LOGOS and LOST: The Dharma Initiative gets a new logo redesign

At Perceptivity Studio, we love a good logo redesign...and we also love the television show LOST. So when we heard here that the show's fictional mysterious scientific organization, the DHARMA Initiative, had undergone a logo redesign resulting in a new logo, we had to take a look at it.












The original logo, according to the Lostpedia, is "based on an octagonal design incorporating eight trigrams surrounding a central symbol. The design of the logo was derived from a Chinese concept known as Bagua."

The new DHARMA logo has a fresh, modern look with an updated wordmark and simplified trigrams. The trigrams have also been rotated clockwise two positions...perhaps due to events from the season finale? The new DHARMA logo also loses the bold lines and hand-drawn aesthetic in favor of a streamlined 21st century look.

For those of you not familiar with LOST, a group of plane crash survivors land on a mysterious island which they discover was formerly occupied in the 70s by the noticeably absent DHARMA scientists. As the show progresses, we discover the group's "stations" littered across the island, each with a new DHARMA logo.

Here's the first DHARMA logo found, the Swan:

















And the last DHARMA logo found, the Orchid:

















The LOST team has been attending the Comic-Con convention for the past few years, and each year they do something fun and interesting. This year the DHARMA Initiative is supposedly attending the conference to "recruit new members." This publicity stunt, which is rumored to become an alternate reality game, was revealed in a commercial during a LOST episode from Octagon Global Recruiting (referring to the octagonal shape of the DHARMA logo), and they've hired actors to man the booth and administer "eligibility tests." (The site was down when I tried it, but feel free to check back.)

They also unveiled their new logo at the conference. Nice job, DHARMA Initiative on your new logo. Namaste. :)

Introducing LendersREOTitle.com

LendersREOTitle.com is a new title company started by Phil Clark, President of Enterprise Title of Tampa Bay. This start-up company specializing in title work on foreclosure homes needed a new logo that complemented their existing Enterprise Title identity, so Perceptivity Studio worked with the company to created a logo that was unique while still remaining professional. It also shares a consistent color palette and typeface with the existing Enterprise Title logo.


















We wish Phil luck as he launches this new company soon!

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Viral Marketing: Popcorn Cell Phones

Did you know that cell phones can make kernels of popcorn pop? Just think what they must be doing to your brain! Mass pandemonium ensues!



Wrong! It turns out the video was a marketing ploy by Cardo Systems, makers of a Bluetooth headset. It was officially debunked by physicists here, and Snopes here but everyone doesn't do the research before believing their email forwards. Hence the video has gone "viral," with millions of people spreading it around.

Viral marketing is defined as a marketing strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message's exposure and influence.

Marketers have been using the viral marketing medium quite successfully. Some famous viral marketing examples that you may have participated in yourself include Burger King's Subservient Chicken which allowed users to control a creepy chicken character to promote their BK Tendercrisp sandwich that you can get "just the way you like it" just like you can get the subservient chicken to do anything you want it to do.

Another of my favorite viral marketing examples is the Dove Evolution campaign, which has won multiple awards, and goes beyond the "silly" factor to present a very valid and important message to women around the world. I received it quite a few times in email forwards myself, did you?



Goofy, meaningful or just plain weird, viral marketing is certainly a new medium that many big companies are using quite successfully.

A new logo for Walmart

Wall Street Journal released a story today that Walmart is changing its logo. While it's not official yet, new signage designs were submitted for a new store prototype, and show white letters on a burnt-orange background followed by a white starburst.

The new design is evocative of Target's clean, simple logo, and evidences Walmart's attempts to modernize its image to better compete with Tar-jhay. Reports show that the new logo should officially be revealed sometime this week.

I think it's about time they spruced up their image a bit. Sometimes it's tempting to keep a logo just because it's been around forever, but oftentimes a logo "face lift" can bring new attention to your company and show your customers that you are a fresh, relevant company that really means business.

Here are a few before and afters from some re-branding projects we've worked on at Perceptivity Studio.

Introducing Accelerated Momentum

Perceptivity Studio has been working with Caren Reynolds for the past month to define an image for her new coaching business.

We started with the name, choosing Accelerated Momentum because that's what coaching can do for you...not only giving you the momentum you need in your personal life and career, but also accelerating the process.

Next we developed the logo for Accelerated Momentum. The graphic represents the company's name, with a ball shooting up an incline, gaining momentum as it goes. We chose the color orange because it represents excellence, change and energy.
















Finally, the business cards are simple, bold and attention-getting.














We are printing them with a green printer, and here are Caren's environmental savings.

• 0.01 trees preserved for the future.
• 0.03 lbs water-borne waste not created.
• 5 gal wastewater flow saved.
• 0.57 lbs solid waste not generated.
• 1.11 lbs greenhouse gases prevented.
• 8,534 BTUs energy not consumed.
  

