Rick's Real FoodLogo Design Contest

No problem there is never delay, everything happens for a good reason :) thank you rick for all the good memories.

Shihara

Thank you Shihara, and sorry for delayed reply. Absolutely, please do whatever is best for you with your submitted designs. Just know that I will miss seeing them! :)

Hi Rick,

No problem. you can always contact me if you need anything. and i will be withdrawing all of my designs if that is ok with you? or do you want me to keep it?

Shihara--thank you. You are so very gracious, always. I apologize for asking to exchange emails; I did not realize that was a violation of contest rules. Another first time, rookie mistake... Apologies for asking you to do something inappropriate. I withdraw that request. I will send you a private msg later about potentially working together following this contest. Thank you, my friend! Be well Shihara.

Best,

Rick

I am very happy to participate in the contest of yours and i really enjoyed working for you. You have been such a great client trust me it is very rare we meet clients like you, where you value and respect our work. Vertigo is a very talented designer and i am happy for the choice you made surely you will have a quality output in the end.

Your word of thanks is more than enough for me i am very happy to hear the appreciation you have made on my work

i feel very sad for everyones family members who lost their loved ones.
All those doctors and nurses, my god i dont know how they are working in such situations. its heart breaking to see. 

Stay safe and all the best rick

Shihara, I'm so torn over this, but my family and I have decided to go w/ the design by Vertigo that has the rocking R theme to it. It doesn't fit what I'm doing right now nearly as closely as some of yours do, but we all felt that it's the closest to what will work best over the long term. I have loved your designs so very much from the first submission you made--and every one thereafter. They are always so thoughtful and so connected to what I'm trying to do. I also felt a connection w/ you on a personal level, which is so important to me, and I felt that we could work very well together.

I hope that my thanks won't have a hollow ring or feel to it. I wish I had a way to show my appreciation for all you've done--I just don't know how. Perhaps we can collaborate on my next project privately, if that's of interest to you. My wife asked if we can also potentially buy some of your designs too, outside of this contest, so if you're open to that, we are very much considering having a second design theme. No matter what, I do hope that we can remain in touch. I would be pleased to maintain your friendship. My email is rick@ricksrealfood.com if you ever want to get in touch with me.

Thank you so very much Shihara, from my entire family. You really touched every one of us. Namaste.

Sincerely, Rick

Hi Shihara! Everything is well here--hope all is well there too. Sorry that I haven't been good at predicting survey results timing for my family and friends. Are you able to see the surveys and results or just me? I sent out quite a few and still only have 2 back...everybody said they would complete them but they still haven't... :(

NYC is really bad and it's hard to keep people inside their small apartments in big, densely populated cities, especially as the weather starts to get nicer after winter. Sri Lanka probably doesn't have similar seasonal weather patterns, but I'm sure you can appreciate how much New Yorker's (and other northern city dwellers (Paris, London, Scandinavia, etc.) all can't wait to get outside in Spring after a long winter. Same w/ beaches in Florida. So, the states' governors are having to enforce things more than anybody would really like because too many people are not following the voluntary guidance from the gov'ts...so, they've had to make them mandatory in many cases. I am in Boston and the Governor here has been very proactive, so things aren't as bad as they could have been, but still lots of cases...fortunately, nobody in my entire family has any symptoms.

Be in touch soon. Thanks again and all best!

Hi Rick,

How are you? How is everything at your end? Hearing bad news about new york these days.

Is everything ok with you and family?

Hi Rick,

Thank you for the update. Looking forward to see the survey results :) fingers crossed :)

Hi Shihara, just a quick update. My family and friends have been really slow on completing the survey...apologies that this is dragging on...it's definitely down to you and one other in terms of what's resonating w/ everyone. I am pushing everyone to reply so I can make a decision no later than today. Thanks again for everything and I hope to be back to you later today US time.

Hi Rick,

I am very sorry to hear that you are still facing some issues with the site and i hope you will resolve them soon.

I'm sure you will make the best decision for your brand and i totally understand you :) yes you cannot work with two winners i understand that and whatever the decision you make is the best decision for you since you are getting surveys from your family and friends it will be very helpful and easy to make a decision. you have so many good designs in this contest from so many designers and i am glad to be on the top of your list.

Submitting new logos was my pleasure to help you more on the variations and options.

