Black Belt Recruiter - $220 - July 8th

[nevadabadgirl]

Forum Username: BBR

Company Details: With the help of a round-table panel made up of industry experts, the company is being built at the present time. the concept is that this will be a "certification authority" that will certify a staffing recruiter's experience and training. The goal for the recruiter would be to achieve a Black Belt Status. Other status's will be available....so if a Black Belt is for an Expert, a Red Belt would be for substantive experience, a Green Belt would be for proven introductory experience. This type of color advancement is typical in the martial arts training of self-defense as well as within the Six Sigma organization.

Type Of Contest: Logo Design

Contest Title: Black Belt Recruiter

Contest Deadline: July 8, 2009

Prize Amount: $220

Colors To Be Used: Black

This logo will be utilized on everything from our web site (which will be located at BlackBeltRecruiter.com) to our letterhead, email signatures, etc. Recruiters that earn the designation will likely use it on their business cards as well.

Although this contest is for a Black Logo, the actual art needs to be flexible enough that the color can be changed red and then be used by a Red Belt Recruiter, etc.

I've had the belief that I would like to see a 'martial arts' belt modified to form the letter "R", but I am open to creative alternative designs as well. I've liked the logos of WordPress (a stylized "W" in a round logo) and also liked the Wikipedia and Radio Shack logos. Other good ideas that I've seen include this type of logo use found at JavaBlackBelt - Training and Skills Management in Java Hibernate Spring. It does a good job of using a black belt to create a stylized infinity symbol...very thoughtful and good use of the black belt. You can also see how they simply change the color of the Black Belt to represent whatever level of expertise a Java developer has...to someone in the Java realm, this becomes a recognizeable
statement of expertise.

Keep in mind that we are going for a one-color logo that is flexible enough to withstand the color change needed to accommodate the various levels of expertise that may be earned.

[Gerhard Schlee]

This is my initial proposal. The lettering features a strong, sober, serious font, the lettering and the symbol altogether form a black belt, and the symbol alone forms an arrow upwards, symbolizing the boost this black certification will cause on people career.

The logo as a hole is quite simple, as a good logo should be, and it is easily recognizable. AND, of course, it can be used in any color you might want

http://f.imagehost.org/0989/Black_Belt_Recruiter.jpg

[Gerhard Schlee]

If BBR allow me, I can post a small revision of my concept...

Any feedback will be much appreciated!

[Maxson]

Hi! Here's my idea

[geek]

.

[BBR]

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for participating! One comment to everyone is that although the site will be BlackBeltRecruiter.com and the goal for participants of the site will be to obtain a Black Belt in Recruiting, there will be at least 2 other categories... There will be Green Belt Recruiters and Red Belt Recruiters. That being said, only Black Belt Recruiters will be able to display the "Black Belt" designation on their business cards, emails, etc. The designs being presented thus far all specifically state "Black Belt Recruiter" within the logo. Even if I change the color of the logo for someone of lesser certification, it will still say Black Belt Recruiter...which will cause confusion and could possibly be seen as a misrepresentation of a Recruiter's ability (from an outsider's perspective)...unless we change the wording on each rendition of the Logo in addition to the color. While I'm not opposed to doing this, I would also like to see logos that use imaging to convey the message of a Black Belt Recruiter.

Now for specific Feedback:

Gerhard Schlee - That is a clever way to illustrate the Belt...using the words to form the belt and the chevron to show the color. It also makes me think of a military insignia to some degree (additional chevrons could be used to show a higher rank). However, we did not adopt the military ranking system...we went with a martial arts ranking instead. I look forward to seeing your revisions as well as any other design ideas that you have. Keep in mind that IF I select your design, that additional renditions would be required for the Red & Green Belt recruiters.

Maxson - I'm not really sure what else to tell you. In addition to using the text, Black Belt Recruiter, you also used the abbreviation BBR. I'm not sure that I want to formalize the informal BBR as part of the logo. At this point, I don't see any imaging that tells me "you gotta" have this. I look forward to seeing additional designs.

geek - You might be onto something here as well. Same comments regarding the text usage...but I like that you are trying to use a black belt to represent an "R" within a circular border. Problem right now is that I'm not able to easily discern that the belt is actually an "R". A person looking at that would have to spend some time looking in order to work that out. If I go this route, I want it to "jump off the page" that this is what we are doing. I can't wait to see revisions and any other design ideas.

