[Project Complete] Software Company Logo $150 RUSH

[bankstrong]

(Admin code added by Palmer - 3XY753893G)

Designers -

I have gotten great results in previous contests here, including one that is running currently (http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4888&perpage=30&pagenumber=1). I try to give detailed, helpful feedback to aim everyone toward useful, beautiful designs.

We previously bought a logo for the company, "Bank Strong Software". I've received many compliments on the design, but we need a new logo. For legal reasons that would only bore you, we have changed to "Profitdesk Software".

I've attached the current logo because I expect that the winning entry will share many of the same strengths.

We're a software company focused on selling expensive products to banks. The people that we market to are top officers (CEO, CFO, etc.) and somewhat conservative.

Therefore, while I'm not looking for boring, we need a logo that vibes "professional".

In addition, it should be crisp (for some reason, the old Mack Truck comes to mind), attractive, and have one or two attractive colors to build an identity around (a la Marlboro). While these are suggestions, I'm happy to see what works in the real world from your ideas.

The logo is intended to be used on the web site, stationary, splash screens, as well as marketing swag like golf balls.

Here's how I think of "Profitdesk":

- A desk (with a computer on it), from which emanates profits for the bank.
- A desk in the Wall St. sense, where a bunch of smart people are gathered together for one purpose - making money.
- Reminiscent of "Autodesk", a huge and successful software company.

Ideally, the logo will convey that the company makes software that creates a profit-radiating desk. The website name is profitdesk.com.

Mike

[bankstrong]

I will check in and provide comments starting Saturday night. We are in a panicky rush on this job. I reserve the right to end the project any time after Sunday midnight. The project will undoubtedly be closed early next week. When I shut it down, I will provide 6 hours notice on the thread and to anyone that I think has a good chance at winning.

Mike

[bankstrong]

By "profit-radiating desk", don't take me too literally. I'm sure that we don't want dollar signs and the winning entry probably won't have a desk.

Here's one concept to get you guys started:

Accountants use something called a "T Account" (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fresh.unh.edu/finance/ar_billing/Mtg_Notes/000407_Attachment_1_files/image002.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.fresh.unh.edu/finance/ar_billing/Mtg_Notes/000407_Attachment_1.html&h=353&w=572&sz=5&tbnid=sunHdtKPZaoJ:&tbnh=80&tbnw=129&start=13&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522t%2Baccount%2522%2B%26hl%3Den%26 lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8, http://www.bestbusinessinfo.com/1_3/tutorials/11303.htm). The name of the account goes above the T. Credits are on the right side of the T, while debits are on the left.

The logo concept is for a stylized T, with "Profitdesk" above the T and a "+" symbol on the right. A good implementation will look cool to someone with no accounting knowledge, but will make make many bank execs look twice.

Thanks,
Mike

[Buginajar]

Here's something to get things started..

[Taldo]

:) hi

[Just_G]

:yawn:

[shnickerdoodle studios]

Here's one from me...

Looking forward to your thoughts..

Thanks,
Deanna

[Just J]

:)

[samoyloff]

http://www.samoyloff.com/profitdesk.gif

[cursal]

For your consideration Mike :)

--Brian

[Tyler]

Here is another

http://24.87.106.228/hostedlogos/profitdesk1.png

[bankstrong]

Buginajar -

A very nice entry to start out the contest.

The logo is visually appealing - which is very important.

The stylized T is too stylized. While it is attractive, it doesn't carry meaning unless the viewer already knows that it is a stylized T. Also, it needs to be "crisper" (more easily reduced in size?).

The font treatment is too hip. As in the Bank Strong logo above, we are shooting for a very conservative image because the target audience is made up of conservative bankers that want to trust any company where they spend sizable software dollars.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Taldo -

A very impressive entry. Crisp, carries the Accounting T well, conservative, professional image.

Suggestions:

1) Change "PROFITDESK" to read

Profitdesk
Software

The left and right margins of the company name should line up with the edges of the T.

2) There is some subtle difference in the typography used in the Bank Strong logo. Perhaps the font used in your design is more common. Perhaps the old logo spaced the letters differently than they would be in MS Word.

