[Project Complete] Emergency Personal Data Storage - $200.

[susannah]

(Admin code added by Jason - 4KE86990U6612631B)

I'm beginning a website called MyEmergencyData.com. At this site, subscribers will store information that could be helpful in case of personal emergencies where they cannot make their wishes known. The scope is extensive and particularly desirable for single people and people who travel.

I'd like the logo to be clean and clear, easily read. I like blue and black with yellow, which could translate to grayscale.

This is a personal data storage and retrieval service. Behind super-firewalls, we provide subscribers with web space for their personal emergency specifics, such as contact persons, health care insurance policy details, living will locations, pet care instructions, physician details, personal allergy identification, burial and obituary materials.

When emergency personnel need help for our client, they can phone us. We verify the inquirer’s credentials and the client’s need, and provide the information our client has identified to be shared under those circumstances.

Our defining terms might well be "security, support, personal control." We want our existing and prospective clients to experience us as efficient, compassionate, caring and conscientious. The overall message we are trying to convey to our target audience is that when you can't speak for yourself, we can speak for you--you’re never alone--when you need help, we’re there to explain your wishes.

Each new subscriber receives an identification card with the client's name, www.myemergencydata.com and our toll free telephone number. Clients also may purchase medallions with the client's myemergencydata.com ID number and website address.

Subscription prices are only $20 per year for the original householder and $5 per year for each additional household member.

A close competitor might be myemergencyinfo.com, except for our 3-fold differences:

1. We have real people provide the subscriber's personal information to emergency personnel.
2. Our focus extends beyond medical emergencies to include burial information.
3. We provide links to national/regional/local health care providers, ambulance services, morticians and cemeteries, estate planners and probate attorneys.

I am very excited about this new service and thank you for your help. As you may suspect, I've not previously used Design Outpost but hope to partner well with you as we create an image that relays this vision. I look forward to working with you.

Best to you,
Susannah

[susannah]

Thank you, Jon,
This is a good start. I like the strength of the arrow and the power of the design, but I'm not keen about the take off on the Red Cross symbol.

In looking at your portfolio, I was struck by the stylized heart and wonder what you might do with that or how that might work. That might handle the My and the Emergency parts, but how would you graphically handle the idea of Data?

I very much appreciate your interest. Thank you, Susannah

[susannah]

Jon,
I think we've gone too far the other way, that is too soft could you make it a bit more BOTH masculine and feminine?

Your Goldilocks, Susannah

[susannah]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the re-fashioning. Here's some feedback just from me. I'm hoping to get input from other chums as we go.

Here's what I think, and I'm neither an artist nor a marketer. First, if you were to keep anything from the first round, I'd like the arrow. I'm not keen about the cross symbol.

Second, in the most recent version, I really get how you're reaching for the informational component and the heart-felt quality we want to have, but I'm not sure you're sending the right message.

If I were to translate the images, I'd say that the site was about a love book or a book of love. While we want to be a caring, loving support system, what we're selling is something else. We're selling 3 things:

--Personal emergency information internet storage,

--Personal information communication with emergency personnel by phone during times of crisis,

--Service internet links to health and death services, such as probate attorneys, estate planners, health care systems, morticians, cemetaries, ambulance services.

I hope that helps stimulate your creative juices. Keep up the good work and thank you.

Susannah

[susannah]

Jon,

I came up with an idea tonight. How about somehow using the caduceus? That could be an alternative to the Red Cross cross, which I don't like.

Looking for a breakthrough....

Smiles, Susannah

[susannah]

Suggestions from the reviewers.

Hi Jon,

I've spoken with some of the people I've asked to review our progress and have some more ideas for your creative genius. One friend suggested using a stethoscope, perhaps instead of the caduceus, but I like the caduceus.

Someone else suggested using the stethoscope to outline the heart! Someone else suggested using a file folder outline to suggest the idea of storing people's files. Very creative people here rooting for you.

