Company Design- Final EVERYTHING!

Hey everyone- here's some final images of almost all my B.Green materials. Take a look, give me some feedback because even though it's "Final", we all know things in our company designs will get changed for portfolio review.

 

This is my revised Business system I turned in earlier this semester. I made revisions to it after receiving feedback in class critique, and I'll be posting the Final Final version shortly.

Company Design- System Application Ideas

I have a few ideas for system applications. Here's a brief description of each.

Idea #1: A mock website.

Idea #2: Magazine Ads. 

This would be a series of ads. Each would have a white background, or possibly a subtle texture to counteract the flat glossiness of magazine paper. There would be one item in the middle of the page, one big tagline, and then a small blurb describing B.Green. For example, one of these ads would have an image of a kitchen sink, but it would be all in green tones. The tagline would say "We green everything and the kitchen sink". The other ads would have the same idea; an image in green tones with a clever/play on words phrase to grab attention, then a small paragraph about what B.Green does, with the logo at the bottom.

Idea #3: A Promo Kit.

This would be a kit of items/information that could be given away at energy showcases, state fair, conventions, ect. Everything would come in a natural material canvas bag with the B.Green logo. I was thinking it could also include a low-energy florescent lightbulb with B.Green packaging on it, and also some information for prospective clients. (what B.Green does, how they do it, how to get involved, ect.)

Company Design- Standards Manual Rough

Hey everyone- Here's my rough of my standards manual so far. Sorry I don't have a whole lot yet... I'm still ideating about how I want to this work and what I want it to communicate. But here's an idea. It would be bound at the top with some sort of natural material. It's fairly small, about 7 inches tall and 4 inches wide. It's simple like the rest of my identity. I want it to be very simple and clear. Let me know what you think!

Company Design- Business System Rough #2

Here's my second business system idea- In this one I incorporated some lines as background image to mimic architectural drawings, since my business deals with homes and home improvements. I stuck with all green for this one, but I think a secondary color might be a good idea.

 

Company Design- Business System Rough #1

Hey everyone- Here's my first idea for a business system. It's not very refined yet, but I was going for a refined, sophisticated color palette and shapes using earthy colors. Feel free to post any comments.

Company Design- Logo Final Revised

After today's logo critique I decided to make some small adjustments to my logo. If you have any thoughts on the changes, please let me know.

First off, I made the G the same height as the other letters. After I shrank the letter to match, I beefed up the stroke so it matches the other letters. I think the word "Green" now flows much better, and fits better under the flat bottom of the "B". This allowed me to make "Green" a little bigger, so hopefully it stands out more than it did before.

Also, when I zoomed in really close I noticed that the top and bottom of the "B" bowed outwards. I'm sure this works when the letter is being used normally, but when it's used as a large icon, it looked strange. So I flattened out the bottom and top. 

As Ange suggested, I also took the word "Green" out of the small logo. Now it's a monogram with just "B." 

Lastly, I opened up the spacing around the words just a little, giving the letters more breathing room as Claire suggested.

Thanks for all the great feedback today guys! Those little suggestions end up making a big difference. It's all about details!

Company Design- Business System Examples

Hey everyone- Here's three examples of business systems I found to be exceptionally interesting. Take a look!



This company is called "Monster". With a name like that, the possibilities for fun are endless and this company sure took advantage of that. The systems uses really fun, expressive characters, maximizes the effect of white space, and even has pull tab mailers that make the monsters move! How cool is that!?!






I chose business system as one of my examples because it's similar to one of the directions I was thinking about taking my own company's system. The use of recyled-looking materials and images of textured, natural materials would relate very well to the concept of B.Green.




I chose this system as another example because I thought it was interesting how they broke common conventions. Usually you see information at the top or bottom of letterhead, but this company put it in the lower right-hand edge, and it's very effective. I also thought it was interesting how they used a solid color with negative white space to print the swoosh-element.

Company Design- Standards Manual Example

Hey everybody- here's an example of a standards manual I found. It's for a company called "Igloo".

