Oopsie Boopsie No-go Logo

4 min read

Once upon a time I designed 50 logo options for a company, only for the client to stick with the logo they already had, before we went our separate ways, each of us feeling hard done by. I felt like I'd been through a bad relationship that ended with a bad break-up. I remember feeling sorry for myself. 🍦

Looking back now, I'm very grateful I can see all the ways I sabotaged our chances and brought about our not-so-happy ending. For one, they never even asked for a new logo! 💩🤡😬

I came in like a wrecking ball 🎳

The client makes software that helps taxi drivers know things like which customer is next in line and which driver is closest to them. I was a part-time hire with an unclear role and an unknown goal.

I walked in the door thinking I was supposed to know exactly what I was doing, answers at the ready. At the same time I also expected them to tell me what they wanted and to take the lead. So I was desperate to look like I knew what I was doing - for fear of embarrassing myself - and at the same time desperate for someone to tell me what to do!

They did not tell me what to do 🥺

So I 🙄 and tried to take control. I thought of myself as a logo designer, so I looked at the logo on the wall and decided that must be the answer to all their problems. It didn't occur to me to try and help them define what they wanted or what was getting in their way, so I just rushed to judgement and got busy.

I remember spotting some of the troubles they were having. They had trouble knowing how to design their app interface. They had trouble knowing what to say in their ads and in their pitch decks. They had trouble in the boardroom agreeing what to focus on next. But whatever issue I happened to notice, I assumed that starting with the logo would somehow magically solve everything else.

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail 🔨

Much wow very idea! 💡

I managed to convince them that redesigning the logo was a good idea - probably because they were relying on me to lead and I sounded like I knew what I was talking about 🤫 - and I got to work.

I thought I was doing all the right things: I researched how the competition looked and talked so we could stand out in the market; I tried to find a way to drop the jargon so we could speak clearly and compellingly to customers; I tried to keep momentum by helping with ongoing tasks like UI design and trade mag ads.

Cut to 8 weeks later: we've been through endless rounds of logo presentations, revisions and arguments. No-one's on the same page. I'm demoralized. They're frustrated. We're all exhausted and we've had enough. So we call it a day. ✋

Captain Hindsight to the rescuuuueee 👀

At the time I was too caught up in my own anxiety and fear of failure to realize just how much trouble I'd brought with me!

Because I thought I was supposed to have all the answers I rushed into assumptions about what they needed. I missed the opportunity to discover and diagnose the problem together with the client.

Because for me failure was not an action (I failed) but an identity (I am a failure), I wasn't able to give myself the space to be wrong.

Because I was afraid of being wrong, I didn't think to change course, even when things were snowballing. And because I couldn't change, I was unable to help the client.

It was like being in the Titanic knowing we're headed for the iceberg but feeling incapable of doing anything about it. 🥶

The job is not knowing 🚀

Imagine if I’d just felt free to say I don’t know! Or to ask questions like ‘Is this helping? What might we do differently?’ Or to ask for help! It would have made for a healthier relationship or even the happy realization that we just weren’t right for each other.

I used to think I had to have all the answers and feel like I had to constantly prove myself. It made everything about me, so my brain was too noisy to really listen to people (or read the room).

Now I know the only thing I need to bring to the table is my curiosity and I feel free to fail. So my work relationships are full of teamwork, joy, exploration and fun.

A lovely bonus is that I get to look at my past without cringing! It’s just part of a messy journey on a bumpy road.

As for how my thinking changed: 🤓🥰🥵 I’ll explain next Monday :)

Thanks for stopping by 👻

I’ll be back next monday with some more mind grapes.

In the meantime, here is…