Feedback Please: New Business Logo Concept

[Disneyphile]

Hi all!

I've been working to re-brand my main overall business, since I'm now doing graphics in addition to video. So, I've come up with this:

New Logo Concept (http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/Disneyphile/Business/BusinessCard-01.jpg)

The new separate wedding logo and tagline will remain the same - the filmstrip with the heart, clock, and butterfly and "Capture. Relive. Treasure."

I love the new film strip twisting into the paint stroke, but I'm still wavering on keeping the present "spark line (http://www.totaldynamicstudios.com/TDS/Home.html)" instead of the paint stroke.

Anyway, I'd love some honest constructive feedback on the new logo and re-branding concept. Thanks so much for your help! :)

[Andrew]

First impression: it's a little bland. Overall I like the steampunk-looking mechanical graphic from your Web page better than the filmstrip, though I can see the filmstrip as making the film/video point. But what is the film supposed to be twisting into?

One other note (you did say you wanted honest feedback...): I suggest using an email address with your business domain rather than mac.com. Using a generic email address (mac, gmail, aol, whatever) for a business says to me "amateur" or at least "didn't bother to set up email forwarding at custom domain".

[Disneyphile]

But what is the film supposed to be twisting into?To me, it's painting a concept. But, then again, my brain's quite obscure at times, so that's why I need others to look at it. What makes sense to me, might not to the masses, and it's the latter that I need to speak to here. So, now I know it might not be conveying my thought, and that's what I need to know. Thanks for that! :)

"didn't bother to set up email forwarding at custom domain".You hit that one on the head. I have an email with my domain, but I've yet to set it up. Good point to get on that prior to making new business cards, etc., because I didn't think of it as a priority. Good one! :snap:

I'm also thinking of a main business tagline of "Dream. See. Do." But, I'm afraid that when spoken, it sounds like I'm taking off on a wave-runner first thing in the morning. Any thoughts on that?

[Alex]

Sorry this going to be negative, but trying to convey honest first reactions.

I looked at the image before reading your post. I had no idea what the paint stroke was until I came back and reread it. And now that I know what it is, I'm not sure what you're trying to convey with it.

Overall, though, I agree with Andrew that it is bland and nothing about it really pops. The filmstrip looks a little too hand drawn to me and does combine with the mac.com address to promote a feeling of amateur (though as an actual printed business card, which is what it looks like that might go away).

Not sure if you wanted feedback as just a business card or as a more general logo. For that I assume it would be without the contact information but then I wonder about the vertical heft of the name and graphic combination but would need to see it in context of other uses to really develop a solid thought.

Sorry again for being negative.

[Not Afraid]

Although the graphic is curvilinear the whole layout is a block. Blocks are not "dynamic" and don't visually depict what your business name suggests.

I'd also work a bit more with color. The blue and black is also very staid and not dynamic.

I think there needs to be more overall motion and sense of excitement.

[Disneyphile]

Well, I never view "negative" feedback as actually negative - I view it as a way to achieve what I'm going for, so thanks very much and no apologies needed! So far, it's sounding like I need to go back to the drawing board, and that's totally fine by me.

[Kevy Baby]

My $0.02


Idea on the logo is good, but I don't like the execution. It looks too much like two disparate parts kluged together. The transition needs to me much smoother so that the two parts flow together more smoothly.
If possible, try to have the logo blend in with the other elements (text) of the card more: do more wrapping (not make letters with the logo; just have the logo interact with the text). Make it look less like a logo just stuck in the middle of the card. I am not creative enough to help you accomplish this: just my opinion.
The colors and overall look on the card are too generic, too bland. I like clean looks, but this one is just flat. Use the brown/copper/Steampunk colors and theme from your web site more.
No generic email. You have a long domain name (hard to get away from these days), so keep the address before the '@" short. But get that email set up; it will help lend professionalism to who you are.
Minor detail I just noticed from your site: you list photography as one of your services. However, your equipment list includes no still photography equipment. Don't know if this is a problem, but I did notice this.

