1 00:00:00,540 --> 00:00:02,440 Now the real fun begins. 2 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:06,920 All the work up till now isn't just busy work or running a timer to build a client. 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:08,480 Each project is unique. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,670 But if you've done a little leg work upfront and have 5 00:00:10,670 --> 00:00:15,090 some research and information to start with, everything else becomes much easier. 6 00:00:16,590 --> 00:00:18,100 We like to deliver branding rounds on a 7 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:21,520 weekly basis: deliver on a Friday, discuss and 8 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,940 edit on a Monday, spend the week designing 9 00:00:23,940 --> 00:00:27,610 on that feedback, and deliver again on that Friday. 10 00:00:27,610 --> 00:00:29,720 One round is equal to one week. 11 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,750 This process typically takes four or five weeks of design after about 12 00:00:33,750 --> 00:00:37,940 a week or two of discovery and preparing the brand strategy document. 13 00:00:37,940 --> 00:00:42,960 A final week or two is added to define and create the brand guidelines document. 14 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:44,610 You can see this process takes time. 15 00:00:45,900 --> 00:00:48,140 As a quick side note, I'll mention a case study that 16 00:00:48,140 --> 00:00:52,290 highlights how important it is to do some research and initial discovery. 17 00:00:52,290 --> 00:00:53,890 I once worked with a client that went through a 18 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:58,220 difficult and legal name change after first week of design. 19 00:00:58,220 --> 00:00:59,810 Several weeks later, we were nearing the 20 00:00:59,810 --> 00:01:01,960 end of the project when our client approached 21 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,840 us with a logo that was far too similar to another company in their same industry. 22 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:10,640 This wasn't plagiarism, this was just a truly unfortunate coincidence. 23 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,180 We had to hit the drawing board and hit a home run as fast as possible. 24 00:01:16,180 --> 00:01:18,120 Fortunately, our client was great and we managed 25 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,660 to get to the end without too much damage. 26 00:01:20,660 --> 00:01:24,320 The moral of the story is that we almost went twice as long as we should have 27 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:25,920 and all because there was not a sufficient 28 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,130 amount of research before or during the design process. 29 00:01:30,130 --> 00:01:33,585 No one wants to pay good money for you as a designer to make mistakes like that. 30 00:01:33,585 --> 00:01:39,210 Due diligence and read up on competitors and the industry, be aware. 31 00:01:39,210 --> 00:01:42,330 Before breaking down the steps, I'll mention Matt Helm has 32 00:01:42,330 --> 00:01:45,790 two excellent courses on Tree House that I highly recommend. 33 00:01:45,790 --> 00:01:48,750 One is Adobe Illustrator Basics, a great way to dive 34 00:01:48,750 --> 00:01:53,670 into using a vector application for developing logos and visual assets. 35 00:01:53,670 --> 00:01:55,403 The other is logo design basics. 36 00:01:55,403 --> 00:01:57,163 Some of what I'll say is redundant but 37 00:01:57,163 --> 00:01:59,475 Matt has some great advice and teaching in there. 38 00:01:59,475 --> 00:02:00,466 Check them out. 39 00:02:00,466 --> 00:02:06,019 Now, let's talk about the process, the actual steps that make the brand complete. 40 00:02:06,019 --> 00:02:08,438 First off, start with your discovery 41 00:02:08,438 --> 00:02:11,847 document, mood board, and creative brief nearby. 42 00:02:11,847 --> 00:02:15,823 With that sort of information, you'll know where to begin. 43 00:02:15,823 --> 00:02:17,880 Start sketching through ideas. 44 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:23,110 No idea's bad and there's no limit to what can be put on paper. 45 00:02:23,110 --> 00:02:27,120 Thoughts and concepts pertaining to the project should be registered on paper. 46 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,370 This will truly help refine ideas before spending unnecessary time on the computer. 47 00:02:32,580 --> 00:02:34,320 To be honest, I spend most of my time 48 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,100 exploring brand elements beyond the logo or mark itself. 49 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:41,730 When I can see a clear direction with typography, color, 50 00:02:41,730 --> 00:02:46,020 patterns and icons, the mark will uncover itself much easier. 51 00:02:46,020 --> 00:02:47,980 And this may not always apply to typographic 52 00:02:47,980 --> 00:02:50,740 logos that require time and patience to put together. 53 00:02:51,990 --> 00:02:55,980 The typography carries a lot of emotional and psychological force. 54 00:02:55,980 --> 00:02:59,520 Typography is where most communication in the brand will be. 55 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:05,430 Try to think beyond Helvetica or free fonts, choose typography intentionally. 56 00:03:05,430 --> 00:03:08,240 The more you can distinguish your client from their competition, 57 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,730 the better you can create a meaningful experience with their consumers. 58 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,090 This experience can also be found in color as well. 59 00:03:16,090 --> 00:03:19,498 Color can convey a complete brand without a mark or typography. 60 00:03:19,498 --> 00:03:23,500 Think about Coca-Cola, Tiffany's or Flickr. 61 00:03:23,500 --> 00:03:26,330 Color isn't something to overlook or choose last. 62 00:03:26,330 --> 00:03:29,740 Consider the application and the pairings you'll provide. 63 00:03:29,740 --> 00:03:32,820 Be aware of what colors mean to different audiences. 64 00:03:32,820 --> 00:03:34,750 Make sure the perfect orange you've chosen isn't 65 00:03:34,750 --> 00:03:37,759 the exact same orange your client's competitor is using. 66 00:03:39,490 --> 00:03:44,670 Icons can also work with typography as simple, customizable, visual elements. 67 00:03:44,670 --> 00:03:49,390 Icons can be made specifically for your clients industry or service offering. 68 00:03:49,390 --> 00:03:51,530 A good way to consider style of icons is 69 00:03:51,530 --> 00:03:54,490 to look at the typography you've chose for the brand. 70 00:03:54,490 --> 00:03:57,800 Modernist, rounded corners or geometric letter forms 71 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,600 can help determine how the icons will look. 72 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,120 These little pieces can go a long way. 73 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:07,120 Be aware of how you can make this entire brand experience amazing. 74 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:11,450 Paul Rand is infamous for showing only one final iteration to his client. 75 00:04:11,450 --> 00:04:16,190 Take or leave, it pay me and this project is finished was the mindset. 76 00:04:16,190 --> 00:04:18,330 When it comes to showing and presenting your work to a 77 00:04:18,330 --> 00:04:22,330 client, I and your client am not sold on this idea. 78 00:04:22,330 --> 00:04:25,260 Rand charged hundreds of thousands of dollars and 79 00:04:25,260 --> 00:04:28,320 invested hundreds of hours into those final logos. 80 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,430 The same can't be said of URI. 81 00:04:30,430 --> 00:04:33,150 Show your client iterations and progress. 82 00:04:33,150 --> 00:04:35,110 Again this helps build trust. 83 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:38,860 As a final note, be sure all of these 84 00:04:38,860 --> 00:04:42,570 items function and flow together as a complete system. 85 00:04:42,570 --> 00:04:47,460 A great logo will not last if it doesn't have supportive elements to live with. 86 00:04:47,460 --> 00:04:48,780 Don't over think it. 87 00:04:48,780 --> 00:04:51,630 Just make sure its one network of designed pieces 88 00:04:51,630 --> 00:04:55,370 rather than a jumbled mess of typography and color swatches. 89 00:04:55,370 --> 00:04:59,835 Remember, any media can seamlessly and easily become part of a brand identity. 90 00:04:59,835 --> 00:05:04,520 Rand states very clearly, Thinking is number one in the design process.