All the best rick :) wish you all the best :)

Shihara

Hi Shihara, this recent move by the LT support was a good example of the support issues I'm having right now. I asked some questions about moving to the final phase and he went ahead and changed the contest. I was really clear I wasn't ready yet--he's not reading carefully... I haven't even had a chance to look at the logos you just uploaded yet...I had to actually work for a while today! Sorry for the mixups here. I feel that this whole contest process has been a disaster...sorry to put you and others through all this.

I am going to make a decision today about a winning designer to work with in the selection phase, however, so nobody else goes to any additional work and effort. I'm down to 2--you and one other. You've both gone way above and beyond and it's breaking my heart that I won't be able to work with both of you...I've sent out surveys to my closest family and friends and am waiting to hear back from them to reach a final decision. You're so kind to keep submitting new designs but I don't want you to do unnecessary work!

The black background logo your architect friend liked (radish or beet over the 'c' in Rick's) is now one of the top two based on the feedback I've been getting thus far. I'll touch base with you later today US time--will most likely be while you're (hopefully!) zZzZ'ing tonight.

Thanks again for everything. :) Breaking my heart that I can't work with both of you... :(

Hi Rick,

Please let me know your thoughts on these designs,

Thanks

Added fire here

Hi rick,

I am happy to be a help you in possible ways i could. I hope everything will work well for you in the end :)

Shihara

Thanks very much for your willingness to engage w/ me in an honest and candid way Shihara. I really appreciate your comments and am happy to know that you think so highly of the LogoTournament site and team. I will give them the benefit of the doubt for sure given the Coronavirus pandemic, as I obviously do not know their personal situations.

Thanks again for everything.

Rick

I think you are 100% correct. you should look forward to the logos which speaks about you/product or the services you do. make sure the client activity bar remains green it's the first thing designers wants to see in the contest :) hope this helps and my other comment too :)

Hi Rick,

I read your comment above. and i hope your father in law get well soon :)

As for the site support it is in great shape and maybe the pandemic has some effect going on these days in everyones life and work maybe one of those. but trust me i havent come across a website like logotourment.com in my whole life. they have a very different system here and we all enjoy working here. i have been working on this website in full time basis. i left my job almost 7 years ago to work here.
trust me your contest is in good hands :)

as for the design process from a designer point of view i dont like when any contest gets extended. its my personal view. many contest which goes to extended time i give up. and i dont submit anything new. because on the blind phase we have the wisdom to submit any concept. this is just my person point of view.

right now you should only focus on your logo i would say. every designer in this website is highly talented, i am sure you can achieve your logo by providing feedback for designers. but try to avoid asking designers to copy another designers idea as it goes against the site rule and it invites conflicts among designers later. also take time and go through all the designs in the contest have a thorough look get opinions with family and friends. follow your heart :)

Trust me i am more than happy to answer your questions. every designer should be treated equally by the client that's what every designer expects :)

i wish you all the best and i hope you will get the best design for your brand :)

My wife really liked this one too! I'll share with you one issue that we're wrestling with just a bit in case you find it useful/helpful and in case you have any thoughts on this point as a designer that you would like to share.

I had originally set out some years ago to do American style smoked meats (BBQ, as we refer to in slang here). I still plan 100% to incorporate those into my product lineup down the road, but doing wholesale meat production here is very, very expensive and it didn't make any sense to start there, for lots of reasons, not only financial. We love the vegetable logos, especially since it's very closely tied to the foods and products that I'm working on now, but there has been some concern that it is a little too narrow for Rick's long term, and many people who know me really well here (I have a little bit of a small following for people who want to buy some of my products) know me more for BBQ-themed items right now than they do many of the newer products I've been developing. We all recognize that we can change the identity and branding down the road if we want to or need to (and acknowledge that this is normal for many businesses as they evolve), but there has been some strong sentiment that a less food-specific logo might be a bit better and a little more open-ended. The downside, obviously, is that in the near term the logo also wouldn't necessarily convey as much info as a vegetable or plant-themed one might. I see pros and cons of each and haven't settled in my mind which is "right" for Rick's as our starting point, at least for now.

Again, feel free to pass on a reply altogether, as you definitely don't need this much detail, but I'm happy to have your input if you care to give any. :)

Thanks!

