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Winner of our Redesign Challenge, Sham Bakrania's lightbulb of innovation.
Design to the Rescue!
We asked and you delivered! Earlier this summer we asked you to help us redesign the Designed in USA brand certification logomark. Our jury panel of Lance Hussey, Principal at RKS, and LinYee Yuan, editor at Core77, evaluated a strong pool of submissions encompassing a wide range of design perspectives. In the end, we evaluated the submission using a guiding criteria for review: 1) Flexibility of logomark across materials, color, packaging and products 2) Legibility at differing scales 3) Clarity of Intent 4) Iconic Potential.
After much deliberation, we are pleased to announce the winning designs, runner-up and notables:
WINNER - Sham Bakrania
A testament to our global pursuit of design excellence, the winning entry is simple, recognizable and iconic. A floating star, "represents the United States and the American way of innovation," reflects Lance Hussey, Principal at RKS.
Since the birth of the nation, the only thing that propelled the country to grow were those who were brave enough to see things in a new way. The light bulb (symbol for an idea) combines with the star to represents the "Yankee ingenuity" that made America what it is. Beyond that, a more specific meaning that the logo might relate back to is the ultimate American inventor/designer, Thomas Edison, creator of the light bulb. Design has to do with creativity, ingenuity, innovation, and hard work. Edison's quote "Genius is 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration" represents the ideals of a true designer. Design includes the hard work of research and hours of molding physical models and trials before the desired product/experience.
Overall, the logo uses a simple icon that represents many ideals of design to embody what true design is all about. Over the next few weeks, Sham will work with Lance and his team at RKS to refine his design before releasing the final version, available for download and usage at DesignedInUSA.com.
RUNNER-UP - Justin Desilva
Our runner-up was the design by RISD alum, Justin Desilva. This logo was subtle and simple and made a statement with 6 bold lines. A flexible communication system, Desilva's design can be expanded to highlight different methods of production with unique adaptations to represent each function (Designed in USA, Assembled in USA, Made is USA).
NOTABLES
Shima Khaki
For the logo, I was thinking of a simple, cohesive and typographical approach. I used the letter U, as one element representative of United States, and I repeat the letter to form the logo which is boldly read USA. I used the rest of the required information as a tag for the logo. The idea behind the star-shaped logo was more of a brand design, where this can even be animated, beginning from the composition on the left (where you can make the letters USA) and ending up with the circular shape.
David Shapiro
For my "Designed in USA" logos, I wanted to showcase traditional drafting tools with iconic symbols of the United States of America. I created a star out of a compass, a ruler, a pen and a pencil. This is an homage to a the roots of design and engineering.
Diana Povieng
This design is inspired by the American people and their bold but expressive yearning of individuality. I took into account the previous logo, but felt that it didn't communicate the bold American spirit well enough. I chose the typeface Franklin Gothic, which in the 19 hundreds became very popular in US newspapers to advertisements because it had the boldness that I was looking for in order to make a strong statement. I added in extra details stars, stripes & etc. To give more character/freedom to the letters. Overall I think this design is simple, bold and American.
Keith Bradley
The Designed in the USA mark fosters recognition and pride in the diversity, ingenuity, and spirit of American designed products. The logo is recognizable, scalable (without gradient or color), and minimal for use on any product. "USA" can be used without explanation and the full text can be used for marketing or packaging. This proposal tweaks the "Designed in USA" brand to use proper grammar by either simplifying to "USA Designed" or extending to "Designed in the USA". The use of a modern American designed typeface, Gotham, further embodies the brand's spirit and lends a credible voice to the logo.
Thanks to all the designers who participated in the redesign challenge! We look forward to seeing the final logomarks!
Comments
I hope some vowels make it into the final version. Otherwise, looks fantastic!
