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Aaron Hats
02-04-2009, 09:11 PM
We've wanted to have a new logo for quite a while and finally went for it. I looked at a few different designer's portfolios and decided to use CBS Creative. I gave him little direction but he came back with some good samples. Funny thing was the night before he sent the first round of images my wife and I drew out a logo I had been thinking about. It turns out CBS submitted a logo almost identical to what we had drawn. Even more odd is the fact that we ended up not using that design. Anyway, here's our new logo:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/AaronHats2/aaronhatslogo.gif

Thanks to CBS Creative.

Aaron

seolman
02-04-2009, 10:01 PM
I like it. Please don't take this wrong but it has a vintage look to it - exactly what I think your company should have. I feel like I need a hat now.

By the way - do forum members get discounts on hats? :D

rezzy
02-05-2009, 10:00 AM
it has a vintage look to it

I think thats whats hitting me. When I first saw the image, thats what hit me first. I think the logo is fitting though. When I saw it alone, I was unsure how I felt, but coupled with your site, gives me the full effect.

I like it! It has a symmetry to it. Like a hat...

I visited your page, "More Hats then companies wanting a bailout" .... burn.

Steve B
02-05-2009, 10:22 AM
I'm not a big fan of change - I preferred your old one. It made sense to have a hat in the old logo.

cbscreative
02-05-2009, 11:22 AM
Thanks, Aaron, and it was a pleasure working with you on this redesign. For a little more background on this, especially with Steve's comment, one of the goals of the redesign was to avoid doing a logo that was gender specific since Aaron sells men's and women's hats. There are also a lot of styles, so even though we had many variations that used hats that were undefined enough to be for either men or women, it still lacked the diversity of hats being sold. This logo provided a solution to that.

Thanks for the comments above too. I'm glad it says "vintage" because I believe that represents Aaron very well. I also looked at a lot of 1940's logos during the brainstorming stage to help shape my thinking. Seeing it on the site really makes it stand out too. The design is unlike any other in the market which is always an achievement with logos.

I should also mention that Aaron had to sort through a LOT of variations which could have overwhelmed many people. He handled it very well and was able to make the decisions needed to arrive at a final design.

Aaron Hats
02-05-2009, 12:39 PM
Thanks for the feedback. I agree that it has a vintage look to it, yet not an "old fashioned" look. Steve explained our thinking about the new logo. We sell both men's and women's hats and the "in" style changes year to year so we didn't want a hat in the logo that would soon be outdated. In the end, we opted not to have a hat in the design. One thing we may do is add a hat to the design during Christmas or other seasonal times of year. I think this can easily be done without taking away from the impression it currently gives customers. Just as important to the design is that it says what we don't sell...costume or cheap hats. At least that's what I see when I look at the logo.

Thanks again,

Aaron

nealrm
02-05-2009, 01:03 PM
It's a good looking logo. Very professional looking. Excluding the text, visually it doesn't scream out hats, but that may not be bad.

vangogh
02-05-2009, 03:29 PM
Who's this cbscreative guy you hired for the logo? Never heard of him :)

I liked the hat in the old logo, but I like the new one too. I can understand wanting to get away from the gender specific and I agree that the new logo sports a vintage look that's very appropriate for your business.

Blessed
02-06-2009, 11:56 AM
I think it is a great logo... good job CBSCreative!

Now if Hubby would just get back to work so that I could buy another hat... :)

cbscreative
02-06-2009, 02:13 PM
Thanks, Blessed. I expect you to be buying that hat very soon.

Jagella
02-10-2009, 10:39 AM
Anyway, here's our new logo:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/AaronHats2/aaronhatslogo.gif

Thanks to CBS Creative.

Aaron

Aaron, could you post your old logo so we can compare it to the new logo?

Congratulations on your new logo. Steve's very good at what he does, and I'm not surprised that you're happy with his work.

Jagella

Jagella
02-10-2009, 10:53 AM
I'm not a big fan of change - I preferred your old one. It made sense to have a hat in the old logo.

Thanks for the dissenting opinion, Steve. A little bit of negativity is always good for a “balanced” approach, in my opinion.

Does a hat business need a hat shape in its logo? In the past I think I would have replied in the affirmative. After all, a logo symbolizes a business, and what better to symbolize a hat business than a hat?

