Discover your Brand Personality

Discover your Brand Personality

A 5-minute exercise to help focus your company branding and communication


Step 1: Print this page, grab a pen and clear your mind.  Think about your company, the products you sell, the people who work for you and who you want to buy your product.

You’ll find our Brand Personality Spectrum below.  Read each of the descriptors and think about how each set of words relates to your brand.  Place a mark closest to where you think your company falls on the spectrum.  Or if you’re starting a new company, or trying to re-brand your company, place a mark where you would like your company to fall on the spectrum. 

Note: There is no wrong way to fill this out – don’t overthink it.  This exercise works best when you go with your gut.

brand-personality-spectrum-test1 

Step 2: Find the numbers that are closest to your marks and add them up.


What does it all mean?

Scores between 6 – 30:

Your brand personality is classic and traditional.  You tend to prefer established ways of getting things done and like to operate with a firm plan of action.  Your communication style is professional and you actively seek to promote the image of a stable company with strong roots.  Your target market might be high-end, upscale clientele.

Scores between 41 – 60

Your brand personality is contemporary and energetic.  You move at a fast pace and like to translate ideas into action quickly.  You aren’t afraid to take risks and you have an open, friendly and approachable communication style.  You likely want your brand and products to be accessible to everyone – not just high-end consumers.  

Scores between 21 – 40

Your brand is one of two things:

a) Very quirky with dots all over the spectrum

b) Riding the middle without any strong brand personality

If you fall into the “A” category, no problem!  Just because your brand doesn’t easily fit into a box doesn’t mean that you don’t have a strong brand personality.  Read through all of the tips below and think about taking some of the traditional branding elements and combining them with some of the more quirky, contemporary ones.  For instance, you could stick with a traditional color scheme, and traditional typography while playing up a more casual, accessible tone in your communications.

If you happen to fall into the “B” category, you probably need to re-think your branding strategy.  No company can be everything to everyone.  Take a stand and let your brand personality shine.  If you don’t, you are guaranteeing that your brand will be easily forgotten.  You can’t ride the fence forever! 

Branding and Logo Tips for Traditional Companies


A traditional company should opt for classic typefaces and a conservative, rich color scheme.  You’ll want to rely on classic, time-tested elements that will help play to the conservative, stable nature of your company.  Your communication style should be fairly buttoned up, formal and corporate.

Color tips for Traditional Brands:

  • Cool colors like blue and green help convey a sense of strength, trust and calm, while certain shades of red can convey a bold intensity and seriousness.
  • Deep, saturated tones work well for traditional brands because they resonate an intensity and seriousness with which the brand will be associated.
  • A simple, sleek black and white logo can work very well for a more traditional brand, particularly one targeting an upscale clientele.
  • Using complementary colors rather than contrasting will also help convey the feel of a harmonious, trustworthy brand.

Font tips for Traditional Brands:

  • Serif typefaces similar to Times New Roman work especially well for traditional brands and help express that a company is formal, mature and trustworthy.
  • Certain formal script fonts can work well, but can have a distinctly feminine feel  which may not be a great fit for all traditional brands.
  • Stay away from lowercase and casual handwriting fonts, which are better suited to more casual, laid-back brands.

Graphic tips for Traditional Brands:

  • Logos with borders, particularly thin or fine borders help convey the message that your company is mature, honest and strong
  • Square elements work better than round ones for traditional brands.
  • Traditional left-justified alignments should be used since they are more formal and expected, which carries well with a traditional brand. 

Branding and Logo Tips for Contemporary Companies 


If your company is on the energetic, contemporary end of the spectrum, you’ll want to play to your strengths by using vivid, bright colors and more casual typography.  Your communications style should be friendly, open and approachable.

Color tips for contemporary brands:

  • Warm colors like orange and yellow help show off your up-beat, playful personality.
  • Purple is another color that can work well for companies who want to play up any creative credentials.
  • Using contrasting colors will not only help draw the eye, but will also help express the energetic, high-energy personality of your brand.

