brand name©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

What’s in Your Brand’s Name?

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Thoughts to get a jumpstart on naming your business.

First Hurdle

Starting a new business is a fun and scary process. For one, you have decided that it’s your goal to offer goods and services that can benefit the masses and that excites you. On the other hand, the energy and work needing to be put in is overwhelming and finding the direction you need to go in can get blurry.

First, building your brand strategy from the business plan you have already developed is a great starting point. After all, the name of your business should be an extension of your brand’s goals and identity. The name chosen, will also be wrapped in how you advertise and market the company to reach the correct audience. Determining the difference between branding and marketing will be helpful in the steps to creating the perfect name.

No Name is a Bad Name

Just as they tell you all throughout school, no idea is a bad idea – you can and should absolutely use this principle when starting to compile potential names for the company.

Inspirations can come from:

Literature

Favorite stories, book titles, and even author’s names are a great place to find inspiration. These stories inspire imagination and possibilities and that does not stop at childhood (and shouldn’t).

Music

Similar to literature, music is a top muse and sparks can be found in how a song makes you feel, song titles, album cover art, and musician & group names. Even specific instruments can be a trigger source.

Names

Do you want to honor who founded the company (yes, yourself – it’s okay!)? Is there anyone in close proximity to the company that can be incorporated? People from every aspect of those connected to the company can be used to draw upon ideas.

Foreign meanings

How does the word in English translate to a different language? Does that language reflect the brand? Does the alternate language hold a special meaning to the founding members or company?

What the service or product does

Sometimes, simple is the best! This means, the intended use of the product can be used for the name of the company. If the service is unique, then possibility that is the name. Every so often not overthinking can create the best outcomes.

Experiences

Have you had an altering experience during the development of creating the item or service? Has there been a past event that could be relatable to your company?

Made up word

Pulled right out of the sky; every now and then it works out for the best! How does an apple relate to a computer?

As the list narrows on selections, there are a few ways to check to make sure that it will be best suited for your brand and company.

How to Check Your Name against the Competition

Finding out that your favorite name has already been taken or is close to a similar type of company, can be discouraging. There are ways to check against those road blocks during the naming discovery process.

Do you find it original?

Did you switch up the spelling of a word, create your own word, or play upon the product with how it’s named? Being original can be difficult and intimidating, but a must for your business. You believe your offering is needed in the market and want to differentiate yourself.

Will it be long-lasting?

Remember to think long-term about your business. Will you reach out to a different market with the product and services you offer? If so, remember not to pigeon hold the name so that you don’t need to circle back to a full rebranding of your company.

Is it consumer friendly?

Will the name be easy to roll of the tongues of your consumers when referencing the wonderful experience they had? Will it be difficult to explain the name versus the concept of the company? Is the website address difficult to type in?

The name chosen may sound fun and original, but if the logistics of presenting the name and where information can be found are too hard, consumers will start to move on.

Is the name available?

This may be the most heartbreaking step of the whole process. You find the name you love and can’t wait to incorporate it in to your brand strategy and marketing, but you start the research to see if there is any other company similar using that name and BAM! The road block has been set up and the detours begin.

There are great resources to check the availability of your URL and to see what other alternatives there are. One category of resources you can try are domain registrars like GoDaddy.

If you need to trademark the company name, this page can be used (U.S. searches only).

Is Outside Help Needed?

If your business plan and brand strategy is well developed, the creative juices are already flowing and you may not need a firm or consulting group to aide you in the naming process. However, if you feel that time may be running out or a dead-end has been reached, there will be great resources available to help locally or nationally.

One caution in bringing outside help is time and financial constraint. An immense amount of both have already been placed into building your business. Before reaching out take the following steps:

Determine Timeline and Balance Your Budget

Starting a business from the ground up is in no way inexpensive or free – make sure you are checking the funds to ensure you can afford outside help. Also, confirm that there is enough time to go through a discovery process before the volley of naming rounds.

Shop Around

The first firm you meet with does not necessarily mean it’s the right fit for your company. Make sure you have time before launching to shop around to other firms and consulting groups before an agreement is made.

Resources Have Been Tapped Out

Has everyone involved with the company been invited to help generate ideas? Those close will understand the most of what your company is and the goals needing to be reached. Utilizing their creative minds will ensure confidence in a strong team to build the strongest business possible before opening the doors.

When your name is set and design is next, contact Colleen Eakins Design to set up a consultation to learn how we can best support you.

what is the real difference between branding and marketing©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

What’s the Real Difference between Branding and Marketing?

