It’s time to bite the bullet and give HUS a real brand identity. The site will be redesigned soon to make HUS a more user-friendly and streamlined experience – it’s outgrown my ability to manage things independently.
The first step was commissioning a logo. It’s been a fun process, and I would love your input! My goal was a logo that is youthful, vibrant, clever and unisex.
First, help me choose between the banner that will reside at the top of the blog:
[polldaddy poll=6478834]
Here’s the logo that will be used for general branding purposes:
[polldaddy poll=6478843]
What do you think overall? I’d love to hear your feedback!
{ 93 comments… read them below or add one }
The orange/pink looks brown/purple on my computer. I’d prefer a fish hook to a plant hook in the banner. Otherwise it looks like the site is about decorating with plants.
The interlocking hooks look sexual to me. Paging Dr Freud. . .
Duh! It just occured to me that your commissioning a logo no doubt reflects upon the growing success of the website as a business. I respect and admire your accomplishment, Susan.
@J
Haha, that’s actually a screw hook.
How weird that the orange pink is not rendering correctly. The outline and SMART lettering are brown. Pink inside “hooking up” and orange behind the double hooks.
Thanks, J! Yes, it is time. In fact, it’s overdue. I’ve had some good media exposure, and my graphics are so “janky” as my kids would say.
Haha, that’s actually a screw hook.
Screw hook? Well that makes perfect sense then!
No seriously, it looks like the sort of decorative hook that people used to screw into their ceilings and hang plants or swag lamps from during the late 70s/early 80s. Maybe that’s just my age talking and younger people wouldn’t recognize it as such.
“Janky”??? I kind of like the current look (which was an improvement on the previous one), particularly the header . . . but I’ve always preferred the way we can personalize the template with Blogger to the way everything is so streamlined and professional on Wordpress . . . which seems to be the minority opinion!
I’ll have to think a little longer about which logos I prefer and vote later.
Congratulations on this next big step, Susan!
Sorry, the fishhook motif is terrible.
I wish you had a choice of logos instead of merely colors.
Sorry, I don’t like the icon or the font styles. Neither looks good.
I agree that the screw hook isn’t right. A fish hook would be a better choice. Yet the whole concept of “hooking up” could be better conveyed with the concept of the monkey chains. Maybe substitute with people instead.
http://www.oldtimecandy.com/assets/images/toys/toys_monkey_barrel.jpg
The Hooking Up logo can be sexier if you allow it to be a phallic symbol.
Of course, a steer nose hook can be an interesting alternative way. Who is leading who exactly.
Yet the whole concept of “hooking up” could be better conveyed with the concept of the monkey chains. Maybe substitute with people instead.
I like this. It’s fresher than using metal hooks.
The outline and SMART lettering are brown.–Yes, I see that
Pink inside “hooking up” and orange behind the double hooks.–No, I see purple for pink and medium brown for orange.
The purple looks appropriate for the audience and blog.
Yes, the fonts do leave something to be desired: they hearken back to the gameshows of the 70′s or something. At least don’t use the green – it’s become WAY too associated with environmental causes, and then green also is continuously used when discussing financial/money conerns, for obvious reasons. Not intimacy.
The hook reminds me of the sillouhette of the naked chick on those truck mudflaps: the women here is on her back, hair hanging down at the lower left, there’s a breast in profile poking up at the top, and she is more like a mermaid, with a “fishy” bottom half that curls up and around – hooked by a fishing line, no less. Anyone else see this?
Other than that, not bad. Confusion is preferable to indifference, as far as branding goes.
Congrats on the growth of the site, Susan.
My graphic design class taught me that the color green subconsciously conjures a feeling of disgust in its viewer.
I think it fits the currently SMP nicely.
In the second logo, why isn’t the fishhook hooking a fish? That’s why it doesn’t work.
What type of hook is hooking the fishhook? It looks very strange. I thought it might be a female stylized as a hook, but not really.
