Branding

Every once in a while we break free of our “less is more, simple + bold” logo protocol, we designed a super complex vector logo for Misty Fjords Lodge, in Alaska. That’s right kids, 100% vector! We keep hoping to be invited up to the lodge but thus far the phone hasn’t rung.

Free-skier Simon DuMont started his own apparel company, we developed an entire logo family for him, here’s our favorite aspect:

Our pals at Fort Point Design developed a sweet, blinged-out site for Empire.

Virginia post-pop-punkers The Dead-End Dropouts have a rocking new logo:

In the market for a hip new social polling site? Have a look-see at the logo we developed for SlingBeat.

We recently designed this logo for our pal John Butman (author and advisor). John wanted the logo to be elegant and inspired by elements from antique books.

When Jill Sobule isn’t writing pop nuggets and kissing girls (yikes—did we really say that? Sorry Jill!), she’s probably updating her killer blog. In honor of both we designed this logo for her:

Aaron’s favorite drummer in the world (okay, and tight friend) has a sweet new side project. When Fred Eltringham in’s beating the skins for likes of The Wallflowers and The Dixie Chicks, he’s kicking out quirky noisy catchy sounds with The Get You, we knocked out this logo (and few others) for him.

ReMod Media is a production company focusing on online TV content and the like. The concept for the logo was to create a character who was quirky, yet sophisticated with a nod to history. It was a lot of fun fusing together the helmet of bizarre contraptions, not to mention, when animated he looks amazing. The ReMod’ers lovingly named him “Barneby.”

Sure, we do the Rock, as well as the Roll, kinda design. That doesn’t mean we can’t handle designing a logo for a house of worship, here’s the new identity for Christ Church Cambridge.

Often times, the most fun logo projects are the ones that don’t take themselves too seriously. Whether the client has a great sense of humor or just a quirky name, it’s great to flex our funny bones. Such was the case with the logo for Moustache Sally, a humor/blog/video site. We definitely enjoyed ourselves and created some magnificent ‘staches. The final logo is a humorous take on 50’s illustration with some of our trademark wit.

We were instant fans of catchy tunes and garage-ish rock of The Head Set from NYC. We designed their new logo utilizing an interchangeable system of colors and textures that will allow for multiple variations to keep it looking fresh and ever evolving.

Sure, it’s sad when bands break up or can get tricky when they change their name. Unless you’re us. We’ve known more than one band that splintered apart and when members started new projects, they all came calling…we like that. We’ve also designed a ton of logos for bands that found the need to change their name for one reason or another. Which is true for The Wild Sea, who were was once known as RUTH. We were asked to work up some new logo treatments for them. After the initial round of options they determined the wave was the winning direction. They requested we present a number of type lock-ups to pick and choose from. We’ve included a few of them underneath the approved logo.

We recently designed this logo for Mediadonis, the CEO of german based SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Company CIA – Creativity in Action. The logo will be used for his blog, Mediadonis.net, which he describes as “the diary of a compulsive search engine marketer and internet entrepreneur.” He wanted to keep things light-hearted and definitely not too serious—we think this superhero pulls that off quite well!

We recently finished work on a new identity for a swanky new wine bar in Harlem. We’re quite pleased with the fact that it is a rather versatile system. It works simple + clean as a standalone mark while holding it’s own in the more ornate branding banner. Our intent with the brand colors was to utilize a two color system that would work equally well on both light and dark backgrounds without sacrificing the logo’s integrity.
As the story goes, we made a cheeky little joke with our client when they asked what kind of bird we modeled for the logo, “a harlembird of course.” That turned out to be the element that sealed the deal on that treatment, you can never underestimate the power of quick wit.

It’s our pleasure to again be partnering with Pod Design to develop and launch a new brand: Daily Grommet. Looking to fill an untapped niche, Daily Grommet is aiming to bust open the social commerce scene. Living as both a website and web widget, Daily Grommet will showcase a wide range of products that are sure to be the objects of desire for hip moms worldwide.
Our role in the project is identity designers and brand stewards. While the official roll-out is still a little ways off, we’re proud to reveal the final logo (there are a few select sites and blogs that are unveiling it as well). The design process explored several initial directions, but the final version highlights an actual “hero” grommet with secondary hand-drawn elements. As part of the process, we created a custom logotype, as well as secondary lock-ups and are developing the brand standards. Stay tuned for the full brand launch later this year.

“We’re not sure what kind of imagery we want, but we know it should be unexpected and fun.” We couldn’t have been more enthusiastic to hear that from the founders of Proof Wine Marketing. The final design solution makes use of a rotating logo family that is comprised of 3 different characters, each with its own corresponding color. The system remains cohesive by using a consistent type treatment… its a bit hard to put into words, but you can see what we mean. Besides, what’s better than big foot with a bottle of his favorite red?

