Custom Logo Design: Before and After

Voted #1 Best Branding Agency in Nashville, Brentwood & Franklin TN

Written by: Nice Branding Agency

Categories: Nice Work

We design a lot of business logos as part of our branding services. Needless to say, we've seen it all—the good, the bad, and the ugly. The disconnect often lies in a common misunderstanding about the true purpose of a logo. A great logo is cohesive with your core purpose, offerings, and values, versatile in size, color, and layout, and simple while still being distinctive and memorable. If you love a great logo design transformation as much as we do, prepare to be wowed by some of our favorite logo redesigns from over the years and learn a little about our process along the way.

ALLTRUST INSURANCE

When Alltrust Insurance came to us, they were exhausted by the branding process. The Florida-based employee benefits firm had been through rebranding twice and were unhappy with the results. They had yet to find a branding agency that could bring their brand to life through graphic design elements. To say we were up for the challenge would be an understatement. In order to develop a brand that Alltrust would be proud of, we began our branding project with an in-depth discovery phase. We met with the CEO, stakeholders, key employees, clients, vendors, and partners in order to get to the heart of the brand and its differentiators.  We used this information to overhaul the company’s logo. We ended up building an entire logo system so that they could highlight their different divisions: Compliance, Wellness, Human Resources, Technology, and All In. We gave each its own distinct brand color. Since Alltrust is in the business of people and celebrates their individuality, each division took the form of a fingerprint in the logo. Altogether, the layered fingerprints in the logo had the appearance of a treetop to represent the thought leaders that work at the company and the knowledge they provide to clients.  We used a clean sans serif for the grey logotype so that the word Alltrust is simple, straightforward and yet still piques your interest. In the end, our client was very pleased that we listened, accurately captured their vision, and ultimately brought the brand to life through, yes, a single mark and a few words.  The Alltrust logo was just part of the insurance company rebrand. Pop over to our portfolio to see how we put the new logo design to work for the firm.

CONNER EXTERIORS AND MORE CUSTOM LOGO DESIGN

Conner Aluminum, a home improvement contractor in Lakeland, Florida, came to Nice Branding Agency because they wanted to diversify and clarify their services. The name of the company alone was limiting and did not fully capture the breadth of their offerings, which include a myriad of exterior renovations, like doors, siding, windows, sunrooms, and more. We suggested that the client use “Conner” as the main business name with “exteriors & more” underneath. We built a logo system around this idea. Within the name, we added a pie shape to the letter “O.” Each slice of the pie represented a different division of the business. Blue referred to windows and doors, orange was exterior, and yellow was enclosures. By itself, you could see the letter “C” within the pie shape, so it doubled as a standalone icon for the brand. Altogether, the symbol indicates that Conner can be your whole exterior home renovation contractor. The shape of the icon is also representative of the Florida sun. It reflects the location of the business and the way that Conner enables you to enjoy the sun while still being properly sheltered. We chose a very clean font for the logotype, so that it was easily readable when placed on trucks, uniforms, business cards, and beyond. Having been in business a long time, it was a fresh upgrade from the green and silver gradient motif that defined the brand for many years. A few years later, we equipped Conner with a brand new custom Wordpress website design. Head over to our blog post on transformative website designs, complete with before and afters, to see the refreshed Conner website.

FRANKTOWN OPEN HEARTS LOGO DESIGN

When Nice Branding Agency CEO Amy Dennis joined the board at FrankTown Open Hearts, she recognized that the local nonprofit could benefit from a rebrand. The organization provides developmental programs that teach practical life skills to inner-city youth in Franklin, Tennessee. A nonprofit that does such meaningful work deserves a brand that amplifies its message and impact.  The previous logo was small and difficult to read. The letters FTOH appeared outdated and didn’t clearly communicate the organization’s mission.  By cleaning up the logotype and spelling out the words, we brought clarity and much-needed space to the design. We also created an icon that featured a heart and an opening that led to a cross, in order to reflect the Christ-centered values and mentoring at the core of the nonprofit. We were glad to have the opportunity to create the first standalone icon that the organization has ever had.

VALEO'S PIZZA

When the owners of Valeo’s Pizza, an existing takeout and delivery pizza shop in Wisconsin, wanted to open a dine-in restaurant for the first time, they came to the restaurant branding experts We were excited to help with their interior branding, menu, food photography, and restaurant brand support. They did not, however, want to tweak their logo. Our branding project started off by creating a visual direction for the brand. This gave us an opportunity to demonstrate that the existing logo was too complicated, difficult to read, and didn’t lend itself well to be the leader of the image the pizza shop wanted to portray. As part of the brand direction, we created an updated logo for their consideration. When designing the new logo, we wanted to keep the meaning behind the original. It was, after all, a nod to the neon signs that you’d see at old-school mom and pop pizza shops. A family-owned business with a long legacy, Valeo’s had history, and we wanted to be respectful of that. And so, we maintained the old Italian look, but gave the logo a modern appeal and twist. We showed our clients that we could update the logo to achieve the same goal as the neon letters. Within the logotype, the “V” for Valeo’s was shaped like a pizza slice. It was designed in such a way that the distinctive “V” could also be used as a standalone icon.  Additionally, since the alignment of the letters in the original logo were off, we fine-tuned the construction for a clean, more readable look.  The logo was just a single slice of this restaurant branding project. Check out our portfolio to see how the Valeo's pizza restaurant brand came to life.

MILOSI LANDSCAPE LOGO DESIGN

Milosi, an elite landscaping company in Nashville, Tennessee, first came to our branding agency for a brochure and horticulture calendar; we quickly uncovered a lack of authenticity and originality in their brand. It did not accurately reflect their people, values, or operations.  Together, we decided that a rebrand would be in the best interest of the company. The existing logo wasn’t indicative of a luxury service provider. The disjointed design featured an outdated logo font and the icon wasn’t custom. During the logo redesign process, we adjusted the existing color palette to create a custom “Milosi red” that would convey a rich depth and have a more luxurious feel. We also worked a custom leaf icon into the type to reflect the manner in which Milosi creates custom outdoor spaces for clients. The changes to the logo were seemingly simple, but they served the important purpose of accurately positioning the brand.

READY FOR YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL LOGO REDESIGN FROM NICE BRANDING AGENCY?

Does your logo need a revamp or a total redo? Contact us today for your custom logo design and follow along on Instagram or LinkedIn for more mind-blowing before and afters.