Thanks for your help, Susannah

[susannah]

Oh, and I've been hearing from folks that they like your blue and green or blue and red more than the blue and yellow.

Other than I like blue and yellow together, I just like how that looks screened. The yellow comes out so much lighter in gray tones, but don't be limited by my preferences.

I'll be out of town Thursday to Tuesday, but will try to check in from the road.

Thanks, again.
Susannah

[susannah]

A friend of mine just suggested making the colors really stand out, like florescent green and purple. That sounds really good to me, oddly enough. What do you think?

If there are other designers out there hanging back until the last minute, let me know. I will be gone Aug. 25-30. You may want to get your feedback before I go rather than while I'm crunchy when I get back. If you need the deadline extended, let me know.

Smiles, Susannah

[susannah]

Not to be an alarmist, but our deadline is Sept. 5.

From my friends, I'm hearing that they really like Jon's colors, better than my suggestion. So let's go with designers' ideas on this stuff.

I sure would like to see some more designs before the deadline.

Smiles from Susannah

[Aaron]

Here's something... shown with motion and without.

[susannah]

Welcome aboard, Aaron. I like the movement, but do drop the cross.
Good use of the file folder.

I'm surprised no one's played with the MED possibilities of MyEmergencyData.com, but that's up to you designers.

Keep those gray cells churning. I appreciate the help.

Smiles, Susannah

[Aaron]

:)

[susannah]

Thank, Aaron, for the update. I'll check with my folks and give you some feedback.

Thanks, Susannah

[Michael]

Designers: The deadline has been extended to the 15th Sept

[susannah]

We like these last two much better.* I even received a rave for the version by Aaron with the swirl and file folder! (Not the one with the folder that has little spikes coming out of it.) In any case, we think the folder will be too plain without something on it.

Since I don't like the cross on the folder, how about a jagged line like the kind that indicates a heart monitor? Or a stethoscope? Or a Caduceus? Or a small family grouping like one of those very symple representations of Mom Dad, Boy, Girl, that is just balls for heads on top of rounded cones?

We also think the design would be more interesting if two tones - blue & red, as are some of the earlier ideas. Folks didn’t like the maroon.

Keep up the good work, Susannah

[Aaron]

Here's another shot at it...

[bogglins]

...medical record, relatives, profile, address...

[susannah]

I would very much like to see the MED component played more. Even I sometimes forget the name of the website but remember the MED and then can fill in the blanks. Could you help develop that?

Smiles, Susannah

[susannah]

I still like no 18 best - with the curve but not with the red cross. I like no 24 with the people coming out of the folder, but miss the curve which I find very stylish. I don't like the last one with the playing cards, although I do see that our designer is trying to get at the idea of risK?

Keep up the good work. Smiles, Suzann

[Aaron]

What about a combination of elements? ;)

[bogglins]

another try..

[bogglins]

:)

[susannah]

I still like the swirl/folder. Could the set with the people change to make the figures overlap or something? I think I prefer the image to be on the outside of the folder rather than on the inside, but I'm not sure.

Could we try it with a jagged line indicating a heartbeat? I'd also like to see the MED emphasized some how.

Thanks so much for your efforts, Susannah

[Aaron]

Will do. I'll post later this evening.

a.t.

[Aaron]

All the elements, in a more compact format. When I was experimenting with this, having the figures on the outside of the folder seems to make the graphic a little disjointed. I do have one more set to try to nail down though.

[Aaron]

...and here it is.

[susannah]

Sorry all for my absence,

Moving from NM to California has taken its toll. I've been out of all my loops for the past 2 months, but now I'm back.

Aaron, I like how you've incorporated so many elements, but somehow, it's too thick. That seems the wrong word, but somehow conveys my ambivalence.

