"Branding" the band: how important is a consistent presentation?

[Crescent Seven]

I do all of the graphic design work for my band, and I've discovered that I have trouble sticking to a "motif" for the band, especially in relation to fonts and themes on our flyers and web banners and such.

 

Do you think it's important to stick to one font, one style, and one theme from show to show, or is it maybe better to change things up?

 

Here's some examples of promotional items I've created so far, in no particular order:

 

I try to change things up from show to show, but is a specific logo or typeset all that important as far as recognition? I see some bands that use the same logo and typeset on all of their flyers for years on end, and I don't know that I agree with that approach. Thoughts?

C7

[jonjohn]

You can spell it right which helps

I don't think it is that important to have it the same font and style each time. But you want it to be eye catching to the type of people that like your style of music

[ec437]

Can be important, yes. Not always.

[Crescent Seven]

You can spell it right which helps I don't think it is that important to have it the same font and style each time. But you want it to be eye catching to the type of people that like your style of music

 

This is part of the trouble; I tend to design more "cartoonish" things, which worked fantastic for Myth Lab (funky reggae), but I worry that it won't be well met for hard rock.

At the same time, I want to set us apart from all the same old "hard rock" graphic work. You know what I'm talking about...jagged fonts, dark themes, tribal style artwork, etc. That {censored} is just played out IMO. I want people to stop and look at the posters when they walk by, or look at the handbill for an extra 2 seconds before they toss it on the floor.

C7

[Crescent Seven]

Another thing I try to avoid is the super-busy flyer, where there's so much information that it takes 3 minutes to read, like this:

 

But at the same time, does my stuff look "amateur", because it doesn't follow that format? I'm not really looking for validation, I just wonder what other people look for in a poster/flyer that makes them say "Hm, this event looks interesting."

C7

[jonjohn]

This is part of the trouble; I tend to design more "cartoonish" things, which worked fantastic for Myth Lab (funky reggae), but I worry that it won't be well met for hard rock. At the same time, I want to set us apart from all the same old "hard rock" graphic work. You know what I'm talking about...jagged fonts, dark themes, tribal style artwork, etc. That {censored} is just played out IMO. I want people to stop and look at the posters when they walk by, or look at the handbill for an extra 2 seconds before they toss it on the floor. C7

 

The cartoon thing is cool. But yeah is it for the demographic your are after.

I totally hear you on the jagged edges tribal

I think go with what you are doing. I like the last image you put up is the best. 1st one not so good.

As long as you clearly see the band name the fans will come

[Incubitabus]

i made a logo for my last band, and we used that to tie all of our promo materials together. I even "watermarked" a few of our promo pics with it:

 

 

It worked out well for us. Towards the end, we were listed on banners for bigger shows with just the logo, but by then, people knew that the logo meant "A Friendly Takeover".

 

In your case, I wouldn't worry so much about the font as presenting a consistent name. "Crescent Seven" or "Crescent 7". Both work, in their own way, but I think the spelled out version reads more mature (thank Blink 182 for that distinction).

[jonjohn]

Another thing I try to avoid is the super-busy flyer, where there's so much information that it takes 3 minutes to read, like this: But at the same time, does my stuff look "amateur", because it doesn't follow that format? I'm not really looking for validation, I just wonder what other people look for in a poster/flyer that makes them say "Hm, this event looks interesting." C7

 

[Crescent Seven]

I think go with what you are doing. I like the last image you put up is the best. 1st one not so good.

 

A disclaimer on that one: anything I print to paper is done in black and white, simply because it's so much cheaper. 11x17" posters on glossy are $1.36 in color, and $0.26 in black and white, so it's a no brainer.

 

Some concepts turn out better than others...

C7

[Incubitabus]

a quick set of logo ideas:

 

[Crescent Seven]

a quick set of logo ideas:

 

Man, if you had any idea how many times I've tried to design a satisfactory "C7" logo, you'd cry. That's the only thing that the band has rejected as far as my graphic work. "Dude, it looks like a "G". "Dude, it looks like a square" "Dude it looks like " "Dude, that font sucks"...

 

I gave up on that for a while. Once I learn Illustrator better I'll be able to churn something out that they'll like; in the meantime I'm focusing on promotional material.

C7

[jonjohn]

I really like the nun and the moon black and white ones, very eye catching .

Or do I just like the nuns' moons . hmmmm

[fingeringam]

 

I really like the nun and the moon black and white ones, very eye catching . Or do I just like the nuns' moons . hmmmm

 

 

Sex sells.

Put boobs on it and you'll sell out.

[Crescent Seven]

I really like the nun and the moon black and white ones, very eye catching . Or do I just like the nuns' moons . hmmmm

 

That one is going to be recycled, because it never saw the light of day. We printed them, but everyone dropped the ball on getting them hung up. Which is fine, since we ended up drawing really well to that show on word of mouth alone.

 

It's definitely my favorite of the B/W posters thus far.

C7

[Crescent Seven]

Sex sells. Put boobs on it and you'll sell out.