The second logo is showing 3 different hooks that are each not hooking an intended target.
I’m not a fan of the theme to be honest. At first I thought the hook was a question mark, which seemed to capture the spirit of the audience well – young men and women reading the website for clarification about how they interact with the opposite sex. But then I realized it was a hook. Do you really want your logo to be a pun? If the answer is yes, I still think that the hook looks too harsh, almost violent. Although some sexual interactions (hookups) might be accurately represented that way, most aren’t, and the ideal of a relationship (what you seem to advocate here) is fairly antithetical to that.
I would recommend something that avoids graphics, particularly the hook pun – perhaps using the words of the sites name alone? or the acronym HUS?
I agree with the commenter towards the top who pointed out that the need for a logo (which seems appropriate) is a sign of your success, so congratulations is due.
It’s great that you’re growing this, Susan!
However, from a graphic design perspective, I have to echo some of the comments that the logos don’t look very good. The typography and style look dated and not in a good way. The color schemes also leave much to be desired.
I would whip up something for free if you’re interested.
Sorry I don’t like either. They look too…cold, detach and serious, like is a business for building stuff. This site is supposed to be more warm, organic and fun. The hook does not convey a lot of what is happening here IMO.
The hooking a fish and monkeys on a barrel seem more appropriated. The fish because of the “plenty of fish” and the “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle” infamous phrase (maybe a design of a fish riding a bicycle? Although I’m sure the feminist will burn themselves over it) and the monkeys because all the evo-psych the sites mentions and how it relates to the “monkey” brain in all of us.
Although if you paid for this already I would choose the one that supposedly looks pink-orange (like J it looks brown to me), hope that helps.
I don’t care for them either. As Hope says, they look very dated. The green on my monitor could best be described as “puke green,” and the orange/pink shows up as brown/purple.
Susan,
I prefer the current banner by Titian. It sets the right tone: continuity, mythos, intimacy, reflection and civility. The site feels less like an accidental click and more like a… secret garden. So, pardon me for intruding on the interesting discussion you’re having here. Lol.
I don’t know if the vectored logo invokes anything. What kind of place is it suppose to describe?
Looks corporate committeeish.
Recruit one of your young female readers with a sense of style to hook you up.
The first one looks okayish, while the second one looks somewhat terrifying. I don’t like the white hook, but the rest of the first one is fine. White hook? Bad.
I don’t know what the chair-ish looking thingy and the hook are trying to do on the second logo. Are they trying to hurt me? Rip out my innards? Ahhhh! Save me! I’m being perforated!
I made these over lunch break. They are a bit corporatish, but not colored so can be changed to suit a different tone depending on the overall color scheme. Cardinal rule of logo design: it must look good and legible in black and white.
A few are nautical themed because I had some vectors. Also I thought about “sailing the ship right” and all that.
http://www.rosehope.com/hus.jpg
@Hope
Those are great!
I’m still not too crazy about the hook imagery, although the pun makes sense.
I also design wordpress and other sites in my spare time, but I don’t like freelancing for random clients so I only do friends and family. If you need redesign help, let me know (I work fast) before my due date in three weeks.
A few are nautical themed because I had some vectors. Also I thought about “sailing the ship right” and all that.
How about the fish with the bicycle? I was thinking that the “OO” could be the wheels of the bike and have fish tail be part of the S on smart down the hooking up. Smart being highlight of course.
I could draw it but I can’t design it and I’m curious or how it will look. If you think it would be worth it of course.
These are just awful.
Design and coloring.
The combination of groovy 70s font and coloring and more modern sharp font is ghastly. The hooks are at best confusing and at worst disturbing.
Ditch the pun. It’s amateurish.
I think the first “O” in “hooking” should be the female symbol (with the little cross) and the second “O” should be the male symbol (with the arrow).
Just consider it.
Anacaona, actually it sounds like people don’t like punny logos and want just the text, so probably more will hate the fish/bicycle thing.