Rick

Hi Shihara, apologies for the delayed reply today. It was my turn to take my father-in-law for his radiation and chemo treatments at the hospital in Boston, so I haven't been around today with computer access. I feel very lucky in many ways that a few people, including you and one or two others, have really seemed to make a connection to what I'm doing and worked hard on this contest. Thank you so much for all you've done--your efforts yesterday were way above and beyond!

I am struggling to understand many of the finer points about process for these contests and feel like I keep stumbling my way through this. I've had a few designers upset and I've had terrible trouble getting questions to the support staff answered by LogoTournament recently. They are blaming coronavirus and saying that they can only log in 2x/day--which I don't understand, but have no choice really but to accept. I was unclear about a point you made yesterday about not being able to submit new designs after the finalists are determined. The online articles that LogoTournament refers me to are so very basic in nature that they don't address finer points of the competitions, and their answers to my emails are always very cryptic--almost never complete--usually just links to online articles that don't answer the questions either. Trying to cut everyone some slack and understand that all the world is under deep stress during these hard times, but it doesn't always come naturally for me!

Really appreciate all you've done. If you have any tips for me in how to manage this process professionally and smoothly for all involved for the duration of the contest, I'm entirely open and interested in any suggestions. I know this contest has drug on for far too long under normal circumstances, but they were largely out of my control. Just want to do the best I can to appreciate and honor the commitments and time and energy all designers have put in, while still achieving a good outcome for Rick's Real Food. Sorry if this is an unfair question--pls feel free to pass. I will understand 100% if you feel that this creates a conflict for you.

Hope you get a better night's sleep tonight and thanks again!

All best Shihara,

Rick

Hi Rick,

Just seen all the entries in the contest. you have some good entries, great work :)

btw my architecture cousin liked this entry a lot and he said this is classy. just letting you know his feedback.

Hi Rick,

I am taking your leave from this contest for now. i hope i have done my best. please let me know if you have any changes on the logos you wish to see.

When i wake up contest will be on top5 phase and i am not sure if i will be able to upload any new designs since all entries will be visible to other designers and any unique entries from my end will drop. unless it doesnt conflict with any other entries from the other designers. looking forward to hear from you soon.

Shihara

something i went away from all the comments and details on the contest. just focused purely on my flow :) i know this can be out of your expectations but just had it uploaded for you

Added the carrot inside the letter R

Thanks rick :)

You're too kind. :)

haha pleasure is mine rick, i would love to spend few more hours on this contest and then zZzZ

Sure rick will make this one too.

Yes the time is 12:30am right now for me and i could get some sleep but i want to spend few more hours on this contest for you and then i can get some sleep :)

Hi Rick,

Thank you for all the kind words and motivation. it is occasionally i come across friendly clients like you, who are very open with feedbacks and really value our designs. that is one reason why i keep sending you new drafts. and ofcause i am enjoying my work in this contest. win or not i will be participating more on this contest :) thank you for this lovely contest rick.

I can send you a version without the other text and i also can add the carrot in the R too i will send the changes asap

I hope you experiment with some sleep tonight too! :)

Same here--wouldn't be as symmetrical as it is now, but I'd love to see this w/ radish or beet on the r at some point, for same reason as other drawing w/ carrot. Pls don't feel any need to do now. Must be middle of the night in Sri Lanka! Pls don't lose sleep on my account!

Best,

Rick

Shihara, you've really outdone yourself today! (as if you hadn't already!) Sincere thanks. I have to say--I really do love this one. The only thing I'd love to try on this one is to make the carrot on the r instead of the c. I know it might throw off the symmetry a bit, but I would like to see what it looks like because I am thinking that one possibility would be that I could, at times, just use the carrot with the r embedded in it like it was engraved or branded on the carrot--and then not use all the other text, for like hats or t-shirt pockets. No need to do it now, but during finals I'd love to try it. Pls don't do any more designs for me unless you're just doing it for fun...you've more than earned your spot here!!! Thanks!

Just an experiment

A similar treatment - #514

I won't at the start, but they're a possibility longer term. Kefir, Kombucha, Kvass and Vinegars all in the long term plans. We'll have a fermentation expertise, as well as soaking/sprouting, so anything fermented is a possibility.

Do you have beverages too?

Whoa! This is cool! Thanks!

Hi Rick,

These are just variations and options only. you can either rank them and you can put the one that you dont like to prefer other sections

I'm so glad! Thanks so very much!!