[Kevy Baby]

So far, it's sounding like I need to go back to the drawing board, and that's totally fine by me.Either that or the whipping post :evil:

[Gemini Cricket]

Where the film twists no longer looks like film but the piece right before the paint stroke looks like film.

Font is a little bland...

Aren't there specific numbers of sprocket holes per frame of film, too? Nitpicky, I know...

[Strangler Lewis]

On to the words:

I think "Capture. Relive. Treasure" sounds reasonably apt for what you do. However, I don't understand how "Dream. See. Do" does.

This may not be in play, but I think you should change the name of your business. The name Total Dynamic Studios strikes me as 1) grammatically incorrect and 2) a satirical name for a big movie studio one might hear in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

I like Teresa Whitmore Studios. I can see where you might not want to sound like a one man band, though if you're getting work through word of mouth, people are going to be saying your name anyway, not Total Dynamic and it will be clear to everyone if you work alone or not.

Good luck with it.

[Moonliner]

Ahh... Paint. I thought the film had melted.

[Andrew]

"Total Dynamic Studios" sounds like it could be a spinoff of Massive Dynamic (http://massivedynamic.com/), and that can't be a good thing.

[BarTopDancer]

One other note (you did say you wanted honest feedback...): I suggest using an email address with your business domain rather than mac.com. Using a generic email address (mac, gmail, aol, whatever) for a business says to me "amateur" or at least "didn't bother to set up email forwarding at custom domain".

I'd also suggest when you set it up to keep the 'to' name short since totaldynamicstudios[dot]com is a lot to type. info@, productions@ [firstname]@, [firstinitiallastname]@

[Kevy Baby]

So it appears T that your whole concept and business plan just suck!

[Disneyphile]

Either that or the whipping post :evil:I thought you were still occupying that? :p


I think "Capture. Relive. Treasure" sounds reasonably apt for what you do. For the wedding services, yes. The wedding services needs to remain as a separate "division", because otherwise I'll be known as just a wedding videographer, and that's a bad reputation to have, unless that's all I ever wanted to shoot (and starve while I'm at it). Showing it as an "additional" service is acceptable amongst the general production world.

However, I don't understand how "Dream. See. Do" does.Dream up an idea, see/visualize it, then do it. That's what I do overall these days (not just video). So, I'm still trying to come up with a tag line for the main business, although maybe it doesn't need one at all.

This may not be in play, but I think you should change the name of your business. The name Total Dynamic Studios strikes me as 1) grammatically incorrect and 2) a satirical name for a big movie studio one might hear in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.Now that's one thing that will not change. For starters, TDS are my maiden initials. Total Dynamic Studios was based from that almost two decades ago and has a further significance to me. I think there are plenty of studios/production companies out there with silly names. (I had a friend who worked for Pie Town... it's actually a very reputable Hollywood reality production company.) IMHO, I think it's about distinction. Thanks for your input though! It is very appreciated and not unheard. :)

As for the email, you all make some good points. I think keeping it at "info@" is going to be the best way to go.

[Disneyphile]

So it appears T that your whole concept and business plan just suck!If that's the case, do me a solid and get me a beer, will ya? ;)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Have to agree with others above - I did not understand what the film was turning into...and I still don't. Paint, as in paintbrush? Perhaps if it came out more like something beautiful made with paint strokes, for example a butterfly or a flower, that kind of thing might work.

Personally I'm not a fan of the filmstrip idea at all because to me it invokes old technology. I'd only use it in context of film restoration or "film" in the theatrical sense. If you're going steampunk with the website I'd advise against it as well since there is no filmstrip stuff in the Victorian era. Perhaps if you took the filmstrip motif and really went post-modern with it, I could get on board.

You've got some very cool steampunk elements on the site that would work on a business card. I'm a bit of a literalist so personally I might not want to go with something that doesn't convey exactly what you do, though you do include "Creative Services" on there so that might be broad enough.

