customer always right??

bentzak

Senior Member
i have a client, who out of the logo ideas i gave has picked what i presented as a nice typeface they could use, but not as a typeface, but as the logo. i havent done anything other than type it out. is that cheating a little? i feel like i should do something to make it original, i like to feel proud of my work, and i think just typing a name in a font is a little to easy.

i just wanted to know what anyone else thought, or any experiences anyone else has had like this, im gonna have to do something to make it my work cos in my opinion thats what makes it my work.

so is the customer always right? and even if you know there not, should you produce something that your not proud to put your name on? or should i, even if its subtle do something to make it my own work??

Z
 
If they like the idea of a typeface type logo then I personally wouldn't worry about it, I would make sure that is what they want and then maybe play around with colours etc a little but maintain the overall feel of it.
 
Yeah and surely it's all about the colours you pick and the way it will be presented. If you're are creating the stationary as well you will think about how you use it with other elements such as other typefaces and stock etc.

If it feels right and the typeface is appropriate there is nothing wrong with simplicity!
 
im all for keeping it simple, but i like my work to be my work. even though i used my knowledge of type to pick a suitable one i still feel that the design is what matters, i think what is also bugging me is that it is my first big client, and the people that will see this design will be designers, artists, businesses, and alot of the sort of people i would like to get a chance to show my ability to, and i dont feel like my ability is being shown in the design they want. i think people will look at it and go, hmm, they probably did there own logo. what i have decided to do is to play with the typeface, and show them the potential of it, hopefully that will go down, if not i guess i will just have to lump it!!

Z
 
i agree being proud of the work in your portfolio is a much better feeling that just a typeface, but at the same time, the client is paying you for what they want.

if you produce a design and they want it all comic-sansed up, you cant do anything about it, and tbf getting paid for easy work is a great thing!
 
so am i right in thinking that you guys are experienced, and your telling me that this is something i should expect? i thought that would be the case, it does seem a shame tho. i sent them the ideas, they said loose this and that, basically until they got it back to the original font. oh well!

would like to know how anyone else has delt with this before? and once the design is finished i will post my ideas and the finished logo up. see what you guys think!

Z
 
If it pays the bills - it pays the bills.

Not every client goes for the concept we as designers like, but there are the client.

Its a part of design.

If it wasnt like this we wouldn't be designers, we'd be artists.
 
Our brand identity is just Times regular, no logo or graphic.
Many brands are pure type, nearly every media newspapers/magazine etc.
Sometimes logo's simply get in the way. Part of a brand identity task is recognition, that can be graphic or typographic or both. Curry's Comet, M&S, Next, Debenhams etc likewise is all type.
Design is about the communication not art. Young designers must learn how to sell concepts and ideas, if you just pdf them without rationale or human dialogue then you are not selling the ideas thoroughly and you will rejection. The design is just a small part of the process, the most important part is selling it in.

Oh, and the customer is always right - unless you give him a reason not to be - BBBoL
 
rossnorthernunion said:
After reading over my post i have one thing to say -


Crikey my spelling is bad.

Apologies.


That's why you're a designer and not a copywriter!
 
well its a lesson learned with this case! i apriciate the feedback.

@ berry. i agree design is about communication not art, i also agree that the customer is always right, unless you give them reason not to be, (i'll remember that). i always give more than a pdf, or just the ideas, i send all my thoughts and feelings, i explain why this is like this and that is like that. i figure thats what i would want from a designer, so thats what i give. they like my work, and i have gone in all the directions they wanted me to go in and im close to finishing the design. however i dont like producing work im not proud of, i like to think if (for example) mac d's said they wanted my design and were paying heaps of money i could tun it down, just because im dont like mac d's. i will never know unless that ever happens, unlikely as it is. the point is i think its good to have your own code of conduct and your own set of standards, this situation is happening to me and im not sure if it crosses my line? i think after the posts from everyone i now feel like its not such an issue, but i still feel i want to make it original, even if it means making the font skinnier or enlarging the capital letter. it is my name going directly on it. i think im starting to ramble now so i will leave it at that!

@rossnorthernunion i wood coment on the speling but i dont fink mine is much to go by!

Z
 
getting paid, gets you paid. I just finished something that will not end up in my portfolio, but i did what they wanted, end of conversation.

I think we all have an experience of here are 3 options:
1. Option you think is absolutely amazing.
2. Option you don't hate.
3. Option that fits the generic mold that you hate, but threw in because you were hoping the client would see a generic bit of design when it was staring them in the face and ignore it.

No more than one guess required for the answer they pick!
 
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