Rebrand design feedback please!

cormie · 14-12-2014 11:05am #1

I'll soon be rebranding a fleet of vehicles, website etc and was just about decided on a design but learned about these competition websites and thought I'd throw it up there and see what I get back.

I included my design and asked for something different in terms of layout. Some designs were very similar to mine, some were interesting and well presented and some even went to the effort of designing a new logo too, which I didn't even request :pac:

I'm just looking for feedback. I still think I prefer mine the best. "Corm Fleet" is my layout and design applied to the different vehicle shapes. Fleet 2006 is the current design and logo on the vans. The rest are the competition entries:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7CLB0ruKO0rYUVtTkpXT0hsN0k&usp=sharing

I'm not sure how to feel about these competitions. I stated in the brief that I would award anyone if I ended up going with their design over mine and where I could get a refund, I don't think it's fair for all the effort to go unrewarded. I think it's possible to pay each designer individually so I might just split the prize based on effort and and creativity as I feel I got my money's worth in the fact that it has reassured me about my own design.

I just thought I'd post here for some final feedback before committing to my design so any input would be greatly appreciated

banquo · 14-12-2014 6:35pm

cormie wrote: »

I'll soon be rebranding a fleet of vehicles, website etc and was just about decided on a design but learned about these competition websites and thought I'd throw it up there and see what I get back.

I included my design and asked for something different in terms of layout. Some designs were very similar to mine, some were interesting and well presented and some even went to the effort of designing a new logo too, which I didn't even request :pac:

I'm just looking for feedback. I still think I prefer mine the best. "Corm Fleet" is my layout and design applied to the different vehicle shapes. Fleet 2006 is the current design and logo on the vans. The rest are the competition entries:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B7CLB0ruKO0rYUVtTkpXT0hsN0k&usp=sharing

I'm not sure how to feel about these competitions. I stated in the brief that I would award anyone if I ended up going with their design over mine and where I could get a refund, I don't think it's fair for all the effort to go unrewarded. I think it's possible to pay each designer individually so I might just split the prize based on effort and and creativity as I feel I got my money's worth in the fact that it has reassured me about my own design.

I just thought I'd post here for some final feedback before committing to my design so any input would be greatly appreciated

Actual branding aside: there's a huge resentment in the design community for spec work – that is, everyone go make designs and we'll pay for the one we like. So immediately I'd suggest paying everyone something, however you decide to do it.

Of the actual designs: This one!

And of course, good luck with the business!

cormie · 14-12-2014 8:00pm

Thanks for the input, yeah, a lot of guys went to more effort than I would have liked them to given that only one could get the "prize" and that I may not even choose anyone if I still prefer my own. The link you provided there returns a google error, any chance to relink or let me know which one you chose and why, and what do you prefer about it compared to mine?

Without knowing which one you linked to, part of the requirement was to not doo too much of a "wrap" due to the cost and that it would be pretty difficult to replicate over 3 different shaped vans. I also wanted simple colours and a somewhat uniform look over all the vans.

minikin · 14-12-2014 9:22pm

Any reason you didn't just go to a proper signage company rather than waste your precious time and these folks time on something that hasn't yielded any particularly convincing solutions? (due largely to the hands off nature of the spec work process)

How many serious transport companies would drive to Cork on the basis that the client may or may not choose one of them to bring a parcel back to Dublin?

You get what you pay for cormie.

cormie · 15-12-2014 1:29am

I'd consider myself to have some what of a good eye for design and had an idea what I was looking for anyway. I posted a bit on Facebook in discussion with some design head, arty type friends and got some positive feedback on my own design. But just before going with it, I thought I'd see if anyone would come up with a better idea than my own and I guess the way to get as many different ideas on a budget, is something like this.

I wouldn't really compare it to delivering a package. Design is very different and you might end up not liking any design you're given and it to have been a complete waste. I don't consider holding the competition a waste as it slightly reassured me of my own design.

I do use design companies for other work but decided to try the competition approach for this time!

minikin · 15-12-2014 8:59am

<2c>
I consider myself to be an excellent driver, and my friends would probably agree if I put them on the spot... after all they are friends - who wants the hassle of putting you straight to your face and potentially upsetting you. Result: You are not getting an objective view. Look at the likes of XFactor for an example of this in action.

I like eating cake for breakfast, I like having a drink, I like sitting on the couch, I like not exercising, I like not watching my weight. A medical professional will tell me that none of these things are good for me. Should I disregard their professional advice because I LIKE the alternative or should I trust that they are professionals and have my best interests at heart?

Great graphic design is not necessarily about personal preferences, it is about what is most visually effective at achieving the task: brand awareness (more sales for you). If that solution happens to coincide with the clients personal taste - happy days, if not then an intelligent client should have the humility to understand that they may not be as qualified (in a practical as much as in an academic sense) to judge as the design professional.

Before you say I haven't contributed anything here: I'm trying to help you by telling you to get the best advice possible from an excellent signage company. Why? Because you're an admirable sort who isn't waiting for someone to hand them a job, you've gone out and made it yourself - we should encourage people like you to be as successful as possible... but mainly because your vehicle is your brand and there are enough lousy brands driving around the roads - signed by companies who just did what the client liked. Completely ineffective, sometimes illegible! Do you want that for the business that you're working so hard to build?

Your stationery / vehicle wraps / branding are your business suit. Most people would look like the boys from dumb and dumber if they designed their own suits, why? because they may not have the instincts, talents and experience clocked up to know the difference between something that they like and something that's appropriate.

So to answer your query: none of the above, clean sheet the project. Go to a professional signage/design company and let them do their thing. Don't ask the internet / your friends to judge the result... what does the crowd know? A camel is a horse designed by committee. The net has fooled us into believing that everyone's opinion is equally valid on all matters.

