Website logo design

[Jonathan]

Hey guys, I’m gonna park some dialogue here with my web developers (who are already previous members on this site). Mainly because if I send email attachments of images, it doesn’t preserve the format of specific pictures in relation to specific content.

Hey Paul…Lisa…I liked the previous 4 designs, but I was hoping for a logo that clearly and concisely related to the audio field. I took some screenshots of ones that I liked, but I don’t want to use because any else can use them also…they’re up for grabs for anyone, and its important to me that mine is distinct.

I’m leaning away from the ones with music notes, because they’re relevant only to music recording.

This one would be cool if I was a music recording facility, but I think it limits brand away from the other more important stuff

The radio towers don’t work either…

Here’s a few that I liked conceptually, but I can’t think of how to create an identifiable audio related object into the theme

These are conceptually clear, but way too busy.

I like both of these in the corners…if you could replace that earth with something music related (or maybe just throw an A in there) or if that power button could somehow be tailored specifically to this company.

This one is REALLY close too… something I would love to use. Meets all the criteria of modern look, very simple, and easy to understand.

Same with this one. The problem is the squiggly line has nothing to do with anything sound engineering related.

Here’s 2 ideas I had, but they might not be good ideas. In audio we have what’s called a VU meter…they’re pretty recognizable to anyone who works in the field. If there was a way to make this look like an A or less like a heat thermometer, I’d be open to it!

This what a VU meters look like…

Also, if you put an A or the name inside of something that resembled a knob on a mixer, maybe by making dashes around the outside that look like markers, it might be interesting…

[Jonathan]

@TechBear, thanks for getting this logo project underway so quickly I directed Lisa here in a reply to the e-mail she sent me this morning. Thanks!

[CPF]

I’m gonna park some dialogue here

Does this mean I can park dialogue from my websites?
http://www.clownpenis.fail
http://www.clownpenis.fun

[Stan_Halen]

What is the meaning of AudioCentrik? Does it have some symbolic representation, backstory, compelling vision? Just curious.

[Jonathan]

There’s really no backstory. Other than standing in the parking lot with a client, smoking a cigar, and whining about how bad I am at coming up with names, and how all the good studio names are taken. Seeing has how my last name Kuehling is neither memorable or pronounceable (Key-ling), if I was gonna incorporate this as a company I needed something to call it. He suggested the name and I ran with it. It was better than anything else I’d come up with.

From a branding perspective I needed something that wasn’t like “beats” or “the music factory” that was specific to music, because I needed a name and a logo that could cover general areas audio (film, theater, gaming, music, broadcast). I figured it would be like branding a corporate band where the name and logo should tell you exactly what the service is without even seeing a description of the services. Also, the more generic the name is, the better. (Corporate cover bands don’t have fun artsy names like artists groups do).

Last, I went ahead and trademarked it, but made sure I reserved AudioCentric spelled with a C as well, and I’ll own it with or without the space Audio Centrik. It shouldn’t have cleared at the USPTO (US patent and trademark office) unless it is available here. I may have to fight some people for it, because I’m sure I’m not the first one who thought of it. But I’m pretty sure I’m the first one registering it, which doesn’t seal the deal, but it helps. There’s about 6 months from the time the website goes up to where someone can challenge me for it.

[redworks]

I think you have to remember 2 things when choosing a logo.

1. You can always change it as time passes. Most companies do.
   

   

2. the logo becomes connect with you through use and association it does not have to be literal and usually should not be.
   

[Jonathan]

Thanks man! Great examples there.

Don’t you think that if you CAN figure out a literal association that it can help? Why is that you believe it shouldn’t?

[Stan_Halen]

Seeing has how my last name Kuehling is neither memorable or pronounceable (Key-ling)

I guess that’s the Americanized pronunciation. I believe it is German in origin, in which case it would be pronounced more like Kew-ling. And it could be a cognate as well, literally meaning “cooling” - though the actual word is Kühlung (the umlaut “u” can be transposed to English as “ue”).