Hi Rick,

I will keep sending you more concepts so you will have more options to pick and choose :) i love nature rick so i am loving this contest so much :)

Thanks!!

I like this one too, but, for me personally, the roots are a bit to prominent for the carrot. I think I'd prefer it with far less roots and maybe just a very subtle line where the carrot penetrates the earth.

Shihara, so nice of you to try out some new things for me. I love this one! Would love to see the carrot on the r, but really love this idea! Thanks!!

I can try few concept for you :) and i would love to try them out - #481

Hi Shihara, hope you're well. Had a thought here. Got some overall feedback from family and friends that many of the logos were too generic and didn't tie closely enough to some of my products. I don't agree in all cases, but I did want to see what you think about trying to tweak this just a bit. My idea is to convert the fork into a carrot coming out of the ground and having carrot tops instead of the bushy leaf look. Trying to tie it a bit more closely to the products I'm making right now. Main ingredients are napa cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, hot peppers, onions, scallions and then also a bunch of different nuts and seeds. What do you think?

Thanks!!

Hi Shihara! So kind of you to do more work here. I think my favorites are still some of your previous ones, where the 'r' either already is, or could be, much more subtle and embedded in the design vs. being the dominant feature of the design. Look forward to working with you more!

Thanks so much for all your efforts. Best,

Rick

Hi Rick,

I am very happy to hear that you searched about Sri Lanka. we had our ups and downs in the country but its all over now :) and Sri Lanka was named worlds best places to visit in 2019 or 2020 i cant remember.

I will keep in mind about the designs :) sure i can keep in mind the points submitted and i will try to add something as per your likes :)

Thanks rick for everything,

Shihara

Should have guessed--sorry I didn't pick it up more consciously sooner!

Yes it is R. And it was added intentionally

For example, here, there's almost an 'r' developing where the branch forks off (pun intended... :) ) to the right of the fork. I've started seeing 'r's' even when they aren't really there! :)

Good day, Shihara! I did some more research on your spectacular country yesterday and it's really fascinating! I did not realize that you had been experiencing a civil war for so many years...I can only imagine how difficult that must have been for your people! It is truly a marvelous place and I can understand 100% why you are proud to be a citizen. It has moved to near the top of my wish list of places to visit! Thank you for helping me to learn more about this wonderous place!

I wanted to reach out to you quickly on designs again. As you'll recall, your roots design was one of the ones I put as one of my liked images when I first started this contest. It was so creative. When I was focused on Roots, rather than Rick's, I was more focused on trees/roots and plant themes. I didn't make a conscious decision to change, however as designs have been submitted, I've noticed that the ones I have ranked most highly have mostly had some sort of play on an "R" or "r," like your other roots design. You have already done so much work, that I want you to be in our finals no matter what. I feel that you and one or two others connect to what I'm doing in a way that most don't. So, no need to do anything new now, but as we move into finals, I do want to see if we can incorporate the R or r into the design a bit and I hoped that letting you know now might help you to think about it a bit early. Pls know that you'll be in my top 5 no matter what at this point, so no worries about changing existing designs. Just want to let your imagination and creativity run wild. :)

All best,

Rick

Oh, thank you so very much!!

Thank you rick :)

Here is a link i just youtube about sri lanka -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhJZnGUGBPI

you can search for "wonder of asia" or "miracle of asia" there are so much of videos about sri lanka :)

Hi Rick,

Some of your words are truly touching. indeed the country is very beautiful and very friendly people indeed. and also its very cultural place in the world. i am happy to be a citizen of sri lanka for its beautiful culture, art, food and you name it. i am love nature and im sure you can see that in my profile :) i have this connection with the nature, its very spiritual.

I am sorry to hear that and i read some news about US, Italy and other places too. its very unfortunate and the same time it has showed us many lessons in life in this short period of time. How to save, not to waste, hygiene, family values and many other positive sides of life.

I pray this horrible times should end soon and i am very sad for everyone who lost their lives.

And this one!

Love this one!

