So I have this client, and they can be very open about certain things, but very hard-headed about other things. I’m not going to put the name in text coz Google will rat me out, but the name contains the word "republic".
Now, I think that word has an incredible amount of possibility for a brand, for marketing, for a cult. Especially in pop culture, and considering what it’s to be used for. They tell me they never thought about the meaning, they just picked the name (presumably because the domain was available…).
But, they’re tied to their logo.
I want to do something that will be pop-culture, appeal to their demographic, and allow for all those possibilities with marketing. For the first time in a long time after about a decade of working (sometimes) in and around this industry, I have actually been excited about doing something in what can be a very frustrating industry in terms of people following through with good ideas (in my experience), because their name is just so chalk full of inspiration…I can do so much with it.
But the client is in love with their logo.
It bugs me because of a lot of reasons, mostly that it’s unbalanced and thereby "feels" off (because it is) and because it has two drastically different fonts. And I really dislike the sticks.
The other major problem is that is has no meaning, nothing that anybody can grab hold of and own, nothing that conveys all the possible cult-isms that could be marketed…and who’s going to wear it?
Alas, it’s a losing battle.
I attempted a compromise, several, actually. This being one of them.
And a really awful version that uses their original two fonts, and, because I have not ever been able to procure the correct fonts from them, a third font for the slogan (a great example of why COMPROMISE is utterly evil). Pretty kickass slogan though, yeah? I know. THAT we are using.
I’ve been told by one of the other owners though to go ahead with the branding that we’d discussed…of course, that’s not going to work very well either, considering all the signage is black and white and has the sticks. On the doors, on the windows, on everything. So a totally different brand is going to be odd, yeah?
They said just to do it.
Which puts me in an awkward place…they’re right, but they’re wrong.
Because branding is all or nothing.
They ARE the client though, so…I do what they say? But, both of the people who have a say in their company are wrong in this situation because one is choosing the incorrect identity and the other is compromising which may confuse the consumer.
So while you’ll see off-centered black and white and sticks when you drive up, you’re soon going to see this on the website and in viral media.
My concern is that it’s going to confuse the hell out of everybody. But the customer (or client) is always right, right?
What if you got hired because of your thinking capacity, and yet they don’t listen to you, don’t do what you tell them is right, even though that’s all they hired you to do?
Isn’t anything less than total, a compromise?
Can I be Howard Roark and tell them it’s my way or the highway? I guess in a way I have permission now to do what I want, but not in total – the signage isn’t changing.
Honestly, the fact that it makes me sick to my stomach probably tells me all I need to know about the situation and the decision I should make. Or maybe that’s too all or nothing. Maybe I should just do the best job I possibly can with what I can…