What is the Cost of a Logo for Built Environment Companies?

Crwodsourced Logo Created for Quechee Music Fest

Crwodsourced Logo Created for Quechee Music Fest

I've overseen the creation of a fair number of logos over the years. I've had them designed for built environment firms, real estate development companies and some small businesses seeking an edge over the competition. The cost of a logo is almost always an issue because it's hard to value an ROI on good design.

Who are you? Who needs to know? Why should they care? How will they find out?
— Alina Wheeler, Designing Brand Identity

Many years ago my father worked for Raytheon Corporation managing the company in-house art department. I recall him talking at the time about rebranding the business and working with a major New York branding and advertising firm. The cost, as you can imagine was very high... in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Means-of-Production clients have budgets that are more down to earth so we've worked hard to come up with a process for creating high-quality logos for small and medium sized businesses. Ever since Thomas Friedman wrote the Lexus and the Olive Tree in 1995, the web has made it easy for companies to crowdsource almost everything, including graphic design. Unless your P&G, InBev or Kraft, crowdsourcing should be considered when undertaking your next rebrand but beware, it has its pitfalls. The key to a successful crowdsourced logo is to use a guide that can accurately convey goals to a graphic designer and has the experience to oversee the process. The "I'll know it when I see it approach" will only result in frustration and a poor logo. The ability to when to ask for a particular Photoshop brush, halftone drop shadow or gradient and how to request a change in color are skills that are developed over time. A brand aesthetic needs to fit a greater intention and the logo needs to be flexible enough to fulfill all of your marketing and collateral needs. 

Click on the images below to see a collection of logo's we've recently designed.

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