This is a guest post by Dennis Salvatier, blogger at Tanoshiboy and designer at Salvatier Studios, an award-wining design studio located in Southern California. You can reach Dennis through his website or on Twitter.

Crowdsourcing Won’t Help You

In the last few years crowdsourcing has become the single greatest enemy to design, more so when it comes to logo design. Let’s start off with an explanation about what crowdsourcing is.

This is when a company or an organization offers a fixed amount of money as a cash prize for a chosen design. They define this as a contest. The designers then submit their logo designs for review with the hopes of the potential cash prize. When a specific designer’s entry is chosen, that designer and only that designer, gets paid for their work; leaving the hundreds of other designers twiddling their thumbs.

From a layman’s point of view this contest might seem like a fair trade, but it’s not fair at all. Not to the company and not to the designer.

Why It’s Not Fair To The Company

The company is looking for a logo that will best define their brand and all that that will encompass. The problem is that the designers that participate in this method are usually creatives who have a careless engagement with the project. They know they’re working for free, so they skip what’s important about the process and churn out a piece of work they hope will win them instant fame. This careless engagement bypasses the craft of logo design and gives birth to mediocre work that is then declared the ‘winner”. The company is oblivious to the fact that their new logo lacks effectiveness and value. What is skipped in the process is the engagement between client and designer, and the design brief. Without those two elements you are essentially writing a biography without knowing anything about the subject.

Why It’s Not Fair To The Creative

You just won X amount of money and recognition throughout the web, but what you don’t know is that you’ve just had some discount sushi. What this means is that your choice seemed like a great idea at the time, but it will come back to hurt you. Why? Because you haven’t delivered good work and it’s now searchable on the web. When it’s found it will be recognized for what it is to those who see it. Disagree with me? Name one designer who has gone onto have a lucrative career due to crowdsourcing. There isn’t any. Designers who participate in crowdsourcing continue to crowdsource in hopes to make it big. Let me tell you right now, you cannot skip the starving-artist phase. It is a part of your growth process. You must go through the hurdles of being a young designer, finding your clients, serving them and doing great work every time. You must add value to your work and design as a whole (it’s all of our responsibility), and crowdsourcing cheapens what you and the rest of the design community does.

Conclusion

When a moth emerges from its cocoon it can spin silk, something that the more popular butterfly cannot do. They’re also faster, stronger, but struggle twice as much when breaking through their cocoons. Without that struggle they would be too weak to survive. The struggle is nature’s way of strengthening it. As designers, we’ll go through some rough times and take on less than exciting projects at the beginning of our careers. I promise you that no matter how small the project may be, it is incrementally moving you closer to where you want to be. Crowdsourcing is not the answer. It won’t strengthen you as a designer whether you win or lose. Embrace the struggle and become exceptional.

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

Every now and then I like to throw an opinion out there on Facebook or Twitter, and gauge the reaction from my followers.

Sometimes they agree, sometimes they disagree, but it always helps me to achieve some perspective on a particular issue.

A few weeks ago, I sent out this Facebook post:

While I admit the post was a tad melodramatic, I stand by it. In my opinion, Google AdSense has no place on a design blog. It’s spammy, kills the user experience, and just plain annoying, especially when placed smack bang in the middle of a blog post.

The response to my Facebook post above was overwhelmingly positive – 13 Facebook likes is quite high for my humble following. When I tweeted the same message, for the most part the feedback was very positive as well.

Great, so at least I am not alone on this one.

But here’s the thing.

Some of the most followed and trafficked design blogs out there monetise their blogs with AdSense, and it doesn’t seem to effect their readership one bit. They still have thousands, in some cases tens of thousands of subscribers consuming their content.

So while AdSense isn’t really something I approve of, perhaps it doesn’t bother everyone. Fair enough.

There is another aspect of design blog monetisation that I do take particular issue with however. And truthfully, I think you should too.

Text Link Advertising Must Die

Before continuing, let me clearly state that I have nothing against making money from a blog. In fact, given the amount of time and effort it takes to run a successful design blog, I think site owners are damn right entitled to make money off them.

