MAKE Communication Rebrand
The goal of this rebrand was to create a new logo for MAKE Communication that embodied the original ideas of the company and old logo, while adding more legibility and recognizability. By maintaining brand guidelines, a new logo was created that emphasizes the goals of the company and increases legibility of the logo and branding.
Completed in October 2022
Programs Used: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premier Pro
Logo Comparison and Monotone Testing
The new logo for MAKE Communication draws from imagery and design elements of the original logo, while maintaining a fresh and creative new take on the representation of the communication aspects of the company.
The black and white monotone testing shows that the logo will work in full color as well as in both black and white iterations. This is important to identify as the business may use their logo on printed ads and papers, and as it is a non-profit, printing costs must be considered, black ink is a cheaper alternative to printing all materials in full color.
Original Logo
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Sketching and Idea Generation
While developing sketches for MAKE Communication’s logo redesign, I wanted to consider preexisting brand identity, legibility, as well as brand representation. The original logo was legible and identified that the business utilized an M as its primary letter-mark, however, it lacked legibility in the identification of the communication bubbles.
Through iterations I developed sketches that respected the identity and integrity of the old logo, while trying to enhance its original goal of conveying the idea of communication. Some channels of exploration included: M with communication bubble serif, pencil imagery, communication bubbles individually, and cameo faces. After deciding to pursue the M with a communication bubble serif, I began to iterate different versions of that logo.
About the Company
MAKE Communication is a Minnesota based non-profit that focuses on providing underprivileged women with networking and communication skills. Through workshops and lessons MAKE Communication empowers and uplifts women with skills in reading, writing, presentation and networking in a professional business setting. Led by an all-women staff, MAKE Communication provides a safe environment to empower diverse and underprivileged women
Mockups and Promotional Video/Animated Logo
Mockups and logo implementation in advertising and branded materials are important considerations to take when designing a new logo for a company. The new design should be able to be integrated into packaging, merchandise and assets for the company. It is important to show the client these potential uses of the logo to let them have an understanding of the versatility of the logo.
Mockups
Seeing and envisioning the logo on different materials is an integral part of selecting and confirming new branding. With the mockups I selected, I wanted to showcase the impact a logo can have on materials, media, and printed supplies. The mockups are designed to show objects that the company would frequently use, and what would be most reasonable to see the logo displayed on. Black and white printing was taken into consideration, so the logo in black and white forms on printed paper can also be seen.
Promotional Video | Animated Logo
The logos below are an exploration of different logo variations that could be used by the company to promote special events and seasonal items. Although the main logo features a poppyseed/everything bagel, it could be plain, pumpernickel, marbled rye, and so on. This ability to change the logo allows for continual excitement and ensures that the logo does not date as quickly. Additionally, the ability to change aspects of the logo and still maintain the original identity shows that the logo is dynamic and thought out for expansion purposes.
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Logo Callouts
The rebrand of the MAKE Communication logo was designed to improve brand recognizability, increase meaning behind the logo mark, and update the logo to a more modern mark. With careful thought processes, I decided to maintain the communication bubbles and M letterform, however I wanted to reimagine how they were displayed and presented. I decided to remove the badge that encapsulated the original mark, and utilized a serif font instead of the original sans-serif. This was a very intentional choice, as serif fonts are commonly associated with academia and learning processes. The entire logo utilizes the Gestalt Theory of Closure, where the serif “communication bubble” parallels the legs and mid-section of the M, but never fully intersects.
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Style Guide
The style guide for the new logo is critical to the client as they need to understand which color schemes have been chosen for the logo. This will help the client when purchasing merch, creating apparel, and additional advertisements in the future. I also included the fonts used in case the client needed them for packaging and advertising materials in the future.
The color scheme for the new logo is designed to emulate a likeness to the original logo, as brand identity is tied just as closely to design as it is to color. I intensified the colors slightly, to add greater contrast, as well as to allow for the logo to be a little more vibrant. Maintaining the blue and green was an integral part of the design, as in today’s technological era, we perceive green and blue as text messages or “communication.” Additionally, as MAKE is a government funded company, the colors must adhere to the governmental designs.