WEEK ONE:

Really loving the direction we are going in, can we mix and match the logo options you have provided for us? If so I have taken the liberty of doing so, and will submit my ideas; I will send you an invoice for my concepts later JK

WEEK 2:

We’ve decided to go another direction, I know you want to kill us — but we want something that is more clever, less obvious and maybe 3D?… I know we are pulling the rug from under you, but we’ve seen a lot of cool logos on Google that have been influencing us. Please get back to me ASAP.

WEEK 3:

I know you requested to have a sit down, so we can have a town-hall essentially to have your creative team and my staff sit down and brainstorm, and although we were reaching a PRE-FINAL stage, unfortunately I’m going on vacation and I think we are all on the same page – the logos just don’t pop, we want something 3D , or something fancy. At this point I feel it’s safe to say we are going to go in a different direction. We just aren’t feeling the samples sent to us; I know we said we were ready to finalize twice, but I just feel like we need something that beats our competitors… Sorry mate, but at least we can continue moving forward with the website.

VS.

My design is the top sample – what was requested of me and my team was a logo that did away with the “General Carpentry” portion; it was also requested that the logo should just display “GGC” in a clever manner. Besides color choice, these particular clients did not provide in-depth feedback, or provide any constructive criticism or notes — Basically “It’s a go… Can we see this combination… OR not feeling it” – which is extremely frustrating, when you are trying to build a company’s identity and system.

I pride myself in not only the fact that I actually went to a University to learn my skills and obtain my BFA in Graphic Design with a specialty in Identity, but also the fact that I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, and have designed identities from commercial work that is recognized, all the way to a bevy of award winning logos for start-ups, mom & pops, and small businesses all over the world. SO… to have my work rejected, in favor of  essentially a fly-by-night graphic designer with no website, nor a professional email, and one who sports a nightmare of a personal logo and portfolio —- well let’s just say I’m not willing to take this loss.

This is not a case of designer’s ego getting the best of me, this is a case of responsibility. Newbie designers or uneducated and non-sophisticated designers present a clear and present danger — IRRESPONSIBLE DESIGN. To the naked eye, the bottom design sample that was chosen as the final logo, may seem fine, but there are so many things wrong with it. From aesthetics, to full production capabilities, to its final execution… Gradients in the tile that compose the “G”??? Gradients in the small supporting type — GRADIENTS!??? That would be a screen-printing, signage, and embroidery nightmare; And they specifically requested a logotype without the secondary tagline / business type description — yet here it is, in all its non-true type / google font glory; how does a futuristic typeface relate to a business that provides general carpentry!!!???

My design encompasses the GGC all into one form, making clever use of the positive and negative shapes from the overlap  — it also utilizes classic true-types, takes into consideration the proper padding; utilizes the client’s color choice, and most importantly, does NOT USE GRADIENTS or DROPSHADOWS. I’m all for a difference of opinion, and I’m all for having a constructive critique and sit-down side-by-side with the client, to help finalize their ideas and find the proper approach to execute a final logo and style guide with brand application guide-lines. BUT not this, not this frustrating scenario where the client approves a certain direction, determines a pre-final approach, and then refuses a meeting (mind you we’ve never met, which is never good when you are trying to understand the client and their professional wants and needs), then ulitimately abandons the project, in favor of a local designer with no real portfolio, accolades, branded presence, and provides an irresponsible design to their client.

Bad designs, bad logos, clutter our world daily, but when a client is educated, and the service provider further educates their client regarding the development of a proper identity that will withstand the test of time, or at least a decade – it makes for good design, it makes for balanced design, and it makes for responsible design that will serve the client and their target audience in the best possible light and purpose. Beyond frustrating, but you win some and you lose some — I’ll add this to the LOST column, and I remain confident that moving forward this will be my first and only loss.

… DAMN MONDAYS