Category: logos

Most businesses are multipurpose – they offer different products or services but all under a common umbrella. So, when it comes time to develop a logo or other branded marketing materials, it can be tough for the client to settle on an overarching “theme.”

It’s also important to remember our potential customers can’t focus on multiple messages. We need one simple message to grab their attention and move them to action. A logo that tries to do too much runs the risk of confusing customers and pushing them away.

CrossFit Charleston came to me looking to refresh their logo and create some new marketing collateral. In addition to their group CrossFit classes, they provide individual and corporate nutrition programs. Owners Holly and Clint Fisher wanted something that would reflect the focus on overall health and wellness.

We discussed a variety of icons and fonts for the logo. Holly was specific in that she didn’t want anything too “hard core.” People are often intimidated by the prospect of CrossFit, so a skull and crossbones logo was out. Tons of other CrossFit gyms around the country use kettlebells and skulls in their logos so we wanted to stay away from those cliches. Plus, Clint and Holly bought this existing gym in July 2018 and wanted to put their own unique stamp on the brand.

“I think it’s always easier to know what you don’t want rather than what you do,” Holly said. “We also knew we’d be living with this logo for quite some time and wanted to get it right.”

Often clients simply need a starting point. They need some designs to help them narrow down the vision they have in their head. I provided some logo and font concepts for CrossFit Charleston. None of the icons seemed to resonate so we ultimately decided on a typographic logo (aka no icon.. like Netflix or FedEx) that’s in the same family as the main CrossFit logo.

Still, something was missing. We discussed the need for some sort of icon to use largely on social media. After all, the “words” part of a logo rarely look good smashed into the circular profile picture of a social media account. We tried several different designs, but nothing quite clicked. I suggested they might be expecting too much from the icon and why not give one they liked a trial run. As a small business, it’s often easier to give graphics a test drive and then tweak as needed.

“Andrew said we were asking too much of the icon and he was right,” Holly said. “We wanted that one icon to define our brand, but, in truth, a lot of images and graphics help tell our story.”

We landed on this icon:

Holly and Clint are planning to use it on social media and other digital materials. They can try it out and gather feedback. Not putting it on all the signs, printed brochures or banners means it can easily be changed without the expense of reprinting a bunch of materials.

I’m very pleased with the icon and the solution I was able to help my clients reach. In that respect, my job is part designer and part advisor. I listen to client concerns, questions and ideas. I offer advice and guidance. Together, we solve the problem in a way everyone loves.

“Logos are tough. They feel so personal,” Holly said. “As business owners, we see the logo as a reflection not only of our business, but also of us as the owners. I greatly appreciate having an outside perspective like Andrew’s. He can provide that practical insight that we can’t see because we’re too emotionally tied to the project.”

With the logo completed, we were able to move on to other materials for a business expo: two rack cards, business cards and a pop-up banner. The results were a success!

Have you been considering a new logo or marketing material? I’d love to help! Shoot me an email.

Have a great week,

Last month on my blog, I tackled a big graphic design conundrum: When is it time for a new logo? I posed a series of questions and considerations to help you determine if you need to create a new look for your business or brand.

This month, I want to share three logos I’ve worked on recently. Logo design isn’t a simple process. Sometimes clients have a vision and sometimes they aren’t 100% sure what they want. But one thing is certain in every logo situation: the client has to love the end result. They’ll likely be living with this logo for many years, so it’s important we land on a design, font and colors they feel communicate their brand’s mission.

1. DM Armstrong, CPA

An accountant, this client didn’t want a cliche logo – no calculators or dollar signs. She also wanted to avoid explicitly using her initials as her logo. I embraced this challenge, and we ultimately landed on an abstract icon. It has elements of structure and movement, and, if you look closely, you’ll see checkboxes, a grid and a even a small hidden “d.”

2. The Hub

This logo is for the children’s program at a large church. It’s the place all the children visit for weekly church and education meetings. Illustration is my heart, and I’m thrilled when I can use my illustration skills for a logo project. For The Hub, transportation and home were both important parts of the theme. I also wanted to make it fun and youthful.

3. Homegrown Financial LLC

This client was launching a new company specializing in reverse mortgages so we wanted to communicate the concept of “home” but in a visually interesting way. In this logo, the house signifies “growth” with the upward motion of the roof (arrow). We wanted to use green to represent growth and money but opted for shades of green to make the logo pop.

As you can see in these three examples, every logo project is completely unique. Each client and business comes to me with different ideas about what they want — and don’t want — in a logo. My job is to distill those ideas into one simple design. It’s not always easy, but I love the challenge.

Have you been considering a new logo? I’d love to help! Shoot me an email.

Have a great week,

I’m very passionate about designing logos. It’s one of the top three things I get to do in my job as a professional creative. Recently, I put that passion to work developing a logo for a Nirenblatt Orthodontics.

Dr. Nirenblatt has a great practice and an energetic brand. Give him a call if you’re in need of a beautiful smile.

Have a great week,

I am super proud of this logo! I created it for the good folks at the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. We explored a lot of directions and ended up with an energetic, yet professional, logo mark.

As usual, I started with sketching.

Then I took the winning sketches to the computer…

Eventually, we narrowed it down. Living and working in Mount Pleasant is all about water and sunshine, so I was glad the client picked a concept that incorporated both of those elements.

Finally, we had an awesome release party at the piano bar. The board members wore embroidered shirts and handed out stickers. The photo of the event was taken by the Moultrie News staff. Here’s a link to their article on the new logo.

Have a great week,