MOODBOARDS
Inspiration and Direction: They visually communicate the essence, style, and feel that the designer aims to capture in the logo. Moodboards help in setting the tone and aesthetic before any actual design work begins, ensuring everyone involved has a similar vision.
Collaboration Tool: Moodboards facilitate communication between the designer, the client, and other stakeholders. They provide a platform where ideas can be discussed, refined, or pivoted based on visual cues rather than abstract descriptions.
Exploration of Concepts: They allow for the exploration of different themes, colors, textures, and typography that could be integrated into the logo. This exploration helps in understanding what fits best with the brand's identity or product.
Reference Material: Moodboards act as a repository of inspirational images, fonts, color palettes, and perhaps other logos or design elements from which the designer can draw inspiration or directly incorporate elements.
Brand Identity Alignment: By collecting images and styles that resonate with the brand's values, target audience, and market positioning, moodboards help ensure that the final logo aligns well with the overall brand strategy.
Chosen Moodboard
Carbon Six is a Montana-based company specializing in the design and manufacture of high-performance carbon fiber rifle barrels. Their name, inspired by the hexagonal molecular structure of carbon, reflects their commitment to leveraging the strength and lightweight properties of carbon fiber in their products.
Facing challenges with a previously complex logo that did not convey their values of precision and simplicity, Carbon Six undertook a rebranding project. The goal was to create a simplified, recognizable logo that could be easily replicated across various marketing and product touchpoints, all while maintaining the brand's core colors of yellow and black.
The new logo was designed to be straightforward yet impactful, aligning with the brand's ethos and appealing to their diverse target market which includes hunters, competitive shooters, tech enthusiasts, and DIY firearms builders. The rebranding strategy included updates to the website, social media profiles, and product packaging, alongside promotional efforts in shooting magazines and online platforms to enhance brand awareness.
Despite internal challenges, such as dealing with intermediate decision-makers, the rebrand was successful, improving brand recognition and market presence. Carbon Six's case underscores the importance of direct communication with key stakeholders and the value of a simple, yet meaningful brand identity in niche markets like firearms manufacturing.
