Think Malawi branding: the perils of audience feedback
The initial logo visuals presented for initial feedback
Getting audience feedback can be a nerve-wracking experience. Will anyone respond? Will they like any of the options? Will they like the option I really want to go ahead with?
Decisions, Decisions
As both creative and client in this branding project for charity Think Malawi (which I am also a trustee of), feedback is extra important to ensure my personal preferences don’t end up taking precedence over the needs of the charity. Charity boards typically make major decisions consensus rather than the most senior person being the decision maker. I find that this results in better decisions, though it can prolong the approval process.
The numbers
Obtaining feedback at an early stage can be vital to getting buy-in from your audience, as well as making it more likely that someone will spot the accidental hidden phallic shape in your logo before it’s too late. I conducted an anonymous online survey, gathering feedback from fellow creatives at a meetup as well as from my fellow trustees. The results were very mixed, with the survey results favouring option 1, creatives favouring options 2 and 3 and the trustees preferring a range of options.
Audience feedback results
Before developing the logos further, I dropped option 4 as it was the least liked, and also option 5 as upon reflection it was quite similar to option 1.
Stage 2: refined logo routes
Iterate, iterate, iterate
Another round of feedback did little to separate the three remaining options. Normally I have a strong preference for one option by this point, but I felt torn between options 1 and 2. I believe it’s important not to rush into a decision on a logo design, as it’s something the organisation will have to live with for a long time.
Graphic development for the three graphic routes
Logo comparison to test whether the visuals work at small sizes and if they stand out from the crowd
After trying out the logo in various contexts, I decided to recommend option 1 to the trustees, as it best fits the original brief to show Think Malawi as a catalyst for change, it’s the most human feeling option and worked best with our audience testing.
Next steps are to fine tune the logo for approval by the trustees, and from there build out the Think Malawi brand and tone of voice.
The selected route
Read about the research process and developing a brief.
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