Burger Joint

[DrJack]

So yesterday while I was out around town I stopped for lunch at a new burger restaurant called NW Burger. It really didn't look all that good, but I was starving and a burger sounded great. The sign in the window said something like "now open for business" so I figured they must be just starting up (terrible economy for that). I was one of two people in the place, the menu was pretty basic, and the only person working was an older asian man. IMO, I don't think the place is gonna make it, but the burger was pretty good actually.

The reason I'm posting this here, is because on my way out I saw a sign for a "Logo Contest", basically they needed one. $100 and 5 free meals if they decide to use your logo. Say what you want about spec work, but it was clear that they would never be able to pay a professional firm to do a logo for them and this was my chance to actually see something I designed being used and displayed publicly. So I told him I'd put something together and come back. The man seemed very excited when I said I'd bring something in for him to see. I asked if he had anything specific he wanted in the logo and he said "just to capture the northwest, and burgers", haha. The deadline was 10/31 but that had been crossed out and moved back a few times to 12/31 (tomorrow), which tells me they haven't gotten many, if any, submissions. I think I just need to make something professional and I stand a very good chance of winning, but I want it to be a quality design as well because NW Burger looks like it could use all the help it can get!

This is where y'all come in. C+C on my logo for "NW Burger" please!

These are more wordmarks than logos, but I think that is what they are looking for. Which do you like best? How could I improve them? Did I capture the NW and burgers? Would you eat somewhere with one of these above the door?

[aerodynamix]

Looks good. Simple, yet has an interesting perspective on the burger.

[fiasco!]

I think you have something really good going here. 3 and 7 are the best of the bunch. I'd present both of those to him and enjoy your 5 free meals.

I'm gonna go ahead and move this to General Design. It might get some looks from folks that are into this type of thing.

[Korbyn]

I really like 7 and 8. I can just see a sign with #7!

For #8 I can see that inside the menu or something.

This whole thread has me craving a burger now!

[slapshot]

how about something even simpler, like just the burger with an arrow or triangle pointing northwest? If you set it up like that, it should allow for further type setups, both horizontally and vertically.

[raysox]

Very good designs. My personal favorite is 7. Hope you get the money, and the free meals!

[Ted Cunningham]

How about something even simpler, like just the burger with an arrow or triangle pointing northwest? If you set it up like that, it should allow for further type setups, both horizontally and vertically.

While I agree that use of simpler graphics would allow for greater flexibility in type setups, I don't think a burger with an arrow pointing northwest would be the way to go, especially if the perspective on the burger were to remain the way it is now. It would look like the symbol for male (right? Or does the arrow point toward the upper right with that symbol?). Regardless, I figured it out immediately from how he had included the pine tree that NW stood for northwest, and I feel like I'd be confused as to what NW was if there was just an arrow. (I'd get it eventually, I'd guess, but the tree is a much more effective element.)

[Leafers]

Number 3 is definitely the cleanest and is the right shape for a restaurant logo. The colours are pretty original too, staying away from the basic red and blue combo, but I don' think you'll have to worry about colours. I'm sure the man will be happy any of these, but I'd say number 3 is the best choice. By the way, great job and a nice thing to do.

[DrJack]

Thanks for all the comments guys. It is nice when multiple people all essentially have a consensus favorite (#3 and #7), and those are the ones I like best as well. I'm glad someone liked #8, I thought it was kinda creative even though it probably wouldn't work as a stand alone logo.

I'm gonna go down there now and bring a sheet with #'s 1,5,3,7, and 8. I think that it might be helpful to have just the words w/o the border for some applications (shirts maybe?) as well as the abbreviated one for things that might not have enough space (cups, napkins, menus, whatever?).

I also tried the burger and arrow thing that slapshot suggested. It turned out pretty interesting, but as Ted pointed out, it does look a lot like the man sign. Maybe the arrow points the wrong way, but after reading his comment, thats all I see right now! It didn't make the cut onto the final sheet, but if I win I might show it to the guy anyway and he might have a use for it. Here it is:

[BDiamond]

Thanks for all the comments guys. It is nice when multiple people all essentially have a consensus favorite (#3 and #7), and those are the ones I like best as well. I'm glad someone liked #8, I thought it was kinda creative even though it probably wouldn't work as a stand alone logo.

I'm gonna go down there now and bring a sheet with #'s 1,5,3,7, and 8. I think that it might be helpful to have just the words w/o the border for some applications (shirts maybe?) as well as the abbreviated one for things that might not have enough space (cups, napkins, menus, whatever?).

I also tried the burger and arrow thing that slapshot suggested. It turned out pretty interesting, but as Ted pointed out, it does look a lot like the man sign. Maybe the arrow points the wrong way, but after reading his comment, thats all I see right now! It didn't make the cut onto the final sheet, but if I win I might show it to the guy anyway and he might have a use for it. Here it is:

This is probably overkill but you might be able to take that last design even a little bit further and somehow make the lettuce you have sticking out resemble a compass rose. Or you could do something by somehow incorporating the arrow/tree you have pointing to the NW so it would make the overall picture look more like a "b"

[oddball]

I don't like the colors and I don't like the font. All of them scream a trucking company and not a burger joint. Oh yeah, and right now is the BEST time to start a company. You'll get things cheaper, and banks are suppose to be giving out loans to get the economy started. If I had more money/experience I'd be starting a company right now also. You start a company at the bottom of an economic trend not the top because you'll make more money that way. Even if we're not at the bottom of this economic trend, it will turn around and companies that are started now and survive, will thrive when people feel confident to spend money again.

