Logo design « Graphic Design, Advertising, Web in Yorkshire

February 19, 2010

New Website and Branding for Friends Provident

Filed under: New Work, News, case studies — Tags: Logo design, web design — GilesCooke @ 3:23 pm

I have created a new brand and website for Friends Provident in conjunction with the Tech Dept in Sheffield. Visions of Britain 2020 is a few of working in Britain in 10 years time. It is to be used over the next year to deliver research findings in the workplace. Set across 3 aspects of work life – Employment, Ageing and retirement, Health and well being.

“We start our Visions of Britain 2020 series by looking at work and employment in 2020.
We reveal how we think the workplace will look like a decade from now, and cast light on the impact
on both the job market and the 2020 worker.”

http://www.visionsofbritain2020.co.uk/

Comments (0)

November 9, 2009

Powerhouse Case Study

Filed under: New Work, case studies — Tags: brand, Graphic design, leeds, Logo design, photo, powerhouse, segmentation, yorkshire — GilesCooke @ 4:35 pm

Client: powerhouse photography Leeds
June – August 2009

Background
Established Commercial Photographers in Leeds with varied client base.

Problem
Powerhouse was sometimes seen as just another commercial photographer in Yorkshire, abeit one of high standards and with some impressive names in their client base. After 10 years in the business with extensive food, and creative expertise, they were never seen as specialist suppliers of those photography styles (which of course they were). What needed to be done was to establish powerhouse as experts in their fields without alienating existing clients.

Process
Initially we looked at existing designs for the logo, what we wanted to keep, and what we wanted to lose. We needed a logo that would work with all areas of the business. How the logo would work with other elements of Graphic Design, eg a Poster, Flyer or a Brochure, but mainly the Web where Powehouse do most of their marketing.

We looked at Powerhouse strengths, and really focused on them. They were creative photography, Food photography, Pack shot photography, and Interactive photography. We then built a structure for the brand, separating each element of the business into its own distinctive area, a specialist website for each, so that someone wanting food photography wont be looking at pack shot photography.

The existing brand was tired and being treated as word rather than a brand, it changed from letterhead to business card to website, for that reason it was not a strong brand for their competative market. We needed to rebuild that brand as a strong signifier of quality.

After a the initial idea stage we took favoured routes to the development stage and worked it into onto the new business structure. Here we all felt that the structure of the business should be clear through the brand internally, and externally to the potential customer. Although it was necessary to explore a few different routes and ideas, we felt it important for everybody to be happy with the end result.

Solution

From Neil Adams of Powerhouse
Our new brand and website has received great feedback, and turn visitors into actual customers. We worked with Giles throughout the re-brand process, and are really delighted with the results.

Comments (0)

September 23, 2009

Graphic design, and it’s uneasy relationship with iStock

Filed under: Articles — Tags: generic, Graphic design, illustration, imagery, Istock, Logo design, Photography, royalty free, safe — GilesCooke @ 3:24 pm

iStock is a resource for people to supply, buy and live in a virtual world of stock material aimed not only at the graphic designer/creative, but also at a much larger business audience. It is relatively cheap when you compare it to the more expensive/exclusive stock libraries, for example gettyimages (who recently purchased iStock and ramped up the prices), but what does a professional graphic designer really get from iStock? Well, cheap photography from a self policing web community, with contributors worldwide supplying a wealth of source material. But I have noticed a backlash against this recently, where clients have said “yes, that image is a bit ‘iStock’”. The reason? In my view, as soon as any average photographer has the ability to make easy money with their brand new 12 megapixel digital camera, they quickly work out what people want to buy, and produce more of that; it is a simple supply and demand formula. And with less creative people now getting heavily involved in selecting photography, every design job has started to look the same, and we are getting creatively dull. Is there no room for the expert any more? The truth is the real talent won’t bother with it.

The iStock style has become scorned upon, the illustration is safer than a nice rabbit, the photography in the main is bland. There may be a certain amount of risk taking/creativity, but the problem is these images just don’t sell as well, so soon no-one will produce it anymore. One photographer I know saves his best work for himself, and puts his ‘rubbish’ on iStock as it may bring in £15 every now and again.

iStock was a good resource for designers to get their hands on hi-res, reasonable quality imagery. But, like everything in this world, it has become easier for anyone to design, shoot, write and gain an audience – which is great, but conversely we have lost quality and, more importantly, we have lost creativity.

What’s next for iStock? Well, they are now moving into generic branding, where designers can supply generic logos for generic businesses around the globe. No real thought about what the logo needs to do, a simple ‘change the word to stick with an icon’. This will be fine for companies up to a certain level, but to be serious about your brand and making it work for you, you will still need expert skills and knowledge.

My advice? Fight the machine, or at least get the job done right.

