Introducing the logo for Storyblocks' newest BRG.
The newest BRG at Storyblocks is ASPIRE Group (Asian Pacific Islander Resource Group). Their mission is to encourage AAPI Blockheads to be their authentic selves at Storyblocks. Read more about this BRG here.
The design team partnered with ASPIRE to create a logo that will represent the group. Through a collaborative process, we were able to craft a visual language for the BRG that can be printed on swag, or used online on documentation and presentation materials.
Something that we emphasized throughout the process is that this logo is meant to represent the group and make them proud of it. As a designer, my goal is to try my best to understand the values of the group and use their feedback to provide a logo that will hopefully resonate with them, and make them feel accurately represented.
We began the process with a set of questions that every member of the group was asked to answer. These included questions about the goals and future of the group, as well as, questions about the visual identity that everyone originally had in mind.
A separate challenge that we were facing, is that although the group is very unique, we also had to follow some of the visual guidelines that the other BRG logos display.
We proceeded to look at all responses and distill down the data. We came out with some design principles that would help us get started sketching ideas.
The design principles were:
Following these general design principles, we sketched a lot of ideas. The goal here was not to create a final logo, but a large set of options that would be used to generate feedback from the team.
We asked the group to review these options first on grayscale and then on the color versions. We did this because we wanted to learn about the form or shape without color bias. Color can affect the perception of a composition, so reviewing designs in black and white allows the viewer to focus solely on form. Then we proceeded to the color review, in which we started talking about how colors interact with each other, how contrast is created, and what some colors combination represent.
Moreover, we were looking to start getting a feel for likes and dislikes.
After the initial round of feedback, we had some clearer guidelines to follow that would help generate a logo that better represented the group. In an effort to be representative of all Asian cultures such as Eastern, Southern, and South-pacific, we took note of different responses to the initial presentation. The group liked some design elements that reminded them of mahjong tiles and other design elements that were inspired by traditional patterns. Also, we received feedback on color combinations that felt more encompassing of the bigger Asian culture.
We distilled these down to three shape options with two color variations. We presented these versions to the group to gather final feedback impressions, and move forward with a final design (only if everyone in the group felt good about it!).
We gathered the notes from the final round of critique and ended up with 3 versions of the same logo but now only focusing on color. The group voted on their favorite one, and:
Here is the official ASPIRE logo!
The final logo features elements that we learned from the group feedback. We heard positive thoughts about the idea of including a high-contrasting circle that serves as a strong focal point. The composition is asymmetrical, which is a common theme in Asian traditional art. Moreover, the diagonal and arrows generate movement and guide the eye naturally towards the logotype, in an ‘upwards and onwards’ motion. The arrow pattern was inspired by Pacific Islands’ traditional tribal patterns.
Finally, the color red is very strong. The primary circle is white, because that is the highest contrasting color with the rest of the composition, and we wanted to achieve a strong visual anchor. The blue and gold are a bit more muted to help the main colors pop.
Can’t wait to see all the cool swag and other assets that will be generated with this visual language.
Written by
Antonino Gugliotta