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As a business owner, there are two important concepts that should be identified when creating your overarching plan – branding and marketing.

At first glance of the words, they seem like they could be interchangeable. But, as we take a deeper dive in to each, you may possibly need to adjust your strategic plans.

Branding: Building an Identity

Let’s think of branding as the cohesive glue that holds your marketing campaigns together. It is the core of the business and who it is, represents and values. This can encompass:

  • mission statement
  • company culture
  • reputation of business
  • loyalty of customers

Branding will also include a detailed use of your business’ design standards – such as:

Logo format

A few components are wrapped up in to this piece. Determining if the logo needs to be in color versus black white is a first step. Is it more vertical or horizontal? Do you need multiple versions to fit different types of collateral?

Logo use

Where will the logo be primarily placed? When placed with other logos, is there an order of hierarchy? Will it require specific size requirements pending placement? If this is being used within a footer of an email, what is the smallest size the logo will be allowed to be at?

Color palette

Choosing the main colors for the logo is very important, as this will need to adhere to the overall brand strategy and represent the company correctly. There also needs to be thought on what other colors can be used if the marketing material clashes too much with the main logo. How else can this be represented?

Fonts

In tandem with choosing your colors for the company and logo, the font chosen to be used in the logo will be as important. This will be the main representation of the company. Making sure it’s how the brand should be portrayed, it’s legible, and clear to the consumer is key. Also including in the brand standards similar fonts that can be used when speaking about the company will be beneficial when used on different materials.

The above items are pieces that a professional designer can help build out that supports and easily conveys your company’s mission and goals. From initial meetings for the designer to understand what the company does to deeper discussions about how the company should be portrayed – both elements fall under the building company’s brand identity.

You should be very detailed in how you express the needs of what the brand guidelines should entail. This will allow you to deepen the relationship between the different pieces of your company and why you are, who you are.

Long-term visions of the company should be included your brand identity. Without this aspect determined when building your business, you can’t fully understand what the business should accomplish and how those goals will be reached. You want to stay true to why the company was formed in the first place.

Marketing: Executing Your Brand

This is the marketing piece and how you execute the mission and vision of your brand. This will be ever changing and evolve as your products and services change, but will always refer back to core identity of the company.

Examples of marketing efforts to promote certain products or services are:

Print campaigns

This includes newspaper, brochures, postcards, catalogs, posters, banners, etc. Though digital marketing efforts are extremely effective and cost efficient, print is still a main and valuable aspect of business operations.

Radio

This will not include any visual creative, but the tone and message for a radio ad still must reflect the brand’s strategy in how it wishes to present itself to potential consumers. Note: different markets are more expensive than others and will depend on the station for the demographic you would like to reach.

Television

This form of marketing will be the most expensive. Not only will there production costs (location, actors, shooting, etc.), but there are also the costs of the actual advertising spot (differing per station and market). However, this can be very effective to reach a wide audience and to be able to use visual and emotional cues combined.

Digital Efforts

The following marketing tactics have not only become the workhorse of current marketing strategies, but also the most cost effective – they include: mobile, social media, search engine optimization (seo), email blasts, content marketing (blogs, videos, etc.).

Overall, marketing can be thought of as in what’s “in-season” and broken up in to campaigns – trends and channels that will help dictate how your message is delivered and to what audience, all while referencing and adhering to your brand standards.

Which One Comes First?

Now that the two pieces have been hashed out, which one do you start with?

The brand should always be thought of first and then incorporated in to how a certain marketing tactic can be best used to solicit and engage current and potential consumers.

Where the Two Should Meet

Branding and marketing have been broken up above, but that doesn’t mean that they do not ever work together. There are two areas on where the brand and marketing overlap: the company voice and imagery presented.

When developing your brand, you should have a specific tone to the company and target audience in which your products and services may be best suited for. Not only does this impact what you wish to offer to the market, but how your mission and culture are influenced. An ivy-league school operates and speaks differently than how a tech start-up will. There is no one way that is better than the other, but needs to be carefully determined to help structure how the organization speaks to its consumers and even their employees.

The other area where the two practices meet is when you determine what imagery, colors, etc. you will use. As mentioned earlier, this can be done with the help of a professional designer that will help guide the thought process to determine your logo and colors, but when executing different marketing campaigns, it is important that those are adhered to and any other selected images represent the company in the best light and in-line with the set brand guidelines.