Again to all...that "jump off the page" element...that's what I'm going for. I want all staffing recruiters to see the logo...imagine it on their business cards, etc., percieve the value that it would bring. I want them to look at the logo and think, "Wow...I gotta have that". I need them to feel a desire...a want...almost a 'need' to invest and work to achieve a Black Belt designation.

Thank you to everyone...I look forward to additional designs and revisions.

[Gerhard Schlee]

Here is the revision. It features the chevron more explicit as part of the belt and a new font.

Below, you can see the chevron as a rank insignia, in green, red and black. They feature the abbreviation BBR in order for them to be recognizable as being achieved by the Black Belt Recruiter system.

http://f.imagehost.org/0502/Black_Belt_Recruiter.jpg

[BBR]

I do like the some of the concepts presented so far, but would like to see mre. Take a look at this page also - Java Certification Community, free Java J2ee scjp spring hibernate mock exams and certifications - JavaBlackBelt - Java Certification Community. That page/site may help you to get an idea of how we will be using the Black Belt Recruiter system. That site is the "belt system" for Java Developers. We want to do a similar thing for staffing recruiters. Hope seeing this helps the idea generation.

[Maxson]

2nd idea

[BBR]

Maxson - There's an idea that I'll want my partners to see. I'd like to see it revised first though as Black Belt Recruiter (instead of Recruitment). Thanks!!!

[Maxson]

Sure

Maxson - There's an idea that I'll want my partners to see. I'd like to see it revised first though as Black Belt Recruiter (instead of Recruitment). Thanks!!!

[BBR]

...and just as a thought...can somebody show me a simple, stylized, "R"...similar along the concept/theme as the "W" used by Wikipedia or Wordpress...or the "R" used by RadioShack? If it's ok with the contest administrator/moderator...I'd be happy to allow everyone an "extra" swing of the bat to show their own version of this type of concept. I don't want to encourage anyone to do this "instead" of the types of efforts that I've seen so far, I really like the creativity going on here and I may see something that tells me that "I've gotta have it". ...but I also may decide to go for the basic "R". It would behoove all serious contestants to do at least one logo concept of each flavor...one "R" and one or more "creative".

[illumina]

My first entry

[BBR]

illumina - Thank you for your entry! I like the fonts and the presentation. I'm interested to learn more about your thoughts as you designed the "R". Please explain how you chose this format. Reply privately if you wish. Thanks!

[Maxson]

Last try

[illumina]

The top of the R was supposed to be an abstract black belt, after uploading it, I realized I could improve it, so with your permission I would like to make some minor changes?

I'm trying to keep to abstract, no obvious reference to a black belt, but implied.

[BBR]

The top of the R was supposed to be an abstract black belt, after uploading it, I realized I could improve it, so with your permission I would like to make some minor changes?

I'm trying to keep to abstract, no obvious reference to a black belt, but implied.

illumina - I'd love to see your updates! Thanks for the efforts!

[BBR]

Maxson & rEnder - Thank you for your submissions! I'll get feedback to both of you a bit later.

[illumina]

More belt-like, without being literal. I obviously went for the more iconic look, keeping it simple, and unique.

[Gerhard Schlee]

Below is the (hopefuly) last revision for this concept. Tried to simplify the belt/chevron/arrow, allowing the overall logo to be more easily reproduced and the under-part-of-the-belt-in-the-main-version-of-the-logo/stand-alone-belt-in-insignia-version/arrow upwards/chevron to be more easily understood. If you want to see the insignia version of the belt/chevron/arrow in any other color, just let me know!
http://f.imagehost.org/0838/Black_Belt_Recruiter.jpg

Really struggling right now about your "R" concept request. It's hard to make it not falling in common-place, as a stylized letter is the most commonly used type of identidy symbol that exists... A stylized letter hardly will make someone's firm outstand in the market, that's why I always go for something more conceptual

Any feedback will be appreciated!

EDIT: forgot to update it with the "v1.2"...