[libreoffice-design] Logo Briefing

Hi!

Draft of a logo briefing, in high need of going through other minds.
Depending on how things go here, I might send this, or a revised
version, to the marketing list later on.


General
=======

In general, a logo should be:
* distinctive
* aesthetically pleasant
* meaningful
In this order, the last being pretty much optional.

As part of a visual language, it should allow variations and deriving
other elements from it.


Broadly speaking, we will be dealing with 3 roles, in potential and
actual form:
* Deciders (at organizations, such as companies, government agencies and
associations)
* Contributors
* Users

While it might seem desirable to communicate every possible positive
characteristic to everyone, this is just not possible. Thus the
following lists are about setting priorities and weighting and are
ordered accordingly (most important first). Characteristics that can't
be expressed directly may still inspire metaphors.


Desired message to deciders
===========================

LibreOffice is:
* stable, reliable.
* long-lasting (as a project).
* well supported.
* interoperable, following open standards.
* a good option regarding document archival.
* full-featured.
* efficient.
* free of charge.
* free of licensing hassle.
* cross-platform.

Metaphors and associations:
* Library (building, architecture)
* Infrastructure that can be used free of charge (compare toll-free
roads)

Potential means of expression:
* Reliability and longevity suggest a firm posture, the impression of
some weight and magnitude
* Colors: white, black, gray, beige, brown, red
* Shapes: bold, stable, geometric, simple, wide stance


Desired message to contributors
===============================

LibreOffice is:
* important.
* empowering.
* Free Software.
* open.
* welcoming.
* a community effort, about people.
* a valuable experience.
* meritocratic.

Metaphors and associations:
* University
* Air (freedom, ubiquity, usefulness)
* Birds
* A community of people getting together to build a house

Potential means of expression:
* Repetitive structures, parts building a whole
* Shapes: light, wide, open, round, organic, dynamic
* Colors: white, light blue, orange, red, warm green


Desired message to users
========================

LibreOffice is:
* about mainly document-centric office tasks.
* free of charge.
* state-of-the-art.
* full-featured.
* stable, reliable.
* efficient.
* maximizing your control over your own documents and data.
* free of licensing hassle.

Metaphors and associations:
* (DIN A4) paper
* office (table, chair, drawers, ...)
* A crown for the user
* Broken chain

Potential means of expression:
* State-of-the-art asks for a contemporary styling, hard corners and
precise lines
* 1 to the square root of two ratio (DIN paper)
* Colors: white, black, gray, beige, light blue


-- 
Thorsten Wilms

thorwil's design for free software:
http://thorwil.wordpress.com/


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