Smart Money Solutions - $221- Dec. 20th

[nevadabadgirl]

Forum Username: thetradeking

Company Details: Our company name is "Smart Money Solutions" As the name indicates our business and passion is to provide money solutions for buying your first home , investment property, refinancing, commercial property,life insurance and home and contents insurance. The name has the word "Solutions" as we would be providing "Financial Planning" services in the near future as well.

Type Of Contest: Logo Design

Contest Title: Smart Money Solutions

Contest Deadline: December 20th 2009

Prize Amount: $221

Colors To Be Used: web 2.0 colors that suit both offline and online

Example URLs: ing.com.au - I like the simplicity of the logo and the color combination
anz.com
yarratrams.com.au - I like the 2.0 colors used
commbank.com.au,
Westpac.com.au,
NSW Government | State of Opportunity

The logo should be uncomplicated. The focus mainly has to be on "Smart" and should contain a "Lotus". Lotus symbolizes money in the eastern cultures. As the company's policy is that solutions should be people shaped i.e. the money solutions provided will be designed to fit people's needs. The perfect example is the ANZ Bank's new logo which could been seen at anz.com. The logo is a lotus and as you may see the person in between the petals indicating that the bank is people shaped. One common feature between all the example URLs provided(example logos)is that just by using the logo without the company name(check the favicon) on it people can identify the brand. In our case the "lotus" will be the favicon. I am open for ideas around how the lotus could look. I will attach the logo that I have drawn once the contest is live.

[Coy]

do you have a preference if the flower is tilted or laid flat on like a horizontal plane?
Thanks

[thetradeking]

Hi Guys, after reading my message thought it would be good to provide some more clarification.

What is a brand? - a brand is something that will convey the value proposition that the a company offers.

Building on the above statement, I want the logo to convey the value proposition of "Smart Money Solutions" which is "Solutions provided would be people shaped i.e. the money solutions provided will be designed to fit people's current and future needs"

In my previous message I incorrectly mentioned the focus has to be on "Smart" the correction to that is the focus has to be on "Smart" and the "lotus".

Coy, I would like the lotus NOT to be tilted. I am happy to have the front or top view unless people can relate that to lotus when they see it.

Looking forward to see all your creativity.

Cheers

[Coy]

thanks

[TheNutz]

Hi

Here's my solution for Smart Money Solutions

Regards
Daniel

[onesummer]

3 leaf lotus blossom. integrated a light bulb with flair to subtly signify "smart" element. can adjust colors, # of leaves, etc as desired.

thanks.

http://www.pauljobson.com/clients/lo...ySolutions.jpg

[thetradeking]

Daniel and Paul, thanks for your entries folks.

Daniel, I like your creativity and the top view approach. I like the color of lotus as well. The lotus looks too complicated for me. As mentioned in my message earlier, the focus has to be on "Smart" and the "Lotus". Next concept please.

Paul, thanks for keeping the focus on Smart and the lotus. The color combination for me is too plain and the light bulb dint work for me.

Please look at integrating the company policy of "people shaped solutions" into your next concepts.

Cheers

[sharie]

My first entry

[Coy]

here is my first concept.
I went with green on green to represent money and integrated a person into the lotus flower.
any changes in fonts, layout or color just let me know.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/o...tions1-0-1.jpg

[thetradeking]

My first entry

Sharie

Thanks for the entry. nice one.

Will wait for your other concepts before I ask for any modifications.

cheers

[thetradeking]

here is my first concept.
I went with green on green to represent money and integrated a person into the lotus flower.
any changes in fonts, layout or color just let me know.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/o...tions1-0-1.jpg

Coy..good one..I like the font and the concept of green.

But coz of the green used and the number of petals for me it looks like a artichoke.

Could you pls shred some petals and use the lighter green for the body and the dark green for the outline.

Thanks

[thetradeking]

Hi Guys

I have sketched 3 concepts and attached. could some one try these concepts please.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45411441@N06/4168359639/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45411441@N06/4169125184/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45411441@N06/4168363493/

The below one is one of the more proportionate lotuses I have drafted

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45411441@N06/4168368067/

cheers

[Coy]

Here are the changes and added a couple color variations, one with the first unaltered in a different color.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/o...lutions1-1.jpg

[sharie]

The color pink I found in some articals to be the highest or best lotus color, did you want pink? The circle you have in your concept ideas..is that meant to be the sun?

[HWorks]

My entry. I'll work on your sketches later as you give me some feedback.

http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/a...smartfirst.png

Thanks.

[Coy]

Here is a play off your sketches.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/o...lutions2-0.jpg

[HWorks]

Based on your doodles. Regards.

http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/a.../smartBLUE.png

[thetradeking]

Here are the changes and added a couple color variations, one with the first unaltered in a different color.
http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/o...lutions1-1.jpg

Hi Coy

I like the change in lotus except the bottom leaf and the person. I like the green, light and dark blue combination and the Orange and blue combination.

Pls use just the lotus in v1.1(without the man and the bottom leaf) and replace it in v.2. Change the font color to flat dark Grey or dark blue which will bring in a contrast between the words and the lotus.

I have attached another color combination for v2 which I have done, pls give life to this as well and lets see how it looks. Good job.

cheers

[thetradeking]

The color pink I found in some articals to be the highest or best lotus color, did you want pink? The circle you have in your concept ideas..is that meant to be the sun?

Hi Sharie

Thanks for v2. the circle indicates customers head. the central petal of the lotus is the body of the customer and the upper lines of side petals resemble customers shoulders. That is what I aimed for but not sure whether my concepts were conveying the same.

The color combination didnt work for me. I can see you have taken a lot of effort to imitate the real color of lotus sry but does not look good online and may not look good on print.

Please change the font. Some of the font I like are used in the logos of the below sites

Loanmarket.com.au
CommBank.com.au
bankwest.com.au

I like the logos of the above sites as well.

Pls retain the alignment of the words the same but go for a different type of lotus or you could try some thing abstract which represents lotus but does nt look like lotus for example anz.com, westpac.com.au and bankwest.com.au all have lotus in their logo but they dont look like a lotus.

looking forward for your best

cheers

[thetradeking]

Based on your doodles. Regards.

http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/a.../smartBLUE.png

Hi SilverFX

I like your concept of v2. could u pls make the flower look more like lotus.

v1 does not suit my appetite.

cheers