Font tips for contemporary brands:

  • Sans-serif typefaces like Arial work very well for contemporary brands and help convey the sense that a company is modern, agreeable and more informal.
  • Handwriting or script typefaces are also great choices for contemporary brands, adding a personal, human touch to your branding.
  • Using all lowercase letters for your company name isn’t a necessity, but is yet another way to convey the informal, accessible nature of your brand.
  • Stay away from using serif typefaces, which are too formal for a contemporary company.

Graphic tips for contemporary brands:

  • Logos without borders convey the sense that your company is fun, surprising and maybe a little quirky.
  • Rounded elements work better than square ones and can help a brand feel more modern and casual.
  • Center, right-justified and even asymmetrical alignments should be favored for contemporary companies. 

Let it shine!


Now that you have identified your brand’s personality, it’s time to get to work and show it off!  You should work to incorporate your brand personality in all of your marketing – from your logo to your website to your business cards.  The important thing is that your brand has a voice – now use it!

How to create a logo for your business

How to create a logo for your business

Whether you have a large, multi-national corporation or are just thinking about starting a business, creating a logo is one of the definitive keys to establishing a brand and growing your business.  Your logo is generally one of the first things that potential customers interact with and having the right look for your logo can quickly turn a potential customer into a buyer.  On the other hand, if your logo is poorly designed, unclear or just plain ugly, it can easily have the opposite effect.   To help get you moving in the right direction, our expert team has put together the definitive guide to creating a logo for your business.


Step 1: Understand your brand

Because a logo is the quintessential embodiment of your brand, you’re going to need to have a good understanding of your brand position before you even think about hiring a logo designer or creating a logo yourself.  If you’re not really sure what your brand identity is, that’s just fine.  You can check out our Brand Identity Worksheet to get you started.  The key is that you have a good idea how you would answer the following questions:

  • Where do you fit in the marketplace?  Or what is your average price point?
    • Are you priced higher, in the middle or lower than your competition? 
    • There is probably a solid reason behind your pricing strategy and your logo can help reinforce that decision with the right color, image and font choices.
  • What is your brand personality?
    • Is your business more on the fun, eclectic and accessible side, or are you trying to create more of an exclusive, high-end brand? 
    • Wherever you fall on the brand personality spectrum, your jewelry business logo needs to reflect the personality of your business.
    • If you’re not sure how to answer this, check out our Brand Identity Worksheet to help point you in the right direction.

Step 2: Learn some logo basics

Whether you’re hiring a professional logo designer or using logo software to create a logo yourself, you are going to want to understand some logo design fundamentals before you start the design process.  We’ve created the ultimate logo design guide, which you can download totally free.  Before you start the design process, take a few minutes to read through our tips – you’ll probably save yourself a lot of time and money if you do.  For a quick overview, these are the core principles of good logo design:

  • Logo Elements – Almost every business logo will include two things: the company name and an icon or image.  You can opt for an image-free or a name-free logo, but for most businesses, we would not recommend this.  If you have any doubts, make sure you include both your company name and a great image that ties into your industry.
  • Color – Color choice can make or break your business logo.  Most logos should use no more than 2-3 coordinating colors.  Different colors can evoke different emotional responses and you want that emotional response to tie in with your overall brand.  Also consider how your color choices look on a variety of backgrounds – business cards, storefronts, website, invoices, etc.
  • Fonts – Different fonts have the ability to convey the personality of your brand in just a few words.  When designing a logo for your business, choose a font that evokes the right personality and also ties in with your color choice.  You’ll want to make sure that the font you choose is not too thin or flowery so that it can be easily read on everything from your business cards to the front of a store.  Also, try and stick to one font, but if you must use multiple fonts in your logo, limit it to two fonts at the most.
  • Icons and Images – The right image or icon in your jewelry logo has the ability to tie the whole thing together.  When selecting images for your company logo, they should always tie into and reinforce your brand personality.  And above all, the image that you select for your logo should have some tie to your industry.  You don’t have to choose a something obvious – you can absolutely do something abstract.  Just make sure that whatever image you choose helps the consumer understand your brand.
  • Layout – There is no wrong way to lay out a logo – it’s something that you’ll have to play around with until you get the right look and feel.  That being said, when deciding how to position your company name with whatever image you choose, make sure the focal point of the design is the company name.

