Pick My Logo and Settle an Argument

[largelylivin]

You know how sometimes you do things that you know are just asking for trouble? I asked my wife to critique my new logo and other art work. Now she says "So why did you ask me if you weren't going to take my advice!?!"

My URL is www.smile-123.com (http://www.smile-123.com).


Please give me an opinion. Just so I don't bias you unfairly, I won't tell you which is mine and which is hers.

Choice Number 1.

http://blue-dog.smugmug.com/photos/152620078-M.jpg (http://blue-dog.smugmug.com/gallery/2282888#152620078-L-LB)

Choice Number 2.

http://blue-dog.smugmug.com/photos/152620086-M.jpg (http://blue-dog.smugmug.com/gallery/2282888#152620086-L-LB)

[quark]

Are you just looking for votes or do you also want feedback on the logos?

[largelylivin]

Are you just looking for votes or do you also want feedback on the logos?

Sure! Fire away. Its just a logo. Check the website to see another variation on it. THat's still under development. I also posted my business card under the Show Us Your Business Card Thread, but didn't get much in the way og a critique.

This is for a Candid/Event business.

[jdryan3]

I'm not sure why the URL is smile-123 but the logo is dash 123. Not consistent and confusing. Also the words/letters look vector based, but the smiley looks like a bitmap. The bitmap is very choppy/pixelated. Finally, I'm not sure the smiley face is in the public domain. Obviously Wal-Mart uses it, but yours is slightly different.

That said, I like the first one.

[quark]

I am probably not the best one to comment since I live logo-less so take it with a grain of salt. I was only going to say that it doesn't really emphasize professional to me. You may not care depending on what you are trying to do, but a cleaner image would help (less grainy). Maybe combine the smile guy with a camera? Make him wink?

[largelylivin]

I'm not sure why the URL is smile-123 but the logo is dash 123. Not consistent and confusing. Also the words/letters look vector based, but the smiley looks like a bitmap. The bitmap is very choppy/pixelated. Finally, I'm not sure the smiley face is in the public domain. Obviously Wal-Mart uses it, but yours is slightly different.

That said, I like the first one.

The original smiley is public domain which is way too bad for the cleaver person and company in Massachusetts that originated it back in 1977 (I believe). THIS variation is from a rights free click-art site. Yes its bitmap and I need to redo it.

The application is for a Candid and Event Photography business. "Candid" being that I will take photos of people who can buy a print on smugmug. The trick is to communicate to them that "when us see me taking pictures, check our website for your photos". There will be targeted advertising in the press and I need to make myself as Conspicuous and Easy-To-Remember as possible. I think that the URL name and logo goes a long way to doing just that, at least in principle if not in execution. AGREE? Also, I will primarily be shooting from a boat and so visibility and readability are very important. For that reason, I want my boat graphics to be in something that approaches the "safety" colors.

I am mildly concerned about it being too cute, i.e. not professional looking, but I have to balance that with the other goals. That is the reason I put it and my business card up for critique.

The issue of which is best is simply that my wife things that from a branding perspective #1 reads back wards. I think #2 reads back wards and is more likely to confuse direct association with the URL name. I personally think that the URL name is KEY and that I was lucky to get it. Naturally I would prefer if it didn't have a dash in it.


Criteria:
1. Logo easily invokes correct memory of the URL.
2. Logo is simple and memorable.
3. Logo is easy to read and visible on the water.

On that basis -- Is this a Home Run?

[scwalter]

Criteria:
1. Logo easily invokes correct memory of the URL.
2. Logo is simple and memorable.
3. Logo is easy to read and visible on the water.

On that basis -- Is this a Home Run?
1. No. The word "dash" in your logo is confusing.
2. Yes, but not necessarily associated with your URL.
3. Maybe. Depending on size and color.

I think you need to just add your URL to the smily face and maybe find a cleaner one. Here's a 2-minute job in PS. The smily face is in the "Wingding" font.

-Scott

[jdryan3]

Naturally I would prefer if it didn't have a dash in it.


Ahhh! Now I get it the word Dash is to represent the - character. I agree with the posting that the word should not be spelled out. It just isn't obvious enough. :scratch

[BrdMan98]

I agree with scwalter. I think doing it that way leaves the smily face in, but doesn't confuse people.

For people that just see your logo, it would almost be like playing a game of of charades trying to turn :D DASH 123 into smile-123.com

I think it will be less confusing with the smily, then your URL written below it, or, if you want to keep the smily you chose, the banner on the front of your page would work too, I just think the word DASH needs to be taken out somehow.

[StevenV]

not only is the original smile apparently copyrighted, but that large big-box discount department store uses a bouncing smiley to roll back prices in their ads, so I'm wondering if you may get some confusion there that you probably don't want... "hey, are you a photographer for Wal-Mart?"

:puke1

[largelylivin]

not only is the original smile apparently copyrighted, but that large big-box discount department store uses a bouncing smiley to roll back prices in their ads, so I'm wondering if you may get some confusion there that you probably don't want... "hey, are you a photographer for Wal-Mart?"

:puke1

Ha! I'm not going to lose any sleep over that one. Funny, since I thought of this a couple months ago and wondered why nobody had used the smiley face big-time, I've started to see them everywhere. I did not know about wal-mart. We now have a Smiley Plumbing franchise in the area and I've seen at least 3 or 4 of their trucks. Some small time guy is posting signs for Smiley Lawn Care.

