Apr 26
New corporate identity and logo evolution
2005 at 11.35 pm posted by Veerle Pieters
As promised in Monday’s post, here is an exclusive premiere for the readers of Veerle’s blog :-) Our new corporate look has been ready for a few months but the reason why we hold off official usage is because our website isn’t ready just yet. It is al little silly to use new business cards if your website still represents the former look.
As promised in Monday’s post, here is an exclusive premiere for the readers of Veerle’s blog :-) Our new corporate look has been ready for a few months but the reason why we hold off official usage is because our website isn’t ready just yet. It is al little silly to use new business cards if your website still represents the former look.
I thought it would be fun to show you a little company history. So here it is, the evolution of Duoh! logo wise since I started the company in August 1992.
1992-1996
After finishing school I job hunted for about a year but didn’t find any work mainly because of the lack of experience. I was so fed up with that that I decided to start my own freelance business. That brings us to the first logo. As you can see it is a bit of a special one, hard to read etc. But it was created to draw attention from other design agencies, because that would be my primary target group for work.
1997-1998
Maybe you already made the link, but the second logo was the result of my love for a program called Bryce. Bryce is a 3D landscape modeling, animation, and rendering application. The old logo was mapped onto the cubicle. It was pure an experiment and I liked my creation so much that I decided to use it as my logo. Photoshop bevels and effects and colorful 3D looks were hot back then ;-)
1999-2000
For he third logo I wanted to achieve more visual recognition for the name Duoh! The typeface was influenced by Apple.
2001-2004
After a search for an icon or logo with an icon (think Nike’s whoosh) I came up with logo number 4. It was my original intention to start using only the icon after it was well known. At that time I thought a logo should evolve and not change drastically. So this logo was actually a pit-stop before dropping the landscape.
2005
In 2005 I was tired of that thought, I believed a new start was really necessary and the logo got trashed entirely. The basic thought behind our new logo (the dots) was to create something that represents the 3 areas where Duoh! is active in namely WEB, PRINT and NEW MEDIA. We reflect those 3 components everywhere to make our activities obvious at first glance.
39served
1
Really nice & slick design. I am looking forward to the 1st of may and see the new website!!!
2
Great design! I especially like your new stationary… Looking forward to seeing your new website!
3
Very clean. Definitely an improvement compared to the previous one(s)! However, I quite like the originality of the very first logo as well.
By the way, I am curious where the name “Duoh!” actually comes from. What are the ideas going on behind it?
4
Damn, you beat me to it, I wanted to ask where “Duoh!” came from and what it means.
Congrats and the identity, it definately looks more ‘up to date’ even if that is because the old one has been around for so many years.
Like the previous comment-er, I like the first one too, I can see that coming back into fashion within a few years! Very ornate.
5
Very slick, it might by *slightly* less original, but it’s way more powerful.
And I, for one, would like to know too where the name Duoh! comes from. Is it a belgian version of Doh! ?
6
Triple swoosh! :D
I like it… the stationary’s word balloon is cool! :D
7
Sorry to say, but I don’t really like it. Looks like something out of a templates pack. It lacks personality as there must be thousands of similar logos out there.
The old one, while lacking refinement, was more original and memorable.
Also, the three bubbles do not really symbolise the three area of expertise unless this is properly explained. A good logo shouldn’t need a separate explanation.
8
Thanks for the comment so far.
About the name. Duoh! stands for the combination of “duo” (being with 2 in the early days) and “oh!” which is the reaction we hope to get from our work :-)
@Lucian S. What can I say? I have to like it and I do, that’s what counts. If you have some URLs for those templates packs then please share. Put your money where your mouth is and show me ;-)
9
I really liked the design of your new business identity! Fun colors and serious layout :)
10
Very nice!
Clean, modern, slick, professional. And I really like the speech bubble cutout at the bottom of the page: a nice touch. I especially like the business cards, they tend to look very similar to each other; great use of both page sides.
Just one more question about the name though, for the non-Belgians in the audience: how is the name pronounced?
The new identity is a little more ‘samey’ (little is probably too strong a word), but it’s also a lot cleaner and more refined. Perhaps the ‘sameness’ comes from this, rather than the design itself. Just a thought.
11
the reaction we hope to get from our work
oh oh!
j/k :P
12
Is that a DIN Schrift I see there? :)
13
looks nice and modern…
seems to be a good restart.. hopefully also for your website…
happy designing
14
Personally, I lean more towards the current (or even the previous) logo. It’s got color, it’s still fresh....
The new logo is ok, I feel it sticks to the current trend of minimalisation. Quite understandable you don’t want to use the same logo for ever and ever. Although the really big companies sometimes do.
Nevertheless, it looks “neat” and I wish you a lot of new business coming your way !
