Using mix Typography/Color in brand name

Question

A friend and i are building a e-commerce site, but we really trying to create a brand that will be cool as well.

Our target market are 15 - 29 year olds, so we want it quite funky. and it should be easy to remember. but using a single font for the name kinda dulls it down.

So we tried different colors but it still doesn't feel like its distinct. So we are thinking about using more then one type face for the brand name. Is it a bad thing to use multiple type faces in a brand name? and if not what are the rules so that you don't end up with a cheep looking brand that people second guess at? we want the users experience to have them come to the store and know that its a trusted, well established store before they even purchase something.

PS. is swapping from lower case to caps a bad idea haha..

Answer 1

Some tips which may help:

• Mixing all caps and word caps is a bad idea unless there is a specific design consideration. In your sample, it's just bad.

• Logos which consist of a standard typeface are often seen as uninspiring because the typeface can be seen anywhere. Like any symbol, as much care and attention should be given to any text. Often type should be altered and manipulated to better fit the brand message. This will also help identify the brand as unique.

• Due to how you have the character placed, you're creating a great deal of visual tension. This may be what you are sensing about the logo. The "monster" has an absolute visual pull to the left, while text naturally pulls to the right. So basically you've got rubber band-like tension happening making the overall visual impact of the logo unpleasant. Think about how the eye moves when viewing the piece. You want the eye to have a direct, fluid path.

• As for color, I don't think your colors are bad, but you may want to consider creating the logo in black and white first. If you can design something which feel right in black and white, adding color will be easier since you will already have a solid base to work from. Often adjusting colors while in the processes of designing a logo can create too many options and design directions. By sticking with just black and white you eliminate 50% of the unknown and can focus on the actual design of the structure. It's not uncommon to feel that "something is not right" and think it's about color when it is actually about the underlying shapes. This leads to trying to improve a design by adjusting colors when really what needs to take place is a change the basic structure.