I found many standards manuals on-line and the vast majority were for Universities- I'm not really sure why. Maybe Universities aren't so hush-hush with their logos? A lot of the University manuals, along with a good number of the other ones I came across, we pretty lacking in personality. They were well structured, organized and clear, but they didn't visually communicate the personality or values of the organizations. I thought this manual for Igloo had the most personality and life of any of the examples I found. I really want to focus on having my manual speak to the values and personality of B. Green. Even though the manual is for professionals, not customers, it should still communicate the same things about B. Green that any promotional piece would. So that's why I picked the Igloo style manual- because they kept their brand personality strong within it.

Check out the full Igloo Standards Manual here.

Company Design- Logo Final

So here it is! The final logo!
I got some great feedback from everyone on Wednesday- thanks to everyone! Now it's on to working on the business system. I'm thinking something with clean lines, lots of natural/organic textures or photos as visual elements, and possibly some architectural elements as well (after all, the business is about houses!) If you have any other feedback or constructive criticism, my ears are always open, so let me know! See everyone in class on Monday.

Company Design- Logo In Progress

Here are my two revised logos. The largest images in each file are the main logos and the smaller images below are ideas for supporting visual images/the visual language of the company. Please let me know what you think if you don't get a chance in class tomorrow!

I created this first revised logo because I wanted one that felt less heavy than the solid green areas found in the other revised logo. I also wanted an option that didn't have the name of the company incorportated in the logo. This logo can exist separate from the wordmark, while the other cannot.

This logo is a simplified version of the logo seen in my roughs from my last blog post. I really like the simplicity and sophistication this logo has, but I'm little concerned that it says Martha Stewart more than a home-greening business. I'm also afraid that having green in the name and a solid green logo screams GREEEEEN! a little too much. Please let me know what you think!

Company Design- Logo Ideas

Here's my batch of logo roughs.
I liked the type treatment best on the horizontal "GreenHouse" logo, and the image best in the circular "B.Green" logo. My group agreed during our critique, so I'm going to go keep exploring those two options. I'm definitely going with the name B.Green. I think it speaks to the audience of 30s-middle aged, upper class women. It communicates the environmental theme as well as prestige and style. So let me know what you think about the roughs and my name choice! Thanks!

Company Design- Style Boards

Here they are- take a look!

Company Design- Design Brief

Here it is. The brief.

GreenTeam.
Friendly. Professional. Holistic. Responsible. Green.
These words embody the personality of GreenTeam. We help homeowners give their home a holistic greening by going farther than the other energy-efficiency consultants. The other guys just scratch the surface, tell homeowners what improvements to make, then leave. We actually stick around and make those changes happen. We’re also different from the competition because we look beyond the hardware and appliances to help clients make every aspect of their home healthy, green and responsible. Sure, we’ll help them replace that rusty, energy-eating, circa 1960 water heater that’s hiding in their basement, but we’ll do more. We’ll give them eco-friendly landscaping, increase their recycling capabilities, use eco-friendly products in every step of the process, and more. We’re not merely about saving money on energy bills; we’re about creating green lifestyles within the home. At GreenTeam, we green everything and the kitchen sink. Our clients not only enjoy the monetary savings that come with making your home green and energy-efficient, but experience the pride of knowing that they are making a difference in the world. We pride ourselves on making the home-greening process, as well as the results, easy, enjoyable, and professional. Friendly consultants, healthy homes, environmental responsibility, and the fresh ideas that make it possible are what GreenTeam is all about.

Our Audience:
Progressive. Responsible. Eco-Friendly. Eco-Maniacs.
The trend of “Going Green” is sweeping the nation, but certain demographics have pursued green ideals with a special energy and dedicate. Those tree-hugging, florescent-bulb-buying, Whole-Foods-shopping, Hybrid-car-driving folks who are willing to go the extra mile, or two, or three to be green are exactly who GreenTeam speaks to.
More often than not, these people tend to be well-to-do, considering most of the green lifestyle choices aren’t cheap. This group is also predominantly female, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never see a man carrying a re-usable canvas grocery bag and eating organic granola. Men can go green too.
They can be men or women, hippies or yuppies or both, but one thing they all share is the desire, passion and dedication to lead a more green, responsible life.

