Desperately need help with type
Hi all,
Have just found this site after a year and a half in design wilderness!
Am about to start a company called Bedouin Travel, it’s based in London and the main activities are: 1. Islamic Pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia and 2. General tours and holidays off the beaten track in the Middle East (Syria, Jordan, and Oman amongst others).
Am looking for a font that reflects the companies professionalism in a market full of amateurs, with a consistent and clean (i.e. not over fussy or elaborate) brand image. To make a similae with cars, when I started the project I was pitching the image level at around the Bentley/Aston Martin luxury level when that was not an accurate reflection of the product or the market I’m going for. Continuing the car similae, it’s more around the Audi/Lexus/Saab/Volvo level of image. Reliable, well made, high quality but not necessarily ostentatious, lives up to expectations and comfortable.
I have had a logo designed (see attached) which I do like because it hints at something of the east without necessarily being over-islamic because many of my customers won’t be. I could change the font of the logo but would need a very good reason to do so.
I’ve tried serif fonts (Palatino) not sure it works on web, and san-serif (Optimum - which I like but not sure it works for the brand and now Avenir - which I really like and is what I’m currently favoring but need reassurance on unless there is something much better)
I need to have my stationery printed and want something that satisfies web, business cards and letterhead as I’d like it to be consistent.
Any help would be gratefully received (ps. early draft of website is at www.bedouintravel.com)
Thanks
Saqib
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28.Jul.2008 7.28am
From all of what you’ve said, I still don’t understand why you want to change the type.
What’s wrong with it? I don’t think changing the type will make your company any better or worse thought of.
If Audi, Lexus, Saab or Volvo used a serif typeface for their mark, it would make their cars no less reliable or well thought of. Equally, if Bentley or Aston Martin used Avenir it wouldn’t knock fifty grand off the price.
In short, a logo alone does not make a good product or service, and you’ve offered nothing to suggest why the current mark is unsuitable.
Ross
28.Jul.2008 9.10am
Is it just me or is the bottom (reflected) text distorted? To me it looks like the letters would be higher (but not wider too) than the main text were they flipped the right way.
Did you purposely distort the bottom text? If you did, don’t. If you didn’t maybe I should see about getting some glasses.
28.Jul.2008 9.47am
I think the logo works well, though I am not sure it needs the red reflected type below it.
Am I correct in understanding that you aren’t looking replace the logo but that you are looking for a secondary typeface to use in your materials?
Palatino is a nice typeface, but it may be too similar to your logo. Avenir seems like a good choice. It’s hard to say for sure without seeing it in use. You could also try something like Proxima Nova. Or look at this thread which mentions several fonts similar to Avenir.
28.Jul.2008 2.46pm
Hello Saqib,
I also think you’re scrutinizing the logo a bit too harshly. The typeface is a great selection: appropriately professional and upscale. The “ligature” between the ’r’ and the ’a’ creates a pleasant reference to Middle Eastern culture, and is uniquely clever and subtle.
I would also suggest eliminating the red reflective text. It’s an unnecessary element. It just adds more stuff without enhancing the design. What do you think about cumaso’s suggestions for complementary typefaces?
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Nick Hladek