Critique Request: Very Generalized Catering Logo

Question

Update:

First Try:

I used the advice here and went back to the drawing board, wracking my brain for some creativity with this name and developed:

• A "C" icon representing (hopefully) a borderline mix between a grill and a silver platter

• The focus on the letter group "eat" in "creative"

• A fruit basket holding the "O", using the leaf to replace the "i" top

• A bright blue and green out door scene. I just needed to push "visionary" and a bright outdoor letter background was the only option that seemed to fit the logo.

Second Try:

I'll keep this design in mind, but Scott's right when he says too much is going on, the C isn't right, the fruit basket isn't right, (and there shouldn't really be fruit anyway). The fruit and outdoors text backgrounds would make a nice fruit orchard logo, but this one is dead for this purpose. I let the design lead me rather than the topic. Time for a redraw.

~ Going 85% back to the drawing board on this one.

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Original:

A client wants a logo that (And I quote the client):

• stands out (duh)
• looks professional
• expresses creativity
• shows "all kinds of catering" (The client caters a wide range of events/ is open to any and all types of catering business. There is no central genre focus.)

This is a black and white draft that I'm considering for initial presentation

Cons that I recognize:

• It doesn't seem to fully express "all kinds of catering" -- a platter like that appears pretty fancy.

Pros that I recognize:

• Simplicity: A good logo should be easily recognizable through a large range of sizes and mediums.

• Easily Animated: As a web developer, I like the potential that I see for animation. The platter opening to reveal "Creative" and thus forming the logo can be easily and nicely arranged into an SVG and animated for a nice header or intro piece.

Looking for general advice, best practices, comments, and improvements.

Answer 1

After update

Gosh, I hate to be a party pooper but I think you really went over the top on this. Apart from the symbol, I think the rest is totally off (font looks techy and doesn't spark any emotion, colors look childlike, too complicated overall).

I think you're getting somewhere with the symbol in the sense that you've started mixing ideas and although you're still quite close to reality, this is less generic than your previous try. Now, my opinion on the symbol may not represent the culture where you are from but in my culture, when I see a BBQ, I think of cooking my own food and the fact that it's quick (and not catering).

I still think you should go for something that is generic in the sense that it may represent eating in general but not something that is overused like a cloche. If I had to pick between both logos, I'd pick your first one.

I'm not sure how you are going about this but the amount of detail in your update makes me wonder if you sketch a lot by hand? I find that crucial in the exploration phase. You shouldn't need to add bells and whistles to a good idea for it to work. Get a LOT of ideas out on paper and when you think you're done, get some more out.

From what I understand, you are dealing with someone who does all types of catering which is why I'm suggesting something generic. If it were my client, I'd go back and ask them pointed questions like: Why would I do business with you and not another catering company? Do they have a product that people really enjoy? That ought to give you further inspiration.

Original answer

I think it depends how far you want to go with this but I would probably go back to the drawing board to check some other ideas. It does sound challenging to find something that portrays all sorts of catering and you have not said much about who your client targets exactly.

You could probably look into things that could portray the idea of giving, gathering of people, emotions, eating (mouth, a play with utensils, etc.)...something a bit more abstract. What is so creative about your client that makes them stand out from the competition? What distinguishes them? My main concern with what you've got now is that the brand is very generic: you could change the name for another catering company's name and it would probably work just the same. I agree with Ryan that the company's name is not very descriptive. Have they considered a tagline?

Otherwise, if you or your client want to see this design through, things that I think should be considered to improve your current design are:

• I did also see a hamburger at first and then the fancy restaurant cloche.
• the script font that is not properly kerned, especially the t (and remove the little bits sticking out by redrawing part of some letters to make it look cleaner)
• the background rectangle behind "Vision" is competing with the cloche and makes the whole thing look very heavy
• your script looks very friendly and I think it clashes with the fanciness of the cloche

Answer 2

Looks like a hamburger to me. I think a different handle would help make it instantly clear that it's a platter. The word Creative being bigger then the platter also make it look more like a juicy hamburger.

The name also leaves a bit too much to the imagination in terms of having nothing to do with food or catering. But you might not have a voice in that.

Answer 3

Overall, I hate to say it but.. your image looks like what someone threw together while staring at a blank page in Adobe Illustrator. That is not to say it's bad or horrible. It merely seems overly constrained by computer generation. At least to my eye. -- Set a couple words, pick a font for them (don't even bother to address kerning), find some related clip art .... and see how it fits.

There's no real consideration for uniqueness or creativity in your image.

First thing I'd suggest is step away from the computer entirely. Grab a pencil and paper and write down 5 to 10 primary words that convey catering and the companies mission/goal to you. Then write down 5 words that describe each of those previous primary words. You end up with a list.....

• Friendly
  • Smile
  • handshake
  • open arms
  • soft
  • inviting
• Serving
  • Tray
  • Utensils
  • Apron
  • Chafing dish

And so on....

This will ultimately yield quite a list of words you can use to boost creativity. Some words may be tangible such as "Tray" others less so. But in the end you get a great starting point to be creative.

Now, start scribbling down design ideas which are combinations of the words list.. such as..... Smile + tray, Apron + Handshake, etc...

In the end, I've found this to be one of the most fruitful paths to creative exploration.

All that being posted... you're client may love the image you have. Often, the worst thing I create is 3000% better than what the client envisioned. However, It's up to me to create work I'm proud of myself. Client will often accept mediocrity when they shouldn't.

Answer 4

stands out (duh)

looks professional

expresses creativity

shows "all kinds of catering" (The client caters a wide range of events)

These ar not really attributes for a logo (Maybe except the last one). Of course a logo has to stand out and ans has to look professional.

Forget these attributes they aren't helping. If your client didn't make any clearer statements this is going to be hard. If you have the possibility to get a better briefing I would do so. Don't talk about the logo itself. Better talk about what he is doing. How he is doing it and with what attitude.

- But okay. If you say the client caters a wide range of event, the plater with this round thing, is already too narrow because these kind of catering tools are only used in high-class/conservative environments.

A symbol for the broad range could be a serving hand instead. Since every service person uses it's hand no matter the level of service.

Is the name really «Creative vision»? Because it's like Tyrion Lanister says: "If one has to say he is king. He is not a king". But naming might not your problem.

Suma sumarum: I would search for a icon with a broader range than this platter.

Answer 5

Some really great points already made by other responders regarding the unecessary complexity of the first design here. The best advice is to work out more versions on paper before jumping into the software. Then, as you've done with the second version, creating your logo in black and white first is a good technique to solidify your design before color becomes too much of a distraction.

As it stands, I think that the second version is better because it has greater legibility, but I'm still not crazy about the use of shapes in either design.

For the greatest effect, a logo should be easily discernable at any size, and function equally well across multiple formats. With that in mind, I would try creating a version that is type only, and another version that is shape/icon only. Then try to create interesting combinations of your best type and icon versions.

Granted the name of the company is terribly generic, and unspecific to the industry, but as a designer you have little to no control over the naming of the company. What you could do is add "catering" to the text in a smaller font size: "Creative Visions Catering" - and present that to the client as an alternate version.