Remember I shared the Mood Board Session that we did with Tim Martin of the Mind Boutique a couple of weeks back? Here’s a peek at the session in case you missed it… Well today we sent across the initial concepts for his logo and after a little bit of nailbiting we discovered that Tim absolutely loves them! He has some thinking to do over the next few days about what’s working well for him and why, and I wondered if you might consider helping him out?
As a reminder here was the brief: The Mind Boutique is a new concept in therapy. It brings together a collection of holistic therapists all dedicated to the growth of a person. The Mind Boutique is based in Harley Street and will roll out across the UK. The keywords for the brand are funky, bespoke and inspirational.
And here are the three logos (I’ll explain them a bit more in a mo).
Initial Sketches
When we start any sort of logo design we always start out with a team brainstorming session. Fired up by the Mood Board session that morning we sat down and pulled together a palette of inspiringly Autumnal colours (warm, intense, muted) and sketched out a few designs. They ran to quite a few pages but below you’ll see just a few snatches from what we did.
You’ll see below how many of our initial concepts have translated through to the finished design…
Concept One: Communicate
Much of what The Mind Boutique is all about is communication, so we came up with the concept of speech marks that are also heads. Sure, you’ll lose clarity as the logo gets smaller, but part of me thinks that’s part of the charm. The heads aren’t an essential part of this working – just a lovely added extra!
Here’s the logo in context
And on some product…
Concept Two: Funky
Part of the wider brief was always going to be around creating a product line that could eventually stand alone from the Mind Boutique’s sessions altogether. I can see us creating stationery, candles, bags etc with mantras on that would be sold (I hope!) in places like Selfridges, Liberty’s and upmarket boutiques. I love this concept (created by Ian, our Account Manager come Creative Genius) because it’s exactly the sort of funky logo that works as a cool, standalone brand. Oh, and it sort-of looks like a brain too…
And here’s the stationery in context
And the products (Tim loves the idea of journals as they tie in to his therapy processes)
Concept Three: The Bespoke Label
This concept plays more on the idea of a bespoke/ boutique label. Blue is a great colour for communication and turquoise creative and refreshing so as a concept I think this one works well.
And here are the stationery designs
And how delicious are these pieces of artwork? I love that joy font/ colour combo!
Over to you
I have my favourite. I know which bits I’d like to pinch from other concepts and the tweaks and changes I’d like to make to take this identity forward. But how about you? Which do you like best and why? Which do you think Tim should run with? Would love to know your thoughts as always!
Here’s our Graham with a quick reminder…
Number two is a clear favourite for me! I love the olive green colour, it’s very calming and has a very high-end feel to it. It also looks very ‘now’. The ‘brain’ part of the logo works really well and is subtle.
Number one is my second favourite and I love the head speech bubble idea. However the colours don’t quite do it for me as much and could potentially alienate men?
Great work as always from the Flourish team! Looking forward to seeing the end result.
Thank you for your time commenting and voting Vicki, it’s really helpful. I think if No 1 was a strong contender we could easily shift around the colours on that one to the greens but I do love the brain idea as well. Thanks for voting!
Number 1 is my favourite, I love the colour and I think it looks great in context. Number two is my second favourite, and also looks great on the products. These two are both different, fun and funky. I’m not as keen on the third one.
Thanks Eliza. I have a feeling concept three is going to get left behind
Will be interesting to see how the poll plays out. Thanks for taking the time out to vote and comment!
Hi Fiona
Definitely prefer Option 2 – to me it clearly says what it is. When on branded good, comes across clear and stylish. Definitely says ‘quality’.
Option 1 quote marks would potentially be lost – not everyone will notice the silhouttes.
Option 3 – just didn’t get it, sorry.
Thanks Julie. Yes I see a theme coming re: option 3
I prefer number 1 – the speech marks. I like the font of number 2 but not the brain image – it’s too buzy and crazy on the eye – funky jazz blur rather than calm. Don’t like number 3 at all.
Thanks Tom. Much appreciated. Love your description of the brain!
I’d have coloured-coded the pie chart to equate directly to the colours, but hey…
The blue logo – No. Just no. Blue, sky, mind… The blue’s a bit flat so it’s more in keeping with a sanitary product.
The pink logo – The single quotation marks indicate speech rather than anything else, it doesn’t jump out as being mind nor boutique, so that’s a no.
The brain – That’s more like it. Green = progressive, so yes, that’s good. What about in pink? Just wondered. The only concern I have about it is that “the mind boutique” has to be rendered twice, presumably because people might not “get” the image, just wondering if there’s a way to make the lettering in the brain stronger so that it can stand alone without additional explanation?
Hope that’s helpful
Fabulously helpful Paul, thank you!
The pie chart is an automatic twt poll thing so they pick the colours I’m afraid but it’s an interesting thought for the future… Great points all round. Thanks for stopping by… (and congrats on your 10th birthday…)
Thank you, Fiona, here’s to another 10 (Although with more action than the last 10
Keep us updated as to which logo is chosen
I like the second one, it feels more modern, I don’t like 1 – too pretentious and don’t like 3 – too dated. How much do you charge for branding?
Don’t beat around the bush Nicky, say it like it is
Very helpful comments, Thank you for your vote and taking the time to comment. Much appreciated. Will be in touch re: branding!
Thanks to everyone for their very well considered replies, great ideas and super feedback…..
Niki the branding is worth every penny believe me I went to seven other people and busines’s on my journey there are good people out there and then there’s….Flourish …they stand out for me ….
Good communication … integrity…fun…down to earth but v v professional….
Dear reader please pass this blog or post an e mail to as many friends as you can . I really would appreciate some viral feedback….
Hi Fiona,
Really like the concept in #1. Great idea the head apostrophes. Anyway of making one of the more akin to a male profile? At a fast glance you get the impression of female and this obviously could exclude a large chunk of the population. What type of person is Tim’s target market ? (affluence, education, age) . I personally struggle a bit with the font having jumbled upper & lower case, but maybe I’m just a bit fuddy duddy!
Not particulary keen on #2 as I don’t feel it really stands out from the crowd of similar ones.
#3 has some merit but not sure about the colour. Could the “head bubbles” be incorporated into the centre of this around a single defining word?
Hi Fiona, you are a clever lot over there…
I like concept number two the best, though I also like the idea of the head speech bubbles in concept one. Am loving the colour combo and brain sketch in two though.
Thanks Keren. I love the head sketch too…
Stephen some great ideas as always! Thank you so much for your input. Target audience are v. successful people (Tim already works with a number of high profile clients) – male and female. I do agree with your colour concern with the pink but tbh that is easily solved and we can bring in the pink as a secondary colour if that’s the right concept…
Tim thank you for your kind words too. Can’t wait to move this concept forwards on Thursday! Exciting times…
enjoyed concept number 2 with concern about the colour , green , left me non smiling & drew little warm reaction , nonetheless it was smart, sophisticated , professional and non gender define, would appeal to a broader base, on a pure non emotional.
Heart says pink concept one , logic and reason says concept 2 for a commercial venture.
Nathalie.
Yes great work flourish
We chose option two and the web site http://www.themindboutique.co.uk will be out there in the next two weeks after a full year of filming , research and writing…phew
Best wishes
Tim MARTIN