Yogurt shop storefronts are all the rage these days - from mom 'n pop stops to the Pinkberrys of the world. tcby joins the fray with a fresh new identity and store concept.

Click the link to Brand New for an in-depth critique of the logo and some insightful process images. There are some rejected logo options that may have been stronger, more unique marks, but something spoke to the client and they went with what you see here.

Have a look and decide for yourself - what would you choose?

(Note: I'm partial to options 3 and 4 down the page...)

*cf

As someone who loves to read, I have thoroughly enjoyed the evolution of library spaces over the years. As noted in the linked @Issue article, libraries can and have become "community living rooms" and are being designed as such.

Library spaces are no longer simply places to research or study or flip through the pages of a favorite book. Now, patrons want to grab a comfy chair to scroll through their iPad, and neighborhood groups want a nice space to hold a meeting.

The library "brand" - the way we envision the entire concept - has shifted to become a much more dynamic and engaging idea. Opportunities abound for new ways to use the local library as a way to convey a message about an entire community.

*cf

The new graphics for Miller High Life beer are a nice example of how important a few subtle changes can be in refreshing a brand's look. In this case, the overall result is a more contemporary, simplified look that is well-executed through Miller's various lines of packaging.

Click the link to see how the not-so-drastic revisions to the logo above (blue is old, red is the new logo) make a huge difference in the look and feel of the brand.

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"...special occasion packaging and quirky targeted audience marketing helps to attract a lot of media buzz and excitement, yet allow Coke to reassure loyal customers that the “touchpoints” of its brand identity will always be there for them."

Design is everywhere, as they say. Have a look at 4 designers' re-envisioning of their respective state plates. This one from California is certainly illustrative...Enjoy!

*cf

There is something to be said for using to design as a tool to communicate a brand when staff (and funds) are lean. Making the choice to invest in a strong logomark and a thoughtful, consistent messaging strategy is one of the most important decisions a smaller organization can make. As this article points out, good design can "move people to act" - whether that be in the form of offering a donation, or hiring for a service.

On the designer's side, there is great reward in working with smaller organizations to help them develop their brand through creative means. The clarity and efficiency that comes from a concise brand idea can become an invaluable asset to an organization as it evolves and grows over time.

Good design can indeed contribute to the greater good.

*CAMILLE

Images and color communicate in ways that verbal messaging cannot. So, when it comes to developing your brand – or that of your clients – consider design as an integral part of your overall brand equity*...

Continue reading the latest MIYO STUDIOS article at Fuel Your Branding

This is a nicely updated logo and color story for Caribou. It gives the company a more modern aesthetic that refreshes the look of the brand.

That said, I do find the execution of the moose icon to be less successful than the rest of the logo. In looking at it, the "legs" seem to be the incongruous piece. I would have opted for a more refined, tapered profile which would be better interpretation of the leg and hooves.

Overall, however, this was a nice re-branding effort for the second most patronized coffee chain in the country.

Customer service:  it can make or break your brand.  Even the most loyal customers can be turned off after a bad experience with your company.  Pity you if the turned off customer happens to be a public relations expert with a laptop and a blogging platform...

Read the excerpt below, then take a look at the whole entry:

I’m what you would call a brand’s best friend – loyal to the end. In fact, I have a long history of products that dumped me long before I would ever have conceived of leaving them! Once I find something I like, I stick with it to the bitter end, when it’s ripped from my needy consumer grasp and replaced with the “latest,” “newest,” “hottest” – but never BEST – surrogate of the day.

Remember the Taco Light? I do. It was a tasty little fried flour shell/taco meat/tomato/lettuce/sour cream number our friends at Taco Bell dished up back in the 80s. I ate one-a-day for three years. Gone. Quisp Cereal? Gone. Mike Berardi’s on 17th Avenue? Gone. Gillette ladies refillable shaver? Gone. I’ve been jilted by a long trail of fickle product lines – enough to fill the rest of this blog and then some.

In the latest MIYO | STUDIOS post at Fuel Your Branding, read about the five human personality traits that consumers ascribe to brands. The study that was conducted, uncovering these findings, was done by a Stanford professor in 1997.

In a nutshell, the five traits are:

• Sincerity - down-to-earth
• Excitement - daring
• Competence - reliable
• Sophistication - charming
• Ruggedness - tough

Follow the link for the full story.

Exit question: Are these still the most powerful traits in the minds of 2010 consumers, or have they changed in the years since this study was done?