Whatever style you go with you're going to want follow through. The website should match the business cards should match the letterhead (if you even need some in this day and age) and everything should correspond - fonts, colors, style. It looks professional and will build your brand.

Ooh, just found the image on the right side of this page (http://www.totaldynamicstudios.com/TDS/Portfolio.html). Would love to see that on a business card!

[Gemini Cricket]

Should the whole thing be one font, or no?

[Kevy Baby]

I thought you were still occupying that? :pSadly, no.

If that's the case, do me a solid and get me a beer, will ya? ;)I have not laughed that hard in a long time - thank you so very much for that (and sadly, only you and I will know why).

Personally I'm not a fan of the filmstrip idea at all because to me it invokes old technology. I'd only use it in context of film restoration or "film" in the theatrical sense. If you're going steampunk with the website I'd advise against it as well since there is no filmstrip stuff in the Victorian era. Perhaps if you took the filmstrip motif and really went post-modern with it, I could get on board.I gotta disagree with this, although I see a lot of opinions here. Even though actual film is not used, I like using it as a symbol. A bunch of 1's and 0's would have the same impact :)

Should the whole thing be one font, or no?I say no - I like having two fonts for added contrast.

[Gemini Cricket]

I say no - I like having two fonts for added contrast.
Then I'd flip the fonts. The 2nd font is more free flowing like the film and the brush stroke, imho.

[CoasterMatt]

I like your business name.

But then again, I do business as the Nuclear Muffin Test Kitchen. :)

The logo doesn't convey dynamic, with the black and blue- and it looks kind of boxy, even with the film "melting".

Still better than most anything I'd draw, though.

[BarTopDancer]

As for the email, you all make some good points. I think keeping it at "info@" is going to be the best way to go.

I manage a website for a friend of mine, the domain is 17 letters long, so we have info@, jobs@, webmaster@ and their personal emails are firstname@ (its a very small company).

info@ is a great email address to have on a business card. If you want to give people your personal address (even though you manage both boxes) then you'll have the option of doing that while maintaining a more public info box if you expand.

At least that is our logic.

[lashbear]

Instead of "Dream-see-doo" which sounds like a square dance move (to me), could you use "Dream, Visualise, Create" ?

[Kevy Baby]

How about "Fold, Spindle, Mutilate?"

[Disneyphile]

CP - excellent feedback! Thank you.

Maybe I should incorporate my gears, even though my website will be changing (same theme, but Flash-based for an optimized and interactive environment).

And.... that could work in with a tag line too, especially with the word "think", which can be associated with gears....

Hmmm, and gears also represent motion or dynamics.....

I think you just might be onto something. :)

I had already planned to make a splash page that shows the two sides of the business - "For General Services, Click Here" and on the right side "For Weddings and Special Event Services, Click Here." The splash page is going to be a composite of the two sites, one with gears, one with flowers... with those two images morphing into each other in the center. It's hard to explain, but it's been in my head for the last few months.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Glad I could help! I totally admire your courage in putting yourself out here. :snap:Should the whole thing be one font, or no?I agree with Kevy, 2 fonts, or you can go one font with two styles (using bold, italics, all caps, a different font size, or even combos of things). There should be some contrast.

I figure she'd want to get the design element set and then we can talk fonts.

[Disneyphile]

Well, thanks to the feedback, I've finally set up my "info@" email address. It was relatively painless. D'oh! :)

As for the other stuff, that will commence over the next couple weeks, now that I have a bit of breathing room.

[blueerica]

Without commenting on the design aspect, I'm going to throw my .02 in about some other elements.

Prior to heading to Chicago, I went through my business card collection, and couldn't remember some people, but I remembered the really outstanding cards. The most outstanding - those that had a great feel to it, or something different. I have one that's a square that I tacked up on my board. One I got this year was smooth and about twice as thick as your normal business card, which overcame the poor cut (the trim line was showing...) to become the only business card I kept (I also liked his business idea).

I like the steampunk-iness of your website, and using those dark colors could be to your advantage if you do it well.