You wrote "Don't think it is quite there yet". Art, can I just say how much I respect your honesty? Because I do.
268 is too square in the font for me. The squareness looks more machine than personal.
226: Didn't realise this before, but the bubbles are too small
266 and 267: Well, I guess I needed to see it to be sure: the bubbles that far apart don't look right. (You knew that before I did, of course.)
228 and 265 are the best, methinks. May I please see them with the bubbles lower, so they are closer to the text? Especially the left hand pair of bubbles in 265?
Still keen to see other fonts that you think could work. What I'm after in a font: reasonably timeless. (Yet not timeless in the sense of "always looks old or precomputers", like Times New Roman.) Androgynous. Easy to read. Elegant, without being fussy - i.e., reasonably clean and simple, but with a bit of finesse and style. I quite like serifs, because they add class & polish. I prefer shapes with a bit of angularity, not shapes that are mostly round. For example, the old Gap logo is nicer than the font used on these comment boards, because it has more angles, and because it has a *bit* of interest without being all gothic and demanding all the attention on itself.
So you know: I keep thinking that you are on the brink of eliciting a "YEEEEEEEEEEEEES! That's the one!". Not quite there, but on the brink. I'm also aware that the contest ends in about an hour - probably not enough time for tweaks, feedback, tweaks, winner. So I'm reducing the time pressure: you don't have to produce the winning design tweak by tonight's deadline. Here's how: whomever is ranked 1st can submit more tweaks. Apparently, I can toggle who is ranked 1 so you & Bellido can each offer some tweaks. BTW, I am not going to allow any other designers to tweak or submit in any form. The only two logos I am interested in are Bellido's and yours.
FYI: 228 is in pole position because I like the slightly squarer bubbles more than the rounded bubbles. It may be a matter of getting the bubbles right, then working on the font. I am remaining open minded though, because it may be a matter of that more rounded bubbles would look fabulous with the right font.
Thanks for your comments. I have worked with the "after-contest" procedure before. I have a couple of meetings to deal with tonight and in the morning but will get right after that.
I understand that you have meetings and other stuff to do. I'm in Dubai, where it's the weekend. Worked all day yesterday, so I'm heading to the beach today!
307: The Gapesque type seems a little to heavy/bold, as well as awfully tall. It suddenly looks crowded. The font takes it from androgynous to masculine.
308: Bubbles tucked into text is much better. Could they tuck in even closer?
308 line: I think the line is helping hold it together more. Possibly make the line an itsy bitsy bit farther from the text?
bubble outlines: Not sure about the lighter bubble outlines. (That's not a euphemism for "don't like". It literally means I'm not sure!) I like the weight in 228, but am very open to the bubble outlines being as strong as is appropriate for the final combination of font, etc.
colour: Could the bubbles be a slightly greener/warmer shade of turquoise? Just a tad more yellow and less red in the colour? On this wheel, http://www.macgraphics.net/blog/tag/color-schemes/ it's the turquoise that's 3 up from the right hand arrow, and that is exactly opposite the only red on the wheel.
And speaking of red: if there's a way to get a flash of red into the logo, without making it look awful or undermining its wonderful freshness, that'd be exceedingly good.
FONTS: Just realised I think I neglected to give feedback on 224, 225, 229 - sorry! I'll focus on fonts.
225 font holds together visually, so that it looks like a block of one word rather than looking like individual letters that spell a word - this is A Good Thing. This could look v good with those bubbles snuggled farther down into the word.
224 font is unusual without shouting "look at me". 224 font overpowers the bubbles, but might look good unbolded. and with slightly larger bubbles.
229 font doesn't have quite enough "I'm different" to it; it's a little close to Times New Roman. (I have a real thing about Times New Roman, and see it as the font for lazy people who can't be bothered to change a default.)
Something v positive about the 265 and 228 font is that Costabell looks more like a shape, than like letters forming a word. The letters appear to be all one unit, rather than a series of letters. 308 isn't as good at that - 308 looks more like individual letters than like a single shape. The 265/228 font may work, if we can get the rest of it all gelled together, proportionate, etc
Glad you're familiar with that after-contest procedure I described, and my apologies for telling you how to do something that you have more experience in than I have. You, me and Bellido are in three different time zones, which could be useful. Which state/time zone are you in?