[Tomcat7742]

Great job on those, I really like numbers 3, 7 and 8. I think both either 7 or 8 would work great at like the bottom of the menu or on a cup somewhere.

[DrJack]

I don't like the colors and I don't like the font. All of them scream a trucking company and not a burger joint. Oh yeah, and right now is the BEST time to start a company. You'll get things cheaper, and banks are suppose to be giving out loans to get the economy started. If I had more money/experience I'd be starting a company right now also. You start a company at the bottom of an economic trend not the top because you'll make more money that way. Even if we're not at the bottom of this economic trend, it will turn around and companies that are started now and survive, will thrive when people feel confident to spend money again.

Trucking company? Really? I chose the colors because trees are green and hamburger buns are sort of a tan color (I stylized it with this orange-ish gold). It wouldn't look right with a blue tree and red burger, trust me I gave it a shot and it was bad. In addition, the restaurant is across the street from the U of Oregon's Portland campus, and I'm hoping that the green/yellow connection may help draw business (it couldn't hurt). And try telling Subway that those are trucking company colors.

As for their business plan, maybe they are economic geniuses, I dunno. I'm no business major it just seemed to me that trying to get a business off the ground when everyone in the country is losing money would be a tough proposition. Especially when restaurants fail more than any other type of business. Hopefully you're right though. If they pick my logo I'd love for the place to blow up and spread all over town! How cool would that be?

So ya don't like the font, or the colors, but you like the business plan... How would you change either the font or the colors? What says burgers (not trucks) to you?

[TC]

You should put a sweet "hidden meaning" in the logos so when the restaurant blows up worldwide, it'll be something CCSLC only knows. Well, that kinda dumb, but whatever.

[OMMF]

I can't see it and not think CW network.

[mohelmets]

I like 3 and 7 the best...I think that I would try making the "bun" in the letter "g" a bit darker or kind of on the brownish side to distinguish it as a burger...It just seems to get lost to me being the same color as the rest of the word...maybe that's just me...Maybe it would look better as a larger logo or sign as is...

I don't think people would fully understand the "man sign" looking logo...I think the essence of what you are going after appears in your original logos best...

I like them though...Simple, clean and to the point...Great job...

[raysox]

You should put a sweet "hidden meaning" in the logos so when the restaurant blows up worldwide, it'll be something CCSLC only knows. Well, that kinda dumb, but whatever.

Like an exclamation point after the B in burger

North West B!urger

I can't see it and not think CW network.

I saw it too

[oddball]

I don't like the colors and I don't like the font. All of them scream a trucking company and not a burger joint. Oh yeah, and right now is the BEST time to start a company. You'll get things cheaper, and banks are suppose to be giving out loans to get the economy started. If I had more money/experience I'd be starting a company right now also. You start a company at the bottom of an economic trend not the top because you'll make more money that way. Even if we're not at the bottom of this economic trend, it will turn around and companies that are started now and survive, will thrive when people feel confident to spend money again.

Trucking company? Really? I chose the colors because trees are green and hamburger buns are sort of a tan color (I stylized it with this orange-ish gold). It wouldn't look right with a blue tree and red burger, trust me I gave it a shot and it was bad. In addition, the restaurant is across the street from the U of Oregon's Portland campus, and I'm hoping that the green/yellow connection may help draw business (it couldn't hurt). And try telling Subway that those are trucking company colors.

As for their business plan, maybe they are economic geniuses, I dunno. I'm no business major it just seemed to me that trying to get a business off the ground when everyone in the country is losing money would be a tough proposition. Especially when restaurants fail more than any other type of business. Hopefully you're right though. If they pick my logo I'd love for the place to blow up and spread all over town! How cool would that be?

So ya don't like the font, or the colors, but you like the business plan... How would you change either the font or the colors? What says burgers (not trucks) to you?

The font and the name really do say a tree logging company. I don't disagree with Subway using green and yellow, but you have to ask yourself if a green and yellow logo is going to get lost in Eugene with green and yellow being promenant colors because of the university. If you're going to use yellow-orange for the bun and green for the lettuce then use red and violet for the lettering and the outline. Why? It's called color theory. You could just use red for the lettering and a green outline, but the green and yellow are going to get lost in that area. I think a different font, and that's something I can't give you any suggestions on, it's a feel thing, might take the trucking feel away for me. I just don't think that font is the right one for the logo. Maybe instead of trying to incorporate the burger into the "g", just make the burger a logo and find a good font for the wordmark. Maybe put the wordmark underneath or arch it over the burger.

[Mac the Knife]

You start a company at the bottom of an economic trend not the top because you'll make more money that way have your worst times of it early on... and if you get past those, you have at least a fighting chance.

There. FTFY.

Two other thoughts:

(1) I agree with the gaggle here on the color selection, but would also offer one other change - move the burger bun to the "b" rather than the "g".

(2) Next time, get stock in the company!

[theonlymember]

I like #2 and #8. I think its great that the company wants a nice logo and that you're helping out a local business. Good luck!