Please keep more options coming. Thank you, Susannah

[abby]

Moderators and Designers this projects deadline has been updated to ******NOVEMBER 30TH.******

[Radu]

Here's an idea. Comments are welcomed! :)

[Rongie]

My idea :)

[Aaron]

Aaron, I like how you've incorporated so many elements, but somehow, it's too thick. That seems the wrong word, but somehow conveys my ambivalence.
I'll see what I can do to make this a little easier on the eyes.

Thanks,

Aaron

[nhr]

Hallo:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/nhrdesign/_DO/MED_DO.png

Thank you.

[susannah]

I really like these new suggestions. Let me get my team on reviewing them. Good new ideas.

Thank you, Susannah

[Bojan]

one from me too
kind regards

bojan

[susannah]

Gee, Ruairi, nhr and graphixparanoid, thank you for joining in. I knew you'd bring a fresh vision to the effort. Aaron, I'm looking foward to your next contribution.

I really love what you're doing and waiting on my team's response. I will forward their comments as they come in. Thank you, again.

Best, Susannah

[eziey]

:)

[eziey]

my 2nd design..

[Aaron]

Having so many figures inside the folder was making the icon a little congested, so I removed one of the children. Now it is more figurative...does that help at all?

[susannah]

My favorite so far is #37 with #38 as second. We like #37 because it's clean and helps clients remember that this is their site, but it still feels unfinished, like something's missing. #38 is missing the intimacy of #37, but I really like the symbolism. Nice work fellows.

Welcome aboard eziey. Unfortunately, I really don't like including a cross, even though it's a universally recognized symbol for emergency help.

Aaron, thank you for trying to lighten up your design, but even removing a child just doesn't get it. It's a little too stereotypically family while my target market includes seniors and singles. I do appreciate the effort.

Bless you, Susannah

[eziey]

:)

[Aaron]

Let's shake the concept up a little bit then... ;)

[susannah]

Good effort, Aaron, for hanging in there. Part of what we really liked about the cursive MyEmergencyData logo was how personalized it seemed with the cursive "My" while having the Emergency and Data in something more business and impersonal.

I do like how you included the medical symbol. It all moves now.

Thank you, Susannah

[susannah]

Thank you, eziey, good twist. I like the emphasis on the emergency, but I'm not sure the bell ringing quite hits it. You're a really talented guy. I look forward to your next twist.
Thanks for your insights, Susannah

[eziey]

:)

[susannah]

Wow, eziey, I personally totally LOVE your wand idea, but it's not right for this business. We must appear as well as operate in a very straightforward business-like manner as well as personably. This cannot appear to be magic.

Great, wonderful idea. I do love it. You have a wonderful imagination, but it just doesn't fit this business. Please keep trying.

Thanks, Susannah

[eziey]

:)

[susannah]

eziey, great move. I love the helping hand motiff and miss the individualization of the italicized My from Aaron's design. Is there someway to make the My special without ruining your design?

We're getting close to our deadline, folks. I hope eziey's diligence hasn't forced out everyone else.

Thanks, Susannah

[eziey]

:)

[Radu]

Hello,

I apologize for my delay but I've been out of the country for the last 10 days.

Here's an idea based on my previous entry.
I've used some files to create a cross like shape while keeping it personal by keeping the "my" bigger.

Let me know your opinion.

Thank you.

[Radu]

and no 3 - same idea small variation

[nhr]

:)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/nhrdesign/_DO/MED2_DO.png

Thank you.

[susannah]

Great job folks. I’m going to have to stay up on my toes to keep up with you. Our deadline nears. Here’s some feedback.

Ruairi--We really like the arrangements of the words and your great sense of design. We especially like how you fashioned the cross to look also like a flower, yet it was very professional. However, I do have remarkable resistance to this logo including a cross. Could you replace the cross with something else, maybe a caduceus?

eziey-- Nice shift. We really like your helping hand and the italicized “my.” What I didn’t see before was the possibility of the floating papers seeming out of control. What might be done about that? Keep up the good work.

nhr-- We really like your use of text and emphasis on the My. Nice. We also like the swirl that embraces the papers, but the arrow seems a bit too whip-like with a devilish overtone. I’m not sure what to do about that because I think you have a good idea, just a bit off.