Most don’t think too much about logos as long as it’s easy enough to read what it says. The overall usability and professionalism of the look matter more.
Anacaona, actually it sounds like people don’t like punny logos and want just the text, so probably more will hate the fish/bicycle thing.
Okay it might be a personal preference then. I like “figures” to associate with my franchises more often than not.
I like Hope’s #5 and 6 more than I like the professionally done logos. Hope’s #6 is the only one that references relationship. The rest sort of make me want to eat a lobster.
Eh, don’t like any of them. Honestly, get some more graphic artists on this…
Not crazy about either of them. The “hook” is not a useful visual because that type of hook has nothing to do with the concept of “hooking up”, which is love/sex related, not fishing/carpentry related. That is to say, the hook is confusing and makes the meaning of “hooking up” harder to understand, not easier. The color schemes are bad too. Not to be harsh, but I’d go back to the drawing board entirely.
Hate to be a turd in the punch bowl, but none of them really do it for me.
Maybe a picture of some egg heads making out would be better – or Einstein gettin’ busy.
The “hook” is not a useful visual because that type of hook has nothing to do with the concept of “hooking up”, which is love/sex related, not fishing/carpentry related. That is to say, the hook is confusing and makes the meaning of “hooking up” harder to understand, not easier.
That’s what’s nice about the hooking monkey toy idea–you get “hooks” in the context of relationships.
@Hope
Most don’t think too much about logos as long as it’s easy enough to read what it says. The overall usability and professionalism of the look matter more.
I’m really in the minority, then, because I like original headers on a blog, even if they’re just “scrapbook” type headers. Admittedly, I’ve noticed a correlation between unique “statement” headers and amateur blogs. Since Susan is going for a more professional look, she shouldn’t listen to me!
But . . . if there must be graphics, then I like Anacaona’s idea about the fish and the bicycle.
I prefer the concept of Hope’s sixth logo.
I don’t really care for the “vintage” feel of the ones above.
Per meister’s and J’s feedback, I’ve revised the logos. There are now 3 with references to relationships.
I still don’t understand why we’d want to give attention the fish with bicycles idea. I thought it refers to how women don’t need men, which is not the mission statement here?
I would much prefer any of Hopes designs to the ones that you offered, and, if I may say, this might be the time to consider renaming your site.
The truth is that you almost always argue against “hooking up” and the grammar kinda sucks, which is also awkward since you are basically advising people to be more adult about their sexual/relationship decisions.
Anyway, just a thought.
Hope, I think the idea is to reference feminism and be ironic about it.
@Hope
Ramble’s right. It’s the irony. Susan telling her young fish that there is no shame in wanting a good bicycle and taking the steps necessary to get one.
@Ramble
I’m not sure about changing the name, though. I see your point, but HUS already has a lot of brand recognition (and notoriety!).
I’m not sure about changing the name, though. I see your point, but HUS already has a lot of brand recognition (and notoriety!).
I agree changing the name at this point is a bad move. Everyone knows the site for what it is.
And Hooking up Smart has room for a better mating strategy in its definition and really since hooking up is a vague term anyway (from kissing to full intercourse) why doing it smartly couldn’t be closer to traditional dating anyway?
Bellita, I see. I think logos are meant to be a conceptual representation, not ironic. Then again I am not really a logo designer. I mainly do web dev/design and dabble in print and digital art.
Echoing the other commenters – these logos aren’t doing it. Especially the orange and pink, it makes me think of Dunkin’ Donuts.
I strongly vote for Hope’s logos 5 and 6.
Dunkin’ Donuts.
You have any idea how long has been since I ate Dunkin Donuts? I used to go weekly when I was at college in my country and they bankrupted in 2002 and left the country, then I married a gringo thinking that I could get to eat them again (I didn’t married him just for the donuts I swear!)…They don’t sell those in the West Coast…life is a bitch and then you die…
@ Ana:
Hey, at least you have In-N-Out.
Hey, at least you have In-N-Out.