If you are going to monetise a blog however, I think you should choose your methods with some consideration for ethics in mind. Without taking too much of the moral high ground, I think you owe that to your subscribers, and the very industry that pays your bills.

Text link advertising is something  I see too many design bloggers abusing, and in my opinion damaging our industry in the process.

If you are not familiar with text link advertising, it is a SEO-optimised link that a blog owner agrees to place somewhere on their site (usually in the sidebar under a heading like ‘recommended’) in return for payment. The fee can vary from anywhere between $20 to $100 per month, depending on how much traffic the site gets.

For some blogs, text link ads are a very nice little earner, bringing in hundreds, and often thousands of dollars of easy revenue per month. From a purely financial perspective, I understand the temptation to do it.

The main problem with text link advertising however, is that it typically attracts all sorts of spammers from dark corners of the internet pushing low quality products and services. A lot of the links you will find on design blogs are promoting anything from shady design firms to online casinos.

Taking a really quick survey of some very popular design blogs, here are some text link ads that I found; ‘Logo Design Firm’ –> pointing to a cheap logo warehouse, ‘Free Logo Design’ –> linking to a repository of free logos for download, and ‘Online Logo Design’ –> Yet again, pointing to a logo warehouse.

What becomes obvious is that there is little vetting going on here. Some sites see it fit to link out to anyone, as long as they are getting paid. And that’s just plain wrong.

Final Words

If you run a successful design blog and are accepting text link advertisers, I implore you to look at the bigger picture. Every time you link out to another site, you are vouching the content on the other side of that link.

Do you really want to associate that with your brand?

Somebody had to say it. Now it’s time to move forward. Your thoughts?

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Image by Freezelight

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

Whether you are doing it solo as a freelance designer, or run your own design studio, your chances of success are pretty slim unless you learn to manage client relationships properly.

I have been running my own design business for around 2.5 years now, and while I don’t pretend I know everything, there are a few tricks I have picked up along the way.

In this post, I will be sharing 15 rapid-fire bits of advice on how to manage client relationships, while still maintaining your sanity.

1. First impressions are the most important

It’s a cliché, but its true.

If your personal brand looks cheap and unprofessional, that is the calibre of client you will attract. You only have yourself to blame.

2. Always get paid upfront

The vast majority of clients are trustworthy and will compensate you for your services within a reasonable amount of time. There will however be the occasional low-life who will  for whatever reason not pay up.

To minimise the potential risk across the board, I recommend requesting at least 50% (even higher if possible) of your fee upfront with all clients, and the rest to be paid once the project is completed.

When you depend on your business to put food on your table, at least you can rely on the deposit to provide some peace of mind.

3. Don’t call yourself a freelancer

The term is overused and gets no respect. ‘Consultant’ sets a better tone.

4. Never negotiate on price

Negotiating design pricing is a slippery slope. Someone will always be cheaper, so sell yourself based on ability and experience.

Set a reasonable price, then justify it.

5. Be honest about your capabilities

And lean to recognise when a project is outside your skillset, or simply too large to handle.

This presents a good opportunity to refer the project to a colleague, or bring in someone else to collaborate with.

6. Learn to pick up the phone

A client relationship is much less likely to turn sour if you have previously spoken to them on the phone. It’s a touch more effort, but well worth it.

7. Practice selling your design decisions

Learning how to explain and justify your design decisions is a critical skill. A skill that separates the professionals from the amateurs.

Practice makes perfect, even if it’s with yourself in front of the mirror.

8. Push your clients to discover who they are

Few clients provide a comprehensive brief upfront. Never stop pushing them until you completely understand their business, goals, and the direction they want to head.

Not all clients understand how critical this step is. Provide the correct guidance, and they will thank you later.

9. Under promise, and over deliver

You will never have to struggle with making a deadline again.

Personally, I add on 1 week to the expected completion date of most projects. The extra time is rarely needed, but this approach has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.

10. The client is not your boss

The client is your partner.

11. Take a strategic approach

Help your client understand the strategic value of design and you will gain their respect. Don’t be a taxi driver.

12. Maintain Communication

When working on lengthy projects, don’t forget to keep your client in the loop.

I personally use recurring Google Calendar reminders for each project – ensuring that I touch-base at least once per week.

