
Logo Design from Start to Finish - theandym
http://www.layersmagazine.com/artistic-expression-logo-design-from-start-to-finish.html
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maxstoller
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/>.

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

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benofsky
> 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/pe...](http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/07/pepsivscoke.jpg)
and who is still on top? Coke, because they still have the better product
([http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC.ht...](http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC.html)).

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.

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docmach
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.

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unalone
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.

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kyro
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.

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slyn
"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.

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

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Ras_
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/>

Like heyitsnick, I also read the bottle as logo + "ERO".

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heyitsnick
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.

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boredguy8
That really looks like two blue leaves to me, and not much at all like water.

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chrischen
Isn't it supposed to be two blue leaves?

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pbhjpbhj
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/HeinzSaladCre...](http://greenpasturesint.com/cannedbottledboxed/HeinzSaladCream.jpg)

Nothing particularly unusual about the methodology though I might change my
mind once I've seen the questionnaire.

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Mz
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>
"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.

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ahoyhere
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.

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boundlessdreamz
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

