Logo Geek | The Logo Design & Branding Podcast

Armin Vit has established himself as an influential figure in the logo design space through his fantastic logo and brand identity reviews under the umbrella of Brand New, which now receives over 1.8 million page views each month. But how did he get started, how does he approach his reviews and what lessons has he learned along the way? In this interview, Ian Paget discovers how Armin got his job with Pentagram in the New York Office, the lessons he learned from Micheal Beirut, how he started the Brand New blog, his approach to critiquing logos, what makes a great logo design and how and why he started the Brand New Conference. To view the show notes and interview transcription visit: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/armit-vit/ Books, Blogs & Resources Mentioned Flaunt: Designing effective, compelling and memorable portfolios of creative work  Amazon UK | Amazon US Speakup Blog Archives 2002 – 2009 Brand New Blog Brand New Conference Under Consideration Sponsored by HolaBrief I’m incredibly thankful to HolaBrief who have sponsored this episode. HolaBrief is an incredible new platform for graphic designers that makes it easy to ask all the right questions to nail your design brief. You can define project goals, ask questions, create user personas, positioning maps, competitor maps and so much more  –  Sign up for free here.

Following a successful design career, and the birth of her son, Rebecca Heinemann built her own design agency CraftWell so that she could have a better work/life balance. In this episode Ian Paget interviews Rebecca to discuss her background, the reason why she built her own business, the steps she took to get it up and running and the challenges and fears faced along the way. We also discuss why we both feel it’s important to work within agencies before considering building your own business. Show notes for this episode can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/rebecca-heinemann/ Thank you to HolaBrief I’m incredibly thankful to HolaBrief who have sponsored this episode. HolaBrief is a platform that makes it easy to ask all the right questions and nail your design brief every time –  Sign up for free here.

On this weeks episode Ian Paget interviews Louise Fili, an Italian-American graphic designer who’s specialised in brand development for food packaging and restaurants for the past 30 years. We discuss how she discovered her niche, her logo design process, typography design, her incredible books and so much more. Louise Fili is a member of the Art Directors Hall of Fame, and has received the medal for Lifetime Achievement from the AIGA and the Type Directors Club. Show notes and a full transcription of the interview can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/louise-fili/   Books & Resources Mentioned Louise Fili Website Font Editing Software: Glyphs Graphique de la Rue: The Signs of Paris  Amazon UK | Amazon US Gràfica de les Rambles: The Signs of Barcelona  Amazon UK | Amazon US Grafica Della Strada: The Signs of Italy  Amazon UK | Amazon US Elegantissima: The Design and Typography of Louise Fili  Amazon UK | Amazon US   Thank you to the sponsors I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring season 3 of the Logo Geek Podcast! FreshBooks is an online accounting tool that makes it really easy to create and send invoices, track time and manage your money. You can try it out for yourself with a free 30 day trial. I’m also thankful to HolaBrief who has also sponsored this episode. HolaBrief is a platform that makes it easy to ask all the right questions and nail your design brief every time –  Sign up for free here.

Having worked on the design of sports logos and brand identity design for over 15 years, Michael Raisch has developed a deep understanding of designing for sports clubs. In this episode we dive into the differences you need to consider when working on the design of sports logos and brand identities, and some of the stories behind where the ideas were formed. Michael is also a very talented content creator, so we also discuss how he’s able to create engaging and relevant content which has attracted attention from big publications including The Guardian, HOW Design, CNN and People Magazine. Michael Raisch is a graphic designer at Fanbrandz where he’s developed sports brands with MLB and the NHL. Show notes along with an episode transcription can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/sports-branding/   Resources Discussed Links to Michaels work: Raisch Studios FanBrandz Content Examples: PreSchool Olympic 2020 Tokyo Logo Design The Football Atlas 1990’s Kid Remake Jurassic Park   Thank you to the sponsors I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the show!. FreshBooks is an online accounting tool that makes it really easy to create and send invoices, track time and manage your money. You can try it out for yourself with a free 30 day trial. I’m also thankful to HolaBrief who has also sponsored this episode. HolaBrief is a platform that makes it easy to ask all the right questions and nail your design brief every time –  Sign up for free here.

If you’re looking for a design job it can often be hard to find an opportunity, even if you’re the most talented designer. But if you get your CV and portfolio right, and put yourself out there too you’re more likely to get the job you’ve always dreamed of. To help with this, on this weeks podcast Ian Paget speaks with Charli Prangley to discuss job application tips, portfolio, CV and job interview advice, and also how she found her dream job through networking, public speaking, YouTube videos, Podcasts and a number of side projects too. Charli Prangley is a remote designer and developer at Convert kit, and is also a co-host on the Design Life Podcast. Show notes along with an episode transcription can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/finding-a-design-job/ Thank you to the sponsors I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the show!. FreshBooks is an cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. You can try it out for yourself free for 30 days just by clicking here. I’m also thankful to HolaBrief who has also sponsored this episode. HolaBrief makes it easy to ask all the right questions and nail your design brief every time. Built by designers, for designers. Go check it out here.