Actually, the original smiley is NOT under copyright or trade-mark. I friend's daughter is an industrual artist and pointed me to a couple authoritative web sources. Its from a small Mass company about 1977. Their industrical art's guy came up with this big yellow smiley button as a moral booster for the company. There was also an article about someone who tried to trade-mark their own 'special' version but when they tried to defend it in court the judge laughed and through it out. It is definitely public domain.

[largelylivin]

I'm not sure why the URL is smile-123 but the logo is dash 123. Not consistent and confusing. Also the words/letters look vector based, but the smiley looks like a bitmap. The bitmap is very choppy/pixelated. Finally, I'm not sure the smiley face is in the public domain. Obviously Wal-Mart uses it, but yours is slightly different.

That said, I like the first one.
Thank you all for your input. I have redrawn the Smiley. I am seriously considering dropping the "Dash" because several of you found it confusing. Still thinking on that one.

Again, thanks for the critique.

[dragon300zx]

Thank you all for your input. I have redrawn the Smiley. I am seriously considering dropping the "Dash" because several of you found it confusing. Still thinking on that one.

Again, thanks for the critique.

Let me chip in a bit here.

The "Dash" was very confusing to me at first until I saw your domain. -123 would prolly be better for URL recognition.

[scwalter]

Thank you all for your input. I have redrawn the Smiley. I am seriously considering dropping the "Dash" because several of you found it confusing. Still thinking on that one.

Again, thanks for the critique.

That's better, but still has the dash and I honestly don't think many people would figure out your URL from that image alone.

Here's another quick go at it. Adding 123

-Scott

[evoryware]

Thank you all for your input. I have redrawn the Smiley. I am seriously considering dropping the "Dash" because several of you found it confusing. Still thinking on that one.

Again, thanks for the critique.

I think this smiley looks a lot better. The dash 123, I would never have figured out was synonymous with smile-123.com.

[urbanaries]

scwalters rendition makes the most sense, from a visual communication theory perspective. If a complete stranger doesn't "get it" in .4 seconds, you've wasted the opportunity to make a sale.

Just my .02......

[BRATCH]

That's better, but still has the dash and I honestly don't think many people would figure out your URL from that image alone.

Here's another quick go at it. Adding 123

-Scott

A version that could be cool is making the actual "smile" on the smiley face the web address. You probably wouldn't need the "www." if space was an issue. Size will be an issue though as readibility would be an issue if it got too small.

But if the smiley face is going to be somewhat of a trademark, different versions of a logo aren't bad.

[Brett]

Take it for what it's worth, but I find the logo to "childish" looking. I don't know why, but it just doesn't work for me. Something more simpified and something that has balance to it will work wonders.

Just 2cents from a future graphic designer.

[HarlanBear]

Ha! I'm not going to lose any sleep over that one. Funny, since I thought of this a couple months ago and wondered why nobody had used the smiley face big-time, I've started to see them everywhere. I did not know about wal-mart. We now have a Smiley Plumbing franchise in the area and I've seen at least 3 or 4 of their trucks. Some small time guy is posting signs for Smiley Lawn Care.


Not to throw cold water, and I mean no offense, but I would rethink the whole smiley face concept; for some of the reasons you state above. You thought it wasn't used much and then noticed it "everywhere" once you thought to use it yourself. One reason you probably did not notice it before is because it is so common it blends into the background.

I've worked in advertising, marketing and branding for many years and IMO it is kinda tired and used up (1977?). And while it may be recognizable to all, it may not be remembered for what you want. As you said, it's a plumbing franchise, it's a lawn care company, it's Wal-Mart; like the old SNL joke "it's a floor wax, it's a dessert topping". BTW, Wal-Mart is using it almost exclusively in its current TV campaign, probably to be replaced once the interest cycle wears out. They use it only sparingly on their website (one small slideshow-type image) and not at all in their print ads, at least in my area.

The "smile" idea may work quite well with your company and service, but not sure the old smiley face will.

Just my 2 cents, and hope you will take this in the constructive spirit intended.

[largelylivin]

Not to throw cold water, and I mean no offense, but I would rethink the whole smiley face concept; for some of the reasons you state above. You thought it wasn't used much and then noticed it "everywhere" once you thought to use it yourself. One reason you probably did not notice it before is because it is so common it blends into the background.

I've worked in advertising, marketing and branding for many years and IMO it is kinda tired and used up (1977?). And while it may be recognizable to all, it may not be remembered for what you want. As you said, it's a plumbing franchise, it's a lawn care company, it's Wal-Mart; like the old SNL joke "it's a floor wax, it's a dessert topping". BTW, Wal-Mart is using it almost exclusively in its current TV campaign, probably to be replaced once the interest cycle wears out. They use it only sparingly on their website (one small slideshow-type image) and not at all in their print ads, at least in my area.

The "smile" idea may work quite well with your company and service, but not sure the old smiley face will.

Just my 2 cents, and hope you will take this in the constructive spirit intended.

Thanks for the well considered critique HarlanBear and I am not offended by any means. I have been reluctantly leaning your direction. As I am sure you know, it can be hard to give up an idea that you fallen in love with the synergy between the smiley and the website URL is really big, but you may be right. Since my last email I have noticed two more businesses that have started using it. One just put smileys on their trucks for no apparent reason!

Too bad I've created some good graphics for this theme.

[jdryan3]

Too bad I've created some good graphics for this theme.

Largely -
I notice your signature has Blue Dog and you have blue-dog.smugmug.com.

I think I actually prefer that over the smiley theme. Do you have either blue-dog.com? I see it is registered but no site. I think you could do a lot more unique things with that theme/name. :nod :nod