logo, phase 3.

hey all,

i've been sort of tunnel-vision-ing into one direction for my logo design, and all of my ideas were just expanding on the same concept. so, to get some new ideas going, i talked to ange, who pointed out another of my initial sketches that had potential: the idea of a cycle, or something morphing into something else. i thought, sketched, thought some more, and then came up with a new one that's conceptually pretty different than the first. i kind of like both, but i'd like to hear what you guys have to say.







the font i originally used for the second (newer) logo didn't transfer on my computer at home, but it wasn't set in stone or anything. any and all suggestions are welcome! which one do you guys feel has more potential? some main ideas of my brand are that it's clever, whimsical, humorous...i appreciate your comments.

checkin' the competition...know thine enemy!

i'm doing a little sleuth work today, probing into the deep recesses of the coffee distribution world. [that's so gross.] i found a great link on wikipedia that lists many instant coffee distributors, and i'm specifically investigating those who operate out of the united states, and are not large chains, such as starbucks or caribou. i would classify these mid-level coffee companies as my main competitors, while the larger companies and those outside of the u.s. could be classified as 'secondary' or 'tertiary.' at some point, i'd like to take my camera and check out what the coffee displays are like at a grocery store, or perhaps even a whole foods-type store; until then i will limit my investigation to the internet.

***

okay so by now, i am finding that most smaller to mid-level coffee distributors don't offer instant coffee. i'm not surprised; i've always bought into the stigma that instant coffee just isn't worth a hoot, and it was reserved for those big, corporate, 'sell-out' brands that an audience like mine doesn't value very much. but is this merely a stigma? is there some truth to this myth that the only coffee worth drinking takes up at least 10 minutes of your morning? meher is on the scene to find out.

"Although it has a long shelf life, instant coffee quickly spoils if it is not kept dry. Instant coffee differs in make-up and taste from ground coffee. In particular, the percentage of caffeine in instant coffee is less, and bitter flavor components are more evident. The lowest quality coffee beans are often used in the production of instant coffee (the best beans are usually kept to be sold whole) and sometimes other unwanted residues from the harvest are used in the production process. Some products, such as corn, are also used to make the coffee condense more quickly (some manufacturers practice this)."

-wikipedia.org

okay, so that answers some questions! yes, instant coffee sort of sucks, when the roaster skimps on quality. so this is a great niche for my brand! instant coffee that doesn't put corn in your brew. a small company that's focused on quality and taste is likely to fill in the gap that most large distributors of coffee, such as folger's, maxwell house, and nescafe, leave in their haste to make the big bucks. so while my product may be a bit more expensive, it will also be a bit more awesome. a smart chick who is low on time will probably be willing to pay more for a tasty and hasty way to get coffee, right?



this is from the brand diedrich coffee, and while i have no intention of making my brand anything like this one, i just wanted to point out how interesting their packaging is. as a critique, their 'system' of branding is a bit too disparate; i don't know if i would be able to identify a bag of coffee at a store as their's immediately, since they change the image and typography based on the origin of the beans. still, it's a cool idea, and someone intellectual who appreciates art and aesthetics might go for something like this.

until next time...

okay...this isn't really relevant. but it's still art.

i'm sorry, okay?! just enjoy it!


this is a link to the website with a blog entry with some more information on this poster. shepard fairey (the man who brought us the obama 'hope' poster and the 'obey' street art, for those not in the loop) designed this for bauhaus's latest album, go away white. how exciting!

stay tuned for a post that has something to do with the logo design of my coffee brand, lark.

hit the ground running

not only did i forget the web address for my blog, i forgot which hosting site i chose. thank goodness (and ange!) for the class list.

anyway, even though it's 12:45 a.m., i know some of you are still up. (admit it.) i found a neat little poster here, and then followed the designer to his website, here. i kind of wish he had more work like the 'france has the bomb' poster in his portfolio, but i thought his site might be useful as he has a section on logos in there! enjoy.

i've also been HARD at work, researching my product, which is coffee. the bean type. i came across this website today, which helped me understand the marketing of coffee a little better. it's also good for analyzing the competition for my (currently incubating) brand. while i don't expect my product to look anything like those shown on the site, i do like the sophisticated nature of their marketing. you can tell it's gourmet coffee right away! all good places to start.

and finally, since i am rediscovering the talking heads tonight, via speaking in tongues, i encourage you all to share in the glory of some cover art.





fanTAStic.

have a good night!