Wanna trade?
I’m sorry, i work as a designer and none of them work. The ‘smart’ font doesn’t go with the retro ‘hooking up’ at all and why is the title touching the border? there should be some space on both sides of the title and space between the words. The hooks give a weird eerie/violent feel and the brown colour makes me think of sludge or motor oil. It’s all very confusing and mechanical feeling – not at all like a blog on relationships.
I like reading this blog but these new headers are seriously not good.
@ail – “The hooks give a weird eerie/violent feel and the brown colour makes me think of sludge or motor oil.”
But will it play well with the goth crowd?
Got to say I think they’re terrible… You don’t need some sort of pictographic logo – I think stick to text, and both of those fonts are pretty bad too, with a colour scheme which is neither clean, or pretty…
I’d start again too…
I dont like these at all soz….I agree with above….In some ways the original header is different it attracted me as unusual. Stick to a clean text Logo. No hooks plzz.
It looks like a mermaid silhouette in doggy-position, grabbing her fin in the heat passion, being skewered by a gigantic hook, as remembered through a LSD-induced flashback of ’70′s children’s books by Richard Scarry.
Other than that… They’re great!
I like your changes, Hope. The one with the birds is pretty. I wonder what #5 would look like with the make and female symbols interlocked?
I wonder if Susan is banging her head against a desk now. Given how many opinions we have about her logo choices….
I really like Hope’s new logos as well. I think a relationship-themed logo makes more sense than any of the “pun” logos.
Love Hope’s #5. Simple, clever and androgynous.
…I liked the green 70s-looking logo.
Hm. The silence is ominous. We are all SO going to get banned.
Should have just provided validation.
Hi Susan,
Congratulations on the success of your site. I develop brands for a living and I’m sorry to say that these logos don’t reflect the sophisticated discourse of HookingUp Smart or the benefits your blog offers to younger or older audiences. Please keep in mind that your existing branding is doing no harm – it has an authenticity to it. However, launching a new brand and labeling it with a “logo” that does not effectively impart the nature of what you are doing can have negative consequences. Namely, it could be confusing to people. I genuinely had difficulty deciphering what is being depicted in the logos and their meaning despite being very familiar with your blog. Sorry to be such a downer!
Best
@Hope
I think logos are meant to be a conceptual representation, not ironic.
But isn’t this blog also a little ironic?
If I may ask now, Hope . . . Do you remember my old header/banner with the frog and the two birds in the garden? No one ever asked me about it and I’m not sure if anyone got what I was trying to say with it. If I had asked you what you think it did for my “branding,” what would you have said? (It’s up on my blog again, in case you need to see it again. I’ll take it down after I get your feedback.)
Bellita, I have no idea, but I do like that header with the frog and birds. It’s pretty, well-executed and nature-themed, and conveys a calm and positive vibe. I’m not good with symbolism analysis, but I can generally do well with designing a “feel” (being the feeler that I am). Also my husband loves frogs so there are mixed metaphors in my mind whenever I see them. Were you getting at some kind of frog prince thing?
Anacaona, well I hope I haven’t offended Susan by going ahead and making new logos. I’ve had clients give me scathing feedback before so it’s not a big deal to me. I’ve also had cases where I spent lots of time on something and they were going to pay me, but then changed their mind and didn’t use it. That’s why I try to just do this stuff for fun and learning now, not for money. I’m lucky to have a day job for that.
@Hope
Were you getting at some kind of frog prince thing?
More of a frog princess.
In any case, I’m glad you liked the “feel” of the header, which is what is important. There are a couple of “symbols” hidden in it, but they’re mostly my own private musings, and visitors to my blog can still read my posts without reference to them. On the other hand, a header with symbolism that everyone understands but with a really bad “feel” would be worse.
It’s too bad about those clients that changed their mind.
I’ve worked with other Web designers before, and they ask for 50% upfront, possibly because they’ve been burned in similar ways.
Well shit.