I'm in Dubai, so I think I'm 8 hours ahead of you.
327: funky idea, but highlighting the A with a red dot could make the word "Cost" jump out at the viewer.
326-330 the bubbles appear to be weighing down the text, or too big for the text, or somehow just wrong. I know I said to bring them closer, but something's still not right with the proportions or the placement. I don't know what to suggest. Your ideas?
329 (with the E filled in in red) isn't attractive. Yet I still like it. Wondering whether it would date quickly.
328/329/330 font is better than 326/327 font, pourely because it's easier ot read.
My concern is more with the shapes than with the colour at this point. having said that: is there a clearer/ less dusty version of the teal? One of the things I like about the 308 colour is it's searing, pure, clear intensity. That clearness is part of what gives it the freshness.
I'm sorry I've been away - been having trouble with internet access and been rushed off my feet. I'll randk and I'll feed back more later, possible tomorrow evenng when I'm back from Abu Dhabi.
PS: remember it's ok to include "Ltd" (as in 228) if that helps. Wouldn't want "Ltd" in red, because it would seem odd. But if you're able to get a better sense of the logo all holding together (rather than being different bits pushed together) by including the Led, then go for it!
Hi Art, LogoTournament has given an extension to the judging period, since Bellido was called away on a family emergency.
334: colours are a little jarring, but nice try!
335: I think it's too much red.
331 and 332: the red line isn't quite working. However, the logo is holding better together as a unit
336: I'll ask for feedback on this one. The red on the Ltd doesn't make sense intellectually, but there's still something pleasing about it. Logo holding together better as a unit. bubbles are more proportionate than in 330, I think, though I'll need to print it out and look at it to be sure.
328 and 337 proportions look better. Again, I need to print out (I'm stuck in Dubai with only a colour printer, but am back in the UK on Monday.)
THe empty bubbles (i.e., not coloured) is an interesting idea. Could be some good mileage in there. Which gets me thinking: What do you think of the idea of the bubbles' outlines and interiors being different colours? e.g., teal outline, aqua interior? Or corporate blue outline, aqua interior?
334, 335, 336: You clever man: you saw that Bellido was doing some gradient shading, so you had a whack at it for your concept. There's a "however" in here: However, I'd asked Bellido to try some gradient shading, to give his concept more life and movement. Your concept already has plenty of life and movement
Honestly, if I could take the corporate appeal, inabiity to offend, hold togetherness, and deeply cool yet utterly simple optical illusion of Bellido's concept, and merge it with your concept's freshness, "this is something about communication" message, liveliness, and ability to stand out from the page - I'd have a logogasm.
353: I like it. This may be a stupid idea: slightly elongate the line, *perhaps* also move it down just a hair lower. Whatcha think?
Going to do some printing and some feedback soliciting.
Line lower, OK. Personally I like things that are close to the same width to be the same width. Note match of LTD to line. The exception to this is matching a hard edge to a curve (Note "C") Visually a curve takes up less room than a straight edge. Note how the line at base of the "t" and "ll" is higher than the "Cos & e" and the curves of the "a & b". Thus the line is a little short of matching the edge of the "C". Design is often described in architectural terms like balanced as though it is a structure. The case could also be made for a slightly wider base (a plinth) to support the upper elements.
Your knowledge is as impressive as the freshness and boldness of your designs - thank you.
I've been running the top designs past clients, colleagues and friends for their feedback. The results are interesting: The people who favoured your designs are computer technicians who have seen me deliver a keynote. Others preferred the other logo concept, and said they didn't "get" what the speech bubbles were about. In particular, people who have not seem me work strongly preferred the other logo concept. ... and those are the people I'm keener to impress with my logo.
So the net result is that I need to go with the other logo design on this occasion. Your design comes in second. I know that this is rough, because Logo Tournament gives no monetary prizes for second place. I hope you know that I respect and appreciate your efforts, talent and humour. When I said that if I ever need a t-shirt designed, I'll know where to go - I was absolutely serious about that.
I understand that you need to do what you feel is best for your business. Thanks for being a good contest holder and providing the level of feedback you did. Good Luck!