Step 3: Write down your ideas

Now that you have a basic understanding of the core logo design principles and know what your brand personality is, the fun work can begin!  Start thinking about what you want your jewelry business logo to look like.  We’ve put together logo inspiration galleries by industry if you want to see what’s already out there.  As you look at other logos, take some notes on things that you like and things that you don’t, which is a great way to help focus your design. 

[block border=”5px solid #aacb24″ padding=”10px 15px”]Pro tip: If you’ve got the time, use Pinterest to create a visual board of logos that you like.  As you add to your board, make notes about what you like and don’t like about each logo.  When you start the actual design process, the Pinterest board will be an easy reference point for you to turn to for inspiration.[/block]

During the idea phase, don’t limit yourself.   Include phrases, images and colors that you would like to include in your logo and equally important, write down things that you want to stay away from.  Here are a few questions to get you started:

  • Are there any specific colors that you want to use?
  • Any colors that you definitely do not want to use?
  • Are there any symbols or images that you definitely want to incorporate?
  • Do you want more of a handwritten font or a professional feel?

Once you have your idea list together, comb through everything and ask yourself if the specific idea ties in with your brand personality.  If an idea doesn’t reinforce your brand, then cross that idea off the list.


Step 4: Start designing!

You have a lot of different options when it comes to choosing how to design your logo and making the right decision from the start can help save you a lot of time and a lot of money.  If you’ve read through our guide and downloaded our free logo design eBook, then you already know more about designing a logo than 95% of the population, which means that the design process can begin!

Option 1: Hire a professional logo designer

There are definitely some positives to hiring a professional.  On the plus side, if you do your research and hire the right logo designer, you should get the following:

  • A consultation with the designer where you can lay out what your logo to include
  • A completely unique, professionally designed logo (sometimes several options to choose from)
  • At least 2-3 revisions if you don’t love the initial design concept

A good logo designer will want to ask a lot of questions about your business and what you want in a logo to make sure they deliver what you want.  When the process goes smoothly, a professionally designed logo can help take your business to the next level.

However, there are some downsides to hiring a pro when it comes to logo design and the biggest downside is the cost.  A professional logo designer who provides a full consultation, will work up multiple concepts and who will provide the finished product in all available formats will typically cost at minimum $300 and can cost much, much more depending on who you hire.  Cost aside, if you have the wiggle room in your budget and want a logo that will set you apart, you might very well want to consider hiring a pro.

Option 2: Use a web logo service

If your business is on a tight budget or you just want to test the logo design waters, there are a plethora of simple web apps that will help you design a logo.  These web apps offer a variety of templates for you to choose from and allow you to input your company name.  You can do some customizations like changing the color and the text font, but other than the limited custom options, you really don’t have many options for creating a 100% custom logo.  That being said, there are some pros to using a web app to create your logo:

  • Pre-designed options – Most logo web apps have at least a handful of logo templates for most industries, so if you’re struggling to pin down any concrete ideas for your company’s logo, the templates can be very helpful.
  • It’s easy – Simply select the logo template that you want and plug in your company name and tagline
  • It’s fairly cheap – Most web apps allow you to play around with and design a logo totally free.  Once you want to export and start using the logo, the costs range anywhere from $40-$200 depending on the format.

Using the tools provided, you can probably slap together a pretty decent looking logo and you will definitely save money by opting not to hire a pro.  On the other hand, there are some negatives:

  • Cookie-cutter designs – The limited logo templates and designs offered mean that your logo will likely be very similar to quite a few other logos in the marketplace.
  • Limited customizations – Other than changing the colors or the font and moving the icon around, there aren’t many options for really customizing your logo.
  • Surprise costs – You’ll want to shop around before choosing a web app to design your logo.  Most companies don’t list a price up front and you could get caught by surprise when trying to check out after creating your new logo.

If you’re on a limited budget or need something very simple, this route could probably work well for you – just make sure you do your research and use the right app for your logo.

