In times of change decisions are hard to make, particularly when we are faced with the type of decisions that “last a lifetime.” Business decisions are not any different. They always imply careful consideration, budgeting, market analysis and risk evaluation.
There are no simple decisions in business, especially not when we are dealing with situations that impact the brand. The change of a logo, part of a more extensive re-branding process, is obviously such a situation. As Pamil Visions grows I felt the need to move from the unprofessional logo I made in 2005 to one that encompasses the company vision, mission and values.
It was not easy to choose an identity designer to do the job. I spent at least two weeks looking at designers’ portfolios online, emailing, chatting with logo designers, trying to find someone with the right vision and business approach to ensure a long-term collaboration with Pamil Visions. I needed a designer ready to take over brochure designs, catalogs and work for our clients as well. Believe me, it’s hard to find someone able to answer in a timely manner and someone who also has a very professional conduit.
Eventually Alina Popescu recommended Beatrice Jach of GreenIdentity. Her portfolio alone gave me a positive feeling “This is an artist who will understand what we want.”
Her first reply to my inquiry impressed me even more: Beatrice was traveling at that point, but she still took the time to respond to my questions and to make a quote. So here there were, the two plus points that made the first impression certitude: Beatrice will sign the new Pamil Visions logo.
I needed something simple, elegant, positive and creative and this is exactly what Beatrice delivered. I wanted something that conveys the company’s new slogan “real dreams” and this is what you see…
The symbol, the dreamcatcher, is meant to be dynamic and bold to get as much attention as the lettering without overpowering it, it can easily be used as a recognizable mark on any printed material. I tried to go with a slightly not so perfect symmetrical shape to give it a movement feel, like the wind is blowing in the dreamcatcher… – explains Beatrice.
The following are three variations of the logo and I would like your opinions to help me choose the one that will represent Pamil Visions in the years to come.
So which one would it be and why? 1a, 1b or 2a? Any additional comments you have are most than welcome. Beatrice herself will be reading your comments and I am sure she will appreciate feedback and constructive criticism.
Good job! They all look great.
They are all so similar it is difficult to pick a favorite.
If I had to go with only one of them, then I think I’d pick the last one, 2a. The spokes appear to me to be more outward than inward, suggesting an openness.
I prefer the first one – clearer and cleaner than the other two. The third one if softer but looks a bit more busy.
I vote for 2a
Hope you choose that one! 
I just read the post and took a look at the new logos. These are my first impressions::
1. The dreamcatcher symbol looks nice but only a few people will realize that it is a “dreamcatcher”, and bother about the symbolic meaning
2. The style of the symbol is completely different from the modern font of the text. That’s not very satisfactory. Personally I would prefer a modern symbol too.
3. Esthetically I prefer the logo 2a but that’s only a slight difference. All three are acceptable
I’m looking forward to final look of Palmvisions,
Success,
Rob
Of the three, 1a gets my vote. The slight imbalance in the other two marks leaves me wondering if it was a mistake, rather than a conscious decision.
I think the type could be kerned better. For instance, look at the ‘i’ and ‘l’ of ‘pamil’. Their closeness adds visual weight to this section of the name, and extra spacing would definitely help.
Good luck.
2a is perfect, Mig.
1a gets my vote because of it’s simplicity and clarity compared to the other two.. I agree with David of course on that the 3 lines of m, i and l are too close, making it look crowded at that point…
my bests
Pearl
2a all the way … i would also change the lavender to something more bold. -khris
Definitely 1a, the other ones are not iconic enough. Have you considering looking at 99designs.com and putting up a little competition to get a logo designed?
I think 2a is the best of the bunch, but I agree with Rob: the style of the dreamcatcher doesn’t align with the look and feel of the font. I also think the coloring is kind of unpronounced and needs more umph.
I hope that helps!
They all look kinda the same. But my vote goes to no 1. (1a)
1a is the best one
I prefer 2a myself, it feels a little more intricate, and the eye lingers longer, trying to decode and find patterns. Very nice work. I like the font as well.
1a is good. The graphic isn’t overdone on this one, and it’s the most elegantly simplistic overall.
2a…I like the detail!
Out of all of them I am most drawn to 1a, more for its simplicity — and as someone already mentioned it is more iconic too. If you use it as a favicon or something similarly small it will still be recognizable. That said, I do prefer the color of “pamil” within 2a than the one that is within 1a. I also have to agree with the person that mentioned there should be more “pow” in the color than what the violet/purple is giving off.
Good luck! Look forward to seeing what the final decision ends up being
I would say 2a as I think it works best here and would print the best out of the three. As someone said above the font may be a little too modern for the dreamcatcher but I think it could work. Also maybe adjust the kerning on the mil it seems a little too tight. I like the direction you are going though. Cheers~
You got some great results for your logo design. I am thinking that I like the first option best. But I do like the dreamcatcher in 2a. Can’t wait to see what you choose.
Number one for me. And I are a graphic designer.
