Appearance & Branding

Session 4 Overview:

In this session, I would like to propose a color palette, logo, and icons for the “new” defero. In creating these, I kept both defero and its new target audience in mind – individuals from traditional media, such as print and television, who are looking to use their skills in a Web 2.0 world to which they are digital immigrants. My impression was that such an audience would be most drawn to something bold, modern, inviting, friendly, and adventurous. I aimed to create a look to match that description.

Color palette

I am proposing the following palette for the new look of defero. The warm, rich, fairly saturated colors in this palette provide a inviting and friendly feel for the new defero. I aimed to stay away from cool, corporate colors as they might discourage clientele who are entering a new world and must be made to feel welcome. The following colors would combine well with dark/black text on a website. I would propose that all defero branding coordinate with this palette – websites, blogs, Twitter, Powerpoint presentations, email signatures, etc.

Logo

Here is the logo I propose for defero’s new image. As you can see, I fashioned the logo’s look around the tagline – “create impressions, make waves.” I used a typography technique to make it look as if the logo were stamped into its background. This visually represents how defero can help other companies to brand their own unique impressions. Likewise, the effect brings out defero’s attempt to create its own impression with its audience. The second part of the tagline, make waves, is visually indicated by the “f” and the “o” in defero. These swirling strokes aim to represent the wave effect of networking via social media in a Web 2.0 world. I thought this was most appropriate as defero is now embarking on a journey to “virtually” make waves and eventually to help its clientele do the same. Additionally, I chose this tagline because it can easily be tied into defero’s meaning in Latin, “to communicate,” to further solidify the company’s status as a group of seasoned communication professionals.

Logo without background

Here is the defero logo without background. Once I have your approval for the logo design, I could use this to create such things as corporate letterhead, business card templates, Powerpoint slide backgrounds, and any other print materials that you envision using on a regular basis.

Social media icon set

Here is a mock-up of some social media icons I have created in the same style as the defero logo. I propose using these in defero’s websites, blogs, and any other web platform defero uses that allows the implementation of personalized icons. These will help to visually unify defero’s image. If the logo meets with your approval, I will work on sharpening these images and adding to them with more icons for all types of social media relevant to defero.

defero icon

Here is a defero icon I created using the “o” from the logo. I think this is a powerful image. The dots look like they are entering the swirl and traveling toward the center. By the same token, defero is aiming to bring clients to the center of attention by helping them to enter the Web 2.0 world. I think a strong message could be built around this icon. I see it being used as a favicon (an image that appears next urls in a web browser) and an avatar for websites. Also, if defero were to ever create a signature social media platform, this could work it’s way into becoming a symbol much like the man with the shovel in the digg icon.

Please note, everything you see here is in draft stage, and changes can be made easily at this point. I invite you to weigh in with your comments and opinions below.