Dear client

I hope that you’re ok and your business is still doing fine, I’m rueful that this is not my usual “enjoy your end of year holidays” or “hope the kids passed their grade” letter as I write this letter with only one intention, to educate.

I aim at keeping this letter of intent short, I’m quite disturbed at the vast number of clients who expect unfair miracles from a logo (and it’s designer). As a designer I tend to come across a large number potential clients who approach me to develop a logo for the wrong reason, to make their accounting books look prettier by adding a couple of zeros to their income statement!

The other disconcerting demand is that a logo describe their company or products, literally. Now with that in mind, please think of Nike; does the logo have running shoes?, Coca-Cola; any bottles hidden in the calligraphy that I fail to see?, Apple; am I missing a computer within the bitten fruit that Adam and Eve couldn’t resist?

All of these are successful brands in their respective industries, I hope that gives you at least a step towards the direction of the page I’m at.

I’m identified by a name, Mokokoma not as “…the tall designer guy from Mahwelereng who always has something good to say about how important and powerful design is…” that is long, confusing and easily forgettable. In the same way a logo should not literally describe the client’s business, a logo is not a description but an identifier.

I’m well aware that a professionally designed logo conveys a positive impression about your company, which will hopefully in some cases convert some of your potential clients’ positive impressions into business.

I feel it’s my duty to learn you on what a logo actually is and what should be expect from it.

Wikipedia depicts a logo as a graphical element, (symbol, emblem, icon, sign) that, together with its logotype (a uniquely set and arranged typeface) form a trademark or commercial brand. Typically, a logo’s design is for immediate recognition and inspiring trust.

Alas, a logo is not a magical tool, it can’t make a bad product successful or save a poorly managed company.

Paul Rand’s take on the subject was that a logo derives its meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolizes, not the other way around. He also used the Mercedes symbol as an example, it has nothing to do with automobiles but yet it’s a great symbol, not because its a great design, but because it stands for a great product.

I would like to add the Swastika as my example, the symbol was used in the past by different religions such as Hinduism, Roman Catholicism and Buddhism to represent strength, sun, power and good luck without stigma. The symbol later became a controversial motif perceived as a sign of hate, violence and death after it was adopted by Adolph Hitler as a symbol for the Nazi.

Simply getting a logo (re)design will not save your not so good performing company’s financial position. And NO, Avbob should not have had a coffin, tombstone or any relevance to six-feet on their logo!

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Yours sincerely

That designer guy who cares

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• Logos are dead (the postmortem)
• A Lesson from the story behind the Lacoste logo
• Psst! Meaningless logos too can get the job done
• Traditional graphic designers, endangered species of modern day
• Consumers’ familiarity with the old, the barrier to a logo redesign