Does Your Product Logo Actually Matter? • Hacker News Board

Re: Does Your Product Logo Actually Matter?

#51

Post by kranner » Wed, Aug 04, 2010, 11:16 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #48

alsomike wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In other words, a lot of time is spent attacking straw men that don't resemble what professional working designers actually do. The attitudes and beliefs attributed to designers sounds more like it comes from people who pass themselves off as designers because they have a pirated copy of Photoshop, so the only lesson here is that people who are clueless about design hire clueless designers.

We hire pro designers for everything, and while I don't love the 'B' logo Patrick chose, I can easily make a case that it is more professional than his current logo. I think your comment crosses way over the line into hyperbole.

"I can easily make a case that it is more professional than his current logo"

Please do. It's not obvious to me.

Re: Does Your Product Logo Actually Matter?

#52

Post by pmichaud » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 12:38 AM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #48

alsomike wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In other words, a lot of time is spent attacking straw men that don't resemble what professional working designers actually do. The attitudes and beliefs attributed to designers sounds more like it comes from people who pass themselves off as designers because they have a pirated copy of Photoshop, so the only lesson here is that people who are clueless about design hire clueless designers.

We hire pro designers for everything, and while I don't love the 'B' logo Patrick chose, I can easily make a case that it is more professional than his current logo. I think your comment crosses way over the line into hyperbole.

I don't think it's hyperbole at all. That the 99 Designs "logo" is as terrible as it is, proves nothing about the almost-as-terrible logo that is in use now.

Re: Does Your Product Logo Actually Matter?

#53

Post by tptacek » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 1:49 AM UTC

samdk wrote: post #42

tptacek wrote: post #26

I think I actually "chose" this logo (in that it was one of 5 logos I suggested to Patrick when we started this bet). My hypothesis was that any professionally-designed logo, generic or otherwise, would outdo Patrick's bespoke logo, which positively screams "April 19th, 2002!". ... and I was wrong. Teach For America an acceptable charity, Patrick? Someone in this thread suggested that this shows-t'-go-ya that geeks s…

No pro designer would come up with what Patrick has now, and yet it works. No pro designer would have come up with the new one, either. Any designer worth anything could have told you that the old logo was way better than the new one. The old logo has its problems, but it communicates exactly what it needs to. (And I think it's actually the strongest point of the entire page.) The 99designs logo is such a step back I…

So in retrospect I agree with all of this.

I think Patrick's current logo is pretty ugly. I think the 99designs logo is bland and cliched, but I don't think it's ugly. I thought that would count for something. It doesn't.

Lesson learned: a logo that speaks to your audience can succeed even if it's ugly.

Re: Does Your Product Logo Actually Matter?

#54

Post by mattwdelong » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:27 AM UTC

As someone who recently entered the advertising and design industry with my company, I would like to chime in with my thoughts.

I think a logo should be well thought out design, it doesn't have to tell a huge story but when someone looks at it they have to be able to say "Hey, thats the bingo card creator logo" or "that's verizon wireless". These cookie cutter design sites don't really produce results other than generic trendy designs built with skills obtained through generic tutorial sites - but props to them for earning some extra cash with those skills.

Secondly, I think it`s the all encompassing strategy that really represents the brand. Put simple: The brand is MUCH more than just a logo. It`s how you interact with your customers, it`s how you handle bad publicity and it`s how you advertise to your customers.

Patrick, keep the old logo. It`s not phenomenal, but it`s you.