The importance of research

I was flipping through my Costco magazine and saw this ad:
What struck me were all the logos across the bottom. It's not often where you get to see so many similar charities in one place, but to me, the one thing that stood out were the five charities that used a bear in their logo. And similar looking logos/bears they are.

Yes, I know bears are the top visual cliché when representing children... I know. I also know that when I'm developing a new logo for a charity or organization, I not only spend a ton of time getting to understand what they do but also seeing how similar charities choose to represent themselves.

Currently I am working on a logo for an umbrella organization called Access Waterloo Region. Their site and mission will reflect their dedication to helping and providing information to people with disabilities. So what's the top visual cliché to represent people with disabilities?

Yes, gold star for you - a person in a wheelchair.

Like a former creative director told me, "I don't care if you use the obvious cliché... It's a cliché for a reason. But - find a new way to twist it or spin it to make it different."

So I will be providing a couple of options with the wheelchair but hopefully doing it in a unique way. And how do I know if it is unique? I try to look up as many charities as I can that help people with disabilities and see how they've done it. And I do the complete opposite. And I also go outside of that and find other ways to design the logo where I don't need to use a wheelchair.

So, yes teddy bears work. Just find a new way to do it. Or use bunnies. And/or chicks. And/or baby ducks. (Thanks to Steve Thomas for showing me that one!)

If you or the designer/agency you've hired decide to use the most obvious visual cliché for a logo, ad or whatever... make sure they've done their homework and spent a little time doing research - otherwise - you end up with something that is no different than all the others who didn't take the time.

Be appropriate

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we must, as communicators, at all times - be appropriate. I know I've said it before but time and time again, I see work, creative, ideas, statements and so on - that is not appropriate for the audience or the subject matter. Recently I was almost guilty of the same crime.

I was developing a package for a local hospital who wanted to use funds to increase the size of the ward where they treat children who have cancer. I was trying to be clever graphically with type and making it look nice. But - duh - I was overlooking RULE #1 as a designer - let the message BE the message - just make it clear. Here are a few of the BAD ones...




So, lucky these weren't approved. I did what I should have done in the first place - which is read the copy. And as I got half way through, practically in tears, I realized that I overlooked my OWN RULE. I was not being appropriate.

So after developing a more appropriate tagline, I wanted to give it a bit of visual ompf as well. Here is the final.


Its easy to get caught up in making it "look nice" and "using all the colours" and making sure that we "stick to our brand" - but you know what - the only thing we really should be worrying about is making the creative appropriate to the audience and to the subject matter. Donors respond more to the your message than your (or my) fancy design.

Don't believe me? Then test it!

BONUS: I'm getting this for all of my clients this Christmas. Make My Logo Bigger cream!

Good things coming

Thanks for coming by. I apologize for the lack of updates but have been busy working on great things. One of which, is this blog and my web site. I have one of the most talent writers and designers in the country helping me with a complete overhaul of the site - which, in the coming weeks - I will share some of the development with you.

For those of you who are attending AFP Congress this week in Toronto, have a great time!