3) The T in the graphic is thin and hard to see. Perhaps take it out and add a vertical line to the horizontal line up top.

4) I'd prefer to stay away from blue and green (everything in banking is blue or green), while still staying conservative. Any ideas?

Mike

[bankstrong]

Just_g -

This icon is more of a text treatment. It doesn't convey any ideas about the company beyond the company name.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Shnickerdoodle -

The font treatment isn't quite as conservative as I'd like, but it is pretty attractive.

The icon is not as crisp as I would like - the shadow is difficult to discern on my screen.

The icon itself could be confusing. Most Americans recognize it as symbol for their religion. This is seen more clearly when you imagine the icon without the text.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Jason -

I like that you went for combining two images in one logo (P and +). Ultimately, I would not be surprised if the winning logo somehow combines a few ideas into one simple logo - although I have no idea how.

Unfortunately, the viewer ultimately reads a "P" in the logo - and doesn't get information beyond the text about the company.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Designers -

An apology in advance for the curt writing and slow brain. I've got some flu that has me laid up for a day and I'm posting because I made a commitment to you guys. I will be more expansive in my comments tomorrow.

Shnickerdoodle - you got a dose of sarcasm for using a cross in the logo, but it's only because I'm too thick-headed to recognize your logo as a plus. That said, it needs to go in different direction. It might be possible to use the T in my concept without the plus, but the plus does not convey much by itself.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Alexander -

The first logo carries no meaning beyond the text. However, it is very neat way of representing the company. I had hoped to get meaning out of the logo, but this throws me for a loop. I will check with other people here.

The icon in the second logo is very nice. Can you put together a version based on my comments to Taldo (text on top of T, conservative style)?

Colors: Yellow without a dark border is tough to see. Also, yellow/blue means Sweden or Ikea to many people.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Brian -

I think you're headed in a good direction. Comments:

The width of the lines in the T is too narrow. You've stayed pretty close to accounting convention, but you can throw that out for elements of good icon design.

No drop shadow. It violates whatever rules I have in my head for "crisp".

The text can not curve. It is of primary importance to convey professionalism and conservativeness.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Radicalseed -

I really like that you went for two concepts simultaneously (profit and desk). Ultimately, however, I'm seeing furniture more than anything.

Also, avoid thin lines - they break my idea of crispness.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Designers -

For me, the cleaner the better in logo design. The ideal for logos should be what works in the real world for big corporations. Some favorites:

- The old UPS logo
- Apple
- Nike
- McDonalds
- The old AT&T logo

Mike

[Just J]

From your last feedback entry I thought of this image. The thought was...
What would a combined desk and profit look like?
*See below*

[Just J]

:rolleyes:

[cursal]

Your comments are appreciated

next try :)


--Brian

[samoyloff]

http://www.samoyloff.com/profitdesk2.gif

[bankstrong]

Jason -

That's right - stretch your creativity a little. I will put very few boundaries on where you go and try to judge by results only. My original post is just one concept from a guy that does not know how to design.

"Profit" is the more important concept to convey and it's very tough to do. Anything as obvious as dollar signs is most likely going to be cheesy.

I couldn't read "profit" from your logo (knowing that you mean to convey it, I believe that the logo has a sort of graph of profit going up and down). However, the logo was "crisp" to the extreme.

Open up even more. If you don't have a concept that really conveys much about the company, go for mood. The company should be conservative and trustworthy (like a bank). The Bank Strong logo conveyed this very well. The logo should also be beautiful and crisp. If you come up with a logo that works very well on this score, it may compensate for lack of meaning.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Jason -

One more thing. Please do not integrate the logo with the text. It should be able to stand by itself.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Brian -

Be careful. The first logo is reminscent of a swastika.

The second logo does not have this issue. However, the "desk" is very difficult to see.

Mike

Mike

[bankstrong]

Alexander -

Oy. You've already demonstrated 2 viable concepts - I would have worked only on refining them.

That said, as long as you're throwing more ideas out there, I'm happy to take advantage of your creativity.

