Students will choose one of seven names. Students will decide what the company sells or does. From here, students will design a logo, stationery package, and an 4-page brochure. Students then need to decide, depending on the type of company, one more piece to design (packaging, animation, homepage design, exhibit booth).

You will be required to show your process through:

Research and ideation
Collection of imagery
Scanning from source material
Capturing imagery from the internet
Photography
Typography
Typographic studies will be part of your research and design process. Document your studies.
Color studies

Reference

HOW TO BRIDGE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN BUSINESS STRATEGY AND DESIGN

Goals and Problem

Self-contained designs that provide quick and efficient communication about a wide range of human activity fall into the general category of symbols, marks, and logos. A symbolic or representational image of a business is the contemporary manifestation of hundreds of years of people “marking” their goods and services.

The word “logo” is accepted by most people to include all manner of identifying marks. Logo is actually the shortened form of the word “logotype,” which technically refers to marks which contain alphabetic characters, distinguishing them from image or pictographic symbols. This project explores both types of marks in an effort to reveal and emphasize the process of logo design. You are required to catalog your process. This means you will be following a regimen that is designed to expand ideas, to boost development beyond preconceived ideas.

Some may argue that creative people generally don’t work in this structured manner. A grand idea somehow presents itself and it is carried out with great conviction. The Idea Development Process approach represents a synthesis of instinct and discipline in the realm of problem solving strategies.

In this assignment you will define a business, its target audience, and its positioning strategy based on one of the seven words:

Hirsch (German for Deer)
Camello (Spanish for Camel) or Cammello (Italian for Camel)
Rana (Spanish for Frog)
Polvo (Portuguese for Octopus)
Mucca (Italian for Cow)
Balena (Italian for Whale)
Lisko (Finish for Lizard)

You will start by creating a mind map that will aid you in choosing the kind of business for which you will design an image mark and logotype. Once you have chosen a company, you will hand in a typewritten Client Brief, describing the company, its target audience, and its positioning strategy (how it differentiates itself from the rest of the market and its competitors).

At this time, your company becomes your client who is in search of a new logo, stationery package, and promotional/informational brochure. You then need to decide, depending on the type of company, one more piece to design (packaging, animation, homepage design, exhibit booth). Your final grade in each part of project will reflect how faithfully you do this. My advice would be to constantly refer back to your company description so you do not stray.

Design Process

PART ONE: Research and Business Choice
The basic research stipulation in the problem is to locate and document source images relevant to your chosen name (Photographic references are best, try to avoid illustrated pictures, which generally manipulate the subject in some way.), and research businesses similar to your client’s, and find existing design solutions. These might be various stylistic interpretations of the subject, or a study of marks related to the market of business.

Create a mind map that contains a central word (your chosen word) which radiates a ring of different word associations. For example: Eule–>big eyes–>eye doctor, Hane–>farm–>farm seed supplier, Volpe–>speed–>store specializing in running shoes.

• Substantial mind map on at least three of the words
• Choose one business and look up at least two businesses that are competitors. Pin competitors information and marketing/design samples on your Pinterest board. Summarize your finding in the competitive study
• Research images that lend itself to your chosen word/ideas
• Write a Client Brief that describes your business, its target audience and its positioning strategy (how it differentiates itself from the rest of the market and its competitors).

PART TWO: Design Process (Logo)
Design both an image mark and a logotype for the company you have chosen. Brainstorming tagline ideas.

Step One:

• Create a library of logo design on Pinterest (20 existing logos).
• Sketch out 20 logo ideas for your business. Use the handout 201 Ways to Get an Idea to help you.
• Draft a minimum of 6 unique designs (6 marks and 6 logotypes) on computer or using other media.
• Do a type study using at least five different typefaces that fit your business. Try the fonts small at 12 pt. and large at 16, 24 and 36pts. Try your typefaces in regular, bold, italic, and capitals for each size.

You will select two most successful designs (1 symbol, 1 logotype, and 1 tagline) to further develop in Step 2.

Step Two: Work on variations of these two designs further developing them and combining them.

Small changes can make a huge difference in the final solution.

Step Three: Add a short descriptive tagline to the logo describing your company’s business, for example: Volpe, might carry the tagline Specializing in Running Shoes; Eule Optometry, might carry the tagline We Help You See!

You logo can be 4-color. Keep in mind though that 4-color logos are more expensive to reproduce. You might want to stay with 1-3 colors. Either way, your logo should also function in a single color version.

In this refinement stage, make sure your logo reads well at a small size. Make modifications if it does not.

PART THREE: Design Process (Supporting Materials)
Now that your logo has been designed, we will start working on the stationery, brochure, and your additional design (packaging, animation, homepage design, exhibit booth).

Step One: Design the stationery for your company placing the address, phone numbers, and website on a letterhead, business card, and a standard envelope.

Step Two: Use the copy you have written or researched for your brochure. This information will be made up; most of your copy should come from your design brief. Design a brochure at least four (8 is preferred) pages in length.

Step Three: Design your additional piece. Make sure you choose an additional piece that fits in with your company’s marketing needs.
Your choices are packaging, animation (a Flash piece/video), homepage design, or an exhibit booth.
If you would like to design something not on the list, please see me.

Deliverables

(Mounted final + Process Board)   (Final Design Mounting Samples)
1. Process Board (Pinterest)
2. Logo(three different sizes)
3. Stationery (letter head, business card, envelop)
4. Brochure (four to eight pages)
5. Additional Design Piece: packaging, animation, homepage static design, app design, exhibit booth, merchandising, etc…
6. Submit all your projects (four projects) files in both pdf and jpg formats. Suggest using wetransfer.com to send me the folder.
7. Final Pinterest “AVT 311 Assignment” board of your assignment and exercises

Due: Thursday, April 30th (last day of the class)

Grading

Concept Development/Process: 40%

Research on corporate campaign (5), Research and info. gathering on your business(5), Competitive study and client/design brief (5), Quality/clarity/variety of sketches and mind maps(10), Content (5), Design development & roughs (10)

Execution: 40%

Logo (10), Stationery (Biz Card, Letterhead, Envelope) (10), Brochure (10), Extra Piece(10)

Presentation/Craft (process board & final)- 20%

Total: 100 points