Already established in the art-house movie scene, a pair of cinemateurs recently relocated to Providence, RI, to breathe life into an existing theater. They commissioned our services to differentiate themselves from the other area theaters with a first-class identity. After extensive research and sketching, we crafted a logo that references Providence’s rich history, as well as the fact that the theater used to house a cable car garage. Iconic and bold, the logo has a extensive branding options and we look forward to designing the entire office system, as well as helping to help brand cafe and theater. Stay tuned for a full reveal.

We just finished designing a logo as well as some marketing pieces for Laura Barisonzi, a photographer out of New York. You can check out her work [here].

Breaking new ground in the sphere of virtual gifts, Viximo is already one of the leaders in the field. We helped them to establish their brand with a new logotype. Through several rounds of iteration, they chose a bespoke typeface whose simplicity allows for clear reading.
The goals and direction for this project were a bit different from many of the identity projects that we work on in that it focused on a logotype without an icon. Since we did a lot of type creation from the ground up, we thought we’d give everybody a peek at some of the other directions that we presented to the client.

We recently finalized the redesign of the ArtsBoston logo. The objective of the project was to give a unique identity to a “robust, online calendar featuring information about theatre, music, dance, visual arts, opera, arts classes, comedy, film, programming for kids, lectures, readings, and free events across Greater Boston.” From the project’s onset, we were careful to choose a form that wasn’t specific to one single type of performing art, yet referenced them all. The concept chosen was inspired by the forms of stage spotlights. In the end, the mark itself is quite abstract — a quality we thought worked well with the broad range of ArtsBoston.

Right out of the gates in my first days here I began work on logos for a couple of different clients.  It was exciting to jump into real work, and it was immediately clear that my role as an intern here wouldn’t be that of an office servant.

The logo I’m sharing today is for Project T.E.A.C.H. (Teen Education About Careers in Health), a comprehensive summer program for 10th graders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which includes paid summer employment, seminars, math and science courses, and opportunities to shadow health care professionals in the emergency department, operating room, and on patient rounds.  Sounds pretty sweet to me.

In the first round of sketches, I couldn’t get away from the symbol of the medical cross because it just conveyed that side of Project T.E.A.C.H. so quickly and clearly.  Here are a few of the initial sketches:

Here are the three refined versions sent off to the client for consideration:

Here is the final logo along with a 1-color alternative mark:

Everyone seemed happy going with the less conservative of the three options, the one I affectionately call TeachBob SquareBulb.  Or maybe it was LearnBulb SquareTeach.  Something like that.

Anita Quinto is the moniker of this Venezuelan percussionist, composer and arranger. She attended Berklee College of Music and has performed on National Public Radio and Public Television. She has toured across the globe including stops in New York City, Las Vegas, Miami, Caracas, Bogota and Copenhagen. When we first met with Anita she told us that she was seduced by our work. That may be our biggest compliment yet!
Anita liked the idea of a graphic element working subtly into her logo. She often plays the Conga (otherwise known as a Quinto) and thought it would be beneficial to incorporate that into her identity. She also mentioned that it would be nice to reference her Venezuelan background—we worked that in with the color scheme (taken from the Venezuelan flag—of course!) In the end this logo represents Anita perfectly, it’s as bright and lively as she is.

We recently wrapped up a new identity for Noshies. Fortunately for us, the Brooklyn-based protein snack company kept us well fed. Noshies are organic, nutritionally balanced, whole foods protein snacks, that taste great! Free of soy, wheat, egg, transfats, artificial sugar, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. The inspiration was the hand-crafted aspect of these little treats, think cozy, country kitchen with an urban, hipster attitude.

Not too long ago, the manager the Boston-based band Clarias got in touch with us. She was shepherding the band—who have opened for names such as Bon Jovi, Barenaked Ladies, and Kanye West—in a new, more focused direction. With her help, they would put out a new release, fine-tune their image and organize an ambitious tour. As part of this new momentum, we were pulled in to create a logo for the band. Given only four days from concept to completion, this was no small challenge.
The band was presented with several directions, but final decision was made to go with a design that would act as a neutral canvas of sorts. Providing a solid back-bone with which to begin, the logo could be adapted and expanded upon through the course of multiple releases or different styles of merch pieces. It is an example of the type of logo which has a character all its own, but with the flexibility to work in a wide range of contexts.

