://greenpasturesint.com/cannedbottledboxed/HeinzSaladCre... Nothing particularly unusual about the methodology though I might change my mind once I've seen the questionnaire.

ahoyhere 17y ago

You could get a better logo in 5 minutes with $10 by cruising iStockPhoto. Leaf logos are so, so, SO incredibly passé. This isn't design, it's trendwhoring.

boundlessdreamz 17y ago
Try to substantiate your point, when you dismiss something as "easy to do". If it takes only 5 minutes, link to a better logo from iStockPhoto

zaidf 17y ago

I'd be curious to know the dollar range(not exact price, obviously) these folks charge for the logo design.

Ras_ 17y ago

Vero. Now there's a name not suitable for the Finnish market. Vero = tax. Then again, selling water to Finland would be like selling freezers to Inuits. Nice logo. Applied here to the company website: http://verowater.com/ http://verowater.com/ Like heyitsnick, I also read the bottle as logo + "ERO".

Mz 17y ago

I imagine the author of the article actually knows the difference but doesn't clearly distinguish this in the article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo "A logo is a graphical element (ideogram, symbol, emblem, icon, sign) that, together with its logotype (a uniquely set and arranged typeface) form a trademark or commercial brand." So the logo would be the leafy V and the rest of the word combined with it would be the "logotype". That distinction doesn't seem to be made in the article and I think that's a little confusing. I'm sure it's best to design the two things together as they go hand-in-hand, but, strictly speaking, "logotype" is not the logo. I mention it because if you are a start-up trying to do your own logo, that detail might be helpful information. RE: Remarks that the word looks like "ero" on the vertical design. I think it would be more obvious that the leafy V was also a letter if the "V" part of it (in white) was in the same color as the rest of the text. I would also think it would be possible to find a typeface that more closely resembles the style of the "V" in the leaves and this would likely make it more apparent that it's part of the word. Also: I'm reminded of a passage in some book (by Heinlein?) that mocks advertising with "subliminal" sexual suggestions. In the book, a woman proclaims "There's a purple cock in my kitchen!" (The imaginary brand involved a purple rooster as the symbol of a cleaning product, if I recall correctly.) It makes me kind of wonder if the appearance that it says "ero" is some subconscious effort to "sex up" the product. Sex sells and all that.