Hello. This is Eunjeong, a Content Marketer at Elifunt🙂 In the last Team Story, I introduced how Elifunt began its rebranding. (For those who are curious, check out Rebranding – Elifunt? Elifunt!) As promised, I would also like to share the story behind the development of our Brand Identity (BI) and logo design. The logo design was carried out simultaneously with the development of the service name. You might be wondering, "How did we manage to do all of this internally...?" Some of you were surprised, but… there is a way. Yes, we always find a way.
Logo design? Start by capturing floating ideas.
At my previous job, I gained experience creating brand image guides for physical spaces. Although the team was comprised of highly capable members with great teamwork, ideation meetings that began with nothing but enthusiasm were truly agonizing. In particular, the process of visualizing ideas tended to drift in a vague direction without any tangible deliverables. At Elifunt, I wanted to minimize brainstorming meetings as much as possible. To achieve this, I defined the ideas floating in my head using words and utilized various services and tools to visualize them. Designing without a professional designer involved some minor(?) trial and error, but believing this was also part of the growth process, I share this experience with all teams embarking on their branding journeys!
1. Drawing Freely – Can Midjourney Do It?
As the service name narrowed down to 'Elifunt,' the idea came to mind that it would be nice to have a 'cute character' representing an elephant. This was because we felt that Elifunt should embody a flexible and empathetic sentiment, which was a key element in the brand definition discussed earlier. We also envisioned a speaker with the identity of 'SEO-Ellie' serializing blog content. First, we decided to find visual references that represented the 'SEO-Ellie' as envisioned by each of us, and then commission Midjourney to create mockups based on them.
- Character references conceived by the team members.
- It would be nice if it were a young, trendy, and cute 3D with a lot of curiosity and a spirit of inquiry, and abundant potential for growth
- Seo Ellie, produced as a Mid-Journey
- I want the color to be in the blue family, a curious character, and large ears added as an element to listen to the client's story (intentions)
MidJourneywas handled by Amy, the driving force and Saas digger. Chat GPTand executing them for MidJourney. A much cuter elephant character was born than expected. A character reflecting the desired colors and tone was created in just one day... but! Ultimately, this character could not be used as the elephant symbol.
It was difficult to naturally incorporate original elements that didn't exist before, such as adding a necessary search bar design or expressing different actions. It was also challenging to consider harmony with the font logo that would be developed later. However, through this process, we were able to discuss ideas 'while looking' at each other's work without the hassle of someone drawing the storyboards themselves, which allowed us to make decisions quickly… I realized that characters aren't the priority!
2. Decide on the Use – Digital? Offline?
First, we carefully considered where to use the logo and character. As Elifunt, who aimed for a site revamp while deciding on the service name with our team, we wanted to introduce the new Elifunt to our existing clients first. Coincidentally, Chuseok was approaching! So, we decided to produce some merchandise to announce the rebranding, along with a modest holiday thank-you gift. Since the service name was decided in August... we realized we had exactly one month left until Chuseok😅 By concretizing the design elements needed in the near future, everyone was united in their goal and able to visualize the image.
- I should write Elifunt logo here first.
| use | division | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Merchandise, business cards, website | Type logo | Early September |
| Biz Messenger on the site | Symbol logo | october |
| Site, blog content | Character/Illustration | November |
3. Collaborating with Experts – From Platforms to Freelance Designers
Once we defined our goal, the print logo was the most urgent priority. Therefore, we needed to work with a designer who could translate our data into a guide for print. Recently, there has been a surge in design services specializing in naming and logo creation for startups and small brands. I’d like to share some services that are worth trying when your team lacks design development experience or your service isn't fully defined yet, as well as tell you which firm Elifunt worked with!
Naming & Logo Design Platform
Typically, image pricing involved negotiating proposals based on the designer's capabilities, the complexity of the work, and the number of deliverables. However, design platform services offer fixed pricing by standardizing processes and revision limits, making them suitable for small brands that do not require a full-scale image system. Elifunt completed an interview and began logo creation through Brandio , a naming and logo design platform
- Design Platform List
| division | service | characteristic | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandio | Branding Design Specialist | After developing the brand design, it is possible to link it with editorial design for print materials, etc | https://www.brandio.co.kr/shop/ |
| avocado | Small brand development platform | From brand naming to logo development available | https://abocado.kr/ |
| Loudsourcing | Consult with logo design experts | Receive various design drafts through a design contest for 230,000 designers | https://www.loud.kr/ |
| Design Circus | Design flats for designers and clients | You can receive an average of over 20 different designs | https://designcircus.co.kr/ |
Through the Brandio order form (interview), we were able to finalize a brand tone and manner that even the designer could relate to. We requested two main guidelines: ① We want to add wit to the English font 'Elifunt', and ② We want to express the symbol using an elephant character. We received the following three draft types. Seeing the symbol and wordmark versions of the logo made my heart race, as if we had reached the finish line. However, after reviewing the three drafts, the team members' opinions began to diverge. From "It's cute" to "It's childish," distinctly different views emerged once the font and symbol were visualized. Although the logo design was decided after three rounds of revisions, I felt a sense of regret. Should I say it was much… cuter than the 'Elifunt' the team had envisioned? 🐘
Freelance designer
We decided to give it another try. Since it was our first logo project, we felt it was okay to push ourselves a little further. We shared our current concerns and logo drafts with freelance designer Jay, who was connected through Content Growth Leader Jin, and proceeded with the rework. One major realization we had during our meeting with Designer Jay was... the degree of 'wit'! As soon as he asked, "How fun can Elifunt be?", I realized our internal planning had been lacking, so I hurriedly started searching for references.
Based on the existing logo drafts, we diligently developed the type logo and symbol logo by mutually agreeing on improvements and references. After that, production proceeded in a flash within about 1-2 weeks. Led by Designer Jay, the epitome of sophistication, the type logo was completed before we knew it and was successfully delivered to the client, featured on their Chuseok gifts. 😊
You must also use logo design for branding
The established brand image guide, covering not only the logo but also colors and fonts, is currently being applied to our website and service brochureswith a balanced tone and manner. The final implementation on the website is scheduled for November! Please look forward to it 😃 We are striving to apply Elifunt logo and colors in a consistent form across all our sales and marketing activities. We plan to use them on various images we produce, including our website, merchandise, email signatures, and document templates, so we hope this will help many people leave a positive impression of Elifunt!
Thus, the logo creation journey that began with Mid Journey concluded with the connection of meeting the talented designer Jay. Don't worry if your team doesn't have a designer. You can create a fantastic logo simply by sharing your imagination and ideas. Elifunt sends a message of support to all teams developing logos and brand images ahead of their service launch. This journey may not be easy, but the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction gained from the process will be more valuable than anything else. Wishing your service a successful introduction to the world, I will be back with my next content! 😉