15
Reminds me of what I might be like in a couple of years to come. I’ve just finished school and am planning on setting up my own business. Can i ask how it felt to create your own freelance company? Especially after just leaving school.
A logo is something that represents the soul of the company. You don’t necessarily need to know what the logo is implying without having being told what it means. The thought and consideration that goes into a designing a logo, is like placing all your desires, aspirations, and passions into one tiny capsule, as you hope for those qualities to flow through the rest of your work and progress you make.
So well done with the logo, i can see the passion that has gone into designing it. That blue stretch of colour at the bottom of each piece of straitionery really finishes the “image” off.
16
It’s just that it looks like a generic ‘swoosh-n-ball’ logo to me. Examples in the same style are countless. From predesigned logos and templates to many others.
It’s just too common-looking IMHO.
17
I like the print design, but I have to agree with Lucian on the logo. In the dot-com era, swoosh logos were all the rage and nearly everyone had them. They don’t impress me anymore. In this case, I don’t see how it represents what Duoh does.
Again, I have to say I really think the design of the envelopes, etc is very sharp and clever. The business cards a re a little busy, but I think the overall efforts are good.
I look forward to the website as well.
18
I like the biz cards. Your name w/ the checkbox for position is cool. The outline of the logo beneath the name is cool. Good integration of the logo in a different way.
I am jealous of people who can do the visual stuff so well. I’m too left brained for the artsy stuff.
19
...always First Class!!
Great colors...pleasure to visit (an eye candy)
cio,
Arthur
20
@Lucian S. and Kim Siever, sorry but I don’t agree with you on the comparison between my logo and those you linked. Most of them look out of balance, out of date, ugly, ordinary colors and fonts, etc. If you seriously believe that those are similar then it says a lot about your practice experience. You and Kim both miss the point of what makes a good logo : what do you see in the UPS or FedEx, Nike or Apple’s logo for example? Do they ‘literally’ represent of what they stand for? No. They reflect a certain symbolism, like for instance Nike stands for movement, dynamism etc. How would you visualize print, web and new media? I see this very clear and very simple: the dots are the 3 areas and the lines represent a connection between all 3. We deliver combined solutions. What we also tried was to have a more or less timeless logo, a logo that isn’t ‘cute’ or anything or trendy or what so ever, no we grew up now. We want a logo that reflects our ‘business’ considering that most of our clients are corporations and some of them are big ones. We want to be seen as a serious partner. If you think that an artistic looking logo or corporate identity works in the fortune 500 companies world than I know for sure that you will be disappointed, I know from experience. My first logo for instance didn’t really work.
21
“...Most of them look...out of date...ordinary colors...”
Including this new one you’ve introduced. I’m not saying that it’s ugly. There are some good qualities to it. I’m just saying that it using an old trend.
What I think doesn’t matter, however, so I wish you good luck and hope all goes well.
22
Both sides bring up good points - Veerle vs. The Others. The logo, as Veerle points out, is representative and subjective rather than literal. It’s how she see’s her business and that really is all that’s important.
@Veerle: I don’t think Lucian is out of line because he thinks that the swoosh and ball idea has been used so many many times. You asked him to put his money where his mouth is and in some sense he delivered.
But what I find interesting (and I’d be interested in your response) is if the 3 balls represent the 3 areas of Duoh! then why are they different sizes? Is one area of Duoh! less important than the other two? I’m just curious why you chose 3 different sizes as I’m sure one variation on the design floor must have had them all the same size at one time.
Otherwise, I like how it looks as far as the recent trend in logos goes.
23
@Gavin-James Can i ask how it felt to create your own freelance company? Especially after just leaving school.
It felt like I could move mountains, I really believed in my business ;-) At least at first… I had this anger inside because when I looked for a job people liked my work but I always didn’t get the job because of the lack of experience. I wanted to prove that I could ‘do it’. I was also a bit naive, thinking I would get enough work. Also at the beginning people took advantage of me, I was too keen on doing anything at a much too low rate, not to mentioned the very late payment terms they handle. The first 3 years were like survival to me. After 3 to 4 years I wasn’t sure I would go on or ‘could’ go on. It was hard. And since I was freelance for more then 3 years I couldn’t imagine myself working for a boss, I was much too used to my ‘freedom’. If I look back now I’m glad I’ve survived. I think I might have never take the step if I had know it would be so hard. So if I can give you one advice, make sure you are well informed and well prepared ;-)
BTW, the way you describe a logo is exactly how I see it, very well said.
@Ed Knittel: sorry but I just see no comparison, even the so called ‘wooshes’ are over the top in my opinion. The way the ‘wooshes’ appear on those logos are tasteless applied, and some are very unbalanced too. I know that wooshes are often applied in logos but as long as they are applied in a correct nice way I see no problem. I don’t see them really as a trend or the fact that it would give the logo an outdated look. But that’s just my opinion. I can understand that not everybody likes this logo, I didn’t expect it either. Everybody has different tastes.
