Category: Retail
Good Logo
Business Type: Retail
Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol
Business: Charm City Cakes
Charm City Cakes is a national renown bakery because it is featured on Food Network's Ace of Cakes. This bakery does some wild cakes from small fun three tier birthday cakes to replica of Yankee Stadium. The logo is a successful because of its simplicity. The mark has a positive and negative play it shows a city but it playful like a cake. The font chosen is appropiate because it has an edge for a bakery. A normal bakery may use a serif typeface to display elegance, but this company is very edgy making a crazy variety of cakes which i think a sans serif font can display. The symbol is very effective as it both describes that the bakery is in the city and it looks like a cake because it is flimsy looking and on a platter. The symbol has many nemonic meanings behind it. The symbol or mark can work on its own with enough branding involved and its suitable for many branding applications from t-shirts to packaging. Not your average logo for a bakery but its what makes it stand out against its competition.
Bad Logo
Business Type: Retail
Logotype: Wordmark
Business: Leach's Meats and Sweets
Leach's Meats and Sweets is a family owned bakery/deli in Barberton, Ohio. Its a small business but gets get reviews for the food they make. The big question is... what isn't wrong with this logo or wordmark or whatever you want to call this. The biggest concern is there is TOO much information going on with the sign. The company needs some kind of symbol representing the bakery/deli. Looking at the sign itself, theres FOUR different typefaces going on here making it very cluttered and very hard to read. The thing need here is possibly a friendly and more inviting sign whether that be a recognizable symbol. They have opportunity for many other applications in branding. Though there competition is pretty tough (West Side Bakery, White Flower Cake Shoppe) a big facelift and new look to the company can boost extra sales, and keep this small family owned bakery/deli in competition.
Category: Professional
Good Logo
Business Type: Professional
Logotype: Symbol
Business: Mayfield Village Veterinary Clinic
Mayfield Village Veterinary Clinic is a popular place in the Mayfield area for bringing pets in. Its a higher level clinic with well trained vets. Its a pricey clinic but you are guaranteed to get quality results. The logo is well thought out the "V" represents the "Village" and it really supported by the dog and cat silhouettes restating that it works with animals, hence the vet clinic. It is a recognizable logo and can easily be remembered by anybody whose either been there or has driven by it. Nothing decorative about this logo as it is clean and simple and gets the message across real quick. It represents its business very well and you automatically assume what the business does and that its very professional.
Bad Logo
Business Type: Professional
Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol
Business: Integrity Accounting Services
Yeah this is a logo I did for my dad's own accounting business. I recommend that you do not do work for family, they only want a certain thing. For me I could change the look in so many ways. Things that are obvious. The Swoosh, the infamous swoosh. It means nothing unless its for some transportation company, maybe. This really doesn't inform the customer what the business is other than putting the word "accounting" out in plain sight. Accounting is one of the most difficult business to really nail an outstanding identity. Personally I don't like Services being put in there, there is too many layers going on. Simply an acronym may do. But bottomline, don't do this kind of work for family members.
Category: Manufacturing
Good Logo
Business Type: Manufacturing
Logotype: Symbol
Business: Apple Computers
Apple is the one of the biggest computer companies in the market right now. Its a simple unique computer that attracts alot of people because of its simplicity. I think Apple tries to emphasize Simplicity. The logo itself explains that they are a simple company and doesn't try to complicate things for its customers. The applications for Apple are outstanding; commercial spots, magazine ads, packaging, apparel, and the most important thing its products. The great reasons behind the logo are one, it can be sized down to any size and still is recognized, and two it can work well just in black and white with no color added.
Bad Logo
Business Type: Manufacturing
Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol
Business: Great Lakes Brewing Company
Great Lakes Brewing Company is a hot spot in Cleveland. They are famous for their original brews that are brewed by themselves. Christmas Ale and Oktoberfest being the famous of the bunch. They also have a restaurant in their brewery. Known for their food as well. The problem is their logo and branding. They seem very dated for what part of the century they are in. There are 5 layers alone to this mark. Layer 1: The Wheat Layer 2: GREAT LAKES Layer 3: BREWING CO. Layer 4: Waves and Layer 5: CLEVELAND OHIO. WAY too much for just the logo itself. It needs to reduced to just GREAT LAKES BREWING CO. leave the Cleveland Ohio stuff for anywhere but the logo. A symbol that could represent the lake would work well here. There is a GREAT opportunity for branding (beer labels, apparel, menus, posters, etc.) Giving the great brewery a new look would make this brewery the one and only spot to go for refreshing brew in Cleveland.
Category: Non-Profit
Good Logo
Business Type: Non-Profit
Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol
Business: American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is the most famous non-profit organization known to date. They have done great work from helping out with wars to helping struggling nations. It is the new symbol of truce or suspension of hostilities in battle. It is the reverse of the Swiss flag in suggestion of respect for the wounded and medical personnel. Its the face of all health organizations. A big thing behind it is the red cross itself. This shape works well on its own and sits in anybodys mind, the moment they see it they know its the Red Cross. It has many nemonic reasons from safety, to warm-welcoming. The moment you see these guys roll at your doorstep you know you are in great hands. No type is really neccessary the symbol works on its own. I like that.
Bad Logo
Business Type: Non-Profit
Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol
Business: Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA is a government run company that works around the clock to make sure our environment is safe from harm. They research ways to help us save energy and conserve materials. The logo now has a governmental look to it with an over-decorated symbol and type in a circle. My biggest type pet peeve is type in a circle, it looks horrendous and is in no way appealing! What it needs is a refreshed look and more type based possibly with a symbol. An acronym of the name would work the best as you would be compressing all those words down to three letters that can easily be recognizable.
Category: Service
Good Logo
Business Type: Service
Logotype: Wordmark/Symbol
Business: American Airlines
One of the well-known airline companies in the business. Mostly because of its recognition due to its easily identified logo. The logo has nemonic meanings for example, the eagle, the bird that is the face of the american nation, also representing flight which is what this company does. The colors are very appropriate relating to the nations colors. One thing I personally like is the Helvetica type used. This font is a very bold and readible font and it brings simplicity to a design. No overdecoration going on here. Straight to the point which makes this logo last through the ages without a redesign. Simple. To the point. Many nemonic reasons. These are the things I like in a logo.
Bad Logo
Business Type: Service
Logotype: Word/Symbol
Business: Fifth-Third Bank
Let me start out with the obvious bad reasons behind this logo. One the 5 and 3 are hard to really read and is a hideous font, if thats what you want to call it. Second, The font used for the name could use a refreshing look, it looks too much like a Microsoft Word font to me. Third, the green shape surrounding the 5 and 3 doesn't really do anything for me. It looks like it was put there as a secondary thought. I also don't like the fraction look in the shape, i don't really see it as a bank logo more like something for math. But this would be a hard one to tackle because they are a well known bank and they have used it for many years its just stuck in peoples minds. I could come up with many innovative ideas for this but it probably would be shot down in the long run.
Hey Steve, thanks for commenting on my blog. I feel your choices for logo comparison are very appropriate. The good are convincingly well designed, as the bad lack distinguishment and character. More specifically, your choice of 'Great Lakes Brewing Company' should provide for an interesting field of study. I agree on the idea that the typography is too busy. Removing 'Cleveland Ohio' is a nice way to allow some breathing room for a redesign. It seems that several companies are following the current social theme of 'change', so modernizing the workmark could appeal toward the national culture that this brewing company communicates with. This should be a fun one. Cheers.
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