Typography is a core component of logo design, but so many designers lack the essential knowledge needed to use fonts correctly. To solve that, this week Ian interviews Michael Stinson to talk about the fundamentals of type, choosing and managing fonts, licensing, book recommendations and more. Michael is the typography instructor at Laguna College of Art + Design, and is also the founder and lead Instructor at TypeEd, an educational platform that teach designers about the fundamental theory of type. Show notes, and a full transcription of the interview can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/typography-fundamentals/   Typography Resources & Books Mentioned michaelstinson.com TypeEd Website Font Management: Suitcase Fusion The Anatomy of Type by Stephen Coles  Amazon UK | Amazon US Type Matters! by Jim Williams  Amazon UK | Amazon US The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst  Amazon UK | Amazon US Reading Letters: Designing for Legibility  Amazon UK | Amazon US InDesign Type: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign  Amazon UK | Amazon US The Complete Manual of Typography by James Felici  Amazon UK | Amazon US Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks  Amazon UK | Amazon US   A Big Thank You to FreshBooks FreshBooks have sponsored the Logo Geek Podcast, and I’m so thankful – without them this would not be possible (It takes so much time!!). FreshBooks is a cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself with a free 30 day trial.  

Are you struggling to work out who you are as a designer? Working out your purpose and personal brand? In this weeks episode Ian talks with Radim Malinic to learn how he discovered his passion for design, and the journey he took to establish his personal brand. We also find out how he's been able to attract big clients, and more about his latest book, ‘Book of Ideas: Volume 2’. Radim Malinic is an award winning freelance creative director, graphic designer and keynote speaker based in London who’s worked with clients including Nike, Harry Potter, London Film Museum, SyCo, Sprite and WWF. Show notes and a full transciption of this episode can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/radim-malinic/You can listen to this and other great interviews from Logo Geek on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Google Play Music or Spotify.   Resources & Books Mentioned Book of Ideas: Volume 1 by Radim Malinic  Amazon UK | Amazon US Book of Ideas: Volume 2 by Radim Malinic  Amazon UK | Amazon US Brand Nu   This Episode is Sponsored by FreshBooks I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the Logo Geek Podcast, because without them I could not make this possible.FreshBooks is an cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. It’s designed specifically for creative professionals, so it’s beautifully designed, and continually optimised and improved. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself free for 30 days.  Go check FreshBooks out!

In this episode Ian Paget speaks to George Bokhua, a truly talented graphic designer, who’s worked with companies including Disney, New Balance, NFL and Wired Magazine. Having followed his work for years, Ian describes George as one of the best practicing logo designers in the world today, so this interview dives into his life as a designer, his logo design process, idea generation, using grid systems, using social media, pricing a logo and so much more. It’s an insightful interview with a real master of logo design. View the show notes, and a full transcription here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/george-bokhua/   Books & Resources Mentioned Book: Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Mülller-Brockmann  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK Logo Design with Grids SkillShare Course George Bokhua social/design profiles: Instagram Dribbble Behance Sponsored by FreshBooks I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the Logo Geek Podcast, because without them I could not make this possible. FreshBooks is an cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. It’s designed specifically for creative professionals, so it’s beautifully designed, and continually optimised and improved. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself free for 30 days.  Go check FreshBooks out!

Finding potential logo design leads can be a challenge, but once they contact you how do you convert them to clients? How do you know if they will be good to work work with? What should you send them? On this weeks episode Ian Paget talks with Emily Cohen to learn more about qualifying clients, then creating proposals and contracts to convert your prospects into clients. Emily is a brutally honest consultant who provides strategic business advice to creative firms, and is the author of the book Brutally Honest. Show notes along with a transcription of this interview can be found here:  https://logogeek.uk/podcast/qualifying-leads-turning-them-into-clients/   Resources & Books Mentioned  Blog: Where to Find High Quality Logo Design Clients Book: The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber  Amazon UK | Amazon US Book: Brutally Honest by Emily Cohen (available for pre-order here)   The Logo Geek Podcast is Sponsored by FreshBooks I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the Logo Geek Podcast, because without them I could not make this possible. FreshBooks is an cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. It’s designed specifically for creative professionals, so it’s beautifully designed, and continually optimised and improved. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself free for 30 days.  Go check FreshBooks out!

Value Based Pricing is a term that frequently comes up when people talk about service based businesses, but exactly how it works is often a mystery to us designers. In this episode Ian Paget speaks to Blair Enns to learn what value based pricing is, and how it can be used to build a profitable business whilst also providing the best service possible to your clients. Blair Enns is the author of the highly acclaimed book The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, and Pricing Creativity: a guide to profit beyond the billable hour. Show notes along with an episode transcription can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/value-based-pricing/   Resources & Books Mentioned Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns  Amazon US | Amazon UK Pricing Creativity by Blair Enns (Only available at pricingcreativity.com) Built to Sell by John Warrillow  Amazon US | Amazon UK Pricing on Purpose by Ronald J. Baker  Amazon US | Amazon UK   Sponsored by Freshbooks This episode is sponsored by FreshBooks, which is an cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. It’s designed specifically for creative professionals, so it’s beautifully designed, and continually optimised and improved. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself free for 30 days.  Go check FreshBooks out!

