Redesigning Orbit Media (School Organization)

[LAWeaver]

Been a while since I lasted posted a topic around here, but I've had a creatively-productive past couple of days.
 

Depending on who you are, if you follow me on social media or have seen one or two posts from myself talking about where I work, you know I work within my school's Communication, Media, and Theatre (CMT) Department through a group we like to call Orbit Media, covering radio, television, and print news. I started last spring writing a couple stories for the paper before hoping on to the staff last fall. Since then, I have joined the radio team's management staff as underwriting director and have helped the TV side of things when I can.

 

Our logo isn't anything to write home about. Created in 2011, any discussion I've created about changing it is usually met with "we can't," or "don't mess with the orbit, it's perfect." Another reason people don't want to change the logo is because, apparently, this logo was the fifth variation before they basically said "heck with it" and settled for what they have now.

 

I'm here to call bull on both of those and dare to touch the untouchable (that came out wrong...). Just from using the logo myself, it's awkward, unbalanced, and the gradient and drop-shadow combo makes it's uses limited. Since last fall, I've unintentionally created a flat version which, from what I can tell, is slowly being used more often in place of the gradient orb. 

 

 

So here it is: My concept for Orbit Media, beginning with the primary logo on white, black, and magenta backgrounds, the organization's (and school's) official colors:

 

It doesn't stop there, as I went all out, covering The Black & Magenta, WMCO, and New Concord Channel 9, our newspaper, radio station, and TV station.

 

I even took the time to whip up a couple quick-and-somewhat-dirty mock-ups where these logos would be used:

(Hey look, it's me!)

 

So there you have it! I presented a variation of the primary logo to a couple of professors who supervise us last fall, and as expected, they said they weren't in the market for a new logo, but added if I had been here 5 years ago when we needed the new logo, this would've been selected. 

 

My main reason for sharing this is just to see what people think. I highly doubt this project goes any farther than here, but if I do decide to show it to them and they accept it, well then there we go. Until then, simply let me know what you all think and thanks for stopping by!

 

[CraigJPritch]

Your logo is 1 billion times better then what they have and the way that you have created marks for the newspaper, radio station, and TV station that tie in to the primary mark makes this a really strong set of marks. Great work on this project I hope they decide to scrap the old logo and use yours

[LAWeaver]

20 hours ago, ODUMonarchs said:

Your logo is 1 billion times better then what they have and the way that you have created marks for the newspaper, radio station, and TV station that tie in to the primary mark makes this a really strong set of marks. Great work on this project I hope they decide to scrap the old logo and use yours

Hey, there's a reply! Thanks for the support. 

... unfortunately, I've been told the primary looks like a children's toy from someone who graduated last May. Thoughts on that from anyone? 

[MJWalker45]

It looks way better than that old Sports Channel Ohio logo on  your jacket but I can see why they called yours a toy. It does look a little like an old top. I can't think of what you would need to change though. 

[bucknut42]

I personally think that your logos are flawless. I can't find a single thing wrong with it. Maybe the toy idea is because it's pink? Maybe if your station had different colors it wouldn't be so toy-ish.

[CraigJPritch]

2 hours ago, bucknut42 said:

I personally think that your logos are flawless. I can't find a single thing wrong with it. Maybe the toy idea is because it's pink? Maybe if your station had different colors it wouldn't be so toy-ish.

I agree the pink coloring is the most likely reason they would say it looks toy-ish.

[Captain Tsubasa]

2 cents for the jar:

The orbiting ring needs to be placed a bit different or it should show on the backside of the the O as well. I would also center-allign the ring, as it is now skewing a couple of mill to the right. In regards to the toy comment, I agree that it looks a little too cute. If the orbiting ring would get some additional shape or structure elements, that would probably help.

[slapshot]

Few things...

 

I get the "childlike" reference. Your version seems too "cute", maybe because everything it's because of the strokes, not sure. How would it look with just solid shapes with no outlines? You show "black and magenta" as a publication, why not have a black O with magenta rings?

 

Someone also had a good point, since the O has a counter, you should see the ring on the other side. One way around this may be to make the O solid, without a hole in the middle. It's already round, so you have that association with the O in Orbit. You can even make this the O in the station name.

 

There's also an opportunity to make the logo the counter in the 9 logo. Instead of just shrinking down the logo and pasting it in the corner, by making it the hole of the 9, you integrate it better.

 

Everything has outlines. They're not needed. It's not a team logo. There's enough contrast between white and magenta that you don't need black to separate them.

 

It's a good start, but needs more refining.