Our Objectives:
Convey our philosophy. Attract the right demographic. Welcome new clients.
Due to the unique nature, high commitment level, and potentially high cost of GreenTeam’s services, the demographic of people who desire and can afford our services is very small. This means that we need to get the attention of as many people in that demographic as we possibly can. We need those passionate eco-friends to need us as well. They have the passion, the drive and the pocket book to use as services, as long as we can spark their desire, keep their attention, and speak their language.
This means our design has to speak to our well-off eco-maniacs by portraying environmentalist, professionalism, and class, but still being friendly and, to use a cliché, “hippie”-esque. Those grown-up granola babies need to want to gobble us up. We’re their ally in the crusade to be green, and they need to know it.

Company Design- Business Idea

We were each assigned a category from which to create and imaginary business, and I ended up with "technology".
I wanted to find a market of technology that isn't being tapped, which was tricky for me, since I'm not the most tech-savvy person around. I don't know what those Blackberry-carrying, Blue-tooth talking tech connoisseurs want. I also don't know much on the cutting edge scientific side, with all their gene-splicing, photon-splitting, fuel-cell creating genius. I couldn't even tell you how a hybrid cars works. So creating an imaginary technology business?Hmm. Dilemma.

But then I thought, hey, technology doesn't have to be about gadgets and buttons, flashing lights or exploding particles of matter. I can be more simple, practical and down-to-earth than that. So I about ways that I wish I had access to more technology.

I wish I could make my home GREEN.

I know there have been all sorts of innovations that can improve the eco-friendliness of a home. Many of them are as simple as replacing insulation, caulking windows or even buying different lightbulbs. So I did some research, and for the most part, if you want to green your home you have to DIY. Do It Yourself. There's plenty of magazine articles and brochures on how to "green" your home, but not too many businesses that will help you do it. So there was my idea. A home-greening business. So say hello to my project, my baby, for the rest of the semester... "GreenTeam."

Logo ReDesign- Final Revised

It's always good to get the opinions of other before finalizing a design- sometimes your eyes just get lazy and can't see things that an outside observer can easily spot. That luckily happened during our final critique- so I made some key changes to my final logo design. The group pointed out that no matter the scale of the logo, the words "City of" were simply too small, as well as simply unnecessary. They also felt that adding the word "Wisconsin" to the logo would be an improvement, and I completely agree. There is, after all, more than one Madison in the United States. Adding the name of the state seems so obvious now, but it didn't even cross my mind during my design process. I guess that's why they say two heads, or in this case, a dozen, are better than one!

Logo ReDesign- Final

Well here it is- my final logo. I did use the capitol dome as the main focus of the logo- simply because it is, without question, the most recognizable and classic icon of Madison. The logo would have seemed strange without it. The sunburst in the back of the Capitol is actually the design from the Memorial Union Terrace chairs, another Madison icon. Those not from Madison might not have the frame of reference to make that observation, but the sun burst still works as a design element to add energy and life to the logo. For Madison residents, it adds little extra treat once they notice it. It will make them feel "in the know" to be able to catch the visual reference. I chose red because, firstly, it's Wisconsin the Badger color, so red has a strong emotional connection for Madison residents. I chose a more sophisticated, less saturated, less "collegiate" feeling red to differentiate it from a UW logo, but it still retaining the visual connection.

Logo ReDesign- In Progess

After answering the questions from my last post, I began to narrow down the imagery, ideas and style I wanted to incorporate into the new logo. I created a style board which features images of Madison landmarks & icons.

I included text and images created a Frank Lloyd Wright because his architecture is well-known and iconic in Madison (the Monona Terrace, First Unitarian Meeting House, and several residential homes), and Wright himself has become a kind of local hero. 

