VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
Copyright Š 2017 Sun This book is a non-commercial hypothetical school project meant for educational purposes only, and is not intended to represent the Sun Microsystems brand in actuality. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any for or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of Sun.
Table of Contents Chapter 01
04 Concept Past Identity Keywords Primary Sketches Primary Distillation Chapter 02
22
Refinement Secondary Sketches Secondary Distillation
Chapter 03
28
Finalization
Tertiary Sketches Tertiary Distillation Fine-Tuning Logo Competition
Chapter 04
44 Sources
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Chapter 01
Concept Past Identity Keywords Primary Sketches Primary Distillation
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Past Identity Sun’s logo, which features four interleaved copies of the word sun in the form of a rotationally symmetric ambigram, was designed by professor Vaughan Pratt, from Stanford. The initial version of the logo was orange and had the sides oriented horizontally and vertically, but it was subsequently rotated to stand on one corner and re-colored to purple, and later blue.
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The initial design for what became Sun’s fi rst Unix workstation, the Sun-1, was conceived by Andy Bechtolsheim when he was a graduate student at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Bechtolsheim originally designed the SUN workstation for the Stanford University Network communications project as a personal CAD workstation.
From 1996 until 2010 (acquired by Oracle Corporation)
2017
1983 1982
1996
Corporate logo used from shortly after company inception to mid 1990s.
New Brand Identity
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The Soul of Sun
Interconnectivity is never bordered
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Keywords To create a logo harmonious with Sun’s soul, it is important to know the essence of the soul. The approach is to think up keywords which can best represent what Sun will be in the future. Therefore, three keywords are proposed: Link, Innovation and Simplicity.
LINK—CONNECT EVERYTHING TOGETHER The Internet offers a variety of advantages, such as access to a global repository of information. The Internet of Things increases the possibilities and frequencies of machineto-machine communication; The soul of Sun is “Interconnectivity is never bordered”. Therefore, the first keyword of the new identity design is Link
INNOVATION—KEEP EXPLORING Innovation can be defined simply as a “new idea, device or method”. Technology companies should be able to keep exploring and creating new things all the time. The second keyword for the new identity design is innovation. SIMPLICITY—PLUG AND PLAY Plug and play is the hardware specification that facilitates the discovery of a hardware component in a system without the need for physical device configuration or user intervention in resolving resource conflicts. It is one of the most important features for new smart devices, and thus most companies are trying to realize the same function on all their products. Hence the third keyword for the new identity design is simplicity.
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Primary Sketches One LINK—CONNECT EVERYTHING TOGETHER Link means different things are connected with each other. Based on that, some crazy primary sketches are created.
This is a spiderman, which can spin a web between two things.
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The little bees are the most prolific pollinators. They not only represent the role of connection but the hard-working team.
This idea comes from a loading web page. People often see this icon when browsing on the Internet. It means a successful connection to the web server.
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LINK—CONNECT EVERYTHING TOGETHER These are some graphics and wordmarks used to represent Sun.
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This may look very modern but a little abstract. It is an abstract version of “Sun”.
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Primary Sketches Two INNOVATION—KEEP EXPLORING Only keep exploring can help a technology company become stronger and unbeatable. Sun is committed to provide a better life and experience for customers. Technology works for everyone. To achieve this goal, Sun will keep exploration and put innovation as the top goal.
For here, snail doesn’t mean moving slowly but refers to keep moving. Sun wants to present the spirit of snail—climbing up step by step but never stop.
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This idea comes from a bicycle. The wheels keep rolling and rolling to move the bicycle forward.
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Primary Sketches Three SIMPLICITY—PLUG AND PLAY Sun wants to express to the world that our products are very easy to use. There’s no complicated instructions for steps. Anyone can use it like grandparents.
Goldfish can only remember things for three seconds. Using this logo to express the idea that people don’t need to remember anything when using our products and they are really easy to operate.
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This one is an interesting design. Thanks to the little squares in each letter, which can recognize what the word is.
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Primary Distillation Some good shapes are extracted from the primary sketches, but they need to be further refined and improved.
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“Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations.” —Paul Rand
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Chapter 02
Refinement Secondary Sketches Secondary Distillation
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Secondary Sketches The most important part of Internet of Things is the link between each thing. The new identity design will start from the word “link”. The trip of exploration is continuing...
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These hand-drawn sketches have the potential to be developed in the next round of sketches.
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Secondary Distillation At the end of the second round of sketches, some shapes that might have more potentials were selected to be sketched on computer.
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U
SU
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Chapter 03
Finalization Tertiary Sketches Tertiary Distillation Fine-Tuning Logo Competition
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Tertiary Sketches At this point, the design has been narrowed down to a few sketches. However, improvement still keeps going which is highly concentrated on the idea of “link”.
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Tertiary Distillation
In this version, “S” is made up with two identical shapes. They both correspond to the keyword link and represents the “S” in a simple and elegant way.
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“S” is made of two separate curves, and the two square corners with the middle two curves build another shape of “S”.
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Fine-Tuning A decision is once again needs to be made and then move forward with the one which can best represent the brand.
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“Identity is cause; brand is effect. And the strength of the former influences the strength of the latter.” —Larry Ackerman
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Logo Competition Before moving forward, it is critical to perform some visual researches of other logos to make sure this one has never been used before. After so many years, many logos have been created and it is important to be aware of similar logos and how they differentiate from the new Sun.