Comments (1)


	About Corp ID Literature Advertising Web design Photography Testimonial various Contact		February 19, 2010 New Website and Branding for Friends Provident Filed under: New Work, News, case studies — Tags: Logo design, web design — GilesCooke @ 3:23 pm I have created a new brand and website for Friends Provident in conjunction with the Tech Dept in Sheffield. Visions of Britain 2020 is a few of working in Britain in 10 years time. It is to be used over the next year to deliver research findings in the workplace. Set across 3 aspects of work life – Employment, Ageing and retirement, Health and well being. “We start our Visions of Britain 2020 series by looking at work and employment in 2020. We reveal how we think the workplace will look like a decade from now, and cast light on the impact on both the job market and the 2020 worker.” http://www.visionsofbritain2020.co.uk/ Comments (0) November 9, 2009 Powerhouse Case Study Filed under: New Work, case studies — Tags: brand, Graphic design, leeds, Logo design, photo, powerhouse, segmentation, yorkshire — GilesCooke @ 4:35 pm Client: powerhouse photography Leeds June – August 2009 Background Established Commercial Photographers in Leeds with varied client base. Problem Powerhouse was sometimes seen as just another commercial photographer in Yorkshire, abeit one of high standards and with some impressive names in their client base. After 10 years in the business with extensive food, and creative expertise, they were never seen as specialist suppliers of those photography styles (which of course they were). What needed to be done was to establish powerhouse as experts in their fields without alienating existing clients. Process Initially we looked at existing designs for the logo, what we wanted to keep, and what we wanted to lose. We needed a logo that would work with all areas of the business. How the logo would work with other elements of Graphic Design, eg a Poster, Flyer or a Brochure, but mainly the Web where Powehouse do most of their marketing. We looked at Powerhouse strengths, and really focused on them. They were creative photography, Food photography, Pack shot photography, and Interactive photography. We then built a structure for the brand, separating each element of the business into its own distinctive area, a specialist website for each, so that someone wanting food photography wont be looking at pack shot photography. The existing brand was tired and being treated as word rather than a brand, it changed from letterhead to business card to website, for that reason it was not a strong brand for their competative market. We needed to rebuild that brand as a strong signifier of quality. After a the initial idea stage we took favoured routes to the development stage and worked it into onto the new business structure. Here we all felt that the structure of the business should be clear through the brand internally, and externally to the potential customer. Although it was necessary to explore a few different routes and ideas, we felt it important for everybody to be happy with the end result. Solution From Neil Adams of Powerhouse Our new brand and website has received great feedback, and turn visitors into actual customers. We worked with Giles throughout the re-brand process, and are really delighted with the results. Comments (0) September 23, 2009 Graphic design, and it’s uneasy relationship with iStock Filed under: Articles — Tags: generic, Graphic design, illustration, imagery, Istock, Logo design, Photography, royalty free, safe — GilesCooke @ 3:24 pm iStock is a resource for people to supply, buy and live in a virtual world of stock material aimed not only at the graphic designer/creative, but also at a much larger business audience. It is relatively cheap when you compare it to the more expensive/exclusive stock libraries, for example gettyimages (who recently purchased iStock and ramped up the prices), but what does a professional graphic designer really get from iStock? Well, cheap photography from a self policing web community, with contributors worldwide supplying a wealth of source material. But I have noticed a backlash against this recently, where clients have said “yes, that image is a bit ‘iStock’”. The reason? In my view, as soon as any average photographer has the ability to make easy money with their brand new 12 megapixel digital camera, they quickly work out what people want to buy, and produce more of that; it is a simple supply and demand formula. And with less creative people now getting heavily involved in selecting photography, every design job has started to look the same, and we are getting creatively dull. Is there no room for the expert any more? The truth is the real talent won’t bother with it. The iStock style has become scorned upon, the illustration is safer than a nice rabbit, the photography in the main is bland. There may be a certain amount of risk taking/creativity, but the problem is these images just don’t sell as well, so soon no-one will produce it anymore. One photographer I know saves his best work for himself, and puts his ‘rubbish’ on iStock as it may bring in £15 every now and again. iStock was a good resource for designers to get their hands on hi-res, reasonable quality imagery. But, like everything in this world, it has become easier for anyone to design, shoot, write and gain an audience – which is great, but conversely we have lost quality and, more importantly, we have lost creativity. What’s next for iStock? Well, they are now moving into generic branding, where designers can supply generic logos for generic businesses around the globe. No real thought about what the logo needs to do, a simple ‘change the word to stick with an icon’. This will be fine for companies up to a certain level, but to be serious about your brand and making it work for you, you will still need expert skills and knowledge. My advice? Fight the machine, or at least get the job done right. Comments (1)