From a branding perspective I needed something that wasn’t like “beats” or “the music factory” that was specific to music, because I needed a name and a logo that could cover general areas audio (film, theater, gaming, music, broadcast).

It’s a cool name (ha, no pun intended), indicating everything you do is audiocenric - revolving around audio. Good choice. I do like it with the K better.

[redworks]

Don’t you think that if you CAN figure out a literal association that it can help?

No.
Because as i said the logo will represent you because you have associated it with what you do. If you do well then that will be a good association etc. Besides that what you think is an obvious literal image may be totally not obvious to some one else because of culture, experiences, etc.

So my philosophy is that you make it be a logo that you like and that speaks to you. Besides that

[Jonathan]

Besides that what you think is an obvious literal image may be totally not obvious to some one else because of culture, experiences, etc.

Ah. I see what you’re saying. That dropbox logo could be a company that makes cardboard boxes, a shipping company, even a packing and moving company. So no point in them going out of their way to specify that its a digital media transfer company. I understand.

[Sven]

I like the green circle with the squiggly line.
And I wouldn’t worry about forcing something “audio related” into the logo…

S

[Jonathan]

Hey guys. Quick update. Was thinking about rolling with this:

[Emma]

I’m reading this one as HAH or Ahhhh Audiocentrik
I found the ‘hAh’ a little distracting as a word rather than a A with squiggles
just saying…

[Stan_Halen]

The radio towers don’t work either…

That 3rd logo in the OP, the slate blue cloud with the radio tower emitting signal. I kind of like that one actually. It can represent broadcast, which is one of your specialties, yes? It also directly or indirectly relates to music on the radio, electronic and audio signals, sound (you might disagree but the average person might see it that way), a direct path to a central point (as represented by the tower graphic) indicating direction and purpose, etc. The “cloud” kind of makes sense in that much of today’s media is stored or streamed on “the cloud”.

It could be jazzed up a little though. While I like some elements, the color is pretty plain and boring. And the font is typical, what, Arial or TNR? What is your ‘style’? What colors represent you and your company? What fonts represent it? If the logo has meaning specific to you and what you do, and has a reasonable appeal to the public, it might cut down your choices and searching.

[bozmillar]

I think if you can find a very very simple logo that also has some meaning, then you have it down. That’s harder to do than it sounds. I don’t think any that you posted in the first post really get that. If you can draw it in 10 pixels and still have it be recognizable, then you are off to a good start.

You also have to consider how it will transfer to different mediums. Even if you aren’t printing shirts. Really good logos look good in only 1, maybe 2 colors, and look good flat. The -|A|- logo is a good start. If you could make minor tweaks to that, I think you’d be in good territory.

[Jonathan]

The -|A|- logo is a good start

There were about 5 other people that said the same thing. I think we have a winner there. Those were concept drafts. I’m sure TechBear can tweak them.

It can represent broadcast, which is one of your specialties, yes? It also directly or indirectly relates to music on the radio, electronic and audio signals, sound

…I thought that one was too broadcast specific…and the real disconnect was the video game audio, which is really where I’m wanting to focus. Man its hard. I can’t be too pick here, partially because I’m so bad at this, if I overthink it (like I do a ton of other stuff), I’ll just end up wasting cash having these guys re-draw a million of these things.

Any thoughts on the -|A|- that Boz commented on?

[redworks]

i like it. I also like that a some point you can drop the name from it and the logo stands well on its own.

[feaker]

I’m late to reply and simple in the mind. I was thinking a lone single musical note and the tail going somewhere like a broadcast tower. Nothing I saw online, just in my head. Kinda like the windows bird thing. ha ha

senior citizen comment

Paul

[Chordwainer]

I have zero sense of style (just ask my wife), but just chiming in to say that I really like “Audiocentrik” as the name. Immediately meaningful yet unique and distinctive.

[Emma]

Yep - really like the name!