I also included images of the locally famous Memorial Union Terrace chairs, which have long been strong and widely recognized Madison icons. 

Of course, images of the capitol dome are also included because, let's face it, that really needs to be in the logo. No way around it. It's the strongest Madison icon and the fact that this logo is for the official City of Madison, it's simply just necessary. An official Madison logo without the capitol would be like an Nike product without the swoosh. 

I've posted the board here- feel free to take a look!

Logo ReDesign- Questions?

So... before one starts to design a logo, it's a sorta kinda maybe important to do some research. If a logo is going to be successful, it has to represent the brand/product/entity properly and it has to appeal to the desired demographic. The only to figure out how to do these things through a workmark and/or logo is to really dig deep and ask lots of questions. Here are some as they relate to my redesign of the City of Madison logo.

Who is the audience?-  Mainly and simply, the residents of Madison. This logo is the official City of Madison logo. It's not for a business or a company, it's for an e

ntire city. The City of Madison website (www.ci.madison.wi.us or www.cityofmadison.com) has resources mainly for people who already live in Madison, but also has some for tourists and potential residents as well. Knowing Madisonians, the majority of the people who already live in Madison have an unusually strong connection to the city in which they live, so this logo needs to speak to and reinforce their love of and pride in the city. For those people who may see the logo, but don't live in Madison, the goal of the logo is a little different. Rather than reinforcing a positive emotional connection to Madison, the logo needs to help create or encourage one.

What are you conveying?- This is a tricky and complicated question. First off- this is an official Ci

ty of Madison logo, so it needs to conveying at least a little authority or professionalism. However, knowing Madison with it's laid-back style and relaxed nature and from looking at the current logo, which has neither of these traits,

 this is an idea we can consider loosely. Second- Madison is know for it's eclectic, progressive, and, well, "hippy" ways. A very rigid, official logo just wouldn't be appropriate.  The logo needs to convey a the spunk and uniqueness that Madison is so proud of. 

Why is it important?- While this question was largely answered in the paragraph about the audience, I'll rehash a little bit. The logo is put on official Madison documents, the Madison government website, and other pl

aces where it is necessary to simply represent Madison. Whether that be to current residents who are fiercely proud of the city, or to potential residents who are just discovering Madison, or to an official government worker who is reading an briefing sent straight from city hall, with a couple words and an image the logo needs to say what Madison is all about. Which is a mouthful.

Brewers Logo- Why So Great?

I'd never really paid much, if any attention to the Brewer's logo before Ange posted it on our class blog along with a promise of brownie points for whoever could explain what makes it such a great logo. I don't know if I have the answer or not, but I certainly noticed something about the logo I'd never caught before... but before I get to that neat little tidbit, here's the basics. 

It's blue and yellow. So it screams, BREWERS! Duh. It's a baseball mitt and ball. So it screams, BASEBALL!. Duh. Getting a little more technical, it's simple, so it reproduces well at very small or very large sizes. That same fact also makes it easy to remember and recognize instantly. It's also fun & friendly, like baseball should be. The thick lines, rounded shapes, and even the Brewers colors themselves convey those feelings. 

So that's everything I analyzed out of the logo. But there's one more thing that, I think, makes this logo great. And maybe I'm dumb or oblivious for never noticing before, and maybe admitting this will be really embarassing for me once I hit the "publish post" button on this entry, and I'm probably the only Wisconsinite who hadn't noticed..  but here goes....

It's an "M" & a "B"! For Milwaukee Brewers! The mitt!  The team's initials are hidden right in there. The top fingers on the mitt form an "M", and the thumb, palm and ball make a "B". Those sneaky sneaky Brewers... I guess you learn something new everyday. 

First Post

I just created this brand spankin' new blog for my GD 2- Logo & Identity class, and it just looks so plain and sad without any posts! So this post is really a post about nothing, but I just couldn't leave my blog completely blank. It's exciting to think that by the end of this semester, this space will be FILLED with sketches, roughs, finals and critiques. Let's just hope getting to that point isn't too much of a stress-fest. We'll see.....