Hello - thanks for your first ideas in our logo contest. I think you really have hit a great idea first time which covers lots of what we are looking for in our brief - I love how the cross is depicted in a modern and positive way, and it's very clever how you have brought people together symbolically to do this. Outstanding! I also like the colour variations and find it hard to choose between them - maybe #19 is a better one to rank higher at the moment as I'd like to encourage boldness with colour, although designs also need to work in mono, and yours is very flexible. My one critique would be that it could look like a bit of an in-focused gathering, which is something I think some at the church would be sensitive about - we're an inclusive bunch of people! So I don't know if you can think of variations which might capture the idea of openness of movement? It would be great if so. This is still one of my favourites so far, though. Many thanks again - Bern Leckie @ Pip n Jay
Bern, thank you for the great feedback. After having red all the information listed, tried to create a new concept and I am glad that you like it. So, I am already thinking how I could revised it ,try make it look not so in-focused as you said. As soon as I have something that worths attention ,I will upload it. regards, Hart
Hello - thanks for your #32 variation, sorry for the delay in replying. I think #18 and #19 are still front runners thanks to their simplicity, so I'd love to see new ideas which are just as simple if possible. Many thanks! Bern
Hello Bern, A new idea that I was working on this morning -but i wasn't sure up to now if should submit- is the "one hand" figures. The new cross that is created now is more subliminal yet modern. Check in a couple of minutes and tell me what you think. regards, Hart
#80 is very nice - I like how it looks like they are waving, inviting others to join! Please always submit if in doubt - even something you're not sure about could turn into something ideal after a little discussion and tweaking. Would love to see more! Many thanks, Bern
Ofcaurse! I 'll try to submit as many as possible and surely ask if in doubt, but please have in mind that I want to submit only quality logos that cover lots of what you re looking for that's why avoid uploading a dozen. regards, Hart
Thanks! #80 reminded my wife of something we did at church to show people what following Jesus together was like - we held on to something together in the middle of a group, and each reached out with another hand. Feel free to adapt that into something if you like! I also talked to a church leader today who did not get (at first look) that #19 included people! I love its simplicity, but I wonder if there are any simple variations possible which make it slightly more obvious that people are part of the logo. Finally - bit of a different suggestion - just in case we are missing something from focusing on 4-part designs because of the cross, we could also show something meaningful about God with a 3-part design. Would you have any ideas which would work well with 3 bits instead of 4? Many thanks, Bern
I was working on people shapes and thought these new ideas deserve a look, actually they look like sitting on a table and with the negative space method, a flower is created in the middle. For a minute, I thought this could be something meaningful about God On the other hand, in #88 neck is longer than #87, cant decide yet which one looks better and leave it up to you :) regards, Hart
Thank you again! #87 and #88 are both nice, and clearly about people - what I don't like so much is that they seem quite businesslike, as if they are around a neat table, and it turns out we are not quite so neat ourselves! Also I really love the direction you've been going in with the reaching out in #80 - hoping for more of that! Best wishes, Bern
Hello - I like #166 and I wonder if it can be tweaked slightly to put the dots in a strict vertical & horizontal alignment (ie top directly over bottom and right at the same level as left) and maybe a few variations of the arm shape to include something which curves in slightly at the centre? I still love the simplest possible shapes, just would like to see some alternatives. Many thanks, Bern
Bern, if i undesrstood correctly at your first sentence, you mean a sample like #177? I am about to work also on on the arm concept but please let me know if people in #177 are on the right position. regards, Hart
Hello - yes, they're in the right relative position in #177, although I think I'd prefer more round heads if possible! #177 loses a little connection between the heads and the arms, I think, and it would be ideal if that could come back. Many thanks, Bern
Yes I agree, round heads look better, #177 was just an experimental concept,,so, I am going to work on the revisions and upload the new entries! :) regards, Hart
Bern, an alternative of #177 is #179, more round heads, almost in the same position, also, these people have big arms, like wearing a cloak or something...On the other hand, #178 is a version that combines the very first concept #19 with the "one hand" people. Actually, they look like have their right hand laid in others heads and at the same time their left hand is almost obvious. Tell me what you think of the new entries. regards, Hart
Hello - #177 and #179 both nice, I prefer the round heads, but I think it accidentally looks a bit like a weapon or something for chopping and blending! I prefer #80 which looks a bit softer and more like an invitation to people to come in. In #178 the arms look they are covering the heads, which is more protective or defensive than we would like.
We're in the very final phase now, and seeking variations which will include the perfect version! What we love most about your theme is how it shows what we are about in a simple and distinctive shape. As I'm starting to put the top designs into demos to show how they can be used in context, I'm trying to work out if there are ways to adapt them creatively to make points in Powerpoint presentations, encourage participation from a reader in something, or demonstrate our vision of "life... on mission.. with Jesus... growing disciples... growing churches". Can you offer any more variations which make the logo as versatile as possible for us?
Bern, Have received your latest feedback that the contest is reaching the end and I am working on the last designs. Wondering what looks like if the position of the people is changed. #180 #181 are the new idea. I have to say though that the spirit of the circular orbit that reminds you what did at church to show people what following Jesus together, isnt that clear in these new ones since they are touching the center of the cross with their hands but still having a positive meaning..I am trying to create my last proposals before the contest is ended. Hope that could present a couple more versatile logos as requested. regards, Hart
Thanks for #181 - could we see a mirror image of it so that the top person is facing the other way, as with #80? I think that helps it to be "forward looking" rather than backward looking! Thanks - Bern
In response to your comment (sorry I missed it!), I agree it would be great to have that sense of connection while reaching out - those two ideas are really important in the story we would share with this logo. Don't know if having something to connect with at the centre would help (we used a circular tin of chocolates in our physical demonstration!), but we're still looking for the simplest possible way to express this. Thanks again - Bern
Ok, thank you for the feedback about tin of chocolate, started thinking of how could incorporate such a thing and at the same time avoid creating tension and probably disturb the simplicity of the concept. regards, Hart
Hello - thank you for all your amazing ideas. We're going to spend a few days putting the top logos into context (definitely including #80 and possibly some of your newer entries we haven't fully considered yet) and we expect to judge the winner on Monday next week. Meanwhile, have a great rest of week and thanks again - Bern
Bern, thank you so much for the cooperation we had, latest entries #183, #184 based on the idea of tin of chocolates. So, have a great rest of week too! Looking forward to the final rank, regards, Hart
Hi Hart - I want to thank you again now that we've closed our contest. I'm sorry to say that your design did not finally win, but we ranked it 2nd. I'll explain why, and hopefully this will help a little. The team choosing the final designs all believe #80 was very strong, so we tested it in context - on plain and busy backgrounds, and integrated into creative ideas. We then showed some of these potential treatments to dozens of people outside the church to see how they reacted, as well as to many inside the church. What surprised us was the number of different ways people interpreted the image. Where we saw arms out, others saw arms in, up or down. This created a very ambiguous feel to the logo, which was nice because lots of people found their own interpretations attractive. However, we struggled to think of examples of good logos elsewhere which were as ambiguous as this design appeared to be. We weren't afraid of pioneering with this, so it remained a front runner until our final decision meeting, when we realised in practice how difficult it would be to make a clear point to an audience using the logo, or elements from the logo, when people in an audience saw the image so differently. We would fail to engage people like this, and as our decision-making vicar decided we that we are more about being clear than being ambiguous, we went with a different idea in the end. I must encourage you that we still love the shape and the novelty of the design, and feel that it will be a perfect fit for another organisation, but ultimately not for us. I have really enjoyed working with you, and have recommended you to other people seeking to commission logos in future. Best wishes, Bern