Innovative Thinking
Logo Development | Rainy Day Toys
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“The simplest solution is often the most effective. Why? Because a simple logo helps meet most of the other requirements of iconic design.” - David Airey, Logo Design Love, Annotated and Expanded Edition, Second Edition
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No brand is recognizable without a logo. Iconic and successful logos must meet specific requirements such as being "simple," "timeless," and "memorable." Developing a logo requires time, just like any other design work, to truly conceptualize the company and client needs while showcasing their values, ethics and desires, to develop a sustainable brand that will resonate in the minds of the consumer or audience. In creating a logo that meets the mentioned needs, it is the job of the designer to hone a number of ideas, whether good or bad, into one, final representation, truly showing innovative thinking. The company, Rainy Day Toys represents quality time, bonding, learning and a desire to enhance the minds of children.
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Sketch of wooden train with imaginative exhaust; initial idea for RDT logo
Rendered wooden train design with colorful tracks and imaginative exhaust resembled clip art and does not differentiate the company from others.
Second set of RDT logo sketches; applying a number of shapes and characters that could represent the childlike elements of the brand
After choosing the owl as the perfect character to represent the company, the next step was to determine how to represent the owl. Owls are wise and have a timeless feel because they do not seem to age, linking the end users and target audience together in an innovative way.
Black and white images do not include grey tones. It is important to use as few colors as possible in logo designs because of budget complications, etc.
The initial rendering for the RDT colored logo used several colors including a bright yellow that needed more contrast. Some colors were muted and needed to be brighter, while some were not necessary to use at all. Shades of blue represent the "Rainy Day" while orange represents the excitement of these types of days.
Measuring Effectiveness | Rainy Day Toys
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After developing a logo for the start up toy company, it became important to test the effectiveness of the design. Does the logo successfully convey the brand ideals and other intended messaging to the desired target audience? Will the logo design have a positive effect on both the target audience (26-60 year old parents and grandparents with annual household incomes of over $30,000 per year) and the end user (young toddlers and children with a need to develop sensor and motor skills)? These are the questions that designers need to know to test their innovation.
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Shown is the results from a survey with over 50 respondents from the desired target market, explaining their honest opinions about the logo design and whether or not it proves to be effective.
Who is most likely to use Rainy Day Toys products?
Where could you see this logo being placed?
How does this logo make you feel?
Is this logo simple and easy to comprehend?
Respondent satisfaction
Respondents expressing their positive feelings towards the innovative design
Respondent feedback
Logo Development | Rainy Day Friends
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Developing a successful logo opens other lines of communication for a brand. After creating a logo for Rainy Day Toys, Rainy Day Friends was developed to show further innovation. Rainy Day Friends are a subset of unique characters that can be used in conjunction with other media for the brand.
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Thinking in a highly innovative way, The Rainy Day Friends create a strong narrative for the company through the use of character development. The logo for the brand showcases a parent and child owl, enjoying quality time together, an attribute that the company represents. This application of characters will entice the end user and they will be the faces of company products and deliverables such as bags, media, etc. The creation of the Rainy Day Toys logo and secondary pals is multigenerational and showcases the company's personality. They can grow and evolve with the company.
Simplifying the Rainy Day Friends logo