Thanks, folks, I'll try to keep up with you. Only 2 more days until our deadline and we're really making great progress. This is going to be tough.

Sincerely, Susannah

[nhr]

Divil is gone ;)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/nhrdesign/_DO/MED21_DO.png

Thank you very much.

[Radu]

Well,
I found it impossible to integrate the caduceus in the same manner I did with the cross, but I thought it would be cool to have the snakes made of "medical records".

Comments are more than welcomed.

Thank you.

[susannah]

Wow, Ruairi, that's brilliant. We're really close now.

Might the caduceus be a bit smaller--it seems to overwhelm the name--and maybe dip down a bit so it's more integral to the name? Could the .com be on the same line as Data, so it doesn't appear to be Emergency.comdata?

nhr, you are just so wonderful. Thank you for accommodating me. The dot replacing the arrow doesn't quite do it. Might it be made part of the logo, or would that get too confusing. Gosh, I have to make a choice tonight. Wow.

Thank you, Susannah

[Radu]

Thank you, Susannah.

Here are some variations.

[Radu]

No. 6

[Radu]

and no. 7

[susannah]

Thank you all for your excellent work. This has been a wonderful experience. I've loved your imagination and patience.

Ruairi has won the competition. I will let you know tomorrow, Dec. 1, about formatting requirements and some final polishing, if that's okay.

Again, thank you all for your superb work.

Best to you all, Susannah

[Radu]

That's Great!
Thank you. :)

[susannah]

Hi Ruairi,

I've written the Designer Outpost twice asking how we finalize our arrangements, but haven't heard from them, but I'm sure they will. They've been great so far.

Here are my last requests for polishing:

1. I'm having a tough time deciding between 65 & 66--Here's the reason. In #65, I like the three words broken out so it's readable, which the all black #66 isn't. In #66 I like the caduseus on the left with the crescent over it.

Can the caducesus be smaller? It's currently bigger than the whole name.

Lastly, could you swing the M in My so the third bump in the letter is shorter than the previous two? I don't know if you can do this--maybe the font is immutable?

2. About the color, as I noted, I'd like the design to be in blue, yellow and black--could you do that?

3. My designer friend would like to have a version with a transparent background

4. We would like to have the design in .eps, .jpg, .gif, and, if it's not too much .psd, .png, .pdf, and .tiff.

I hope these requests are okay with you. Thanks, Susannah

[Radu]

Hi Susannah,
and thanks for your feedback.

After you agree on a design, I will send you the final files for it (.eps, .jpg, .etc).

I will send you some variations later today based on your suggestions.

Thank you,
Radu

[Radu]

I've changed the size of the caducesus and also modified the third bump of the "M".

Let me know your opinion.

[Radu]

here's a new version.

[susannah]

Hi Ruairi,

Thank you for the extra work. We seem to have lost our crescent, which I really liked. Could the caduseus be smaller yet, maybe with the return of the crescent?

I do like the Emergency in the chartreuse and I see the problem with yellow--it does rather fade out. How about more of a light green rather than the pea green?

What I'm looking for in the M for My is that the bumps cascade from the first one the highest to lowest that comes just before the y. Might the M and the y be connected? What do you think? Can you do that?

I've not yet heard from the DO folks to find out how to effect the transfer of all your lovely designs and my $200. I'll keep trying them. It's so not like them to be so unresponsive. Let's visit tomorrow.

Best, Susannah

[Radu]

Hello,

I wasn't sure about the colors - I did changed "emergency" and the color of the snake. It would help me if you could let me know what changes you want for each specific item in the logo.

As for finalizing the logo, the process is simple. When you agree with the final logo, I will send you a "kit" (will send you a private message with a link to your files) containing most of the files you requested (usebale for web, print & office) and I will notify the administrators of Design Outpost and they will pay me the ammount specified for this contest.