Option 3: Use logo design software

If hiring a designer is too expensive and you’re not in love with the cookie-cutter look of web app logos, you may want to consider purchasing some logo design software.  If you get the right software, you’re really getting the best of both worlds with a custom look at a great price.  Not all logo design software is created equal though and any software that you choose should absolutely include the following:

  • A variety of industry-specific templates to get you started
  • Customization tools like unique brush strokes, shapes and shading tools
  • Integrated commercial-use fonts for you to play with
  • A set of drawing tools if you want the ability to design something completely from scratch
  • The ability to export your designs in a variety of sizes and formats

On top of all the extra bells and whistles, the right logo design software also allows you to create and export as many logos as you want.

The one big downside of course is that like any software, you will have to download and install logo design software onto your computer, which can eat up your hard drive space.  And while many logo design software titles offer free trials, software doesn’t give you the instant gratification that a web app might.  When it comes down to it though, for the price (starting around $30), you get a lot of bang for your buck when you choose to design your logo with software.

However you choose to create your logo, make sure you do your research, plan ahead and go with the option that best fits your business.


The-LogoDesignBook-Ad-ProperSize

Creating a logo for a jewelry business (Part 2)

Tips & Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

Whether you are running a veritable jewelry empire or you just want to sell a few hand-crafted jewelry pieces on Etsy or a website, creating a logo is one of the first steps towards creating a memorable brand. The right logo has the power to help connect people instantly with your brand, and a bad logo can very easily do the opposite.

With a jewelry business, you are selling a product that can be elegant, understated and timeless, yet on the flip-side, can also be quirky, unique and colorful. Jewelry is the ultimate accessory and the type of jewelry a person wears is usually a very personal choice. A person’s jewelry is usually chosen to help reflect their unique personality and your business and logo should help cater to that.

Before creating a logo for your jewelry business, it’s important that you understand who your target market is so that your logo will appeal to that market. A logo for a teenage girls costume jewelry line would be vastly different than a logo for a high-end jeweler. You’ll also want to have a good understanding of your brand personality so that you can create a jewelry logo that will represent your jewelry business well.

 

Color Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

Color-graphicChoosing the right colors for your jewelry logo can help set your business apart from the pack.  There are no hard and fast rules about the right colors for a jewelry logo, but there are definitely some combinations that have been proven to work well.  Here are a few of the best ways to use color in your jewelry logo:

 [icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Go bold – bright jewel tones are excellent for jewelry logos

 [icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Play with pastel hues for a fresh, girly appeal

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] If your target market is young females, incorporate pink and purple for a girly appeal

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For a high-end look, incorporate metallics like gold, silver and bronze

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Use several shades of the same color, which gives a rich, lustrous appearance

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Go for an understated elegance with just black

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Try incorporating shades of purple, which evokes a feeling of richness and royalty

 

Image Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

Image-graphic

Not every logo needs an image to convey it’s message, but in the case of a jewelry business, most companies would be best served to incorporate an image in their logo. Again, your choice of logo image should be tied directly to your target market and your brand proposition, but here are some ideas that we know work well for both everyday jewelry lines and high-end jewelers:

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Use jewelry within your logo. A gemstone, a ring or a necklace all lend themselves to making excellent jewelry logo images.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Go geometric – If you want something a little less obvious, try incorporating geometric shapes into your logo design.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Try something ornate – Not recommended for every jewelry business, but if your jewelry features highly detailed designs, think about creating a logo that reflects your style

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Connect your logo with beauty by incorporating the beauty of nature. Flowers, butterflies, pearls and anything colorful can all work well for jewelry logos.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For an understated, elegant look, use a simple monogram rather than an image.

 

Font Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

FontBall-graphicChoosing the right font for your jewelry logo can help convey the personality of your brand more than almost anything. There is no right or wrong way to choose a font – you’ll likely have to experiment a bit to find just the right one. That being said, if you know the message you want your brand to convey, it’ll be much easier to find the font for your logo that best fits your brand. Here are a few ideas:

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For an accessible, everyday jewelry brand – Choose something fun, upbeat and accessible. Casual handwriting fonts work especially well, also unique, quirky fonts can be great for the right brand.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For a high-end, expensive jewelry brand – Choose something elegant like a script font or a classic serif-style. Both font styles evoke a feeling of history and richness that are great representations of a high-end brand.