Hope, thank you so much for the designs. I agree with others that 5 and 6 are great.
I also appreciate the frank and constructive feedback from the troops.
I see a few haters also delurked
I am not sure what to do at this point – maybe I’ll put up the other designs that were proposed and let it rip. I have paid a smallish sum so far, but I have the right to bail. That would be beyond awkward, but hey, this is business.
The odd thing is that this design was the clear winner among everyone I asked IRL. I think part of that is that they’re kids in (or recently in) the hookup scene, and they expect something a bit edgy/sexual. That’s what they’re dealing with. But even the younguns here don’t like it much, so IDK.
@Bellita
I like your banner. It’s pretty, but it’s the header for a personal blog. It’s whimisical and has a fairytale quality that expresses you. Your own self-expression is important to your blog because you are writing for personal reasons. And whoever reads it, reads it.
This blog is an income generating blog, with advertisers. If Susan wants to create a brand/logo as a form of marketing/advertisement, she needs something that clearly says what the blog’s about. She needs to attract a high volume of readers.
I am not sure what to do at this point – maybe I’ll put up the other designs that were proposed and let it rip. I have paid a smallish sum so far, but I have the right to bail. That would be beyond awkward, but hey, this is business.
You could show your designer this thread, so s/he could get an idea of what the commentariat thinks.
The odd thing is that this design was the clear winner among everyone I asked IRL. I think part of that is that they’re kids in (or recently in) the hookup scene, and they expect something a bit edgy/sexual. That’s what they’re dealing with. But even the younguns here don’t like it much, so IDK.
That’s really interesting. My kneejerk reaction is that, since your focus group represents your target audience, you should go with their opinion. OTOH, it’s odd that the commmentariat is so difference from the target audience. That’s sort of a conundrum. Do you keep the regulars, who will continue to comment no matter what the logo looks like, happy? Or do you do what you think might attract new readers? Do people come to read your posts, our comments, or some combination of the two?
@J
I just got off the phone with my daughter. She has read this thread. She likes the logo, but she advised me to respect the choice of the regulars. She thinks that overall the regulars feel that the vibe is wrong – HUS is a warm and caring community that focuses on relationships. Maybe the logo can’t get that across, but any logo that detracts from that is problematic, in her view. I think I agree.
She loves Hope’s 5 and 6, so I’ll probably take Hope up on her offer to bang something out before the baby drops!
I don’t want hearts and flowers though – it’s too feminine and sweet. The reality of a dysfunctional SMP can’t be denied by the logo.
@J
I didn’t mean to say that Susan’s header should be more like mine. I was just wondering what Hope would have to say about it, given her comments about graphic design here. But in any case, thanks for your feedback, too.
oh, your daughter is so right Susan. I was kind of hoping your blog might be more feminine and airy, though I agree with you, I guess it can’t be all too pretty. Would you at least consider using blue &black or blue and light blue or something? Maybe with a man and a woman on the logo?
Between Hope’s 5 and 6, I probably prefer 5. I like the heart and the half circle in 6 as they evoke bringing a man and woman together in a loving relationship, but the universal male and female pictures immediately bring to mind public restroom doors. The bolder typeface in 6 might stand up better as a webpage header than the thinner type of 5, however. The clean lines of the 5 type is very timeless though.
Susan, I can send you my full portfolio if you want. For now here are a few sites I’ve done, so you can see my design style is not always feminine/airy. I can convey modern and hip.
http://www.gesi.northwestern.edu/
http://www.sallycookscakes.com/
http://www.sharedesigned.com/
First two are Wordpress sites, third one is running OpenCart.
Hope did some good designs, but I wanted to see the arms link up like a Hook Up for design #6.
Nothing wrong with the nautical theme for designs #3 and 4, but rather than an anchor, a fish hook would be better.
To improve design 5, link the two “O” together.
@SW
Then I’d say, “Listen to your daughter”. Before I was defunded, I was doing programming for teens. My sons were a big help in letting me know what appealed to their peers.