 

Yeah, but then people will go to our myspace page and discover that we're all fat and under 5'10", and they'll feel misled. Gotta use the boobs sparingly.

C7

[82Daion]

I'd say that as long as the name is nice and legible, people will get that it's you, although a "brand" is a nice thing to have.

 

A few things we've tried over time:

 

 

(Trashed due to the frickin' hibiscus)

 

 

Used on one poster so far

 

 

Poster from our most recent show

 

I'd say that in general, sticking to one or two fonts on a given poster and keeping the design relatively uncluttered is the best thing to do, since it minimizes the amount of work your potential audience has to do to get the information out of it.

[Taustin Powers]

I really like your designs, great stuff.

 

I would try to find a theme and stick with it though. Something that makes people recognize your band instantly before they read the name on the flyer, you know?

[Crescent Seven]

 

I really like your designs, great stuff. I would try to find a theme and stick with it though. Something that makes people recognize your band instantly before they read the name on the flyer, you know?

 

 

I think I'm sort of stumbling towards that. Eventually I'll design something that will be so awesome that I'll be forced to use it every time...I haven't done that yet, so I'll just keep making {censored} up as I go along.

 

I want to make a design that doesn't scream "Just Another Hard Rock Band", you know? The graphics for alot of the hard rock/metal bands in Denver just seem so similar to every other band in town, and all of them seem sort of contrived to me.

 

If I were to rip off a famous band's concepts, it would be A Perfect Circle, but their stuff is so unique that if I copied even a little of it, people would instantly know that I ripped the idea off.

C7

[ec437]

C7, I think part of your "problem" is perhaps that you are just typing the name of your band every time. I think that to find a good brand or logo or something, you will have to go beyond that, such as is demonstrated in 2 of the 3 images below, and the one that is just typed out is thematically linked with the rest of the poster. I really, really like the examples that Daion posted.

 

I'd say that as long as the name is nice and legible, people will get that it's you, although a "brand" is a nice thing to have. A few things we've tried over time: (Trashed due to the frickin' hibiscus) Used on one poster so far Poster from our most recent show I'd say that in general, sticking to one or two fonts on a given poster and keeping the design relatively uncluttered is the best thing to do, since it minimizes the amount of work your potential audience has to do to get the information out of it.

[Crescent Seven]

 

C7, I think part of your "problem" is perhaps that you are just typing the name of your band every time. I think that to find a good brand or logo or something, you will have to go beyond that, such as is demonstrated in 2 of the 3 images below, and the one that is just typed out is thematically linked with the rest of the poster. I really, really like the examples that Daion posted.

 

 

Agreed. This is where my rank amateur status is exposed: I suck at creating graphics out of words. I have Illustrator but I have no clue how it works.

 

I'm currently unemployed so I have some time to dick around with Illustrator. It would certainly make my life easier to be able to drag and drop a nameplate onto a flyer design...

C7

[Super Bass]

I think it's important to have a brand for the band. It'll make it easier for people to recognise which will hopefully result in more people at your gigs.

 

Just like most companies will have a logo, specific font and certain colours to be used, I think bands should also do the same. Also if you have an actual logo it'll stop venues/promoters from mispelling your bands name on flyers.

[Rippin' Robin]

Need the logo.

 

Your band needs to be instantly recognizable on a flyer.

[One Bad Monkey]

 

Agreed. This is where my rank amateur status is exposed: I suck at creating graphics out of words. I have Illustrator but I have no clue how it works. I'm currently unemployed so I have some time to dick around with Illustrator. It would certainly make my life easier to be able to drag and drop a nameplate onto a flyer design... C7

 

 

I'd recommend getting a book on Illustrator and getting some basics down too; the Quick Start series (they have a rabbit on the front) I've found goes through well without making it overly technical (Illustrator is that on its own) and including a lot of pics. If anything, it'll provide a little more knowledge into a program that's way too heady.

 

As for branding, we did that with my old band, Immigrant Blue. We created a logo, color scheme and used that across the board. The only time we broke away from it was when I was designing a period piece (i.e. like that Gypsy Cab flyer with all the old timey pics and fonts). Any other time I tried to have the logo on it, whether I was doing the flyer or someone else.

[Wanderlusterer]

I think it's important to have a brand for the band. It'll make it easier for people to recognise which will hopefully result in more people at your gigs. Just like most companies will have a logo, specific font and certain colours to be used, I think bands should also do the same. Also if you have an actual logo it'll stop venues/promoters from mispelling your bands name on flyers.

 

 

I'm gonna say +1,000,000 to Brian's level of thinking here.

 

One of the things I get from reading posts from this forum, more specifically from you, is you love Denver.

 

As a suggestion, I'd try to incorporate something in that logo/design that encapsulates a small part of the love that you have for it.

 

Be it the beer drinking, camping, boarding, drivin' or whatever, something should be in there that emulates it. Sans the crack pipe, of course.

[chunky-b]

On the busy poster shown above... Did they really charge $10.67 ? ? I hate to work the door at that show!! Or was it a promo for a radio station like 106.7 or something?