We were contacted by Kyle in late 2022 to discuss a new logo and brand design for his growing mushroom products business located in regional Victoria. Kyle had put together some colour samples which spoke to him and we got together for a catch-up where we learnt about his business journey, where he was working to take it along with information on competitors and his target demographic.
Beginning the design process involved the exploration of typefaces and how to potentially include an abstract representation of a mushroom into the logo design. One particular typeface family stood out for its ability to be altered from the standard offering by customising various characters of the brand name. This allowed the letters to be "nested" within each other as shown on the finished "F" and "U" where the top of the "F" was elongated and the letter "U" was shortened on the left side to accommodate. This customisation was trialled with all of the letters in some way. On most occasions the decision was made to revert to the simpler version.
We tried a wide range of different mushroom representations throughout the process. Some used as part of the lettering, some as a stand-alone icon. We even took a macro photograph of the underside of a mushroom and traced the individual ribs and veins which was then incorporated into the design.
In the end it was agreed that the letter "I" was the best fit to portray an abstract mushroom but also to ensure it remained abstract and not too familiar. We came up with over a dozen variations and then presented to Kyle for his opinion. The version which appears in the final logo was simplified again and again.
After tens of variations, we caught up with Kyle and put a line through many options in an effort to get closer to a finished concept. The letter "G" was customised to be more circular with the top and also to end with an angle which went well with the letter "I" already customised. We worked with Kyle to reduce the concept down to a single one and then started to develop that option to give a final selection. You will note that the stroke of the "G" lines up with the dot of the "I".
As with many logo and brand design projects, often there isn't a single finished logo that achieves everything. This logo was no different. The finished branding suite included 4 versions including the primary version used for instances where the logo may be viewed by the audience for the first time, a vertical version which allows some fun flexibility on collateral such as car wraps, a simplified version for occurences where the audience may already be familiar with the brand and an icon which can be used on branded collateral when the full logo may not be required.
Prior to beginning the brand guidelines document (an example of a branding guidelines document is available on our logo design page) we sought final approval from Kyle. Having the catch-up over Zoom allowed us to make some tweaks and also to satisfy any ideas which Kyle wanted to explore. Upon approval, we began designing the branding guidelines document including typography information on not only the logo but also associated copy text and headings which may be used in collateral. It also included exclusion zone recommendations, spacing requirements, branding elements and then a variety of collateral such as signs, box and packaging design, vehicle graphics, stationery and brochures, email signatures and apparel.
We really enjoyed creating this logo for Kyle's business and thoroughly enjoyed the experience and collaboration with the client. It is simplistic in its style but it has a certain "quirkiness" to it that makes the audience take a second look. The more you look at it, the more details are revealed in its design. Its these subtle yet effective elements that differentiate it from others and the double-take it makes you do makes it a memorable brand. The colour choice is vibrant yet has its own "earthy" element to it which will be prevalent when used in future collateral that celebrates it such as on natural paper stocks.
