Ever wonder if a new logo could better represent your business? Want to experience the power of a truly authentic logo—instead of one that just seems like it might make sense?

Today I’m going to walk you through the creation of a logo, with examples from a recent project.

Discovery

Melody Bray, the owner of real estate business, Made ATL, came to me needing a logo. We embarked on my strategic creative process to ensure that the logo we ended up with would be authentic, memorable, and would emotionally connect with her ideal clients while setting the mood for her entire visual brand.

Through our discovery work together, I got clear on brand values, how she wants to be perceived, how she’s different, and what inspires her.

Here are some highlights from our discovery process:

Which adjectives best describe your brand?

MELODY: Friendly, Confident, Competent, Trustworthy, Nurturing, Community-Oriented, Trailblazer, Classic, Fun

If your brand was a person, who would it be?

M: Coco Chanel. She is now associated with luxury, but she comes from humble roots. However, she didn’t set out to be luxurious; she set out to be memorable and timeless. Also, she successfully pushed against the stereotype of what women should look like and how they should act. (No more corsets and faux-figures; casual chic). Timeless, elegant, luxe, sharp-wit, restrained.

How do you want to be perceived?

M: I am a for-profit real estate company that helps residential buyers and sellers cast a vision for reaching their personal realty goals while sowing into the community around them.

Why do I use a strategic discovery process? Because if you don’t really think it through, you can end up with a generic logo that doesn’t connect, may go unnoticed or may even send the wrong message. A brand should be strategically designed—or else it’s a waste of energy and money.

Visual preferences

We also worked on understanding Melody’s visual preferences regarding color and style. The logo should visually appeal to your clients, but it should also reflect your business and feel good to you. That’s why I uncover and delve into a client’s visual preferences with a collaborative mood board which serves as the art direction for the logo.

Our mood board contained an interesting mix of fonts and a refined yet relaxed mood.

A beautiful logo isn’t enough. While it’s important for me to understand a client’s visual preferences, this does no good without also understanding brand attributes, goals and ideal clients (which I shared a snippet of above). Beauty without strategy falls short.

Creation

When I present the logo to you, I walk you through each decision that was made, and why—along with a quick competitive analysis. It’s to show how we are meeting the objectives based on what we discovered about the brand, customers and goals.

Melody and I went through a refining process to get to the final version.

Activation

This is how we ultimately conveyed warmth and friendliness, confidence and the other brand key words. Indigo blue has high energy, confidence and trustworthiness. The dusty rose adds some fun and a light feminine touch which Melody wanted. The imperfect circle speaks to community. And the typeface is sophisticated yet accessible.

We ended up with a refined logo, which we then carried across Melody’s other branding and marketing elements.

Celebration!

It’s important to me that when I work with a client, the project is fun, collaborative, creative AND effective! So of course, I was pleased that Melody enjoyed the process and the outcome.

 “Alison was wonderful to work with. She had a clear plan and vision for how to move forward, which allowed for a quick turnaround time and a mutual meeting of expectations. My entire brand package was well-thought out and well designed. I’m already getting compliments.”

As I’ve discussed before, a logo speaks volumes about you and your business!

Ready to create a logo that accurately reflects you? Let’s talk.