You mention budget, false economy is always a bad idea (like cheap tyres).

Best of luck with the project, however you decide to proceed!
</2c>

cormie · 15-12-2014 11:23am

Haha, harsh, but harsh is good

It's not like I'm just posting my initial concept and everyone is "liking" it and commenting saying "looks great". I'm looking for criticism and ideas. This was a selection of them from that one post. The top left design is the first one I posted then had a few suggestions and a few jokey ones too:

Would you recommend any professional design companies and what kind of cost would you be talking just for a concept? It could be worth it if it's going to vastly improved upon.

I've been looking at the likes of FedEx, DHL, Fastway, DPD. They all use very simple sign writing on their vans. My business obviously isn't THAT recognisable and well known, hence the icons to show exactly what I do. The only company above who use a wrap is DHL, actually when I say wrap, I just mean all their vans are yellow with again, very simple logo and text.

cormie · 18-12-2014 1:22am

Still curious about your post above if you can let me know

Would happily pay for an amazing design that ticked all the right boxes! It's just so hard to know what your paying for before you see it.

BostonB · 18-12-2014 6:47pm

cormie wrote: »

...I'm just looking for feedback. I still think I prefer mine the best. "Corm Fleet" is my layout and design applied to the different vehicle shapes. Fleet 2006 is the current design and logo on the vans. ..

For me 2006 is the most professional and informative one of the lot. I'd refine/freshen the logo part of that, (make it more visible) and the type maybe. Its a bit dated. Corm Fleet is too conceptualised. Its over thought. A lot of people don't get icons. "Pay you if we like it" means you are valuing some people time and effort at zero. That will reflect in the time people can put into it. Have you thought how you'll track if a design gives better traction than the old one.

cormie · 18-12-2014 11:24pm

Thanks for the input, wow, very surprised to hear you're in favour of 2006! Corm fleet with the icons is following a line of similar transport companies. I've been on the road since Tuesday through UK, France, Belgium and Netherlands and have been looking at pretty much every van and truck I've driven by. The main players, DHL, FedEx etc and mostly every other transport company has a very simple message or just their logo/number.

I know my vans are basically going to be huge mobile advertising billboards but at the same time, they will be mobile and moving fast and the message needs to get across fast too which is why I went with the icons and I think the icons are pretty self explanatory? I did have more for more services I offer, but cut it down to 4 to easier convey the most important message.

At the same time I want the brand and logo recognisable as I've been working very hard to build the reputation of it over the past number of years and have done so quite successfully.

I've had one or two suggestions to include a tagline with my design "Man with a Van and Furniture removals since 2006" or something along them lines which could be a good idea.

I know I'm trying to defend my latest design here. I'd be interested to see how a design company would approach it but there is of course the problem of how to know who to go with if they are going to be charging me regardless of whether I like it or not. Actually, most of the sign writing I've seen on the road leaves a LOT to be desired and these are the type of people I don't want to approach.

beauf · 19-12-2014 12:06am

Personally I that don't read vans on the move. I generally read them stopped in traffic, parked etc. It very common for people to look for designs, that appeal to them and not their target market. The only way to know what does work is to test it with people you don't know. Ideally with some method to measure which gets the most interest. Maybe a sample van with a different number. See does that sample high than other ones etc.

Not everyone is visually aware. While theres no arguing with a strong recognisable brand. I would consider those who are useless at pictionary. At the end of the day you can ignore everything and just pick the one you like.

cormie · 19-12-2014 12:22am

I've had very very very few people in the last 7 years find me through the advertising on the vans, other than locally where they are usually parked, but in terms of people approaching me while I'm doing a move etc, it's quite low... and the very act of loading the van could be a big player in that anyway. It would be interesting if I go with my own design, would the amount of calls from van spotters increase.

I remember reading years ago that van signage does very little in terms of attracting new customers?

Also, I think there's very few people who actively go around looking at designs or even vans.

beauf · 19-12-2014 12:49am

In that case, it seems to me, that this data wasn't given to the competition. As they all seemed based on the premise that the design has to inform. Which was also my assumption. Whereas perhaps the design has to just be an identity. Something like a stick man carrying a box. Call it Van-ie with nothing else on it. Maybe its hasn't the momentum for that though.

cormie · 19-12-2014 1:38am

I had actually run another competition before with a big description of what I was after but got virtually no entries so decided to make it less descriptive.

Of course I want to inform at the same time. I did do a test where I asked somebody I didn't know to look at my laptop screen for 2 seconds and to tell me what type of company it was. I only had 3 icons displayed on the screen, the man with the hand truck, the two guys and the piano and straight away they said "a moving company" so it seemed to work great

Meanwhile, this is what happens when you take a little miniature van to Amsterdam and applying the logo design in photoshop :pac:

beauf · 19-12-2014 3:02am

I think most places would see this as a stereotypical competition and a waste of their time and ultimately your own and you should just get on with it.

cormie · 22-12-2014 5:27am

Yup, getting on with it is what I'll have to do. I'd like to have received a recommendation of a proper design company to approach given the criticisms above and being told that none of the designs work and that I should try a proper design company and stop wasting everyone's time. At this stage, I think I'll just be going with my own, I wouldn't have minded throwing a few quid (I've no idea how much it would be) towards a revered design company to see what they come up with though. Even if anyone here thinks they can do much better, minikin?

banquo · 22-12-2014 9:38am

These guys aren't bad!

beauf · 22-12-2014 10:02am

I don't think companies going to be able to beat 2 secs for picking a design.

Never mind them picking a design that you like.

cormie · 22-12-2014 10:51am

Thanks for the suggestion banquo!

Beauf, I'm not sure what you mean beat 2 secs?

Rebrand design feedback please!

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