When determining your brand and marketing efforts, contact Colleen Eakins Design to set up a consultation to learn how we can best support you.

modern logo design trends©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

What’s Happening with Modern Logo Design Trends

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The current time is a fantastic time in the history of modern logo design trends. High-end illustration programs and experienced designers are pushing the envelope for corporate branding.

There’s no doubt that branding is crucial to business success. The world’s most famous companies all have instantly-identifiable brand elements. Powerful images help consumers make strong associations with products. The best logos “sum up” the corporate vision perfectly

In the present time, logos are always changing to meet new needs. Trends change monthly, but everything from minimalist themes through cartoon style branding is available. Most designers look for a way to incorporate the company’s mission into a synthetic glyph.

A robust visual representation for a brand is one that’s recognizable and conveys at least some sort of meaning. The symbolism doesn’t have to be intense, but anything that helps people remember the company is always useful.

Tech companies lead the way with logos with reductionist glyphs that cut straight to the point. Think of the “tweeting bird” icon for Twitter.

Minimalist Logo Designs Remain Popular

If you think about minimalism for logo designs, it makes a lot of sense. The less ornate the image, the smaller the chance of making a mistake. Precise artwork adds a stronger emphasis to branding and is often the result of extensive experience.

Take the Road Most Travelled

Logos are design elements that can easily go awry, when ‘thinking outside of the box’ and taking a design direction that is unsual. In fact, taking the safe bet and sticking with industry-popular colors, fonts, and messaging has a strong correlation with success.

Geometric Designs are Always an Option

Geometric shapes are a logo option for any business. It’s essential to research the final creation, especially if you’re hoping for an all-original finished product. These shapes are well-traveled territory for graphic designers, for the simple reason they are building blocks for polished logos.

Building a final presentation for a branding element means coordinating the tagline, logo, graphics, and font into a cohesive composition. The company has to be happy with the work and it’s worth testing it with end users. The whole process may be a bit time-consuming, but utilizing the correct design elements are essential. Do it right the first time and the investment in quality graphics will yield a significant return.

Typography to the Rescue

Since fonts dominate logos, typographic designs are a reasonable choice. There are many fonts available these days and making a new one can be an option with some designers.

Some of the most famous logos of all time are typographic and the trend has been gaining recently.

Forget the Colors

Black and white logos are elegant and striking. Black lettering on white backgrounds is one of the most straightforward graphics to read. For clarity, few other options offer the same wallop.

A distinct advantage for this color scheme is that it matches well with just about everything else. Blending and mixing and matching your current branding elements is more convenient. For companies considering plugging a new logo into an existing network of digital assets, a black and white logo is an option.

Stack Letters for Maximum Impact

If you have an unusual configuration of letters in your corporate identity, you may consider letter-stacking for your logo. This technique is an excellent way to add styling in a subtle and sophisticated manner. The best way to see if you like this look is by experimenting.

Stack a few different fonts and go from there. You’ll know when you hit upon a theme that’s usable and crisp. Modern logos are almost always appealing and few methods are more stylish than this one.

Your brand should have room to evolve. That’s why there’s no reason to tie too much literal meaning in your art. For example, incorporating the year “2018” into your design will present a problem for you soon enough! Be wary of overly-trendy ideas because they may not be hot tomorrow.

Convey your core values and mission. The imagery you select will need to get the point across clearly to potential and current customers and partners. The better you present that idea, the more likely they’ll respond favorably. Missing the mark could have disastrous consequences.

Be precise to avoid confusion. There are laws against being too similar to someone else’s logo. These rules exist because similar logos and graphics confuse consumers to no end! Being on-target is not always easy, but it’s still worth it because the opposite causes significant problems.

Logo design is another form of communication. That’s why there’s no need to go off on a tangent. Your logo serves as a central representation of all your other marketing assets. As such, it has a central role in your organization, so you should choose it carefully.

Armed with fresh knowledge and a plan, assembling the final pieces for a fantastic logo should not be a problem. The power is in your hands to create a compelling, lasting image that is an accurate reflection of your organization’s goals and experience.

Intellectual Property©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

What You Need to Know About Logos, Trademarks, and Intellectual Property

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Your logo is an essential aspect of your company identity. Not only does it serve to help differentiate your products and services from competitors, but it also helps you create brand recognition with your customers and potential clients.

For this reason, one of the most common questions that people have is whether or not logos are trademarked or copyrighted. By legal definition, the answer should be relatively straightforward. To get a better understanding, let’s cover some of the basics about Copyright and Trademarks.

