Kayla,
I have not gone through this issue personally but I have helped other Museums and non-profits with their identity.
I both checked out your website and did a quick Google search of your museum’s name. I see what you mean about a few different logos / identities!
Ideas / Thoughts:
-Status Quo / No Change. It's not always in your best interest to replace your logo right away after a major shift; it has the potential to confuse or scare away supporters.
---If you feel change HAS to happen, consider changing the color but keep basic image.
-Select ONE logo that you already have and discard the rest (don’t actually discard them! archive them instead and bring them out at various intervals for anniversaries and such)
---Logo you decide to use should be one that you have as a vector format (this file format allows you to create logos at different sizes, color schemes WITHOUT losing quality. Make sure to designate that first one as the ‘original’ and only copy then rename it when changes like size, color, etc must occur.)
-Create a NEW Identity yourself from scratch.
---Costly in terms of your org’s time
---Costly in terms of purchasing software to do this (GIMP is a free program but does not allow for creation of vector files; which I HIGHLY recommend!)
---A good source of information can be found in the book "Museum Branding: How to Create and Maintain Image, Loyalty, and Support”. Good starting point for you to gather ‘ammo’ to ‘sell’ your project to the Board or Supporters. I also like the free resources on
hubspot.com for many of the same reasons though it is geared more towards social media and sales.
---Can use ‘The Noun Project’
thenounproject.com for already existing icons to assist; while free to use, PROVIDING one keeps the attribution information intact, I recommend paying them for the use (VERY reasonable and one time payment). You can see what I did with my personal website ‘hub': terribedore.com. Those arrows are from the noun project and I also use in my business cards and letterhead. (I JUST refreshed the look last month and am still developing this and the other linked sites; appreciate any constructive criticism, typos, or missing links!)
-Hire someone else to create a NEW Identity from scratch, using your thoughts below.
---Make sure you will be granted full usage of the identity and images; including rights to modify.
---Ask for a ‘use and style guide’ and then make sure to state that one must use it in your start plan (or it otherwise might not get used!).
Other ‘best practices’ and tips:
---Make sure to have a fast and easy to use digital file of each size / color of your logo available for your staff to use. (better yet, create a style guide in powerpoint with logos, fonts, colors, and even templates, including letterhead and business cards, imbedded). Here’s a very good collection of (mostly web-based) style guides:
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/examples-brand-style-guides. I’m currently based in San Antonio (formerly from MI) and a local place I work with has a good portfolio with [more] visual examples and their methodology: http://heavyheavy.com/work/
I know that was a blast of info. Please let me know if you’d like clarification on any point above.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Respectfully,
Terri Bedore
former museum director, current museum consultant + brand identities for non-profits
work.terribedore.com231-715-1759 office
NEED TO REACH ME QUICKLY? 231-715-1759 Email won't do it. I only check twice a day.
Hello,
I work at a historical society that manages a canal museum in New York. We are going through a major shift in the organization that includes opening a new museum, increasing our number of professional staff, and creating a new strategic plan.
Our current visual identity is not cohesive and is out-dated. We are hoping for a professional re-design with a new logo, typography, and colors that we can use on our website, brochures, and letterhead, etc.
I am looking for ideas on a way to complete this project with a low cost. If this is something your organization has done with limited resources, please let me know what you did and your satisfaction with the outcome.
Ideas I have thought about so far:
Are there grants that would help with this type of project that you have used?
Have you used online services to match with professionals willing to give their time and skills for a reduced cost?
Did you send out a local proposal asking for an in-kind donation?
Worked with college classes or an intern to get the work done?
Held a design competition to engage the community (online or in person?)
Thank you for any suggestions you might be able to give.
--
Kayla Altland
Deputy Director of Administration
Delaware and Hudson Canal Historical Society
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