Concept 1) Very nice. Doesn't hurt that incorporates a few elements of the UPS logo - one of the all-time best. Don't know if you got lucky, but you hit on another financial theme - red ink=loss, black ink=profit.

Concept 2) Don't like it - it looks like a present.

Concepts 3&4) I'm aiming to "conservative" it up a little, while making the accounting analogy a little more obvious.

The font treatment in the Bank Strong logo totally hits the conservative image that I'd like. Keep that treatment in mind when you adjust this logo. Also, the text should be above the top line. I believe that it should read

Profitdesk
Software

I'm guessing that you had some trouble coming up with two lines of legible text without throwing your design out of balance. Perhaps you can make the logo more horizontal (proportioned like the bank strong logo) in order to make it work together.

Your very first concept (not shown here) is not out of the running. I'd like a conservative image, but this concept was very nice.

Mike

[Just J]

Originally posted by bankstrong
Open up even more. If you don't have a concept that really conveys much about the company, go for mood. The company should be conservative and trustworthy (like a bank). The Bank Strong logo conveyed this very well. The logo should also be beautiful and crisp. If you come up with a logo that works very well on this score, it may compensate for lack of meaning.

I opened up a little more while still staying pretty conservative. It is fairly generic though the word profit did play a part in the design.

[cursal]

Several post now, just thought it would be wise to order them. Let's call this one submission C

:)

--Brian

[cursal]

Another go at this one
Submission D

[bankstrong]

Jason -

This is your best entry yet. It carries a whiff of "desk" as well as a whiff of what we do - optimization through honing in on important information.

I would space out the letters in "software" to make it the same length as "profitdesk".

I would also line up the text with the logo - same width or more likely, same height with text to right.

Use a different color scheme - the colors will be lost in a sea of banking blue.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Alexander -

Two more comments on the shield design.

Perhaps enlarge text to match height of logo. It may be simpler for the eye and "software" would be easier to read.

Try embedding the plus in the right field without touching either the edge of the graphic or the vertical bar. This may make it a little easier to read - and it's been stylized plenty.

Mike

[Just J]

Hi Mike,
Here you go...

[samoyloff]

Hello Mike,

Here are the revised concepts. :)

Thanks,
Alexander.

http://www.samoyloff.com/profitdesk3.gif

[Taldo]

:)

[bankstrong]

Cursal -

Let's work off image D. It echos both "p" and "pi" for profit.

1) Change the color scheme. There are a lot of banking companies with blue and green.

2) Separate the text from the logo. The logo should be able to stand alone. Most likely, the text should be on the right.

3) Make sure that all colors used ("desk") are legible.

4) Use appropriate spacing (kerning?) to change from a word processing look to a corporate image look.

Yours,
Mike

[bankstrong]

Jason -

I like it. In addition to the bullseye, I now also think "three golden rings".

- I don't know if this will be better, but can you experiment with reversing gold and grey in the icon only?

- Some of the letters in software are kind of washed out (Example: the top two horizontals in E)

Mike

[bankstrong]

Alexander -

I think the first two are worth pursuing.

- I'd adjust the typography in the first graphic to more closely resemble the bank strong typography. I think what's going on is that two fonts are needed.

- Someone here saw the top bar as a big minus (literally). Any ideas for altering the shape just enough to get rid of the issue?

Leave the second graphic as is.

Mike

[bankstrong]

Taldo -

I like it. Can you make it more conservative through typography? Use BankStrong as a model.

Mike

[Taldo]

revised:)

[samoyloff]

http://www.samoyloff.com/profitdesk4.gif

[Just J]

:)

[DesignGeneral]

:)

[Buginajar]

I will post a new version later today after work.

[cursal]

Mike,

Thank you for you feedback so far.

I was wondering if you could give us a list of what colors mean in the business/marketing/banking world. I understand the Black and red, but are there others?

This may be an helpful as we work on this.

Revision coming soon :)

Reguards,
--Brian

[nvoke]

and one from me...
let me know what you think,
thanks :)
amanda

[Raja]

.

[bankstrong]

CONTEST END

I apologize for not giving notice, but the winner has been chosen. I realized that giving notice will only cause people extra work without increasing their chances.