Thank you.

[susannah]

Thank you so much for your patience and extra information. I'll try to be more specific, although you have done very well, indeed, modifying the design.

Thank you for switching the colors and shrinking the caduseus, leveling out the bumps on the capital M, connecting the M and y, and reintroducing the crescent. At this point, I believe I have only three requests, if they're possible:

1. Can the caduseus and crescent be flipped to the other side of the My?

2. Can the initial bump, of the 3, in the M--you know, the starting flourish--be higher than the other 2? This would reinforce the cascading effect of the M into the y.

3. Reverse the colors so Emergency and the crescent are in blue and My and Data.com are in green, and could the green be more lively? It seems muddy.

Thanks for the close out information. We'll chat soon. You're the best.

Sincerely, Susannah

[Radu]

Hello,
here are your requested changes.
Let me know your opinion.

Thank you.

[susannah]

I love the design. How do you feel?

My only question is the color--on my computer, it looks like a metallic gold or a metallic dull chartruese. You know, let me pop into a friend's computer tomorrow morning and see what colors appear on that computer.

I hope you like the design, as well. Gratefully, Susannah

[Radu]

Well, Pantone colors on computer screens may vary based on the graphics card and monitor used in your system. If you want you can check this Pantone color chart and tell me exactly what colors you want in your logo. http://www.flagdist.com/PMS%20Color%20Chart.htm

Thank you.

[susannah]

Brilliant suggestion, the Pantone color chart. I immediately went there and loved Reflex blue and PMS 286 but the Green didn't look true green on my monitor. I'm going to pop over to a computer lab tomorrow morning and see what I can find by looking at the chart from a variety of monitors. Please forgive the deliberance, and thank you so much for your guidance.

Sincerely, Susannah

[abby]

Hi Susannah,
I have sent you e-mails and Private messages, have you received any of them?

[Radu]

No problem. I'll wait for the new color codes. :)

[susannah]

You're now the second person who's said she sent me something and it hasn't come though. I'll get in touch with my computer person to see if there's a leak on my system. Thanks, Susannah

[susannah]

I had a great time at the computer lab. Unfortunately I arrived there less than a half an hour before they closed--an hour earlier than I had thought.

The Tech was particularly helpful noting that out of the myriad Pantone chart only 216 colors are good on websites--who knew? I followed his advice and went to a site that identifies the 216 colors:

http://www.web-source.net/216_color_chart.htm
BLUE
CCFFFF 99CCFF 66CCFF 6699FF 6666FF 6633FF 6600FF 3399FF 3366FF 3333FF 3300FF 0033FF *0000FF 330099 330066 00099 0000CC

GREEN
66FF33 66FF00 33FF33 33FF00 00FF33 00FF00 00CC00 009900
006600 003300 33CCC00 336600 99FF00 CCFF00 333300

I had the best time looking at those colors. I chose lots of options so you could use your creative genius to match the best pair. I'll check it out tomorrow on the computer lab monitor, which gives me lots of monitor eyes for viewing.

Thank you so much for your guidance. Sincerely, Susannah

[susannah]

Abby,

I'm so glad you posted your note. Indeed, I did have a glitch in my email--I just changed internet providers with my move--and there was a hole that got patched tonight. Please try me again.

Thank you, Susannah

[Radu]

Ouch,
those codes are HEX codes, and are only usable for the web. The reason they "limited" the color pallete for the web to 216 colors was because of the old graphic cards that could only display 8 bit colours. Nowadays, as Lynda (Lynda.com) says HERE (http://www.lynda.com/hex.html), and also from experience, there is no need to limit the web colors to 216 anymore.

On the other hand, I cannot use the codes you provided - I use Pantone colours that are designed for print. Pantone colours easily translate for the web, but it's a bit difficult to match a web colour (hex value) to a certain Pantone colour.

