My life is brimming with music performance. I’m in a concert band, a jazz band, four different chamber groups, and I freelance. After some prodding from a couple of online articles, it didn’t take long for me to think of today’s blog – a business milestone that the youngest of those chamber groups is now facing: choosing a logo.
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
The Cheaspeake Brass Authority is a Maryland-based brass quintet, recently named for our local huge body of water, the Chesapeake Bay. After months of discussion and brainstorming, this name has clicked with (or maybe just grown on) all five group members, so now our next non-musical task is to get/create a logo. With all the competition out there, it would behoove us to think seriously about advertising and branding, and a logo is central to this concept.
But what goes into a music ensemble’s logo? It must be clear, welcoming, and unique. It must visually portray the essence of the group. Easier said than done!
What shape should it be? Round? Blocky? Flare out like a tuba bell?
What colors should we use? Silver or gold like the instruments we play? Cool blues and purples? Hot reds and yellows? What colors should we NOT put together?
What font look good? It must be legible, but there are hundreds of choices. Serif or Sans-Serif? Rounded? Italic? Bold?
What logos work on paper and other products? What about on a desktop, iPad, or mobile phone screen?
Since this recent naming, I’ve found myself studying other logos I come across in my daily life, trying to figure out what I like or don’t like about them. For instance, I might like that shade of green, and the lettering is cool, but the name doesn’t tell me what the business actually does. Or maybe that oval-shaped logo is nice, but I can’t tell what the image inside is supposed to be.
I’m sure we’ll work it out, but in the meantime, there are a lot of decisions to be made. I’d love to hear your stories of logos that either attracted you or repelled you.
Aside from your other research or that recommendation from a friend, did a logo help you choose one business over another?
If you own a business, what went into YOUR logo?