I vote for 1a, by all means. Clean, sober, serious. Great. Like you are.
My vote is for 2a. I think dreamcatchers have a delicate look about them, and 2a portrays that image best.
Hope all is well with you, Mig!
Lisa
Hi Mig,
my favorite is 1a.
Easy, symmetric and clearly a dreamcatcher
The symmetric strong lines that are more concentrated in the middle make it an eyecatcher.
CU
i like the color scheme of 2a with the clean, circular logo of 1a – nice work!
Thank you everyone for your comments. Before I go into detail, I’d like to remind you that these are the very first drafts of the logo and yes, there is some room for improvement.
For Rob:
“The style of the symbol is completely different from the modern font of the text. That’s not very satisfactory.”
I have not seen a “modern” dreamcatcher yet, how does a modern one look anyway?
I think a dreamcatcher is a symbol that stays true to its origins, it is a hand crafted item most of the times and hardly makes you think of perfection and modern cuts, but rather aspirations, creativeness, and none the less dreams.
For David:
I agree with you, David, when you talk about the spacing, well pointed. About the “slight imbalance of the marks”, as I already said in the quote that Mig included in her introduction, it was ment to be a not so perfect nor symmetrical icon to suggest movement, imperfection gives room for beautiful details.
For Tina:
I found it refreshing to be asked to design a logo using this particular lilac/lavender shade, I think it is playful, creative and different. Most of the times I get asked to use the same boring corporate color combos and I try hard to convince my clients to go for other options as well, luckily this time around I didn’t have to.
I went for a creative stylized icon that does not necessarily have to look like a “modern” dreamcatcher from the future, I think old as in “well known/established” goes hand in hand with the modern fluid lines of the customized font.
As far as the logo is concerned, I would go for the first one. And, if I may comment as a graphic designer myself I would work on the typo. The ‘il’ in “Pamil” is not right; the letters are too close together, and almost make a vertical bar.
1a gets my vote – it’s much bolder and more clear than others, not so intricate yet distinct. I’m not too crazy about the chosen typeface, the “m” is just too wide, and it’s the first letter that pops up when I look at the name.
I do like the dreamcatcher motif though, very well though out.
I agree 100% with David Airey. 1a is my pick.
Thank you everyone for your valuable feedback. It was my mistake not specifying that the 3 logos are “first drafts” – this generated some confusion and I apologize. Despite my error, the positive is the the logos trigger reactions, which is actually what any artist hopes for when creating a logo. Obviously 1a is more popular – and considering that this was our (Pamil Visions’ team) first choice, this will be our choice, of course with the needed refinements. For example, one “must” is to separate the two word “pamil” and “visions” which read now as spelled in one. This is already creating confusion as to how we’ll spell the brand in the future. But these details, important as they are, will not be discussed now.
About the colors: the purple was deliberately chosen. Pamil Visions was always about “public relations with a personal touch” – and if we go for a “corporate” color, the essence of our values will lose its meaning. We’ll keep the corporate aspect in the namestyle, but the predominant colors remains purple. Despite the “feminine” feel, purple is the color of royalty. It also stimulates imagination and creativity and it is considered by many nations a “sacred color” – (it does represent mourning in Thailand, but it really depends on the tone used, and the one we chose is light and positive).
The dreamcatcher represents Pamil Visions for over 2 years now. While many believe that dreamcatchers are used in childrens’ rooms to protect them against nightmares, there are deeper meanings connected to this ancient symbol:
Public relations is about helping people reach their goals… so you see… no accident here.
Once again: the new logo does not represent this blog, but our PR company Pamil Visions. My impression is that Beatrice fully understood what we need and that she created an excellent logo. I am truly happy we chose her.
The final logo design will be integrated in the redesign of http://www.pamil-visions.com. I can already tell you that we chose the talented designers of Yellow Bird Design.
Mig,
Sorry to get in on your discussion late. But I do prefer the simplicity of the first design — you’ll lose the detail of the others when you reduce the icon. I also agree with everyone on the kerning issue, and also wonder if the icon is a bit large for the type. You might consider reducing it to line up with the ascenders and descenders of the font — it just “feels” too big for me.
As for the color, I don’t mind the purple as long as the second color is a very clear crisp black.
Good luck and thanks for the invitation — I’m afraid I’ve been out of the loop recently!
Best,
Marcia
I came here through Pearl at Interesting Observations and since I came all this way, I’ll offer my opinion. I like 1a for the same reasons as Pearl, actually. However, I do like the coloring of “pamil” in 2a the best – I think the blue and lilac look crisper and clearer together than the black and lilac and my eye is naturally drawn to those colors when standing back and looking at all three. So there is my free opinion. I will be interested in seeing which you choose to go with.
Thank you for the feedback, Teeni.
Somewhere at the end of the month you’ll be able to see everything: final logo and identity.
i would include the logo as the o from visions.
so it would be like pamilvisi( )ns
I vote for 1a, by all means. Clean, sober, serious. Great. Like you are.