[Now Funded] Help build a better Bitcoin logo!

[Coinabul]

Hello!

A lot of people have been complaining about the current Bitcoin logos available for Bitcoin accepting sites. It's time to change that!

I personally think it's time to build a better brand for Bitcoin.

So, there are two ways you can help!

#1: Discuss in this thread what you want the Bitcoin logo to look like. Perhaps if you have some photoshop skills, showcase your ideas. If you can use a pencil, sketch it out! Anything you provide will help!

#2: Assuming that no professional designers create a brilliant logo, pledge a donation for me to hire a designer to build a logo with matching flyers, brochures, and other high quality marketing materials. The estimated cost will be a couple hundred dollars. So, let me make the first pledge.

I pledge 5BTC toward the new Bitcoin logo design.

These pledges are promises to pay only, you don't need to pay yet. Once we get enough pledges I'll contact each pledge-maker individually with payment information.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think about this project. I know that Bitcoin is nowhere near ready for mainstream advertisement, but it's getting close to the time where we need to start preparing.

Thank you in advance!

[Coinabul]

[Reserved for suggestion list]

Total pledged so far: 44BTC/44BTC

Suggestions:

No Pancakes.

Integration with the new BTC symbol: Ƀ (U+0243)

Posters and promotional items

High Resolution

(1) It should be simple -- just because it looks cool doesn't mean it's memorable and distinct.  Consider google logo (just a 'g'), nike logo (checkmark), facebook, etc.   Very simple and effective.  No 3D skills are required.
(2) One of my primary criteria for my Armory logo was that I didn't want it to be round, because if you look at your taskbar right now, you'll see that most of your existing applications use round logos/icons, and it to be distinct.  In the world of Bitcoin, that might be too much to ask for, because it will probably have a coin theme... but just a perspective to consider...
(3) My logo requires gradients to render the 3D properly, and that turned out to be a total PITA when it came to getting shirts printed.   I had to pay for full-color printing, even though it's only a couple base colors and I was only getting a tiny print on the left breast, and that increased the cost almost 50%.   This isn't relevant for just shirts, there's a lots of applications where full-color is inconvenient (getting stationary created, making signs, etc).
(3a) Extra credit:  the logo should also have the same essence when converted to binary-black-white (no greys), and still be identifiable when black-white is inverted.  This further expands where it can exist, and makes it even cheaper to include on Tshirts, signs, etc.  It doesn't mean that the base, hi-res design shouldn't have colors/gradients to it, only that it should still be identifiable and look good when converted to black-white.

Well, I have one suggestion and it's one word. Simplicity. The "bling bling" logos are cool and all but they are not good for universal use. We need a logo that's good for all purposes. It needs to be simple and cool at the same time.

[Jan]

I'll chip in. 2 BTC

[kangasbros]

I think that this bitcoin logo is perfect: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/File:BC_Logotype.png

Maybe I could pledge to something like posters or other promotional printed material, which you could order somewhere...

[Coinabul]

I think that this bitcoin logo is perfect: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/File:BC_Logotype.png

Maybe I could pledge to something like posters or other promotional printed material, which you could order somewhere...

I like that logo best out of all the available options, but even so it's fairly limited. The logo I commission will include simple posters and flyers.

[Coinabul]

I'll chip in. 2 BTC

Thank you for your pledge!

[Technomage]

I also think that the logo kangasbros linked IS the best but there is most certainly room to improve. I'll pledge 1 BTC for this project.

[Leandro César]

I am in too!

2 BTCs.

L.

[Coinabul]

I also think that the logo kangasbros linked IS the best but there is most certainly room to improve. I'll pledge 1 BTC for this project.

Thank you so much for your pledge!

I am in too!

2 BTCs.

L.

Thank you for your very generous pledge!

We're 1/6th of the way there!

[evoorhees]

It is possible to redo a brand identity for Bitcoin, and make a better one, but I'm very skeptical that one would be done that is better than the current version. The current brand falls in the category of "pretty decent" and has already gained wide acceptance. If I saw a new brand that was clearly superior, however, I'd be happy to adopt it and advocate it.

