Firstly, we were drawn towards the yellow billboard logo becuase its yellow and black colours are so striking. It’s easy to read and it stands out on the page. We think the lights above the billboard need some work as some people may not realise that they are indeed lights.
The smiley faces on the other hand we felt were a little too dumbed down (colourwise mostly) and they might get lost on the page. Also the ones on the far left felt too much like maybe a petrol (gas) station sign to really give that friendly look (that’s the petrol station logo designers fault not Jason’s). And the smiley face coupled with the word Amigo makes you think it’s social software (which it’s not).
We also had an interesting discussion about being careful ‘not to look like other web apps’. I’m not sure whether this is even relevant, because after all if the logo is a good one; it catches people’s eye, makes them feel the way we want them to feel and encourages respect for our product then who cares if it looks just like the Flickr logo. Right?
Well, that should be the case but the web industry is a pretty tight place and sometimes respect comes from doing something ‘new’ and not to be seen to be ‘copying’ others. Right!
There is definitely a need to ’stand out from the crowd’ purely because there are so many new web apps emerging right now. I think this is where the smiley faces come into their own. They are definitely different. Which means that we are leaning towards them - maybe purely for their ‘differentness’ (made-up word, don’t repeat).
But is that because we are children of the industry and being different is what’s required? In truth we think that the yellow billboard (although you could argue a tad predictable) is the best logo there. Oh the decisions!
We asked Jason to work up the two logos that we liked (the tiny billboard and the smiley face). And these are the visuals he sent back. With these comments.
One of the things I really tried to latch onto from the questions I asked you was the idea of friendliness and approachability. I wanted these logos to really feel like a handshake. Very kind, and colorful.
These logos are obviously much tighter than the sketches, but don’t feel like you need to pick just one look and go with it. These aren’t set in stone. Colors and arrangements can change. What we are looking for here is the right feel for a logo. Refer back to your list and see how these compare with what you set out for what Amigo should be.
I really tried to boil these down to their most basic forms, giving the impression of ease of use and simplicity.
First up, the billboard. This is just a basic progression from the logo. I love that it conveys the idea simply. I also included just the basic type treatment apart from the billboard.
Next, the smiley. I tried moving forward with it from the sketch, first a pretty direct interpretation.
Then, I tried to make it a bit more fun and abstract the smile a bit. This turned out pretty well, because it make for a very strong logo that is less overt about the smile. As you can see on the lower left, it also reduces to a very nice iconic form suitable for small usage and branding. Very simple and memorable.
I then took it one step further by playing up the type and name a bit more. Still powerful and iconic, the smile is even further abstracted.
Jason sent through some initial sketches for the logo. They’re great. We’re still thinking about which ones we think we like. Up to now we like the tiny ‘roadside’ billboard-esqe logo in the far top left and the smiley face in the bottom right. Next step is to ask Jason to work up these two logos.
I had been talking to Ryan and Gill about (the now named) Amigo for a little bit. I had a good grasp of what it does and their passion about it, but I wanted to get some really simple and impulsive reactions to a few basic questions. It’s this kind of information that helps me try to get in the mindset of what the design needs to convey. So I sent along this email:
I typically like to start with some sketches before jumping onto the computer. If it’s alright with you guys, I would like to include you in the process. I have tried this a couple of times before with clients and gotten mixed results, but you guys are cool and I definitely think you will get it. Don’t worry, I help you through it :D
What would be good for me right now to get sketching are for you to throw out some info for me. These can be very loose (I don’t even need full sentences). I am just looking for the feeling and emotional responses you want to convey. Stuff like:
- Words you would associate with your new company/service
- What you would like others to think of you/the outward face you would like to portray
- What it will be like using your service
- Can you give me a brief walkthrough for someone using the site? Why do they come to you and what do they get out of it?
This will help me start to work up some rough ideas. And I really mean that when I say rough, so don’t expect the polish yet. We are just trying to get the right idea, the right look will come soon.
And I got some great feedback:
1. Words you would associate with your new company/service?
- Opportunity
- DIY (Do It Yourself)
- Making money
- Marketing products
- Community
- Meeting others
- Mutual gain
- Balance
- Helping each other
- Everyone’s a winner
- Trust
- Self-policing
2. What you would like others to think of you/the outward face you would like to portray?
Want them to think:
- Easy to use and friendly interface
- A great opportunity made real by Amigo
- Grateful that we did it
- There’s no barrier to entry
Like to portray:
- Simple
- Professional yet friendly
- Approachable
- It’s easy, not complex
- A service for everyone
- Clear benefits
3. What it will be like using your service?
- Super easy and intuitive
- Enjoyable
- Creative
- Easy to make money
- Minimal input on both sides
- Quick
- Painless
5. Can you give me a brief walkthrough for someone using the site? Why do they come to you and what do they get out of it?
- They come to the site because they want to market a product, or want to make money.
- What they get out of it is cash and exposure for their product.
Both will feel:
- Happy that they are making use of something that was previously untapped and kind of smug that they are able to make use of that untapped area.
- They may feel that it’s like a secret club and only they know about it or like they are pioneers – doing something no-one else is.
- They may feel clever like they are in the know and testing something new.
- Economical (ie they are making use of every last option)
- Educated – they will tell others about it and probably show them how it works too.
- Like it’s a great opportunity that was never there before.
- Like they are taking the future of their business into their own hands.
We’re off to a great start!