Caren is a personal and career coach, meaning that she helps people develop realistic goals and action steps, create timelines, build momentum, increase focus and balance their lives and careers. To learn more about Accelerated Momentum, give Caren a call at 813-732-7160.

A "Tangled" Identity for Tanglewood

Tanglewood is a growing construction and development company in Annapolis, Maryland, and because of this growth, the time had come to have a professional image created for their company. Perceptivity Studio has been working with them to develop an elegant new logo and corporate identity package representative of the beautiful homes they build.


A Delightfully "Tangled" Company

Tanglewood's roots began with the renovation of historic homes, and their current new construction homes share an aesthetic with various historic periods, including Craftsman, Colonial and Victorian. Here is one of their beautiful new homes with an updated craftsman aesthetic.





















However, while they realize the importance of preserving the past, they also understand how important modern details are to today's homebuyer. They put the extra effort into finishing touches like custom carpentry, luxury kitchens and detailed tile-work. They are also members of the U.S. Green Building Council, and expend extra energy to ensure that their homes are as environmentally friendly as possible using the latest in "green" building technology.

This combination, or "tangle," of old and new allows Tanglewood to create homes that combine the best of both worlds...unique homes that maintain period details while still appealing to modern sensibilities. And when things are "tangled," they are not easily undone, so this “tangle” creates a fusion of all the elements people most want in a home.


A Delightfully "Tangled" Solution

If you do a Google search for Tanglewood, you'll see that there are a lot of companies out there around the country who bear the same name. Most companies with the name tend to go the “tree” route, but given the unique nature of this particular Tanglewood's business operations, we decided to focus instead upon the "tangle" in Tanglewood to really differentiate them from all the others.

Add to this that Tanglewood's owners are avid sailors, and the perfect logo solution materialized as a figure-eight knot combined with an elegant, sophisticated typeface that reflects the high-end nature of their homes. And an organic color palette of chocolate brown and sage green represents their commitment to "green" building.









The business card design we created is simple and sophisticated and features the figure-eight knot subtlely on the front and prominently on the back.















"Green" Printing

Given Tanglewood's commitment to sustainability and green building, we printed their business cards using "green" printing methods. The paper we used is made of 100% post-consumer recycled fiber and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). In the process of printing their business cards, this is the difference Tanglewood made:

• 0.01 trees preserved for the future.
• 0.03 lbs water-borne waste not created.
• 5 gal wastewater flow saved.
• 0.54 lbs solid waste not generated.
• 1.06 lbs greenhouse gases prevented.
• 8,092 BTUs energy not consumed.

While the numbers aren't huge on their own, think what would happen if more companies were willing to spend a bit more on green printing to ensure that it is done in a way that will have the least possible impact on our environment. Perceptivity Studio believes strongly in the principles of sustainability as well, and we encourage you to consider green printing for your next project. If you're interested in considering green printing as an option, we can help you understand the process and how green printing can work for your company.

Kudos to Tanglewood for making the effort, and congratulations on your new identity. We look forward to helping your company continue to grow and "tangle" for many years to come!

Kick off your shoes, it's time for Barefoot Summer...

Perceptivity Studio congratulates Barefoot Summer Kids, a boutique children's clothing line, on their official launch! The website, which currently features the company's adorable Summer line of custom creations designed by the very talented LeShayne Maddex, went live today.

Perceptivity started by naming the company Barefoot Summer Kids, then created the logo....















...and designed the business cards.













Then Perceptivity helped design custom graphics for the Barefoot Summer website. There is a slideshow of four images on the home page, featuring several of the custom clothing designs with fun, brightly colored graphics...

































































The gallery, which expands and contracts, features a clothing line for each of the four seasons since Barefoot Summer can last all year long. The footprints from the logo walk across the seasons.

















Finally, we created a custom blog header for the Barefoot Summer blog.























Again, congratulations to Barefoot Summer Kids, and we wish them many, many summers of success! Visit the Barefoot Summer Kids website to learn more.

The Great Logo Quiz

Two of our favorite things to do at Perceptivity Studio are develop logos and brand identities for new companies and refine or redevelop existing logos to re-brand existing companies. Why? Logos are fun! They are an artistic representation of what a company stands for, and are often help form the first impression a customer makes when interacting with the company. And while great logos aren't single-handedly responsible for a company's success (there are so many other variables that must be in place for that to happen), they can certainly help a company project a professional image to their customers.

So to get you thinking about logos and what they stand for, here is a quiz that presents two similar logo options for a series of 10 well-known companies...one that is the correct logo, and one that very well may trick you. Write down your answers, then scroll down to the next post to see if you were right. Plus learn a bit more about some of the elements Perceptivity Studio always thinks about when starting new identity projects with our clients. Have fun, and good luck!

1. Pepsi Logo

2. Disney Logo

3. Target Logo



4. Starbucks Logo

5. Domino's Pizza Logo

6. Nabisco Logo

7. Best Buy Logo



8. Wendy's Logo

9. Ocean Spray Logo

10. CBS Logo


Scroll down to the next post for the answers!

