Fox Run Golf Outing & Event Menu Design

In April, Scott Creative had the pleasure of working with Fox Run Golf Club (Council Bluffs, IA) on a redesign of their Golf Outing & Event Menu. Greg G., General Manager for Fox Run, contacted me about making changes to a design that the club had been using for several years. Greg had seen the work Scott Creative had done for Oakwood Country Club (Kansas City, MO) and was hoping I could help him with his design needs.

Greg had several changes to the menu, such as item and pricing information, but beyond those changes, Greg was looking for an attractive piece that would echo all that Fox Run has to offer. This new design highlights several new menu items, photos of the course, clean typography and strong branding of the club. The finished size is 8.5″ x 5.5″, scored and folded and was printed on 65# gloss cover.

In August, work was completed on a secondary print piece, a Wedding & Banquet Menu (below). This 12-page booklet includes information on the club’s policies, rental rates, dining options and testimonials from couples that have held events there in the past. The layout includes several photos of the clubhouse and grounds, room setups and meals. The finished size of this piece is 8.5″ x 5.5″, scored and folded, printed on 65# gloss cover.

Branding Scottsdale Segway Tours

In September 2011, Scott Creative was contacted by Scottsdale Segway Tours to bring a face to the newly formed business. Operating in the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, this company provides exciting mobile tours of some of the most notorious tourist attractions in the Scottsdale area. What the founders needed was a logo that reflected the fun experience that customers can expect from Scottsdale Segway Tours.

After exploring several visual interpretations, the final design utilizes a circular badge, clean typography, a strongly contrasting color palette and an abstracted figure in the center. It’s a modern and sporty logo that will entice viewers to take a closer look at Scottsdale Segway Tours for their next outdoor adventure. While working remotely comes with its challenges, Scott Creative bridged the gap by providing quality work and a high degree of customer service.

“We are beyond excited with the work Scott Creative has done for us. Scott Creative can handle remote clients and turn out excellent work. We will continue to go Scott Creative for all of our design needs.” (Becca Cook, Business Relations, Scottsdale Segway Tours)

The company logo appears throughout their website, http://www.scottsdalesegwaytours.com and on the company trailer as well. Scott Creative also designed additional collateral pieces, including company business cards and a rack card that provides more information for tourists in the Scottsdale area.

Client Spotlight: UNO’s Service Learning Academy – UNO Serve Logo

 

In January 2011, we were contacted by the Service Learning Academy, a non-profit organization located on the University of Nebraska, Omaha campus that coordinates various community service events. The mission of the academy is to facilitate collaborative partnerships between the university and the surrounding community for the purpose of enhancing student learning, advancing community service and participation in initiatives that foster engaged citizenship.

With plans to employ an e-newsletter to better communicate with the thousands of past student, faculty and alumni volunteers that have participated in service learning events in the past, the organization felt a logo was necessary to communicate with such a large, diverse group of people. We listened to their wants and needs, and then got to work creating a design  we felt appropriately communicated the service-oriented message of the academy.

“We wanted something that was both professional and fun… something that would attract both students and volunteers of all ages.” (Staff Member, Service Learning Academy)

We explored a variety of different designs implementing different symbols and compositions before deciding on this final mark. Implementing simple, but strong typography and the use of illustration/imagery, it communicates the service-oriented position of the organization in a fun, fresh way. The image of a bent nail serves a two-fold purpose; to form the letter ‘v’ in ‘serve’, and as a figurative representation of the contributions made by thousands of university students, staff and alumni. The name itself calls on students, faculty and alumni of the university to take part in the organization’s service-oriented projects. A simple red and black color scheme coordinates with the university’s existing identity and communications.

The Bare Minimum: Starbucks’ New Logo

Marking it’s 40th Anniversary, earlier in January Starbucks unveiled a new corporate identity. Now devoid of any and all typography (save the trademark symbol), the focus is now singly on the siren graphic that has been integral to the company’s logo since it’s humble beginnings in 1971. The ring, or closure around the graphic, which has also been a constant of the logo also since 1971, has been done away with. A subtle change in color from the familiar blue-green to a steady green hue is also evident in the new symbol.

Love it or hate it, I believe that this new mark is bound to become a textbook example of what a massive amount of effective, brand-building practices will bring to an organization. It’s also evidence of the time that must go into building such a brand: in Starbucks’ case, a process that has spanned four decades.
Sure it’s simple, but isn’t that the beauty of it? It’s almost immediately recognizable. With seventeen thousand stores in 50 different countries, why wouldn’t Starbucks follow the examples set by other industry giants? Target and McDonald’s, for example, often leave associated typography completely out of their branding while still speaking volumes of their individuality. Steve Barrett, who heads Starbucks’ 100-strong in-house design studio, gives some insight into the change:

“While business in 2010 picked up nicely, we have been through a painful period, bottoming in 2009 – a combination of self-inflicted problems, the economic downturn… we think a rebranding can be a helpful signal to partners and customers alike of a new, emerging Starbucks,” (Steve Barrett, VP Global Creative, Starbucks)

Barrett and the Starbucks design team closely studied the design-driven identities of other very visible, trusted brands such as Apple and Nike, and then made some decisions. This included stripping the logo of the typography that “cluttered” the visual symbol, ultimately leaving only the siren.
“From the start, we wanted to recognize and honor the important equities of the iconic Starbucks logo. After hundreds of explorations, we found the answer in simplicity,” (Mike P., senior creative manager, Starbucks)

The rebrand comes as a strategic move, not only strengthening Starbucks’ positioning as a supplier of ground coffee and beverages, but also preparing the company for future growth in new areas – including serving alcohol. Last year, Starbucks began serving wine and beer in a handful of test locations.

“Our new brand identity will give us the freedom and flexibility to explore innovations and new channels of distribution that will keep us in step with our current customers and build strong connections with new customers,” (Howard S., president, Starbucks)

The January 5 release of the new logo was a soft launch preview with the company building towards in-store events in March, which will be keyed to the company’s 40th anniversary. Watch this video for more insight into the rebranding process.

Additional Links & Media

Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team
Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities
LogoLounge 6: 2,000 International Identities by Leading Designers
Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul
The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary

What Type Are You?

Visit 'What Type Are You?': a micro-site developed by Pentagram, and discover a typeface that reflects your personality.

Marina Script: emotional, understated, traditional, disciplined; “a 1936 version of a writing style that is centuries old. It is a typeface with delicately emotional swoops and serifs delivered with an aristocratic precision & restraint... apparently, it’s also my personality summed up in a typeface.

Typefaces, and the letters they depict, are a lot like people. They come in all shapes, sizes, weights and forms. Some quietly grace the page while others scream for attention. Some are so wildly popular and well-known that it’s difficult to imagine a world without them while others simply depict the times or a trend.

Pentagram, one of the world’s most respected design firms, has created a site that explores the question: What type are you? The site, narrated by a faceless, Freudian faceless analyst, asks you four personality questions, after which you’re presented with a typeface that reflects your personality most accurately according to your answers. You’ll not only learn a little about yourself, but even a little bit of history behind the typeface which represents you.

Follow this link to try it for yourself (use the password “Character” to enter the site).