Lately, though, I've had a change of heart on this issue. While a business offers products, of course, there's so much more to its brand identity than its product(s). A business has a target market, an internal culture, a location, and a lot of other variables that enter the equation that results in an image that the business should convey. In the case of Aaron Hats, Steve may have found that these other variables were more important than symbolizing the product, hats. Besides, the logotype literally spells out “hats,” so a hat symbol may have been unnecessary if not redundant.

Jagella

Jagella
02-10-2009, 10:59 AM
I'm glad it says "vintage" because I believe that represents Aaron very well. I also looked at a lot of 1940's logos during the brainstorming stage to help shape my thinking. Seeing it on the site really makes it stand out too. The design is unlike any other in the market which is always an achievement with logos.

I'm not sure why, Steve, but the new logo says “British” to me. Maybe I get that impression because hats are popular in Britain.


I should also mention that Aaron had to sort through a LOT of variations which could have overwhelmed many people. He handled it very well and was able to make the decisions needed to arrive at a final design.

Having cooperative clients that understand proper concept development and are willing to cooperate in conceiving and honing ideas is always a plus.

Anyway, congratulations on a good job, Steve.

Jagella

cbscreative
02-10-2009, 04:32 PM
Thanks, Joe. It's always interesting to get different reactions, and your "British" response shows how everyone can see something differently.

Jagella
02-10-2009, 11:00 PM
Thanks, Joe. It's always interesting to get different reactions, and your "British" response shows how everyone can see something differently.

You're welcome, Steve.

Is my theory about the “many business variables” that go into a logo idea correct? Did you consider some trait of the business aside from its product when designing the logo?

Jagella

cbscreative
02-11-2009, 12:06 AM
Yes, Joe, it's all the variables, but I can't really explain it as a science. It's an art form so there's no other way to describe it. In this case, I looked at a lot of 1940's logos, but I did not design according to any of them. It was part of the creative process on this project, but I had no scientific reason for it, and there were many other things that influenced the design. No two projects have the same creative process. I know that sounds wierd, but it's the best I can do to describe it. Creativity cannot be narrowed down to a formula. Be prepared for surprises and never knowing for sure where your ideas will come from.

Blessed
02-11-2009, 01:43 PM
...Creativity cannot be narrowed down to a formula. Be prepared for surprises and never knowing for sure where your ideas will come from.

so true! The only thing I have to add to never knowing for sure where your ideas will come from is never knowing for sure when your idea will come - so always be prepared to scribble something down if necessary... in the middle of the night, while you are fixing dinner, scrubbing the bathroom, eating lunch with a friend, driving 80 miles an hour down the highway in the rain... ok maybe you really shouldn't write while you're driving in the rain but that doesn't mean I haven't done it!

cbscreative
02-11-2009, 01:55 PM
Amen, Blessed. I have had ideas come in the most unexpected times and situations.

Vivid Color Zack
02-11-2009, 10:40 PM
Maybe I fear change too, but I liked the old one also.

This one is good, I'm not in any way knocking cbs for it. And I'm a printer not a designer I have no bias whatsoever.

I really like your product and your site is great. I'll buy an awesome hat soon I'm finally almost out of debt so I can start burying myself again soon :)

Aaron Hats
02-13-2009, 02:03 PM
Here's my very first logo which was created by the guy who did our signs for the store:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/AaronHats2/LOGO.gif

Now, here's our previous logo:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/AaronHats2/web-transparent-2-color.gif

For those that have expressed interest in some hats, PM me and I can give you a coupon code for 10% off.

Aaron

Jagella
02-14-2009, 11:00 PM
Here's my very first logo which was created by the guy who did our signs for the store:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/AaronHats2/LOGO.gif

Now, here's our previous logo:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/AaronHats2/web-transparent-2-color.gif

For those that have expressed interest in some hats, PM me and I can give you a coupon code for 10% off.

Aaron

I'd say it's a tossup between your previous logo and your current logo. The blue in the first logo looks too cold for a hat logo. Hats are supposed to be warm. Depending on how well known your business may be, I'd say that the latest design may be the best because your target audience knows well that you sell hats. There is no need to place a hat symbol in the logo.

Jagella