Logo design is often a collaborative process between designer and client, but from time to time in order to provide the best possible service you need to say ‘no’. But how do you do that without damaging the client relationship? In this episode Ian Paget interviews Sagi Haviv to learn the techniques he uses to gain credibility and provide confidence so that when the time comes… they can say no without damaging the client relationship, allowing them to stay in control of the design phase. Sagi Haviv is a parter and designer at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, who has designed over 60 identity programs, including the logos for the Library of Congress, Harvard University Press, and the US Open to name just a few.   Resources mentioned Video: Visual Identities: More Than Just A Logo | Sagi Haviv | TEDxPenn Book: Identity – Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv (2018) Amazon UK | Amazon US. Book: Identify – Basic Principles of Identity Design in the Iconic Trademarks of Chermayeff & Geismar (2011) Amazon UK | Amazon US. Show notes and a transcription of this episode can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/sagi-haviv/   This Episode is Sponsored by FreshBooks I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the show, because without them I could not make this possible. FreshBooks is an cloud based accounting software that makes it easy to create and send branded invoices, track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. It’s designed specifically for creative professionals, so it’s beautifully designed, and continually optimised and improved. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself free for 30 days.  Go check FreshBooks out!    

To be a successful designer, freelancer, or small business owner you need to understand strategy and business, so to kick off season 3 Ian Paget chats with Douglas Davis, the author of the hugely popular book “Creative Strategy and the Business of Design” to discuss the importance of understanding business, and using a strategic approach when working as a designer. Douglas is the associate professor within the Communication Design department at New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn. View the show notes & transcription for this episode   Resources Mentioned  Book: Creative Strategy and The Business of Design – Amazon US | Amazon UK Thinkhowtheythink.com   Logo Geek Podcast Sponsored by FreshBooks This episode kicks off the 3rd season of the logo geek podcast. I’m incredibly thankful to FreshBooks for sponsoring the show, who have allowed me to made this possible. FreshBooks is an online accounting software that makes it easy to create and send invoices, to track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. It’s designed specifically for small creative businesses, so it’s beautifully designed, and continually optimised and improved. I highly recommend it, and you can try it out for yourself free for 30 days.  Go check FreshBooks out!

In this interview Ian Paget speaks with Tom Geismar, one of the most highly acclaimed designers in the industry. We discuss logo design, including the process before computers, presenting to the client, working in black and white, mistakes to avoid, pricing big projects, launching a new identity, a beautiful tribute to Ivan Chermayeff and more. Tom is a founding partner of design agency Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, where he worked on iconic logos from brands including Mobil Oil, Xerox, Close Bank and many more. Show notes for this episode can be found here: https://logogeek.uk/podcast/tom-geismar/  Sponsored by FreshBooks I’d like to thank FreshBooks for sponsoring this episode, and for making this series possible. FreshBooks is a beautifully designed accounting software that makes it easy to create and send invoices, to track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. I recommend trying it out for yourself by making use of the free 30 day trial offered to listeners of this podcast – just visit https://freshbooks.com/logogeek – and enter Logo Geek in the ‘how did you hear about us’ section.

In this episode of the Logo Geek Podcast Ian chats with Rian Hughes, a British graphic designer, illustrator, writer and comic book artist. Rian is best known for his work in the British and American comic book industry, having created many logo designs for Marvel and DC including Batman and Robin, Bat Girl, Spider-Man, The X-Men, Captain America, Wolverine, The Script, The Invisibles… the list goes on! In this episode we talk about Rians approach to logo and type design, as well as his new book Logo-A-Gogo, an inspirational visual history of the iconic brand identities created Rian.   Resources & Books Mentioned Rian Hughes website Device Fonts Logo-A-Gogo Book Amazon UK Amazon US Cult-Ture Book Amazon UK Amazon US   Sponsored by FreshBooks I’d like to thank FreshBooks for sponsoring this episode, and for making this series possible. FreshBooks is a beautifully designed accounting software that makes it easy to create and send invoices, to track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. I recommend trying it out for yourself by making use of the free 30 day trial offered to listeners of this podcast – just visit https://freshbooks.com/logogeek – and enter Logo Geek in the ‘how did you hear about us’ section.

Instagram has become a popular method for designers to find inspiration for logo design, however, did you know that by being active on the platform you can also attract clients? But what do you need to do to increase engagement on Instagram? How do you grow your following to attract potential clients? What tools can you use? How do you use hashtags? So many questions! In this episode Ian Paget chats with the founder of Logo Inspirations, Jonathan Rudolph to find out what’s been successful for him. We learn how he grew his Instagram following to 600,000+, whilst also making a passive income of over $5000+ a month. We also discover how Jonathan started Logo Inspirations, how he fits it around a full time job.   Sponsored by FreshBooks I’d like to thank FreshBooks for sponsoring this episode, and for making this series possible. FreshBooks is a beautifully designed accounting software that makes it easy to create and send invoices, to track time and to manage your incoming and outgoing money. I recommend trying it out for yourself by making use of the free 30 day trial offered to listeners of this podcast – just visit https://freshbooks.com/logogeek – and enter Logo Geek in the ‘how did you hear about us’ section.