 

 

Quick Tips for Jewelry Logos:

  • Do understand your target market and brand personality before creating your logo
  • Do adhere to core logo design principles
  • Don’t be afraid to choose a bold color if it fits your brand
  • Don’t choose a font that is to swirly, twirly and girly
  • Do consider using a gemstone, necklace or ring in your logo
  • Do think about incorporating jewel and geometric shapes in surprising ways
  • Do play to and incorporate your brand strengths  

What Your Logo Colors Are Actually Saying

Whether you realize it or not, the colors you see impact your decisions every day.  As humans, we have been hard-wired to respond in certain ways when presented with specific colors.  As a small business owner, what this means is that the choice of the colors you use in your branding is vitally important.  While you may personally love the color yellow and wear it every day, yellow ultimately may not be the right color choice for your brand. Red The color red is a bold, exciting color and it’s associated with passion, heat, energy and on the flip side, can also be associated with aggression and danger.  It’s a statement color and choosing to integrate red into your logo tells the world that your brand is energetic and exciting. As a side note, some studies have found that the color red can stimulate appetite, which is why it is one of the most widely used colors in food and restaurant logos. Examples of red logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-coca-cola-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-cnn-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-pinterest-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-frito-lay-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-virgin-logo.jpg
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-time-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_Red-Target-Logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-nintendo-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_Red-Netflix-Logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_red-lego-logo.jpg
  Orange If you want to be seen as friendly and approachable, orange might be the right color for your brand.  In branding, the color orange is often seen as being one of the most cheerful colors and generally implies that your brand is fun, youthful and accessible.  It also carries tones of innovation and modernity, which tie into the youthful feel and similar to red, orange is a warm, energetic color. Examples of orange logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_discover-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_amazon-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_nickelodeon-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_shutterfly-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_harley-davidson-logo.jpg
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_payless-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_hooters-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_fanta-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blogger-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_firefox-logo.jpg
  Yellow While yellow is often thought of as a warm, sunny and friendly color, you want to use this color with caution.  In North America, the color is heavily tied to transportation and most warning signs are a yellow hue.  Also, historically, being “yellow” meant that you were cowardly, which generally is not one of the adjectives that you’d want associated with your brand. Caution aside, there are many brands that have used yellow to set themselves apart and like red, yellow has also been shown to be an appetite stimulant.  Other words associated with yellow: optimism, warmth, and clarity. Examples of yellow logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-nikon-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-nat-geo-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-best-buy-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-mcdonalds-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-shell-logo.jpg
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-sprint-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-caterpillar-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-hertz-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-ikea-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_yellow-subway-logo.jpg
  Green Green is the color of life and growth in almost every area of the world and it is most widely used to emphasize a brand’s organic and natural side.  Because of the strong ties to growth, green has been used very well for financial logos as well.  Other words associated with the color green include peace and health, making it an excellent choice for brands who want to play up a restorative presence. Examples of green logos:
 a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-starbucks-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-spotify-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-xbox-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-tropicana-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-whole-foods-logo.jpg
 a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-land-rover-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-john-deere-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-holiday-inn-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-android-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_green-animal-planet-logo.jpg
  Blue Blue is one of the most widely used colors in logo design and there is good reason for that.  The color blue conveys a tone of professionalism and implies trust and dependability.  It can also signal strength and integrity, which means that for banks and financial institutions, blue is an excellent choice.  On the flipside, blue is also highly associated with serenity, peace and tranquility and can work well for health, spa and beauty brands. Examples of blue logos:
 a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-jpmorgan-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-facebook-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-ibm-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-wordpress-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-oralb-logo.jpg
 a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-hp-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-dell-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-amex-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-walmart-logo.jpg  a1sx2_Thumbnail1_blue-nasa-logo.jpg
  Purple If you want your brand to be perceived as luxurious, purple may well be the way to go.  In western cultures, purple has historically been the color of royalty, which gives it it’s high-end appeal.  Purple has also been associated with the church, which lends itself to being a good representation of a brand that is considered dignified and wise.   Along those lines, purple has also been use to showcase a brand’s imaginative and creative side. Examples of purple logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-syfy-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-taco-bell-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-welchs_logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-wonka-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-yahoo-logo.jpg
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-aussie-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-big-brothers-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-cadbury-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-crown-royal-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_purple-hallmark-logo.jpg
  Black Using the color black in your logo can convey a lot of different things.  On the one hand, the color black has strong connotations of sophistication, seriousness and power, which can be great for high end luxury brands.  On the other hand, for many cultures, black is the color of mourning and is symbolic of death.  The color black is heavily tied to the supernatural as well and is the color of the unknown. That all being said, almost every logo will have to have a black and white version for cases where color is not available and as of 2014, black logos are right on par with current design trends. Examples of black logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-lexus-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-puma-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-times-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-ysl-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-adidas-logo.jpg
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-chanel-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-cartoon-network-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-gucci-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_black-guinness-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_nike-logo.jpg
  White Historically, the color white has been used to convey purity, cleanliness and simplicity.  It can also be used to convey balance and a sense of calm or zen.  Baby brands, organic products and brands dealing with wedding products are all industries where white favors heavily. Similar to the color black, even if your primary logo is full of color, you’ll almost always need a version that can be done just in white and black. Examples of white logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_white-apple-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_white-abc-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_white-levis-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_white-dominos-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_white-coca-cola-logo.jpg
  Brown The color brown has an earthy, masculine feel that is often associated with the outdoors.  Companies who work closely with or in nature or who want to give consumers the feeling that they are down to earth and practical should consider using brown in their logo.  Brown is also closely tied with dependability and reliability. Examples of brown logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_brown-ups-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_brown-godiva-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_cracker-barrel-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_brown-hersheys-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_caribou-coffee-logo.jpg
  Pink Is there any color that is more closely associated with femininity than pink?  Pink is light and fun and flirty and fresh and can be great for logos directed towards female consumers.  It is also tied closely to the idea of sweetness and works well for confectioners or bakeries. Examples of pink logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_pink-barbie-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_t-mobile-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_pink-orkut-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_hello-kitty-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_pink-vs-logo.jpg
  Multi-Colored While most logos will utilize more than one color, the logo design standards typically state that you should limit your color choices to no more than 2-3.  However, there are circumstances where it might make sense to use a multitude of colors in your company logo.  For instance, if you are trying to convey that you offer a wide variety of products and services, a multi-colored logo could work well.  Using more than 3 colors also helps convey that your brand is inclusive and is focused on diversity.  If those are key pillars of your companies brand, multiple colors could work well in your logo. Examples of multi-colored logos:
a1sx2_Thumbnail1_google-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_windows-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_ebay-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_bahamas-logo.jpg a1sx2_Thumbnail1_olympic-logo.jpg

