We are launching an initiative in the field of informatics for which I asked for a logo. Our graphic designer took care of it and indeed showed me a very nice logo, where a man with a hammer in one hand is standing on a background of the Earth where many links are connecting people.
The man is clearly “resolute” and “hard-working for all of us”. I like it. But that man is very clearly a white man, and may be from the North of Europe or the North America, that's impossible to doubt even if it is simply painted.
I like the logo very much, but I have doubts about the man. I'm afraid that such a representation may seem offending or whatever to some people if we choose a white male as the symbol for a worldwide operating service.
Moreover, we do not have the possibility to personalize the logo on a regional basis: the same logo is for all the world.
How can I avoid the logo being perceived as unfair or racist or whatever?
Here it is the draft logo:
Answer
Make the character more obscure, since you're trying to represent humans in general. Unless it's a mascot – then using race is OK.
It needs to be much simpler. It's not memorable to me, other than it stands out looking like a propaganda piece for some sci-fi dystopia communist movement. No disrespect to the designer.
You need to ask the designer to provide you with variations in style, so you can choose the direction you want to go. Have the designer do a few styles from the list below:
- emblem logo (seals or crests, e.g. Harley Davidson)
- text logo (Adobe, Android, Visa)
- monogram (typically initials. GE, DC)
- illustrative logo (Starbucks, Shell, KFC)
- abstract logo (Nike, Pepsi, Chase)
- mascots
- or any of the combinations above
Forgot to add one thing. Sometimes evoking emotional responses is more valuable than telling a story. We always think we need to do that, and they can become too cliche. Let the mark captivate people, and then tell your story with different media.
No comments:
Post a Comment