This is what I came up with when I purposely designed the worst logo I could come up with, using real design techniques I’ve seen.
Now let’s imagine this is the type of work my agency really produced, and let’s suppose that I had done this logo for a client and was sending it to them with an explanation of my rationale behind it. This is how that explanation might go:
Hey Joe, here is the new logo design I’ve come up with for Cliche.
First, I used the Papyrus font. Papyrus is a really cool font that denotes contact with nature, as well as a connection with the ancient mystics of Egypt. I made the text color a muddy brown to tie in with the nature aspect, but then I made the “i” blue, because blue is the color of water, and water is the essence of life, so the blue i gives the brand life. Plus everybody likes blue-eyed people better. I also stretched the font out a bit because I think it makes it a little smarter, you know, like you’re stretching to satisfy your customers.
Next, I’ve noticed that the Nike swoosh has done well for them, so I thought maybe we could play off that a bit. I put in a swoosh, but to change it up it’s upside down. I made it red because red is a power color, and it’s backwards, but don’t take that as meaning that your company is backwards from Nike, I just had to change it around for trademark reasons. I feel like the drop-shadow gives it some depth and really draws the eye to it, like it’s coming at you! It’s pretty hard to beat a swoosh.
Finally, and most importantly, is the globe. As you know Joe, in this day and age if you want to grow you’ve got to be a global company, and nothing says “global” like a globe in your logo. This says that you have really arrived, you’re somebody, and people better listen. And now that I look at it with the swoosh kind of pointing as though the name of the company and the swoosh are speeding towards the earth, it’s almost like it’s saying “Lookout world, here comes Cliche, watch out!”
I’d like to say this would get my agency fired from the job, but based on much of the logo work I’ve seen out there that has been accepted by clients, I can’t be too sure.
This has to be the best logo ever. I love to hate the fact that logos like this are actually bought by companies. Here is a little example: http://www.technhost.com/logo_design.tnw
Educating clients is a painful, yet important part of the design process.
Amazing. Revenue is sure to tripple within the next 18 months due to the superior brand value and mindshare this type of logo will bring to the table.
By leveraging the synnergies of Nike and the renowned Papyrus font the tech community, which is worldwide, will percieve the intrinsic differentiation of the Cliche brand. “Lookout world, here comes Cliche!” indeed. The muddy brown, the drop shadow, the mystic auroa of ancient Egypt, the power to stretch across the globe: this logo says it all.
Maybe an exclamation mark at the end of Cliche would add a little excitement to the brand…
AHHHHHH! It’s that font. I’ve seen that used way more than I have ever wanted.
Papyrus as well as Comic Sans should be banned from existence.
AHAHAA!!! I got a hang of your sense of humor by scanning paragraphs, then as soon as I saw the logo I couldn’t stop laughing because I knew I was about to read something funny.
Good post. 🙂
Your post made me pay more attention to the terrible logos that are out there. Here is one that especially caught my attention: http://www.thinkworx.com/images/bad_logo.png
I am making a logo for someone and it HAS to have a globe AND in papyrus…even after I came up with about a million other ideas!! AAHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I want to show her this but I CAN’T b/c I’m working for family!!
I’ve also had to make a logo that included both a globe and the papyrus font. It’s not too bad, and I didn’t know they were that popular.
Sorry. It won’t happen again.