The 3 balls are drawn in a ‘dept’ sense, but maybe you don’t notice this at first glance.
24
all are very nice. the logos have gotten better and better each time!
25
@Veerle, Thanks for your comments about what it was like in the first years of setting up your business. It’s encouraging to know that I’m not alone. I can understand what you are saying about people taking advantage of you. I have done sites for friends and their friends and even then I found that I under charged them.
Can I ask as well what you market was back then when you first started and if it has changed now? Did you offer your services locally more than globally?
As for the comments that seem to have been generated quite strongly in such a short time; concerning the logo’s style/design.
I must admit the ‘swoosh’ design is used a lot in logo design, but what is important is not to stereotype Veerle’s design.
Take for example the composition of her latest logo. Its balanced is just right. With a continuous flow clearly going from left to right and great subtle detail integrated into the typography.
If anyone would like a really in-depth read, I could suggest a book for people to look out for if you like. It’s called Loslogos published by Die Gestalten it’s not available on Amazon or eBay, but I’m sure if you do a search on Google you could find a copy of it.
26
Great discussion regarding Veerle’s new logo design and how she got started in her business. It is really helpful to share this stuff with others, and I have to say that having a Blog like this is really a means of outreach to the rest of the world, and a very good way to increase your business and notability. There have been some recent workshops here regarding the power of blogging, and what it can do for your business. I think that whatever struggle you had when you first started your own business must be par for the course for a lot of freelancers. People here have the same, and I have had a struggle with finding a job, myself, for lack of experience, even after completing a program in web design. I find companies don’t want to waste time to train someone, they already want you to have all the programs, skills, etc. So the smartest thing you can do is to keep learning them, until you reach a point of expertise where people start coming to you for the designs. It is better to be your own boss, than to work for someone who doesn’t value you, as well.
27
(I had to cut this up into two posts - so here is the second half of what I wanted to say):
If it makes anybody feel better, I too have had friends who approach me all the time for “freebies” which doesn’t help me too much, either. They like what I can do, but don’t want to have to pay for any of it, as they see me as a friend, and think it is just a matter of knowing me, so will come over and try to weasel it out of me. It is hard to escape! They seem to think web stuff is so easy, and just takes a few mouse clicks to set them up online with shopping carts and who knows what else, but don’t want to have to consider the work that went into it on my end. I find I have to educate them on how much time and effort it really involves, and set limits.
Anyway, back to Veerle’s new logo - my reaction was that it is very modern and clean looking, but also suggests motion with the three balls circulating around some type of central thing, kind of like an atom. I think it is spontaneous looking, and also has a sophisticated look to it at the same time. And I think Veerle makes a good point about the purpose of the logo being to establish a clean, professional business look, and not be too cutesy, funky, or artistic. In the business world, it is true, that won’t work and you need to be taken seriously, so for that reason, I think the logo is a good one. It does have the symbolism, too, and anybody who imagines a little can imagine the three balls as representing the three aspects of what her design company does. I think that possibly the sameness look that people mention might be because of the font. The font has some square edges to it, and is very modernistic, so maybe that is what is making it look more ordinary.
On another note, though, I did like the big “D” on the brown landscape as it is an imaginative logo, and the D has a style all of its own. Thanks for telling us what “Duoh” means, Veerle. I was wondering if it referred to the people you worked with, as in a duo. That makes sense. Or maybe, it could also mean something like you “did it again” in terms of creating another great design. (At least it sort of sounds like that in a way.) I like the exclamation point after it, too.
28
I got it right!… the meaning of Duoh!, that is…
This probably means you chose a very good name way back in ‘92, because if I get it, anyone can ! ;-)
I can’ relate to most of the “negative” comments on the new CI ( the logo’s a great step forward...), but I can understand the reactions. The first 4 logo’s were rather playfull, while the new one looks more ... professional (?).
But hey!… that only shows you and your company have “grown up” to be (even) more professional.
Keep up the good work…
MichaelD.
29
I think the new logo looks great! It’s clean, dynamic, and very professional looking - justthe feature that a fresh and exciting upstart company should want to portray!
Veerle, it must be exciting for you as you enter this new phase of your business. I believe that your company will go from strength to strength, and through all of your efforts (particularly your enthusiasm), you thoroughly deserve every success.
I like the speech balloon appearance of your stationery as well. It effectively personalises the correspondance from Duoh! to the customer!
I admire the way you take your work to heart, and i feel that it exemplifies the determination required to get to where you have, and to go where you set your sights in the future.
Three cheers to the future of Duoh!
30
I don’t agree with Lucian S., in my opinion, swoosh is just a curve! They’re ordinary shapes like rectangles or circles. I can’t see any reasons it should be classified as “common” things.