What Is a Copyright?

Copyright is a legal framework that protects creative works of expression. The work has to meet minimum requirements to get certified for copyright protection. Another aspect of Copyright law is they expire, so Copyright protection doesn’t last forever. While assets are under Copyright protection, the original artist – or the Copyright holder, as the case may be, holds all rights for distribution, use, and associated royalties.

Unauthorized use or publication of copyright material entitles the copyright holder to take action against the violation, by asking for a removal of the infringement. On video platforms, something as simple as recording copyright protected background music can result in an infraction which entitles the holder to claim the video and collect any revenues generated from the recording.

Copyrights are transferable, so this intellectual property holds value. Especially in the case of famous artists and musicians. A couple of examples of transferred copyright material that have been particularly valuable after the original artist passed away include that of Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson, and Prince. While their work was invaluable while they were alive, their estate became even more profitable after their passing.

While you and your business may not be a massive pop star, there is still a lesson to be learned from having the proper groundwork laid. Copyrights and other types of IP (intellectual property) protection help you build equity in your company. If the day ever came when you wanted to exit the business, these assets can get transferred legally in the case of a sale. The new owner of the copyrighted material then holds the rights to collect any revenues or income produced from the creative work.

What Is a Trademark?

A trademark safeguards company names, taglines, slogans, and images associated with the business or entity in which they represent. Famous examples of trademarked characters and brands you’re likely to be familiar with include Marvel Comics, Sherwin-Williams, iPhone, Android, Charlie Brown, and a million of your other favorite brands and products.

A trademark offers more comprehensive protection than copyright. A Copyright doesn’t include references to brand names, color schemes, typefaces, and designs. A mark covers these aspects of IP ownership. However, a trademark also has some limitations because it does not protect the owner against almost all unlicensed use or copy that falls outside of fair use. Trademark protection only addresses the unauthorized use of the mark that could confuse the entity who owns the intellectual property.

Trademark law permits for the use of similar names in business. However, the companies must operate in different categories.

Examples of similar trademark names include Ace Hardware and Ace Bandage. While both company names contain the word “Ace;” Ace Hardware sells home goods, consumer products, and hardware. Ace Bandages are health care products people use when they have injured themselves. Hence, there are no infringements. Consumers are clear that these products and services are not the same. There is no getting the two confused.

Are Logos Trademarked or Copyrighted?

In the case of logos, this is an area of IP law that must respect the mandates of both Copyright and Trademark requirements. Things can get complicated. If a logo includes too many elements that look similar to a product or company that holds a trademark or copyright, the trademark or copyright holder has to defend their intellectual property or risk losing their rights to the IP.

As you can imagine, this alone is a convincing argument for protecting against potentially losing the Intellectual Property.

Logos are a powerful asset in every company’s marketing toolbox. They are used to help connect with people and establish brand clarity and recognition in the consumer market.

Because copyright laws don’t protect the name, the design, and the colors of a logo, most straightforward logos are not considered creative enough to qualify for a copyright. However, logos and other brand entity identifiers that are more intricate or elaborate may be eligible to register their marks for copyright.

Tips to Avoid Logo Infringements

If you are starting a branding campaign for your business or organization, here are some tips to help you avoid trademark and copyright conflicts.

Find Inspiration – There is entirely nothing wrong with finding inspiration from the work of others. Don’t be afraid to seek out ideas and styles that appeal to you. Just don’t copy!

Explore The Public Domain – One of the safest places to take harbor from IP concerns is by working with materials contained within the public domain. Creative works found within Public Domain have no exclusive intellectual property rights. Any previous rights to the content expired were forfeited, waived expressly, or are inapplicable.

Speak With A Design Professional – Another way to assure that your logo and other branding elements don’t conflict with the copyrighted or trademarked material is by working with a design professional. A design professional understands all of the technical details of creating a one-of-a-kind design to reflect your brand or company. Further, they have access to a vast library of creatives in which to build something unique to their client’s requirements. The best designers are happy to take feedback and get ideas from their clients to spark their creative prowess. By working together with an expert who understands the concepts and images you wish to convey, you can get your message on track from the beginning.

Start the Conversation

Need a Trademark and Copyright compliant logo for your company or organization? Get in touch with the experts at Colleen Eakins Design to start the conversation today.

 

Let's Learn About #LogoDesign History!©2018, Colleen Eakins Design

Let’s Learn About Logo Design History

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Logos are everywhere and remain a mainstay of branding. These powerful images and graphics communicate messages in a concise way designed to help influence consumers when making purchasing decisions.

