- At this point, you've determined the message,
attributes, and visual system.
Now you need to present these to the client.
Being a designer is 80% persuasion.
Presenting the work is not simply a regurgitation
of the facts they already know and the solution.
It needs to be engaging, tell a story and feel authentic.
Persuading doesn't translate
as making someone accept something they don't want.
It's guiding the client down a path
that reinforces the choices made.
A well-made and logical presentation has a far better chance
of being approved and adopted
than a PDF of data emailed to the client.
As I did with my presentation of the strategy,
I'm going to work with an 11 x 17 landscape format document.
This will project on a screen and work in printed form.
My first pages restate the assignment.
Again, this may fall in the hands
of someone not at your presentation,
and you want to make sure
that the issue and goals are clear.
Otherwise, someone not at the presentation
may question the entire project.
I recap the strategic thinking
without replicating my first presentation
for the research and brand strategy.
I list the brand attributes on a couple of pages.
Think big.
This is important
and shouldn't get lost in paragraph of text.
You want the viewer to remember these.
I add a simplified version of the target audience
and primary competition.
This is really just to recap
for those who previously saw the brand strategy presentation
and others who may be seeing it for the first time.
Now, the viewers have the background
that will support my design solutions.
Some designers like to speak market tease.
That's a lot of catch words and phrases meant to impress
and sometimes confuse the client.
I don't like that.
I like my presentations to be written in plain
and simple language.
If it's too fancy or uses terms only a designer understands,
you'll lose the client's attention
and kind of seem like a jerk.
Once I've established the strategic goals
with the presentation,
I may have two or three design directions,
but, first, I provide a list of my logo rules.
Remember, the client doesn't know anything about this.
If you can briefly explain why these rules exist,
your choices will make better sense
and it is less likely
that someone will demand an illustration of their product.
I then present a tightened version of the explorations
from typography to icon.
This isn't to throw everything on the table.
It shows that extensive studies led to your choices.
It's a good way to answer someone
from saying something like,
"Hey, did you try it in all caps
or making it using a red fox?"
They can see that you did
and you've explained why the choices you made
are the right ones.
From these exploration pages,
I narrow the choices and present each direction,
first as big and healthy logo,
then each with a color palette and typography.
If part of this, I may also include patterns or image style.
These all come together to be seen
as akin of parts for the brand,
rather than a logo all by itself.
It's good to explain why the color palette is relevant
to the attributes and in relationship to the competition.
This helps alleviate some of the responses
that are subjective rather than based on logic.
Show the identity system
on as many applications as possible.
No logo lives in a void.
In order to understand how everything works together
to reinforce the brand message,
I must show the visual system in action.
You can make these applications in Adobe Photoshop,
pre-made mock-ups, or use a plugin such as LifeSurface.
It's easier to visualize the solution
and sell it when something looks real.
Designing these items also avoids logo slapping
on any random item.
Make sure the application is relevant for the brand.
And to end the presentation with a quotation that applies,
I like, "Things don't happen.
Things are made to happen."
Or find another statement that wraps up your thinking,
and, of course, a page that says, "Thank you."
Following these, I wrap up the presentation
with any questions that the viewers may have.
We'll cover some of the tips to manage these next.