What the client wants VS what I designed.

[SignProPlus-Chip]

I posted my on spec redeux of a clients logo late last night. I also sent him the vehicle graphic layout below. The bottom is what I came up with, drawing on his initial color scheme but using the reworked logo in an effort to brand him better.

The top is what the client actually wants. He said my design looked cool...BUT he did not want to alter the branding already in place, which as far as I know is only business cards.

I feel it would be wise to make the change BEFORE branding a vehicle...but that's just me

Take a look...there are THREE outlines around the text, and in my opinion nothing has any impact at all.

Comments and critiques, please

 

[J Hill Designs]

in his defense, 'free estimates' is easier to read on his

 

[Mosh]

I gave up caring years ago...print and collect the check...just don't put a pic of it in your portfolio!

 

[shoresigns]

Fix your hierarchy. All anyone is going to see is Power Washing. That's not the name of the company, is it?

 

[Fred Weiss]

His design is bad but yours needs some work in both color combinations and legibility.

• Lose the dark blue stripe. It overpowers everything else.
• Change the colors. Blue and red near each other tend to blend together into purple.
• Outlining is not your friend in this design.

 

[SignProPlus-Chip]

Fred,

Yeah, I know on all counts.

Color choices were not mine...I would go with a more basic orange...this reminds me too much of classic Federal Express.
Outlines were left to appease the client, I would prefer clean.

The stripe I admit was my doing, it just needed something to tie it together.

As for hierarchy...he wanted the logo on the rear door and power washing prominent on the front...go figure.

His design is bad but yours needs some work in both color combinations and legibility.

• Lose the dark blue stripe. It overpowers everything else.
• Change the colors. Blue and red near each other tend to blend together into purple.
• Outlining is not your friend in this design.

 

[Steve C.]

I like the stripe ok, but the word WASHING and FREE ESTIMATES should be
in white, no outline. No outline on the phone #. I am guilty of adding too many
outlines and shadows sometimes also.

 

[John Butto]

no difference

His old logo looks the same on the truck as yours shows up. If you want to up sell him you are going to have to have more going in the new layout. Sure yours looks a little nicer but the client needs more of a change before he will commit to it. And as far as logos looking like something else, the market has been saturated with a lot of "branding" look alikes. How about a cartoon guy with a power washer wand in his hand. I know bob likes that look.

 

[ToasTuk]

Design might not be right but there might be a reason for it.

I'm not an outline lover myself, but it is worth remembering as I do with web design. The client is paying for a service. All you can do is offer advice. Ultimately you are hired to do a job. Its not up to you to decide weather it is the right choice, only to offer input for complete a job that has been specified.
Its like stocking a shop, if you choose items that you like then your business will fail, but stock it with items that you know sells regardless of your taste and you will succeed.
Your client maybe targeting the older generation for example and they might like that design better than a crisp modern design. People could interpret that modern design into too expensive or too commercial.

Note though, if your client or a future one, is one that will bad mouth your work regardless, walk away politely.
This might sound bad but there is a difference between customers that are specific about what they want and ones that want to beat you down on price by knocking your work. Good quality clients, means good quality word of mouth and pride in your work.

 

[Tim4]

Here is a super simple layout that sold more work for the client in one week than the old graphics sold the previous year.

 

[SIGNTIME]

Here is a super simple layout that sold more work for the client in one week than the old graphics sold the previous year.

what a pain in the *** to put back on straight when he washes behind those magnets every week and every time after driving on the highway like they are supposed to

 

[Tim4]

what a pain in the *** to put back on straight when he washes behind those magnets every week and every time after driving on the highway like they are supposed to

That's why he opted for the self-adhesive.

I did not claim that it was pretty, only that it was effective.

I do appreciate good design. I am just not able to create it.

 

[Marco]

Mr. Chip, that lettering needs work. Choose two colors, for example, navy blue and yellow. Defenitely no white outline and red outline - looks blurry. And try incorporating flow, instead of long line from front of truck use power wash washing device (handle) to letters and logo. The overall design looks bit ancient. If your client just wants lettering is ok, but needs cleanup. If he wants nice design pick one them fancy letterfonts and work from there. Ask Joe Diaz to help.