13. Not all projects are groundbreaking or exciting

That’s just the way it is. Accept it.

Your local accountant still deserves your respect, and a solid brand identity.

14. You will encounter difficult clients

It comes with the territory. Deal with it.

If a client over steps the line of what you consider reasonable cut them loose and move on. Just be professional about it.

Every negative experience provides a unique learning opportunity.

15. You will encounter wonderful clients

Take care of them, and go that extra mile.

They help you realise why you got into this profession in the first place.

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Image credit

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

The redesign marks the takeover of NBC Universal by media conglomerate Comcast. With the takeover NBC Universal has also been renamed to NBCUniversal.

Old NBC Universal Logo

New NBCUniversal Logo

Before getting all up in arms about the change it is important to note that the iconic NBC network logo (pictured below) will remain unchanged.

The new NBCUniversal logo is said to be for internal company use only, and according to their new chief executive Steve Burke the logo will be used “in a very limited way for corporate things.”

Very boring ‘corporate things’ I assume.

Elsewhere:

NBCUniversal Logo Might Be ‘The Gap Logo’ Of 2011, Brandchannel

Lost in the Comcast Takeover? A Logo’s Peacock, New York Times

What do you think? Please share your opinion in the comments section below.

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Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

The new logo will primarily act as a badge for web designers and developers, giving them a standardized symbol to inform visitors that parts of HTML5 has been implemented into their site. Important to note however, the logo does not imply validity or conformance with web standards.

The new identity for HTML5 was developed by Honolulu-based Ocupop. Here is an excerpt from the Ocupop blog explaining the new design.

The HTLML5 logo goes beyond simply representing the HTML5 spec to embody the technology, and the open web movement, at its core. This starts with standardization — the logo and its progeny follow very strict geometric rules providing an incredibly adaptable yet stable and stylish identity. As you’ve hopefully seen out on the web, the logo, the icons, the colors and the type all work, and work well, in nearly every imaginable context (and probably contexts beyond our imaginations). From favicons to billboards, this mark was designed to hold together in the face any manipulation. Through simple adjustment of hue, the logo conveys incredible depth and dimension without dated or awkward flourishes. With just two shades of orange and two shades of gray, the standard logo offers a thoroughly refined and assuredly lasting visual impact. The container for the logo is shaped as a badge, implying both the formality and respect an undertaking of this magnitude demands, but also as a homage to the progressive community that proudly, and relentlessly, ushers in the future of web technologies. Simultaneously a badge of honor and a coat of arms, this crest represents the spirit and substance of the open web platform and the forward thinking community making it a reality.

Below are a series of sketches drawn during the development of the logo. A nice look behind the scenes. Note the unicorn top-center…

Along with the logo, a nifty set of icons was also developed (below) to represent the different technologies surrounding HTML5. The icons are clean and communicative – nothing to complain about here really.

In order from left to right; 3D Effects, Connectivity, Device Access, Multimedia, Offline Storage, Performance, Semantics, Styling.

Overall, I think this is a very well executed logo. The design is strong and bold – something I can see web developers and designers adopting in droves.

Expect the new HTML5 logo to be appearing on a website near you soon.

What do you think? Please share your opinion in the comments section below.

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Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

“we’ve given her a small but meaningful update to ensure that the Starbucks brand continues to embrace our heritage in ways that are true to our core values and that also ensure we remain relevant and poised for future growth.”

– Howard Schultz, Starbucks president and CEO

A well executed logo redesign

As one of the most recognised brands in the world, this logo redesign is a bold move for Starbucks.

What the designers have essentially done is strip away all unnecessary elements of the old logo, the outer ring and brand name, allowing the famous Starbucks siren to come forward and take centre stage.

I’m truly impressed with how the redesign maintains the essence and integrity of the Starbucks brand, while opening the window for Starbucks to extend into markets beyond coffee.

This is a perfect example of an identity redesign done right.

Simple, flexible, memorable – Brilliant.

What is your opinion?

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Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

The new Rio 2016 Summer Olympics logo was unveiled on New Year’s Eve at a Copacabana beach party in Brazil.