The greatest challenge we encountered when developing the visual identity for the Ferree Group, Inc. was the being constantly aware of the two distinct demographics that the company is balanced between: new clients and trade professionals. The Principal of the Boston based general construction company was very conscious of the importance of having a strong, professional brand he would present to new and potential clients. At the same time, he was also very concerned about the trade professionals and B2B vendors he worked with on daily basis and didn’t want his company’s new identity to feel too “design-y.” Taking this into account, we developed a classically simple, bold type treatment to complement the “F column” icon. The column itself was born from the group’s dependability and commitment to quality work.
Typically, we are hired to design business cards once a logo project is completed. This is ideal for us as it’s typically our first opportunity to take a logo and start crafting a bit of a brand around it. Here are the Ferree Group business cards.

Here is the newly completed logo for an independent concert promoter based in Barcelona, Spain. Music Van Promotions specializes in booking contemporary bands that are in part influenced by the late 60’s- early 70’s Folk, Garage, Psychedelia, Prog and Hard-Rock which ultimately gives them a timeless feel. Our goal with the logo was to honor the company’s affinity for both classic and current music while focusing on a contemporary look + feel with the identity’s execution. The real challenge was to simplify the complex form of a van stuffed full of musical instruments into a clean, easy to read logo.

If you are in the Boston area there is a good chance you recently read about Powahouse on the cover of the Boston Globe. A Powahouse is a small apartment building that packs a big punch. It’s also a Boston-based project, currently incubating, that’s scheduled to hatch first thing in 2010.
The basis for the name “Powahouse” comes from the fact that this project is a way for homeowners to make their apartment a renewable energy power plant as well as the idea of setting a powerful example in efficient design and construction. When we first met to discuss their new identity the client expressed their desire to balance the playful take on the word Power with a more serious mark.
The concept for the winning logo stems from the idea of a carbon footprint, or better yet, the lack there of. The focal point is the stark, white house-shape formed in the negative (or positive if you will) space between the dirty, inefficient homes. The type is clean and modern reflecting the ideals of Powahouse.

 

Singer-songwriter, Ollie Childs, asked us to design a new logo for his fourthcoming album (coming soon) and other related materials. We opted to create a original type treatment crafted from the ground up. The mark itself draws influence from the pop sensibilities inherent in the music as well as Ollie’s British background — both of which comes through in this “Mod” inspired logo. Our goal was to create a treatment that was unique and memorable enough to be used on it’s own, but subtle enough it could take a back seat when used with photography. We also designed a new logo for Ollie’s independent record label. Non-Drip Gloss Records is a reference to Ollie’s blue collar roots.

GeoOptics specializes in fiber optic sensors used to peer deep inside the earth for energy resources. Our goal in creating the new logo was the same as most any logo we design: distill the main idea of the company down to a simple, striking mark. Rather than getting overly complex with the fiber optic technology, we focused on a simple geometric approach that could depict the idea of seeing inside the earth — which is the broad concept that lies within the name: Geo (earth) + Optics (see). Our sketches capitalized on the fact that the initial G is based on a circle, so we iterated from there. It was important that the globe and the G have the same line weight to create unity. The placement of the bar of the G also suggests direction to the earth’s core.

Let’s Make It Awesome (one of the best company names we’ve heard in a long time) hired us to design an identity of awesomeness for their newly founded Search Engine Optimization/ Marketing Firm.

Do you watch La Ink? Of course you do—silly—but did you happen to catch Cat visiting her local Dr. TATTOFF for some tattoo removal work? (okay we admit it, we designed their logo).

Our long time clients Jai Jai Greenfield + Eric Woods from Harlem Vintage received some pretty heavy duty props from CNN on the wine boutique’s success, not to mention the fact their logo + branding were specifically mentioned as well (we like that!).

The Wine Bottega is a swanky, upscale wine shop in Boston’s North End. We just finished a logo for the new owner, check it out. We also included some sketches to give a bit of insight on our process. And yes, we actually draw this stuff!

Channing Johnson is a photographer out of Boston, he is widely known as a wedding photographer, but also works as a photojournalist. He came to us a few weeks ago for a new logo design. We worked on a number of treatments for him that each tried to suggest photography without falling into the usual trappings.
Lucky for us, Channing was pleased with all of the logos we created for him and was able to narrow them down to two. The first option strikes a balance between something that would work for a wedding photographer, but also have some grit and edge—speaking to the “bearing witness” style of a photojournalist. Letting our imagination get ahead of ourselves, we imagined this being something that was found stamped onto some documents or photographs. The second option was the slightly safer solution. It expresses the idea of photography though the beams of light and also is reminiscent of an eye. 
In the end, we let Channing think about it over the last week. He went with his gut feeling and chose option 1.