I don’t want hearts and flowers though – it’s too feminine and sweet. The reality of a dysfunctional SMP can’t be denied by the logo.
I’d say then to use Hope’s #5 as a starting point, but linking the O’s in “Hooking.” I think you want to go bold and unisex (thicker font?)without losing the warmth. I like the linked O’s because it says “relationships.”
Great looking sites, Hope!
@Bellita
Sorry if I implied that I thought you wanted this blog to look like yours. I didn’t. I was just saying that Susan needed to apply different criteria to making the decision because the two blogs had different purposes.
I added 3 more based on some of these suggestions and changed #3 slightly.
http://www.rosehope.com/hus.jpg
@Hope
The new #8 and #9 are great!
I love the websites you did, Hope. They look great.
I like the new HUS designs you just posted too. I like 7 just strictly for appeal, but think 8 would probably stand the test of time the best.
J, I think you’re right about Susan’s daughter being a good source of input on what would appear to her peers. Maybe you could also run designs past some of your focus group women, Susan.
In Hope’s number 6, replace the heart with a big ole brain. Follow your brain, not your heart.
I like #6, #8 and #9. I like #8 the best though.
#8 for me looks just perfect.
Thanks for the feedback everyone.
Passer_By, that’s a good idea. The fun thing about the Web as a medium is that more interactive things can be done, like the logo can start out with the brain, but when you hover over the image, it changes to a heart.
@Hope
I had NO idea you were such a talented website designer! I would have hired you to begin with! I searched high and low on Wordpress boards and it’s been such a frustrating process.
Susan, thank you!
Feel free to email me at my comment address.
@Hope – OK, I looked at your design thingies. They seem good, but maybe we could add some random stuff so that it looks more dynamic. Like a blockbuster movie.
I think that the logo needs a machine gun nest and barbed wire, along with a Sopwith Camel strafing college party-types on the horizon.
And zombies. Zombies are cool. If you have zombies, that means that you are hip and with it.
The zombies can be in the trenches. Or maybe in the machine gun nest. Or maybe the machine gun is shooting the zombies. Or maybe the machine gun is *made* from zombies. Or something.
Maybe there could be a zombie on the wing of the Sopwith Camel clearly trying to eat the pilot. Or maybe just trying to eat the wing of the plane. Or just kind of sitting there. I suppose it could be sleeping.
And there should be a robot somewhere. A really retro robot. Dancing. I think a dancing robot would be really keen and neato. Maybe it can be dancing with a girl vampire.
It’s important to have a vampire so that you tie in directly with that KStew trend. It doesn’t have to look like KStew. Maybe she can have a *shirt* that says K-Stew. Make sure that she looks unhappy so that people know that she really doesn’t *want* to be dancing with the robot.
JP, lol I’ve had a few clients like you. Not with zombies and guns per se but… close enough.
I’ve just put up a new post with 10 designs to critique. The 7 from the designer I hired, and 3 from Hope. Please check it out and vote!
I’ve got to admire the devotion that JP is showing in getting the logo perfect.
Hope #84 cracks me up, too easy to empathise
@Susan
Voila! I am unmasked (apart from the mask). Though you may have to clear your browser cache. I may also have solved your mystery as to why I cut my hair short nowadays.
@JustYX
Dude! What’s going on? Are you drunk on a Wednesday? New pic, new handle and a comment I cannot decipher. Clarify!
@Susan
that was me, 30ft down (third dive of the day on air)
and my hair does that above the waves if allowed…hence cutting it short
@Susan
drunk nah, just happy (for now)
and my comment on the other thread is my best in months
Anacaona:
“Susan banging her head against a desk ”
———–
Ding ding ding! We have a winner! She can go with black and blue…
Nice job, Hope.
# 9 makes me think of a unisex restroom.
Wrong emoticon, should be a smile, not a wink.
Don’t want Susan to think I wish her any harm, just being silly.