This Craftsman centric community is most often incorrectly lumped in with its larger neighbor to the north, hence, the bold emphasis on the key word "South" and the boxy structure containing a classic font.
Sometimes a good idea has to evolve. Here, the original concept of an iconic cash register was too retail-oriented to connect with the broader base.It was a small business audience in a seminar series. Yet, the audience was decidedly indie, a bit retro, and so . . . this simple typographic treatment rang true.
Logos. That's what I mean by "Brand Flags."
I love logo design, and have a portfolio of fine accomplishments in that arena. However, I think they're now easily obtainable for a nickel apiece, or perhaps one whole dollar, on the Interwebs, or from a newly minted art school student, or a nephew of the entrepreneur. So, while I'm eager to engage in a logo design project, I'm more interested in creating your brand flag.
Branding, despite taking its nickname from a graphic symbol heat-seared into a cowhide prior to the poor beasts demise (ouch!) in order to differentiate one cowboy's cow from anothers, is more than creating a visual symbol. Branding is creating an identity that even a stranger can describe in their own words, and be very near to the mark in describing what your business sells, or does. It's an image in the mind, which may be triggered by an image on paper, or these days, on screen. It's also triggered by what your employees say, and wear, and emote. It's the context in which a customer connects with your message - online, in person, or on an old-fashioned TV Set. For mega-brands its even a lifestyle, a mindset, a significant part of a customers identity. Disney kids. Subaru lovers. Apple hipsters.
There's a lot that goes into creating a brand. Its teamwork, digging, differentiating. I can help you and your team with that. And along the way, I can even make for you a brand new logo.
While at Disney, I designed the logo for Captain Eo, the Michael Jackson, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola 3-D attraction. The original logo had been rejected by Jackson as too bubblegum pop, and what was called for was a super hero symbol. The technology being showcased was state-of-the-art 3D, so I thought of the old visual puzzle of the fork with three tines - or is that four? That image was accepted by Disney execs, but they insisted on making the confusing letterform more readable, so we added the crossbar, clearly defining an "E." As a twenty-something I was outraged, but the passage of time has revealed the wisdom of the higher-ups to me. Good call, Jeffrey Katzenberg. Much kudos goes to H. R. "Russ" Russell, logo and poster illustrator extraordinaire.
To most locals the City of South Pasadena is known as "South Pas" and aesthetically its bones are in its nineteenth century, midwestern small-town feel and canopy of old oak trees.
Cartoons can connect. This carrot runner is seen over a lima bean, referencing the parent logo of the South Pasadena Farmers' Market, which I commissioned but did not create.
Once in a while a logo just needs a clean-up. This font was selected by singer-songwriter Brad Colerick to promote his weekly series.
I just finessed the wine glass a wee bit to look like a companion letterform.