A rebrand for our favourite coffee spot in Spring Hill
No job too big or too small. We recently completed a rebrand for local cafe Sisco.
They wanted a logo that reminded them of happy times around Grandma’s kitchen table and reflected the ‘our place is your place’ atmosphere of the cafe.
The result was a simplistic take on those special doilies that everyone’s Grandma has and we all, though maybe not admit it, love.
Our new studio mascot
Brave Creative has moved into a new studio in the beautiful inner city suburb of Teneriffe in Brisbane.
Here’s a pic of the new studio’s mascot.
Paul van Barneveld : design over a stiff vodka (manifesto part 3)
Yesterday we heard about the thinker and the creator. Today Paul will let us in on a little secret.
Am I a commodity provider or an expert?
We have all heard it… those four words uttered by the client… ‘Make the logo bigger…’ Is it designers fault that this phrase exists? Is it because we don’t believe enough in our own ability to be able to say no? Why aren’t clients respecting out position as the experts?
I am sure a doctor has never heard: So Doc… thanks for your advice but I think a good dose of penicillin would work better!
I recently attended a presentation by business mentor to design studios and advertising agencies and author of ‘Win Without Pitching’, Blair Enns. He commented on where he thought most design studios sat on the scale of ‘Expert’ or ‘Commodity’ provider.
He defined the ultimate in commodity providers as websites such as 99 Designs selling logos and designs for next to nothing and the expert specialsing in a particular area of design, making them the sort after practitioner in their field.
Alarmingly, he suggested most design studios sat smack in the middle with little or no differentiation between them. The conclusion? Without becoming an expert in your field; sooner or later you’ll slide across into the commodity provider end of the scale.
But is there enough room out there for everyone to be an expert? At Brave Creative we position ourselves as a branding studio, but so do so many others. Being confronted by the idea of sliding down to the commodity end of the scale is a scary prospect.
So what’s my point of difference? Can I ever be an expert? The truth is, I’m already an expert.
My specialty is branding, but not just the delivery of a great logo. My specific process is to look at a business and extract the finest detail to understand its personality and then bring it to life through a brand, not only visually but also through the culture of the business and its people.
The problem is I haven’t told anyone I’m an expert. I’m sure I’m not the only designer who has kept a similar little secret.
End part 3.
We are looking forward to Friday when Paul will share with us his final words over a stiff vodka.
Find our more about Paul van Barneveld at www.bravecreative.com.au
Some old favourites
Here are some of our favourite brand marks from the past few years:
We all get attachments for different reasons: sometimes the effort (sometimes the ease) at which the brand mark was born, knowing how far it came from original concept or just plain lovin the colours…
Personally I love the Poultry CRC chooks feet (childhood memories), it was the main reason I asked to be part of the BC family (lucky they said yes!).
You can check out more of our favs at www.bravecreative.com.au
Your brand is more than just your business card (BC flyers)
Just like you, your business has a personality… and you express that personality through your business’ brand.
Flyers fresh off the press (oh how they smell) – just in time for The Small Business Mastermind Summit with Selina Scoble which we were major sponsors of and attended in the early hours of this morning.
Website launch
We are pleased as punch to see the Brave Creative brand take further flight with the launch of www.bravecreative.com.au
We invite you to have a look at our work (and beautiful portraits thanks to Les Dixon) and find out a little bit more about your Brave family.
(A huge star goes to Luke for his mammoth effort and perseverance.)
Late welcome to 2011
Like all of us on the east side of this large country, we had a sodden start to the year. However things have kicked off and 2011 at Brave is shaping up to be full of wonder and excitement.
For the elves at Brave, Christmas saw blizzards in New York, beaches in Bali (with a bout of dengue to follow), visitors from London and all round relaxation and rejuvenation in preparation for the year ahead.
In local news: The new Brave website is a breath away from life – we’ll keep you posted. We have been busy with illustration – posters up soon. An exciting rebrand of our local coffee haunt is in progress – cant wait to share.
Yay for 2011!
Multiple Personality Syndrome – Gateway Upgrade Project Logo
Back in 2005 Brave Creative designed a logo for the Gateway Upgrade Project, branding the duplication of the Gateway Bridge in Brisbane.
This is the original (designed in 2005 for QLD Dept. of Main Roads)
In 2006 Queensland Motorways took over ownership of the project and decided to ‘update’ the logo to match their corporate branding (below: note the total disregard for the typography and its relationship to the graphic – it hurt).
A year later we were on a rec for a photo shoot and came across this electrical business who loved the logo so much, they decided to make it their own.
THEN… in 2009
… as avid enthusiasts for United States for Tara, while watching one of the brilliant episodes we came across this:
We are unsure if we should be flattered or offended by this obvious infatuation with this brand mark, but guys… seriously!
Brave new signage
Our brave new signage is installed (thanks AllClear). A day to be excited – even the rain won’t get us down!
Free font study : Crazy Crazy
Brand Identity: Headonsim Hair Salon (Brisbane, Australia)
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