Font Dictionary – Accents

Accents and Diacritics

Font Dictionary : Accents and Diacritics

If you are a native English-speaker, accent marks or diacritics may be a foreign concept.  Outside of English, accent marks are extremely common in foreign languages like French, German, Italian, Spanish and other languages.  In a nutshell, an accent mark or diacritic is an addition to some characters that helps to note a specific pronunciation. 

The history of the use of accents and diacritics is actually very interesting.  The word diacritic comes from the Greek word, diakritikos, which means “distinguishing” and that is exactly what these unique characters do.  Accents distinguish stressed syllables from non-stressed syllables, short vowels from long vowels and in some languages, the accent mark or diacritic can create entirely new sounds that can’t be created with the standard alphabet.  

Whatever the use, many accent marks or diacriticals have a fascinating history.  For instance, in French, accent marks were adopted over time as a way to distinguish the upper, more learned people from the general public.  This distinction was seen as so critical to the French that it was used as one of the core reasons to establish l’academie francaise in 1635.  The stated goal of l’academie was to protect the rich history of the French language, but much of the work was dedicated to marking the separation of “the educated from the ignorant”.  Members of the academy purposely chose more complicated spellings, with particular emphasis on accents and diacritics so that it would be easier to separate the working class, who favored simpler spellings, from the intellectuals.  The history of Spanish and Italian accent marks is also similar.

Within the area of typography and font design, accents and diacritics can pose a challenge if the designer is not an experienced reader or writer of the particular language in which the accents are employed.  It is critical the accent marks within a font bear the correct weight, height and alignment with their primary characters.  While accent marks should hold some of the key style characteristics of the entire font, it is vitally important that the accent marks remain clear and detached from the primary character set.  Diacritics should never collide with any character, which could confuse and blur the overall shape, which would affect the meaning.


