Dear buyu,
Solkan Europe, the company offering http://www.budomart.com, has been using the same logo since the last Paris Taikai I organized for sensei in France in May 1997.
After 13 years it is about time to renew the look of my company so I am redesigning the www.budomart.com website.
I am looking for a new logo for Solkan Europe and I would like to ask for your feedback on this.
On the left is one logo that I was given today, please help me so that I can make up my mind.
Do you like it or not?
Thank you,
Arnaud Cousergue
Shiro Kuma 
Arnaud, la couleur rouge attire l’oeil mais solkan en blanc fatigue les yeux. le graphisme est sobre donnant 1 effet posé et de respect,maturité artistique. Espérant que ces idées t’éclairent.
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Hello Arnaud!
This design has a clever use of negative space but does not give any feeling for what it is representing. The curve in the center is elegantly simple but should be in some way descriptive or representative. I like the minimalist stance of the design and if that curve was something recognizable to someone who is familiar with budo (but not necessarily someone who isn’t) it would be more effective. I think it is a bit too bright also. The logo color should also be the same as in stationary & envelopes, etc.
All the best,
Paul
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nice one! i like the connection to the japanese flag… red/white… and the pictogram like the sun coming up in the morning… also a high recognizability…
pretty good
greetings from magdeburg germany!
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Thank you for your comment.
Arnaud
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Glad to hear about the upcoming Solkan paradigm shift 🙂
I think the concept is good but could be even better, the text feels kind of boxed in, it could definitely breath more. More spacing and no merging with the borders maybe ?
Good luck
C.
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Well,
As a designer, it would help to know the meaning of it’s elements. It’s unfair to judge just by saying “it’s beautiful or not”, right?
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Dear Arnaud! If my opinion counts: the middle part is very good, bow shape and colours, but i would change the positioning of the inscription, somehow it isn’t the right place for it. It isn’t in the middle, isn’t upside isn’t down, and doesn’t really have borders… But if you want to express, that the whole picture is melting, without borders, maybe some softer, rounder font would help (it would also be more friendly:). greetings 🙂 Andrea
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Hi arnaud, i like this logo.
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Hi Arnaud, I like the unicolor design, use of the space between the shape, do you consider having some variations like a less flat one (existence in 3D in the Video ? ) Other consideration is how does it looks like on a non pure white page (is the white solkan and Europe word translucid or white)
hope this will help.
kind regards.
Thierry
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Hi
What do I know? Probably not much about your business
However, I do work in eCommerce (for eBay) and have been exposed to much of the theory and practise of online branding so perhaps I can pass on a little of this. Please feel free to take these comments simply as a reflection coming from this perspective. The market that you operate in is unique and so perhaps the “corporate rules” don’t apply
Blocks of strong colours like red create a little bit of a negative feeling in consumers. Blues, greens etc are supposedly better
The logo should communicate the name of the site/brand with just a quick scan of the eye. Probably having the words in the colour of the background and suppressed by the strong reds will stop this happening. Also personally I’d lead with the word “solkan” as that’s the brand and have the word “Europe” with much less prominence (if present at all)
Finally I’d suggest that the brand and the url should be one and the same. Both Sokan and Budomart are good words, but perhaps budomart is a bit more self explanatory?
Just some cursory thoughts and as I say I don’t have your experience in your market so please ignore these comments if they are coming too much from my “corporate lens”
Best wishes
Dunc
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Hi Chef,
i agree with many points of Dunc because they are not only common for the eCommerce sector – they are also regular marketing rules for logo design – so some hints from a marketing perspective:
For me their are 9 important rules for design a company logo
1. recognition effect
The logo has to be unique and easy to remember. From that point of view the red logo contains a little bit to many information. The suggestion of Dunc is a good one – i would skip “europe” as well. As well I agree with the colour red. Its a color that signals danger and should be used very carefully when you design a company logo – especially for the internet – red is not the best option. Maybe we can find a warm colour like the blue you used for the Solkan Logo on the Uke Nagashi to Tai Sabaki DVD Cover. The curve or bow in the logo is very interchangeable. Here we come to the next point …
2. Identification Fit
The logo has something to say and the customer should understand that without thinking to much. Very often logos are designed and nobody understands what it means. When you ask then the creator, he can can tell you a wonderful story about the meanings that are insight. But if a logo is a riddle – why then having a logo? The logo of a company should visualize or at least be related to the business you are in. For my taste the red logo is a little bit to cryptic – what does it mean? The business the company is doing is about selling martial art dvd, books and other stuff. I would implement something more obvious but in a unique way – for instance a samurai head (Kabuto+Menpo) but as an easy one coloured scheme – you know what i mean? I know it does not correspondent so much with solkan – but i think that budomart is anyway more well known and a much better name for the company. Here i share as well the opinion of Dunc, that the two names “budomart” and “solkan” are confusing. I would suggest to use only one and for me its budomart – a very strong name for a good brand!
3. Timeless
A logo should be able to take changes wether of the company itself or any temporary fashion in the market you are in. Thats why i would skip “europe” in the name. Even it is the core market right now – your customer base is changing and the target markets too…
4. No special effect
Its more a technical think that is important for printing the logo. Its not good to use 3D effects, metallic colours or changing colour tenors, because printing is very expensive and the quality very often is not as good and constant in different cases of use. Its here not the case anyway…
5. Scalability
A logo should be able to view in any size. Thin lines for instance will be difficult to see, when you use the logo in a very small size. Here is your idea above very ok!
6. Count of Colours
As more colours as more expansive is the printing. Its a rule that people very often forget. Here your idea of two colours is fine as well. But Dunc is right with the white colour, when it is the backround at the same time. You can change that, when you bed it in a framework. And again – i would suggest not to use the aggressive red – even it corresponds the japanese flag 😉
7. Black/White Usability
I think that should be no problem here.
8. Logo Dimensions
Is no problem here too. A logo has to be as compact, that its possible to put at on a format like business cards or letter forms…
9. legal aspects
Of couse you should be sure that you doesn’t use already protected brand symbols or names. Could be a problem with a kabuto/menpo – maybe there is a yoroi seller already using something like that…
So far just some hints from the marketing perspective. At least you do already the best think, you can do right now – you ask your customers and when they like, understand and remember it, all i wrote above is theoretical bullshit at least ;-).
A big hug
Cavin
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