Although many logo designs are simple, the way in which these identifying emblems get created is a fascinating combination of art and science.

Anyone who looks into the history of logo design learns quickly that much skill and thought goes into the undertaking. The fundamental concepts of logo design go all the way back to the Victorian era. During that period, designers were stepping up their games and creating symbolic illustrations to engage with and influence society. These symbols, like Coats of Arms, were frequently used to identify noblemen and other prominent people in the civilizations in which they existed.

Over the centuries, the concepts introduced by early designers continued to evolve to meet the needs of a progressing community. Images that once helped residents distinguish who ranked highly got transformed into concepts that represented governments, corporate entities, and organizations worldwide.

Logo Design During the Industrial Revolution

While the use of emblems, graphics, and symbols dates back to early Egyptian times, the Industrial Revolution is when the use of trademarks, logos, ideograms, and watermarks started getting mass adoption in the business community. The introduction of printed news and other materials made way for advertisers to spread messages and build their businesses – using symbols and convincing copywritten materials. Many of these early logos had simple designs, based on the printing and design technologies that were available during this period.

The advancement of typography and printing technology introduced a brand new way for business owners to connect with potential clients. A logo or a Masthead helped contribute to building brand recognition, even back in these early days. Business owners were empowered to advertise their goods and services to a broader audience of news readers in markets throughout metropolitan and developing rural areas.

As innovations in the printing and visual arts space advanced, the ability to print more elaborate and intricate designs opened up a new world not only for business owners, but for everyone who had an interest in reading about current events, local news, as well as books for entertainment and enlightenment.

These early publications helped form opinions and were the foundation for today’s more sophisticated and multi-channel advertising and marketing campaigns.

Logo Design In Present Day Applications

Fast forward to present day. A majority of companies and organizations use a logo or ideogram as a representation of their business interests when conducting enterprise, advertising, and running marketing campaigns. In some cases, a cogent logo may contain both an ideogram and the company name known as a logotype. A logotype emphasizes the name over the graphic, creating a unique design through the use colors, copy, and other graphic elements.

For multinational companies, the use of ideograms and symbols could prove more effective than plain written names, especially in cases when the logo gets translated into alphabets in increasingly globalized markets. It’s always worth noting that language barriers and cultural differences could make it so a logo or brand name does not translate easily – or as intended – across demographic groups.

For example, the Chevy Nova. While the car was wildly popular with American consumers when it was in production (before the Internet,) it struggled to make progress with Latino consumers. The simple reason for this issue was the use of the word “Nova.” When translated into Spanish, Nova literally means “no go.” As you can imagine, the choice of this brand name would not appeal to consumers who associated a new car purchase with a product that wouldn’t ‘go,’ as it were. This is a case when a little extra research could have quickly found the negative connotation associated with the language. However, since this branding and marketing faux pas happened quite some time ago, we can take a lesson on the importance of analysis when choosing a name for your branding efforts.

The Past and Future of Logo Design

The history of logo design is an interesting topic, and one that should get examined for further insights into how this media changed the world. Over the years this concept evolved from a way to identify dignitaries to a mainstream methodology for organizations and companies to set themselves apart from each other and their competitors.

When you’re talking about building a business, you’ll quickly learn that branding and logos work in synchronicity. You shouldn’t have one without having the other! By using your branding elements throughout all of your campaigns, you’re taking steps to build brand recognition in a cross-platform format.

In today’s digital age, business owners have more venues available than ever before to make a positive impact with potential clients. By keeping your branding and logos cohesive across your digital assets including your website, social platforms, and email marketing. Further, your branding and logo should get utilized on all printed assets including business cards, letterhead, marketing materials, product labels, internal and employee documents, and packaging.

If you offer a physical product, ensuring that your goods carry your logo and branding, along with a favorable packaging design for your items makes them more marketable when selling both online and offline.

Starting with Your Best Foot Forward

You’ll want to be sure to work with an experienced designer who understands the fundamental and advanced elements of branding and can provide creatives for all your needed purposes. By doing so, you assure that your products look fabulous when they are put on display or arrive at your customer’s doorstep.

Another advantage of working with an expert in the graphic design field is they are able to produce corresponding digital assets including banner ad creatives, infographics, whitepapers, and light papers.

Further, they can lend creative juice and insights into your logo and branding project, so that you get the best possible results from your investment in yourself, business, or organization. Ready to put your best foot forward? Contact us today to get your project started!