More than a logo

Last week I had a brief chat with Joanne Dolezal of Dolezal Consulting about ‘More than a logo’, which is a programme she is running with Horizons Life Coaching to help business owners develop a strong corporate identity for their company. Except it’s not. It’s more important than that. It’s about helping business owners truly understand their company, get into the nitty gritty of it, develop an action plan and know how to talk about it BEFORE they go ahead and commission their corporate identity.

I’ve written a very short post before about the kind of things I like to know about a business before I go on to create a logo, things like what the vision and values of the company are, what they actually do, what the objectives of the work will be. I’ve certainly felt that although my list of questions is good, and I’ve been told from various sources that they are and that clients find it helpful to be asked these things – the sheet I use could do with a bit of a re-vamp, more targeted questions, to help me really get my head around the business and ensure that I produce something that really works for them. Something I’ll be working on.

I’ve also been told that not everyone who produces design work bothers to ask these sort of questions. Which I don’t get. How can you design something effectively without understanding as much as possible where their business is going and what it’s about? Surely knowing the aims of the business, the objectives of the work and who the audience are, are crucial to designing anything so that it works for the client and does what it’s supposed to do?

How can a business expect to go to a designer and say “create me a logo!” if they don’t provide the designer with enough information? Of course I could design a logo based purely on what the business is, but in order to design one which really works for them, which shows their values and indicates what sort of company they are, I’d need to have a bit more to go on.

Of course, you might think that you understand and know your company, but just think about your business values. This seems to be the hardest thing for anyone to answer from my list! Some people just know, and their answer is wonderful, however, most people umm and aarr for a bit before coming out with the same answer as everyone else. “Quality.” It can be harder than it looks!

More than a logo covers the values, vision, goals, messages, tone of voice, branding and logo for each company that takes part, helping them to understand the ins and outs of their company and each of the six aspects identified so that ultimately, if they need to, they are able to give a thorough and complete brief to a designer which WILL be more than a logo, it will be, in the words of the programme, “the heart and soul” of their company.

La Vie en Langues

La Vie en Langues is a new company that teaches French and Spanish to people of every age, but especially to children – starting at around 15 months old until 8 years. This happens in nurseries, schools, private tuition and after school clubs. Adult brush ups are also available and there are plans for classroom teaching including art and craft sessions and cooking. La Vie en Langues is a really fun way to learn languages.

Teaching a second language to children has LOADS of benefits.

- Children do better at school

-  It improves their self-esteem

-  They think more creatively

- It teaches them problem solving skills

- They have better speaking skills

- It gives them an understanding of other cultures

Whiteacres created the logo, stationery and an image library. A leaflet and website are currently in progress.

R J Elliott Dental Technician

This new identity was created for R. J Elliott Dental Technician last month. He was really pleased with it, and chuffed to bits when his new business cards arrived:

Today I’ve been given an envelope where one of the practice managers at one of the surgeries he works for has replicated the design on an envelope – how flattering! The new look is obviously catching on.

Age Concern Northumberland

Age Concern Northumberland live in a building called ‘The Round House’, and when they decided to expand the building, they decided that they also wanted branding, so a logo was developed and branding was implemented for the building, the new cafe, the facilities and the activities offered. A menu was designed, and stationery, as well as an A board and fliers. Age Concern wanted people to feel that the building belonged to them and was a friendly place.

Age Concern Northumberland also needed a new website. They wanted it to use the same colour scheme as the main Age Concern website, be clear and user friendly.

Rosie Willett Designs

Rosie Willett Designs create beautiful and unique tiaras, jewellery and hair pins by hand. I bought my tiara there for my wedding (Angelina from the Contemporary Glamour collection if you’re interested) so I’m not just ‘saying it’ when I say they are beautiful, eye catching pieces. Rosie needed an identity which highlighted the elegance, beauty and originality of her designs. She also needed a brochure to display her collection to stockists, a postcard, stationery and a care card.

Musical Monkeez

Musical Monkeez work in schools and nurseries delivering music and movement sessions and providing a children’s party and disco service. They needed a fun, friendly image for their business, which would appeal to children and their parents, as well as nurseries.

Well Handled

Well Handled are Moving and Handling specialists providing training, consultancy, physiotherapy and equipment. Well Handled used to have another name so they needed a complete re-brand to include all their stationery, promotional material, certificates, website and training materials.

Northern Experience Wildlife Tours

Northern Experience Wildlife Tours provides exclusive, guided bird watching, wildlife and photography tours based in Northumberland, the North Pennines and the Scottish Borders. They needed a corporate identity, a range of leaflets and a website.

leaflet

Northumbrian Gifts

Northumbrian Gifts supply food and drink gifts from local suppliers within Old Northumbria including Lindisfarne,  Alnwick Rum, Sloecrafts, Hetherslaw Bakery and Doddingtons. Northumbrian Gifts required a re-brand, which has made a massive difference to their image, and also a website as well as packaging for their own Northumbrian Ale.

Animal Tracks

Animal Tracks is a family run pet shop in Ashington, Northumberland specialising in rare and unusual pets whilst also stocking all the supplies and accessories you will ever need for your pet. The shop used to be called Fish Trek, as it used to specialise in fish, however, with a huge variety of pets and pet supplies, the store needed to be split into six zones; Fish Trek, Bird Trip, Rodent Run, Reptile Leap, Cat Stroll and Dog Walk. The store and each department were given a corporate identity and the branding was applied to signage, a store guide, the website, stationery and a pet information pack.