The winner is Jason. This is a beautiful, crisp design that is quite conservative and yet gives a hint of what our company does.

Take a bow, because you beat out a number of extremely talented designers. There were four designs that I felt were worth recommending for vote - and I would have been tickled pink with any of them. There were a number of original takes on the "T" concept, as well as other creative designs.

Mike

[bankstrong]

MODIFICATIONS

Jason -

I'm still on an extremely tight time frame - I need to work with the graphics tomorrow.

1) Please revert to yesterday's version (mostly gold), but reverse the fonts on top and bottom. This will keep two-font treatment, but make "software" less fuzzy.

2) The last logo was provided in ten .gif sizes (thumb to XXL3), CMYK & RGB eps, (RGB, CMYK, spot, black) ai, and a black tif. I'm not a graphics guy (I'm quite handy at pasting into Word :)), so please ensure that you provide files that are good for both me and any graphic artists that need files.

Mike

[Just J]

Hi Mike.
Thanks very much for choosing my design. I know you are in a rush so I will try to get this to the way you want it ASAP. I've made the revision that you asked for, just let me know what else you need.
The files that I will be sending will be in various formats for use in any application. Of the files being sent, one will be a .tif for use in Word (I will send a couple different resolutions for you). This format can be opened in any photo editing software and resized (down) if needed. Also, if needed, you could always just send me an email if you need a different size and I will be glad to send it to you.

[bankstrong]

Jason -

You nailed the changes. Now, I just need the various files.

Thank you,
Mike

[Buginajar]

Conservative design with contemporary flair...

[Buginajar]

Hahahaha oops. Didn't read the last few posts before i posted.

Congrats Jason.

[Just J]

Link to files sent via PM.
Thanks again Mike. If you need anything else please let me know.



--------------

Thanks for the congrats Chris :D

[Taldo]

Nice one, Jason!:)

[Just J]

Thanks Carol! :D

[bankstrong]

Jason -

In reviewing the files, I think the only files that I'd still like to get are a variety of sizes in .gif. I don't know what size we'll need on the web page and I am worried about trying to change size.

By the way, I'm very glad that you sent me a .tif. This allows me to use a vector file that Word accepts. Correct?

Thanks,
Mike

[Just J]

Hi again Mike.
No, a .tif is not vector but it is a high resolution graphic that I use for my database and Word files.
As for different size .gif files... I wouldn't really know where to begin. I could send you a few sizes that I think you could use, but chances are I'd be wrong and when re-sized will become VERY pixelated. Are you planning on doing the design for your website? If so, if you could give me a general idea about where you plan on putting the logo, I may be able to get a little closer. If you are having someone else do the design or running a contest here, the vector files (.eps, .ai) will work out a lot better as any designer can resize them with no pixelation (and I'm sure they would prefer vector).
Let me know :)

[bankstrong]

Jason -

<<No, a .tif is not vector but it is a high resolution graphic that I use for my database and Word files.>>

Oh. How big can I blow it up before problems hit?

<<I could send you a few sizes that I think you could use, but chances are I'd be wrong and when re-sized will become VERY pixelated. >>

Send 5 in the possible range. If it's not exactly the right size, I'll use what's closest and work with it. I expect to use the smallest graphic that isn't blurry or illegible.

<<If you are having someone else do the design or running a contest here, the vector files (.eps, .ai) will work out a lot better as any designer can resize them with no pixelation (and I'm sure they would prefer vector).>>

I may build the web site in the very short term. In the likely event that I go straight to Design Outpost, I'll supply your vector file. That's why I'm not too concerned about getting a perfectly sized gif.

Mike

[Just J]

Ok, sounds good Mike. I will supply a few different sizes that I would use. As for how much you can blow up a .gif before running into problems... you can't ;) . I've never had success re-sizing a .gif.
I will be back in a little while with the link to download the various size .gif's.

[Just J]

Link to assorted .gif file sent via PM.

[bankstrong]

Jason -

Thank you for a job well done.

PROJECT COMPLETE.

Mike

[Just J]

You're welcome Mike.
Thank you :)