Accent Marks & Diacritics Illustrated:  

There are many different types of accent marks and diacritics depending on the language.  Accent marks can vary from being a mark or an addition to a primary character to an entirely new character.  Below are some common examples illustrated:

 

 
Àà  Áá  Ãã Āā Ăă
Grave Acute  Tilde Macron Breve

 

Ḃḃ

 

Ââ

 

Čč

 
Ąą

Ää 
Dot Circumflex Caron Ogonek Umlaut

 

Þþ

 

Øø

 

Çç

 

Ůů

 


Űű

 Thorn Slash  Cedilla Ring Double 
 
 
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Creating a logo for a jewelry business (Part 1)

Tips & Ideas for Jewelry Company Logos

 

Mosaic1Whether you are running a veritable jewelry empire or you just want to sell a few hand-crafted jewelry pieces on Etsy or a website, creating a logo is one of the first steps towards creating a memorable brand. The right logo has the power to help connect people instantly with your brand, and a bad logo can very easily do the opposite.

With a jewelry business, you are selling a product that can be elegant, understated and timeless, yet on the flip-side, can also be quirky, unique and colorful. Jewelry is the ultimate accessory and the type of jewelry a person wears is usually a very personal choice. A person’s jewelry is usually chosen to help reflect their unique personality and your business and logo should help cater to that.

Before creating a logo for your jewelry business, it’s important that you understand who your target market is so that your logo will appeal to that market. A logo for a teenage girls costume jewelry line would be vastly different than a logo for a high-end jeweler. You’ll also want to have a good understanding of your brand personality so that you can create a jewelry logo that will represent your jewelry business well.

 

Color Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

Color-graphicChoosing the right colors for your jewelry logo can help set your business apart from the pack.  There are no hard and fast rules about the right colors for a jewelry logo, but there are definitely some combinations that have been proven to work well.  Here are a few of the best ways to use color in your jewelry logo:

 [icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Go bold – bright jewel tones are excellent for jewelry logos

 [icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Play with pastel hues for a fresh, girly appeal

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] If your target market is young females, incorporate pink and purple for a girly appeal

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For a high-end look, incorporate metallics like gold, silver and bronze

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Use several shades of the same color, which gives a rich, lustrous appearance

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Go for an understated elegance with just black

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Try incorporating shades of purple, which evokes a feeling of richness and royalty

 

Image Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

Image-graphic

Not every logo needs an image to convey it’s message, but in the case of a jewelry business, most companies would be best served to incorporate an image in their logo. Again, your choice of logo image should be tied directly to your target market and your brand proposition, but here are some ideas that we know work well for both everyday jewelry lines and high-end jewelers:

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Use jewelry within your logo. A gemstone, a ring or a necklace all lend themselves to making excellent jewelry logo images.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Go geometric – If you want something a little less obvious, try incorporating geometric shapes into your logo design.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Try something ornate – Not recommended for every jewelry business, but if your jewelry features highly detailed designs, think about creating a logo that reflects your style

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] Connect your logo with beauty by incorporating the beauty of nature. Flowers, butterflies, pearls and anything colorful can all work well for jewelry logos.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For an understated, elegant look, use a simple monogram rather than an image.

 

Font Ideas for Jewelry Logos

 

FontBall-graphicChoosing the right font for your jewelry logo can help convey the personality of your brand more than almost anything. There is no right or wrong way to choose a font – you’ll likely have to experiment a bit to find just the right one. That being said, if you know the message you want your brand to convey, it’ll be much easier to find the font for your logo that best fits your brand. Here are a few ideas:

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For an accessible, everyday jewelry brand – Choose something fun, upbeat and accessible. Casual handwriting fonts work especially well, also unique, quirky fonts can be great for the right brand.

[icon name=icon-ok][/icon] For a high-end, expensive jewelry brand – Choose something elegant like a script font or a classic serif-style. Both font styles evoke a feeling of history and richness that are great representations of a high-end brand. 


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