According to the official Rio 2016 Olympic games website:

The brand translates the Olympic spirit and the nature, feelings, and aspirations of the athletes, Rio and the cariocas. Different countries, athletes and peoples are joined in a warm embrace – in an individual and collective move, which at a second glance, reveals one of Rio’s most beautiful icons, a vibrant Sugar Loaf, radiating joy, unity, celebration, and friendship.

The new logo was modelled as a dynamic 3D design that event organisers plan on implementing at various stages of the games. Its usages will include 3D sculptures, animations and laser light shows. The options are endless really.

Cue a promotional video for the logo. Skip to 2.25 to see the 3D logo in use.

The Verdict

While the logo is inoffensive, the concept of ‘people joined in embrace’ is predictable and the concept really brings nothing new to the table. Its not ground-breaking, but then again perhaps Olympics logos aren’t meant to be.

London 2012 tried something different and was overwhelmingly criticized for it.

What do others think of the Rio 2016 logo? Having browsed through Twitter and Facebook, the reactions do seem mixed. While the designer and event organisers say that the logo is supposed to resemble the iconic Sugarloaf mountain, some have already commented that it looks more like another Brazilian icon, the thong…

What do you think?

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Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

Have you ever wondered why some designers produce amazing work, while others just mediocre?

Great designers eat, breath and live design. Great designers are passionate about their work.

Most importantly however, great designers never stop learning.

Successful men, in all callings, never stop acquiring specialized knowledge related to their major purpose, business, or profession. Those who are not successful usually make the mistake of believing that the knowledge acquiring period ends when one finishes school. The truth is that schooling does but little more than to put one in the way of learning how to acquire practical knowledge. Experience has proven that the best-educated people are often those who are known as “self-made,” or self-educated. It takes more than a college degree to make one a person of education. The person who stops studying merely because he has finished school is forever hopelessly doomed to mediocrity, no matter what may be his calling. The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.

Napoleon Hill, Think & Grow Rich

The author of this quote was not a designer, however his point transcends professions.

As a designer, it doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you stop learning you are doomed for mediocrity.

A scary thought. Time to buy some books.

What do you think separates great designers from the rest?

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Image by Thomas Hawk

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Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

I was recently having a discussion with another designer who claimed that most talented logo designers are naturally gifted. The gist of his thoughts was that some designers simply had an ‘eye’ for creating brilliant logos. In his words, you either had ‘it’ or you didn’t. To give examples of designers who he thought had ‘it’ I was referred to some logos he had seen on a popular logo design gallery.

If a logo design was a competition based on which designer had the coolest portfolio, I may be able to see his point, however that’s simply not the case.

The critical problem with this view is that it looks at logo design in complete isolation, devoid of strategic thinking, with its only purpose to look good.

While a logo should be visually appealing, it also should be designed with thorough understanding of the client and their strategic goals in mind. As graphic designers, it is our job to translate this understanding to the audience through design, not simply draw pretty pictures.

Sometimes I think it is worthwhile taking a step back to remind ourselves who are we designing our logos for.

Design for your client, not your portfolio. The real world is not a Dribbble showcase.

What are your thoughts?

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Image by minnixs

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

This brief guest post was written by Perth-based Customer Experience Design and Marketing Consultant, Bernadette Jiwa. The article is in response my previous post on Google and logo design. More food for thought perhaps.

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Couldn’t you just throw your hands in the air and jump up and down doing a merry dance at the unfairness of how Google ranks logo designers.

The good guys (and girls), the really great guys can’t possibly get a look in. Search is flawed, rigged to favour the firms with the most history, muscle and backlinks. Google can’t differentiate between big average Joe and tiny exceptional you.

How can ‘the average person’ find you amongst 150 million logo design search results?

They can’t.

But hang on a second………..think about this. Do you really want them to? Do you want to do your best work for ‘the average person’?

Do you really want to create great designs for the kind of business that needs a quick and dirty $99 banal, off the peg logo to slap on something in a big hurry?

Designers never set out to be average, they don’t even set out to be good. Mostly they want to be ‘the best in the world’.

Being the ‘best in the world’ doesn’t mean being on the first page of 150 million links in Google search.

So don’t worry that Google doesn’t understand tiny exceptional you.

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Image by Mark Knol

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design