What I would kindly ask you to do is to pick your colours from this chart http://www.flagdist.com/PMS%20Color%20Chart.htm
- I guarantee you will have no problem in porting the PMS colors to the web.

I hope I am making sense. :)

[susannah]

You totally make sense. Here's the Pantone list using only my computer monitor. I hope it's up to the task. At the very least, you'll have a good idea of what I mean by "clear" colors.

GREEN
PMS 361 PMS 368 PMS 626 PMS 368 2x PMS 802 2x

BLUE
Reflex Blue Blue 072 PMS 2935 PMS 542 PMS 543 PMS 549
PMS 662 PMS 661

I had more greens--on second review, they seemed too dark. Best of luck to you and thanks. Smiles, Susannah

[Radu]

Thank you for the new color codes.
Here are some variations based on your selected colours.

Let me know your opinion.

[Radu]

#6-6

[Radu]

and #6-7

[susannah]

Wow. Let me check them out on the monitors at the computer lab. This is such an important decision, I don't want to mess up.

Thank you for all the choices. Your genius sure was working. I hope it was fun for you, too.

Best, Susannah

[susannah]

I missed the computer lab today, but will try again tomorrow (Saturday). I'll return with feedback and the choice as soon as I check it out on several monitors.

Thank you so much, Susannah

[susannah]

Hi,

The computer lab's about to close, so let me take a whack at this quite quickly--my last message to you got dumped before I could post it. Here are some possibilities, I hope you like:

542--the crescent and winged staff of the caduseus, and perhaps the .COM--or would that make it too busy?
2935--EMERGENCY and one of the snakes in the caduseus
368--all the rest

I'm not wedded to this combination, just making suggestions. It simply emphasizes the EMERGENCY and covertly makes a connection between the other elements, I think.

On the black-and-white, could either the EMERGENCY or some or all of the rest be screened to a gray tone so it's not quite so lumped together?

Thank you. Must dash. Best, Susannah

[Radu]

Here you are. I think I like the .com in green rather than have it in blue.

No. 6-8

[Radu]

No. 6-9

[susannah]

I agree about the .COM in green. I've been out of town the past 2 days; sorry for the delay. Let me study these 2--my knee jerk reaction is around the very dark staff in the caduseus. We don't want that to be the most dominant piece in the log.

Have you given any thought to the gray tones for the black and white logo? Let me print the 2 on my color printer, review them at the computer lab tomorrow and get gack to you tomorrow night. Thanks so much.

Best, Susannah

[Radu]

Hi Susannah.

Here's the grey scale version.

Thank you.

[susannah]

The gray scale version is excellent. I didn't make it to the computer lab today, but will tomorrow. My only concern is the very dark staff on the caduseus. I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your great work, Susannah

[Radu]

Here's a new version with no black in the caduseus.

Thank you.

[susannah]

Made it to the computer lab. Brilliant, perfect. Thanks for changing the caduseus staff. The black was too strong on the staff.

I don't want to belabor this but do want to check with you. Do you think there should be a strong/darker element somewhere in the design and that's the reason for making the staff black? If you think there should be a strong black element--how about the EMERGENCY?

Thanks, Susannah

[Radu]

I think the logo has a good balance now. I must admit I forgot to change the black thing in the caduceus and only remembered about it when you posted that specific request, yesterday - that was the only reason I kept it black. Personally I don't think black should be in your logo because it's a mortuary (in this context and as far as I understand it now) and I like that you choose bright colours - It's about hope and having a solution for a stringent problem (at least for some people).

I wouldn't use black for emergency at all. It stands out already and has a good contrast with the surrounding green.

No color changes in my opinion as well. I agree with you about the last version. :)

[susannah]

Great. How do we proceed? Thank you so much for your counsel.

Sincerely,
Susannah

[Radu]

Hi Susannah,
I've just sent you a private message (http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/private.php?) with a link to your files.

Thank you.