I obviously do not know much about Sri Lanka, but it has always seemed to be a very, very special place in the world. From a western perspective, it's very alluring, exotic and perhaps even spiritual/mystical. I have no idea, other than seeing a few tv programs about the country, but it's a place that I would dearly love to visit. I am sorry to hear that the virus has taken a life there...very sad, indeed. I like that it is primarily a Buddhist nation--I have studied some Buddhism and were I to choose a formal religious practice at this point in my life, it would be Buddhism. Vegetarianism would be a challenge for me...but I understand that even the Dalai Lama has chosen to eat meat at times, based on availability of foods where he now lives in India. I am definitely a strong advocate for humane treatment of animals--and it's a theme that will run through Rick's for sure. My mom grew up on a cattle farm until she was about 12 or 13 when they moved to the city. My grandfather treated the animals like they were prized pets and my mom and her siblings knew each animal by name. The animals were honored--unlike what many industrial animal farmers do today in many places in the world.

We have a similar situation to what you have there, but not quite as much of a lockdown. We can still go to the grocery for food, but they are limiting the number of people that can go in the store at any one time. We also have many more deaths here, but obviously a much larger population too.

Thanks so much for all your efforts here Shihara. It's my privilege to know you and be able to have you share your talent with me. I hope you remain well. Best wishes to you, your family and all on Sri Lanka. :)

Hi Rick,

Yes the changes are possible and i am happy to change them for you.

Sri Lanka right now its locked down. no going out and all essentials can be delivered to home. this will continue until mid April. today we just marked the first death in sri lanka and all of us are very sad about it. actually we are all sad whats happening around the world.

Yes, love this one. I asked for a quick change on one of the others that I had always ranked really highly too. It definitely helps to see the name changes. Thanks so much! Hope you're staying healthy. How is it going in Sri Lanka now? Don't hear much about India or Sri Lanka here right now... Hope you're well!

Thanks!! So appreciate all you've done!

Hi Shihara, It would really help me if you wouldn't mind updating the text on this one and it's white "sister" to Rick's Real Food. Thanks!!

HI,

Rick all changes in this good? or is there anything else you would like to see?

Hi,

No trouble at all. please feel free to ask any changes you would like to see :) i am more than happy to show you the changes.

The above changes are here #364

Hi Shihara, would you mind just tweaking this one for Rick's? I really dig this one and would love to see it with the updated name if it's not too much trouble. Thanks!!

Thank you rick. i will be with this contest :) hope to help you best as i can to get your brand alive :)

Hi Shihara, thanks so much for the kind email. Nice to hear from you as well, and hope that all is well with you too! I'm very excited to be back focusing on the contest again and looking forward to the movement into the next, finalists phase. Hope that you will continue to stay interested--your designs got really great feedback from my family, so really hoping that you'll stick around for the finals!

All best and sincere best wishes during this crazy, scary time.

Rick

Hi Rick,

I couldn't get in touch with you because it was in pause mode and couldn't send any messages.

I hope you are well and everything is fine with you. Also it's nice to see you back in the contest.

Shihara :)

Hi Rick,

Thank you for feedback. The pleasure is mine and i am happy to be in this contest. I'm loving it!

Hi Shihara,

Just wanted to give a bit of quick update and feedback. I had a chance to go over some of the logos that have been submitted and my family and friends and colleagues who are helping me really loved your designs. We will definitely want you to be a finalist. Really glad you're part of this project and just another thanks for your participation! Be in touch soon.

All best,

Rick

Indeed. Well said.

Thanks again,

R

I know its very hard to lose someone we love, someone we admire and care. im sure he is a great personality.

Pleasure is mine to work in your contest.

Shihara

Thanks so much Shihara--very kind of you and I deeply appreciate the sentiment. It was a tragic loss of life from a successful, vibrant 42 year old entrepreneur. We were crushed...now, time to honor his life and legacy. Thanks again. Appreciate that you're a part of our contest!

Hi,

Just read your update and please accept my deepest sympathies to your loss. i hope everything will be ok soon at your end.

Shihara

thank you for all the submissions!!! still among my favorites!

Hi,

I would like to tell you that, you are doing great and thank you for all the updates :)

Invert colors :)

Hi,

Thank You so much for the lovely feedback. I will prepare the changes soon.

Hi Shihara, so delighted that you chose to participate. Your designs are some of my favorites that have been submitted so far. You're very talented and I feel lucky that you're a part of this contest. One thing I'd love to see is a negative version of your design, with a dark background and lightly colored logo and font.

Hi I am Shihara,

I created the Roots logo you have selected on the design inspiration. i am specialized on logos related to nature themes. I would be happy to design for your contest and i would like to hear from you soon.

Regards,

Shihara