If you're going to have it redone professionally (and no, someone on the forum with some photoshop skillz won't cut it) then it's going to cost at least $1k and perhaps $2-3k. If you're spending less, then you're likely getting something that is somewhat amateur and a branding revision cannot be amateur. This cost is purely for the brand identity... not any "flyers or banners" etc. Those will cost extra if you want professionalism.

Further, "ideas" for the branding cannot effectively be tossed into this forum thread, and the decision making process cannot be democratic, or we'll end up with a mess. The way to do it properly, is to find a highly skilled branding artist, pay the money, and let them work. It is an extensive process and ought not be underestimated.

And I'll be highly critical of everything, because I hold very high standards for Bitcoin

[Coinabul]

It is possible to redo a brand identity for Bitcoin, and make a better one, but I'm very skeptical that one would be done that is better than the current version. The current brand falls in the category of "pretty decent" and has already gained wide acceptance. If I saw a new brand that was clearly superior, however, I'd be happy to adopt it and advocate it.

If you're going to have it redone professionally (and no, someone on the forum with some photoshop skillz won't cut it) then it's going to cost at least $1k and perhaps $2-3k. If you're spending less, then you're likely getting something that is somewhat amateur and a branding revision cannot be amateur. This cost is purely for the brand identity... not any "flyers or banners" etc. Those will cost extra if you want professionalism.

Further, "ideas" for the branding cannot effectively be tossed into this forum thread, and the decision making process cannot be democratic, or we'll end up with a mess. The way to do it properly, is to find a highly skilled branding artist, pay the money, and let them work. It is an extensive process and ought not be underestimated.

And I'll be highly critical of everything, because I hold very high standards for Bitcoin

I'd love to see what you think of what we come up with then!

[Gladamas]

I don't understand why the current logo needs to be replaced, IMO it's perfectly suitable.

[proudhon]

I don't understand why the current logo needs to be replaced, IMO it's perfectly suitable.

I think what we've already got is really nice looking.  What do you guys think needs to be different?

[humanitee]

[bitcats]

Its not too bad but its not stunning.
IMHO you (designer) guys could do better. (The BTC reminds me a flat pancake)

[phelix]

I don't understand why the current logo needs to be replaced, IMO it's perfectly suitable.

this

I don't understand why the current logo needs to be replaced, IMO it's perfectly suitable.

I think what we've already got is really nice looking.  What do you guys think needs to be different?

and this

[Timo Y]

I suggest holding a logo design contest on 99designs.

It's good place to get some professional looking logos for a good price.  Minimum award is $300. I think we should be able to collect that much.

The advantage of using 99designs is that we can access a much bigger pool of (semi)professional designers than by just posting a bounty on this forum.  We will also have several designs to pick from and we can do a community vote to decide the winner.

[kangasbros]

Additionally it is unlikely that the community will adopt it. There is already so much material centered towards the old logos.

[Coinabul]

Additionally it is unlikely that the community will adopt it. There is already so much material centered towards the old logos.

The absolutely biggest problem I have with the old logos is I can never find a high resolution image.

Whatever I do get produced, if enough people pledge, will be released in high resolution, with psd sources.

Sure, the stuff we have now is okay, but it's not very customizable. The posters and brochures we create will allow you to fix the copy if you think it needs to be fixed.

Another issue I have is that the coin images and then the actual logo tend to be very different. I just think a more unified look and feel will help.

I know you guys are used to the old logo, but I'm very excited to see what my designer can come up with. And individual pledge of 1BTC will not break your bank and by no means will you be required to switch to the new logo.

Plus, at the end of the day, we'll just have more marketing material, which is not a bad thing. But hey, this is why I ask the community, if you guys don't want it, I won't work to make it happen.

Thanks,
-Jon

[kangasbros]

The absolutely biggest problem I have with the old logos is I can never find a high resolution image.

Whatever I do get produced, if enough people pledge, will be released in high resolution, with psd sources.

Hmm, this sounds like a no-brainer to me. It is fairly easy to vectorize those logos, or it should be achievable at least with some (professional) skill/effort.

To me, additional logo seems more and more like waste of good resources... But you can vote with your wallet.