Manal London

The goal of this project was to redesign my client's previous logo and establish brand guidelines so she could use the designs created to help generate awareness of her new business. 

Project requirements: logo, submark, watermark, business card, Instagram posts, Instagram stories, social media banners, virtual business cards and static website.

Business and project goals 

Design expectations

Competitor research

To establish the key project objectives and requirements, I asked my client to fill out a client brief form. This helped formulate the branding goals that I could use to guide future designs. 

After analysing the responses, I had a call with my client to explore any unanswered questions. Using the responses and information gathered from the call, I defined the project goals. This included the colour scheme, font style and brand message my client wanted to communicate in the designs. 

The project requirements included: a logo, submark, watermark, business card, Instagram posts, Instagram stories, social media banners, virtual business cards and website.

My client required the redesign of her previous logo to make it more modern, minimal and legible. I suggested dividing the logo into a primary logo and submark so the design can be more memorable and responsive.

Having a submark optimises user experience by making the design more responsive for mobile screens whilst still communicating the overall brand message. Before creating the designs, I analysed the previous logo to identify what improvements could be made and focused on what elements the new logo should include. 

To further inform my design decisions, I conducted research on her competitors, target market and industry. The main competitors I found were Ranavat and Mauli Rituals. By analysing their branding styles, I could gain a better insight into the industry design trends and integrate the positive elements into the new logo drafts.

Experimentation and research

Preference testing

Design mockups 

Analysis and refining designs

After examining various Arabic calligraphy styles, I understood the importance of collaborating with a professional Arabic calligrapher. I then used Figma to adapt the calligraphy according to my client's preferences and design needs.

After that, I created a mandala which would surround the calligraphy. In contrast to the mandala in the original logo, I kept the design minimalistic so the design would be scalable and easy to identify. 

While my client initially preferred using the previous fonts, I advised using new fonts for improved legibility, aiding text distinction and scalability. To convince my client that an alternative font might be a better fit, I created a logo concept using a more legible font that was similar to the original. I then ran a preference test comparing both logos using "Usability Hub" to determine which version users preferred more.

All participants preferred the new logo which validated the concept that the clearer the text, the more it is favoured. I then presented the new logo design to my client whilst referring to the preference test results which encouraged my client to agree to the font change.

After selecting key elements, I created mockups for the new logo and submark in Figma. Following feedback and revisions, I finalised the designs and prepared a design presentation. Using these designs, I developed several business card concepts and selected two to present to my client.

In the second phase of the project, I designed over 40 Instagram stories and post templates for my client's Instagram account. I gave my client access to the Figma file so she could add content and publish the templates when she was ready. Additionally, I sourced images she could use until she acquired her own content and temporarily managed her business Instagram account to ensure optimal utilisation of the designs.

During the third phase of the project, I combined my client's newly established logo and submark to create a watermark which my client could use in her invoices and other documents. Using the watermark, I developed social media banners for LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. 

My client requested a virtual business card that individuals could click through to gain prompt access to her contact information and website. I created two versions of the virtual business card: the first was a PDF format with clickable links and the second was a webpage format for easy navigation with all the necessary links.

To accommodate time constraints, my client opted for a more streamlined approach, diverging from the standard UX design process for the initial single-page (scrolling) website by basing a small part of the design on a template.

After discussing specifications with my client, I created the website using Squarespace. As the built-in styling options were limited, I used CSS coding to adjust certain elements of the page.

Design Delivery

Summary

Before delivering each set of designs, I thoroughly reviewed each design to ensure they aligned with my client's requirements whilst communicating the brand message. After this, I presented the designs in a call with my client where I could get feedback and make any adjustments if necessary.

To conclude, my client has been happy with the designs created. Using the new designs and website, my client's brand has increasingly gained interest and engagement (especially through her social media platforms). 

Now that my client's brand identity has been established, she can continue to use the designs to create brand recognition and build a positive brand image which helps her stand out from her competitors, helping her increase sales.