The Great Logo Quiz: Answers

WARNING, ANSWERS ARE BELOW!
If you haven't already read the questions, go to the Blog Archive on
the right side of the page and select "The Great Logo Quiz" from the list.










1. Pepsi Logo

The real Pepsi logo has red on the top and blue on the bottom. Whether you got this one right or wrong, you probably recognized the all-American color palette that Pepsi has used since 1941, when their colors were changed to red, white and blue to support the war effort. Color is a very important part of a company's brand identity, and we'll talk more about it throughout the results.

2. Disney Logo

There are no Mickey Mouse ears in the real Disney logo, though the mouse ears are perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols of this company. The Walt Disney logo is a ‘stylized version of the founder’s signature’ that represents the light-hearted image of this American entertainment icon. Script logos can be a fun addition to a company's logo. While they're not for everyone, script or handwritten typefaces can add a touch of whimsy, elegance or laid-back flair to the right kind of company. We'll talk a bit more about fonts later in the results, so read on!

3. Target Logo

The real Target logo has fewer concentric circles. This extremely simple logo design is direct and to the point, and serves as an extremely recognizable symbol of this increasingly popular symbol of cheap chic (come on, admit to calling it Tar-jhay, everyone does!). This just goes to show that you don't have to have a terribly complicated logo to have an effective logo. The red target symbol is an obvious link to the company's name. When we work with customers on new logos, we always brainstorm symbols that could visually represent their companies. Sometimes they are obvious (like the target for Target), while sometimes they are more indirect, but still create a sophisticated visual link.

4. Starbucks Logo

The real Starbucks logo has stars between the words. Speaking of Starbucks, have you heard about the controversy with the attempted new Starbucks logo? Facing opposition from conservative interest groups, they've attempted to clean up their act a bit. It's a very interesting study of brand identity, and while I wonder why they would bother making changes to a logo that holds such high brand recognition, it has definitely brought the company into the spotlight. They do say there's no such thing as bad press, right?

5. Domino's Pizza Logo

The real Domino's Pizza logo has a total of 3 dots. Ever wonder what those three dots stand for? According to the Domino's website, they represent the first three Domino’s stores. At the time, the plan was to add a dot for every new store. Obviously, that plan ran out of steam (or, more appropriately, space). But having some symbolism behind your logo (whether people "get it" right off the bat, or whether it's something only you will ever know about) can be a great way to develop a symbol that uniquely represents your company.

6. Nabisco Logo

The real Nabisco logo lives in the top left corner of its products, not the lower right. According to the Wikipedia article, this logo is known as the "Nabisco Thing." It has been claimed in company promotional material to be an early European symbol for quality. It's also been cause for controversy as people have interpreted occult meanings for the symbol. True or not, it goes to show that you should always try to think about a logo from multiple perspectives!

7. Best Buy Logo

The real Best Buy logo is designed to look like a price tag, not a perfect rectangle. This logo has been around since 1989, and literally screams the company's main benefit (you will get the "best buy" by shopping here) loud and clear in eye-catching yellow and black. In Best Buy's highly competitive retail environment, this bold color combination may be a good idea. However, just because it's bold doesn't mean people will automatically pay attention, so think about colors that make sense for your company before automatically picking the loudest ones.

8. Wendy's Logo

The real Wendy's logo, which features an illustration of Dave Thomas's little girl Wendy (now grown up), does not have swirls extending beyond the square base. Wendy serves as a very recognizable "spokeperson" for the fast food chain, and an animated Wendy even touts products in their newest ad campaign. This logo even inspired a protest from redheads in New York, which was all in good fun (at least I hope so!).

9. Ocean Spray Logo

The real Ocean Spray logo has only two wave breaks and a more vibrant color palette. As we've mentioned previously, color can play an important role in a logo, and the color palette in your brand identity should represent your industry, company philosophy and yes, your personal preferences too. It's one of the variables we like to talk to our customers about when we're starting an identity project, and we like to choose colors that are the best fit for all of those variables.

10. CBS Logo

The real CBS logo uses a serif font, not a sans serif font. The typeface is also a very important part of your logo, and while there are a few general "rules" associated with the different kinds of type (for example, serifs are generally more professional, sans serifs a bit more casual), it really depends on how the type is manipulated to evoke the image you are trying to project for your company. We like to talk about this brand image with our logo customers to get a feel for the different type solutions we can offer them, and always give a few different options to help them visualize different directions their logo can take them.

So how did you fare on the Great Logo Quiz? Was it harder than you thought it would be, or are you now a confirmed logo expert? Post your score in the comments section, or just let us know what you thought about this quiz.

Are you ready to start an identity project with Perceptivity Studio? Email us at info@perceptivitystudio.com, and we'll be in touch soon!