Logo!

arthursimone · Post by **arthursimone** » January 4th, 2006, 7:04 pm

I loooooove the a & i with the capitol as the dot of the i

it'd be hard to confuse it with robots when there's clearly a human hand doing a clearly human gesture. everyone knows when robots give a thumbs-up, the finger pops open and there's a cigarette lighter inside. or a radio antennae.

love it.

restating my belief that good logos sacrifice concept for tangentially related simplicity. case in point, lookit that Napster logo- it's a cat with headphones. Conceptually we don't need to know that napster is file-sharing software, it's just something cool and easy that has to do with music.

the simpler the better because you can still incorporate the simple logo into a more complicated flyer or logo. you can still do flyers and sidewalk chalk graffiti that incorporates hopscotch with the thumbs-up logo inside. yes? you can't do the reverse and do an easy tag or tiny sticker and expect passersby to take the time to study it and figure out what it means.

very fun to watch this unfold online!

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » January 5th, 2006, 2:57 pm

I think Napster's logo had less than nothing to do with Napster's success and that the logo was just along for the ride. If we could offer free stuff that people really want and usually have to pay for, our logo could be poo on a stick. : )

I'm not disagreeing with simplicity in logos - just a thought. UCB's 3-D glasses guy is a good example of a logo that doesn't really express the product with any great specificity.

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » January 5th, 2006, 5:01 pm

I'm torn on this issue, but since I haven't butted in yet, I'll do so now...

Ideally what I'd like to personally see out of a logo is:
--Relative simplicity, if possible (so anyone can draw a quick version of it with chalk or whatnot)
--Not necessarily tied to a color (so we can use it creatively in different color schemes, including B&W
--Something that is crisp enough to survive photocopying and look relatively the same (especially at this early stage where a lot of our advertising will be photocopied flyers)
--Curiosity factor (what I like about UCB's logo is the double take you do to figure out what it is and what it means. You don't get the same effect with most corporate logos like Pepsi or Nike)
--Sense of Playfulness (it could but doesn't necessarily have to be a specific game reference, like hopscotch, but it should feel playful, fun, and energetic)
--Scalability (it should look as good in a 1"x1" online thumbnail link as on a 4'x6' poster. The more complexity, the harder it will be to shrink down, though you can still get a good bit in with good design)

What I don't care about in a logo:
--Tying in an Austin landmark (unknown ones mean nothing to non-Austinites and obvious ones, like the Capitol or bats, aren't unique enough to matter (dozens of cities have capitol domes). It is a fine idea, but I don't know what it adds in our case. Besides, the word "Austin" should be enough to clue people in to the fact that it is Austin, and even without "Austin" next to it, a compelling logo will cause people to ask about it.)
--Over-crispness (I really do love Craig's grey thumbs up in the "a" with the capitol dotting the "i" logo, but I don't know if I love it for Austin Improv. It is very professional looking, but perhaps so much so that some of the playfulness is gone. It looks more corporate than theatrical.)

We'll definitely talk about this at the advertising meeting, and I would assume any larger community meetings this month.

arclight · Post by **arclight** » January 5th, 2006, 7:32 pm

I'm not much for the capitol, but otherwise I love the logo (thumb inside the merged 'ai'.) The thumbs-up is a great signifier of the "yes and..." attitude, A is for Austin, I is for Improv, and it's simple and clean, suitable both for business cards or billboards.

If the worst thing anyone thinks of our logo is that it's too professional-looking, we're doing great.

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » January 6th, 2006, 12:49 am

Inspired by the napster logo, as well as a push to really do something with the moto, I came up with this -- again, not final, just a thumbnail (font just a placeholder).

...and this...

smerlin · Post by **smerlin** » January 6th, 2006, 8:43 am

Sara's last logo litterally made me laugh out loud. I think she might be on to something.

How awesome would it be if our mascot/symbol was a kitchen sink!!!!

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » January 6th, 2006, 11:22 am

I think I kinda like that kitchen sink, too.

It is weird, it takes a second or two for people to get, and can be easily modified, colorized, shrunk, reused, and all the other things I care about.

Interesting idea.

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » January 7th, 2006, 2:19 am

Yeah, it took me a couple seconds to like it, but I do like it. And it fits brilliantly with "Everything from Nothing."

Kitchen Sink!

Evilpandabear · Post by **Evilpandabear** » January 7th, 2006, 2:43 am

i totally want a kitchen sink t-shirt!

phlounderphil · Post by **phlounderphil** » January 10th, 2006, 2:42 am

I have to say, no offense to any other submitted logo ideas, the kitchen sink is my favorite. OF everything.

I think the logo should NOT be obvious, I think the logo should be interesting, I think the logo should make people curious. I think the logo doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with the moto or the name of the organization. I think you could make a sticker of just a kitchen sink that says "Austin Improv" and it would be awesome.

I really want something that snatches people, makes them pause and ask themselves a question. Gets a bit more focus I think. One of my favorite advertisements of ALL TIME is the Yellow delivery trucks. They're name is Yellow, but every truck is painted an obvious shade of orange. So you read the word "Yellow" written in black on an orange background. The first time I saw that I actually stopped to think about it for a moment and how interesting and simple it was. I think this vague kitchen sink thing has the same sort of sticking power that will make people wonder how that really applies to improv, and it doesn't. But I could easily bullshit 18 ways a kitchen sink could be compared to improv or used to show basic improv principles.

so anyways. As co-chair of the logo/branding committee (lemme rub that in a bit!) my opinion has thusly been stated. I LOVE THE KITCHEN SINK LOGO! SERIOUSLY. i love that.

-phil

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » January 10th, 2006, 9:36 am

If you would like to talk further about this, please attend this evening's advertising committee meeting at the Hideout, 617 Congress Avenue, at 6:00 for this and other fabulous discussions!

Evilpandabear · Post by **Evilpandabear** » January 10th, 2006, 11:30 am

i like several logos.

the thumbs up i like for a more formal setting, business cards, official website, etc.

the kitchen sink i like more for a advertising, t-shirts, logos, etc...

the ai smiley face i think would bew perfect for kid shows or our G rated shows (if those ever get off the ground)

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » January 10th, 2006, 1:06 pm

Wesley wrote:If you would like to talk further about this, please attend this evening's advertising committee meeting at the Hideout, 617 Congress Avenue, at 6:00 for this and other fabulous discussions!

I'd like to come, but I have an ACC Division meeting tonight.

kaci_beeler · Post by **kaci_beeler** » January 11th, 2006, 5:46 pm

Evilpandabear wrote:i like several logos.

the thumbs up i like for a more formal setting, business cards, official website, etc.

the kitchen sink i like more for a advertising, t-shirts, logos, etc...

the ai smiley face i think would bew perfect for kid shows or our G rated shows (if those ever get off the ground)

The point of a logo is that there is only one. Different and varied pictures used for advertising different events on flyers and other promotional pieces is fine, but I think we should stick to one logo exclusively...or what's the point?

I personally am a fan of the sink.

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » April 11th, 2011, 1:53 pm

I'm bumping the EARLIEST AIC posts... just for grins.