Love the Light bulb design, Great work,
"DSGND"? Really? I'm... I'm not sure what to say. Constructive critiques being the most helpful, all I can say is I don't think something that looks like it would appear in a teenager's text. It may be cliche, but if the "Designed in" portion is required, perhaps wrapping it over the top of the bulb, emulating rays of light might be more effective? Or perhaps dropping the "Designed in" portion altogether? I honestly feel like Keith Bradley's mark is the strongest in that it's bold, easily reproduced in just about any medium at any size, and, all in all, doesn't try to be too clever. I think his showing it in situ on the back of the iPhone serves to reinforce the aforementioned--none of those marks are at all complex or difficult to reproduce.
Just my opinion, though--everybody's got one.
Thanks for the great comments everyone. @Omar and @Blair -- we agree with you on the visually awkward "DSGND" treatment which Sham will be working with Lance on to find a more elegant solution! @Chetan -- we love the light bulb as well and look forward to seeing the final design!
I was going to keep quite but couldn't resist commenting :)
Regarding the word "DSGND", the idea was to make it less wordy and therefore allowing larger text for clearer reading when small. Think it still represents the word "Designed" but in a cleaner form? I.e As a block, 5 characters in each row, same width was base of design.
Great job Sham - Way to go!
I'm excited to see what the final iteration will be-
Omar's comment for the win. Definitely not a fan of 'DSGND'. It implies designers can't spell or we're too hip to speak normally.
Whilst it's an attempt at patriotic, I'm not sold on nationalist design identities and it's funny that at least two of the above symbols evoke Communist iconography for what is supposed to be capitalist propaganda.
Trimming a word down a couple letters doesn't make it less 'wordy', nor does forcing text into a block make a design 'clean'.
Great work Sham. I'll be happy to add this to all my product packaging and website when it becomes available for use. I hear your argument for "DSGND", but allow me to make a counter argument. First, and foremost, is my customer feedback. We'll become inundated with feedback and emails from folks who think they found a typo on my printed materials and website. They won't appreciate your attempt at brevity. And we'll get tired of pasting your explanation in response emails, in an attempt to defend your choice.
Secondly, "Designed" and all of its letters is an important, powerful word. By abbreviated it, it looses much of its power. Please consider spelling it out in full for the final version.
Again, great Logomark design. Very classic. Extremely 'American.'
I really like the design, it is simple and a star and two lines represents American flag. I think you are genius, well done Sham
What a great winning design. Love it.
Brilliant idea, and excellent use of an American invention by Thomas Edison whilst still incorporating the star and stripe symbols. Simple yet memorable. Well Done to the winner.
I think the lightbulb is just too iconic as a symbol for an idea and doesn't accurately encompass design. If you have to explain a logo then its not working.
I understand everyones views on the word "DSGND" and somewhat agree with it. Just remember it's only an initial idea.
@ Justin - Thanks, I also like your design, reminds me of 80s style American apparel.
@ Dean Heckler - Thanks, great to hear you like it enough to add it to your products. Like your website!
@ Chris - Understood, but because it's so well associated with ideas - my initial thought, it's almost self explanatory? The association with design is the minimalist way it's shown.
Thanks again for the great feedback, like I've been told, good design does not come from working in a bubble. Also without negative feedback we wouldn't be human! Can't please everyone.
The lightbulb is cliche, and incandescent bulbs are irrelevant. De-Voweling words is a tired trend. A combination of Justin's and Keith's strategies would be better.
Love the light bulb Sham, well done!
Very impressive, I love it. Gives the right messages.
I really like the lightbulb and the idea of the star. I also really like the different use of colours. You have done a very good job well done!
Very interesting design Sham, Congratulation and well done.
Well done Sham, it takes hard work to win any competition, so congratulations! I like your design, it's slick, simple and very American. Perhaps 'too American' and patriotic to my liking. However, the light bulb reflects very well that nation's spirit of innovations and creations that started 200 yeras ago. You've earned yourself some professional collaboration with the creative minds of the magazine, so good luck to you.
Congratulations Sham, Me and your Auntie are very proud of your achievement!
Well done, great design. Congratulations on winning.
Nice dlean attractive and eye catching design, well done for winning.
Well done Sham. An excellent and BRIGHT idea !!!
A worthy winner.
like all great logos, its simplicity is its brilliance - well done Sham