Re-branding

Macker

New Member
Hey guys,

I'm new here so might as well give a bit of background. I work at a decent sized architectural practice (~120 people) and am a 3D visualiser, specialising in photorealistic imagery.

Quite a few years ago we merged with another company and underwent a re-branding exercise with new Logo's, website etc. I can't help but feel that all of this now looks out of date (especially the website).

I know full well that this will be something that is put off until it really has to be addressed, so have taken it upon myself to look into updating the branding/logo/website as I'm fairly adept at all the adobe suite, and I like to think I have an eye for things given that I am paid to make pretty pictures. This may prove to be wrong, of course.

The more I look into what I need to do, the more I feel that we need a corporate branding kit/guidelines/style guide that all staff can use, with various template files for different documents etc.

What would you guys say the starting point should be, and how long might something like this take? Our current website (and logo) is here: www.robertslimbrick.com - I think you'll agree it is dated. Any obvious pitfalls to avoid?

Any and all suggestions are welcome. I have attached my ideas for a logo update.
 

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  • RL-Logo-01.jpg
    RL-Logo-01.jpg
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This would be the obvious one to me.
 

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  • RL-Logo-02.jpg
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Second from the bottom for me. Although I don't mind the current logo on your website, I can see where you are going with it. I would bring Roberts and Limbrick a tad closer together and I'd make your mark a little bit thinner.
 
Website: Landing page carousels are a bit of a no go nowadays unless absolutely necessary. I suggest adding a call to action.
 
That's some great help guys, I've been sketching out similar things by hand but none of it was sticking. Sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes to look at something.

Do either of you have any tips for producing a style guide? I haven't even begun to embark on this part yet; I was thinking about starting with colour shemes? Or should a set of rules for the logo and it's placement come first?

Also, this font I particularly like and chose because it's called Raleway (we work in a former carriage showroom next to a train station) - a tenuous link, I'll admit but also because it's an open font from Google Fonts and the issue we had previously with our company font was that nobody had it, nobody knew where to get it, and those that did largely didn't bother.

I figured if I use a font that is readily available for use, it'll be fine? That said, what are the legalities of it?
 
That's some great help guys, I've been sketching out similar things by hand but none of it was sticking. Sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes to look at something.

Do either of you have any tips for producing a style guide? I haven't even begun to embark on this part yet; I was thinking about starting with colour shemes? Or should a set of rules for the logo and it's placement come first?

I tend to keep these loose, guides rather than hard and fast rules – which colours and fonts to use, when to use them (which for body copy for example, which to use for headings, etc). As someone who has to abide by corporate guidelines far more often than I'd like to, they can be an absolute pain to work around. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to change a design because someone on the brand team said we couldn't do something a certain way because some PDF from 10 years ago says not to. Technology and trends change rapidly and my opinion is your branding should be able to keep up with those and not force designers or anyone using your branding down a particular route.

Also, this font I particularly like and chose because it's called Raleway (we work in a former carriage showroom next to a train station) - a tenuous link, I'll admit but also because it's an open font from Google Fonts and the issue we had previously with our company font was that nobody had it, nobody knew where to get it, and those that did largely didn't bother.

I figured if I use a font that is readily available for use, it'll be fine? That said, what are the legalities of it?

Check the licensing for any fonts you intend to use. I think most Google fonts are open source and can be used as you wish, but again, consult each one to be sure. I'm personally not a fan of Raleway because of the way the W is constructed. It always stands out to my eye and is distracting. I personally like Roboto and Rubik but that's just me. Ultimately it depends on the 'vibe' you want to give.
 
Hi Paul,

Thanks for the advice. I have chosen Raleway for the logo only - potentially headings. Certainly won't be using it for the main body of text.

Here's where I've got to so far with my designs - colours are just indicative (although I do quite like them).

The first one is where I went after the initial comments
RL Logo 07.jpg

Then the following are where I've ended up today, with a "cube" form being the basis for an RL motif/marque.
RL Logo 08a.jpg
RL Logo 09.jpg

[edit] Unsure why they have exported with no white-space around them. The boards are set up as A3.
 
I'm liking the mark you've got going on. It's not quite there yet but I think it has potential, though I'd check there's nothing similar out there already, using cubes is a common technique for building initial concepts. I'd try and give the text some more space too, 'ARCHITECTS' gets lost. Perhaps it could be incorporated more into the name, so 'Roberts Limbrick Architects' rather than having it separate? The directors may not go for it, but it's an option. The second option you have runs too long too, it will have a very long/wide footprint and will be a pain to use in some situations.
 
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