Veerle’s new Duoh logo is very well-designed. It’s balanced and interesting.
You always do the best thing, Veerle. Appriciated.
31
I also think that the new logo is well-designed and looks very professionnal. Of course, this is not a judgement coming from a designer as I am not one. Anyway, the logo is not necessarily designed for designers ;-)
What I can say from my own experience, is that it’s very difficult to design a logo. Whatever you do, you will always find people loving or hating it… I can add that it is the same when trying to find a name for a new company (both problems happened to my associates and myself some months ago). I think the solution is the following: find something that you and other people in your company like and that your target customers may like… the others will need to live with! ;-)
32
@Gavin-James Can I ask as well what you market was back then when you first started and if it has changed now? Did you offer your services locally more than globally?
Well globally wasn’t possible at that time, it was 1992 a bit before internet and ‘web design’. I worked locally, one day I just jumped into my car with my portfolio and business cards and I visited some companies, just ‘out of the blue’ trying to get an appointment or someone to talk to for a few minutes to present myself… It was a bit of an aggressive way but for me it was the only way. At that time I had no ‘real’ reference work to show only work from school, so even no real printed brochure, imagine the difficulty to convince people. This was really another milestone for me to take the step since I’m not (at least I think so) the typical sales person, I’m more like the shy and modest person. This really gave me a good push… I remember one day I visited around 35 companies, mostly just a very short chat handing over my business card… Then I called back etc. And at the end I had 4 possible clients. One of them is still one of our best clients today :-) Just being at the right place at the right time meeting the right person etc. In other words luck was on my side that day. But in the end it was the internet that did save my business. Designing corporate identities, brochures etc. just wasn’t enough to survive for me back then. The internet gave me the push I really needed, together with multimedia :-)
@Jackie, Thanks for telling us what “Duoh” means, Veerle. I was wondering if it referred to the people you worked with, as in a duo.
Yes it does, I started freelancing with a friend I got to know from an ad agency but after a year or so we went our separate ways, it didn’t work out. She decided to do something else and we also lost contact with each other. After that I started ‘hunting’ for clients like I described above. In 1997 my boyfriend gave up his fulltime job and joined me, then we were a real ‘duo’ again :-)
33
Thank-you so much for sharing that with us Veerle, it’s very valuable information to know especially when i haven’t even entered my twenties yet.
If i am asking too many questions and taking up too much of your free time then i Understand and you can tell me where to shove it if you wish! Heh.
But did you prefere to communicate with clients in person? or did you feel through email and phones calls was just a effective?
Well anyway, good-luck (btw, the key to being lucky is being prepared for the right opertunity!) with your new corperate identity and look forward to seeing your new site.
34
Hi Veerle,
i must say I’m not wild about the new logo and website either.. I do like the print materials, but the website not so much.
Why?
* The colours.. So dark, so little contrast, .. A bit depressing. It’s good that you didn’t go for yet another Flickr-purple like desing, but this is just so.. dull.
* The logo.. indeed swoosh & ball is not that original
* The site itself also feels like it comes from a template cd-rom. (or from a site like Boxedart.com) So.. unimaginative.
I’m sorry.. (Just my € 0.02)
35
Actually I really do love the new website. Even better than i expected or could imagine. I love all the little details and the different colour schemes without losing some sort of uniformity throughout the website.
Great job!
36
Yes - I agree. The new site, which I looked at briefly tonight, is very user-friendly, and the colors are much softer and easier on the eyes I think. Much nicer than the dark navy with the orange on your old site, I really like the smoky blue you have used in different tones, and your logo looks really good at the top of the page centered like that - it makes a bold statement. I love the subtle Flash animations, and the way you have displayed your logos, inside the little paper rectangles with the corners turned up. It is much better organized, less busy and distracting than your old site, (which I did like too). This one is definitely a different style, but it is very nice. Also like the way you have animated your logo in different places within the site, and the Fasten Seatbelt image. I think the whole thing is really more user-friendly, with a great UI, and incredibly well-organized.
37
@Tom: Criticizing is easy but actually creating something useful is much more difficult! Too bad you don’t have a link that we can look at your talent! Also last time I checked flickr, it was white instead of purple! Maybe getting yourself a new screen would be a great start ;-)
Actually to put it bluntly I couldn’t care less what you think since it isn’t targeting you but corporate clients and from what I’ve heard so far they like it and that’s what counts. After all they put bread on the table.
38
@veerle: You shouldn’t put any effort in replying to criticism. Like with all things that have been made with creativity, you can’t please all and you can’t discuss tastes.
What you do see from your website, like it or not, is that it is made with a great deal of professionalism and believe.
But i unserstand why you did reply. Creative minds like to please, don’t they? :-)
39
Those are amazing stationaries, I have not been able to find a company in the US that will produce quality prints like those.