Logo with Letter “S”
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is a chain of luxury hotels owned by Marriott International. The logo has a smooth “S” in a circle. The type it used is a serif typeface, which aims to show a luxury feeling.
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Skype is an instant messaging app that provides online text message and video chat services. The current Skype icon features the letter “S” in white color with a bright blue background.
SEAT, S.A. is a Spanish automobile manufacturer with its head office in Martorell, Spain. The logo aligns corporate identity and design with the brand’s platform, and openly symbolizes the six values of the company—de sign, dynamism, young spirit, effi ciency, reliability and accessibility. It has two separate parts to assemble an “S”, and the color gives a feeling of metal texture.
Suzuki was founded in 1909 by Michio Suzuki as a manufacturer of looms, and soon turned into a successful industrial enterprise. Sharp edges and chopped forms are definitely associated with the Japanese culture, reminding of samurai heritage and hieroglyphs.
Sebring International Raceway is a road course auto racing facility located near Sebring, Florida. The letter “S” likes a road with no endings. The City of Seattle’s road safety campaign, Be Super Safe, is an ongoing effort to reach zero traffi c fatalities and serious injuries. When driving, walking and bicycling we ask that you Be Super Safe and follow the rules of the road.
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG is a private German audio company specialized in the design and production of a wide range of high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephony accessories and avionics headsets for personal, professional and business applications. The logo is not easily recognized as a letter “S” from first look.
Symantec Corporation is an American software company headquar tered in Mountain View, California, United States. First launched with Norton Antivirus 2002 in late 2001 (around the time when Windows XP came out), it has become the most well-known logo of the company to date.
The City of Seattle’s road safety campaign, Be Super Safe, is an ongoing effort to reach zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries. When driving, walking and bicycling we ask that you Be Super Safe and follow the rules of the road.
The Superman shield, also known as the Superman logo, is the iconic emblem for the fictional DC Comics superhero Superman. The “S” looks like a strong man which stands for “hope” as well.
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Logo with Similar Shape
Aims to be the best regional Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) service provider by offering exceptionally strategic, effi cient, and secure horizontal BPO services to off-shore and near-shore ecommerce companies.
A growing Management and IT consulting company with a legacy of tremendous succes s, Stellent Solutions, Inc. provides clients worldwide with proven, effective solutions to their greatest business challenges in four key areas: Enterprise Solutions, Knowledge Management, Outsourcing and Contracting. The logo is made by locking two separate pieces together to represent the letter S.
Scansource, Inc. is an international distributor of specialty technology products, particularly those for businesses such as point-of-sale systems, barcode scanners and video and audio conferencing solutions. The logo includes two disconnected parts which likes a letter “S“.
Squarespace is a SaaS-based content management system-integrated website builder, blogging platform, hosting service and domain name registrar. Squarespace’s logo is so simple yet elegant and clever. The two interlocking S’s create an and interesting pattern and the angle at which it’s set makes it more dynamic.
SAS (Statistical Analysis System) is a software suite developed by SAS Institute for advanced analytics, multivariate analyses, business intelligence, data management, and predictive analytics.
Sanmina is a global electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider headquartered in San Jose, California
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it serves original equipment manufacturers in technology-related industries such as communications and computer hardware.
The Chanel logo, designed by Coco Chanel herself in 1925, consists of two interlocked and opposing letters “C” for her name, “Coco Chanel”. This logo uses two beautiful round “C”s and shapes a connection in the middle.
China Mobile Communications Corporation is a Chinese stateowned telecommunication company that provides mobile voice and multimedia ser vices through its nationwide mobile telecommunications network. The logo means communication, has multiple lines, and looks like an “S”.
The Kroger Company, or simply Kroger, is an American retailing company founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The logo has two curves at the upper and lower parts, which is separated by the wordmark.
Koninklijke Ahold N.V. is a Dutch international retailer based in Zaandam, Netherlands. The logo uses two rotated triangle shapes making them together.
Asian Paints Limited is an Indian multinational paint company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. This logo uses very bright color to represent painting. A stripe naturally forms the letter “a” and “p”.
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“The Internet of Things is not a concept; it is a network, the true technology-enabled Network of all networks.” —Edewede Oriwoh
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After the research of similar logos, Sun’s new brand identity is assured to be visually different from others. With a final version of the logo refined, the new identity can be used for different deliverables. Before that, some guidelines must be made for displaying the new logo.
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Chapter 05
Sources
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Page Number
Website
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https://www.datatorrent.com/solutions/
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https://www.geekwire.com/2014/ zuckerbergs-not-subtle-message-facebook-employees-dont-end-like-sun-microsystems/
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sun-1_Badge.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sun_Microsystems_1980s_logo.gif https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Microsystems#/media/File:SunMicrosystems_logo.svg
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http://www.tech-coffee.net/public-key-infrastructure-part-6-manage-certificate-templates/
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http://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/green-technology_n_7208264
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https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6BeCpfXdIG4/maxresdefault.jpg
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http://logok.org/sheraton-logo/ https://seeklogo.com/vector-logo/127795/skype http://www.carlogos.org/Car-Logos/SEAT-logo.html#.WRf0QlKZPUQ
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http://www.carlogos.org/Car-Logos/Suzuki-logo.html#.WRf0X1KZPUQ http://www.vishwagujarat.com/technology/sennheiser-news/attachment/sennheiser-logo/ https://twitter.com/besupersafe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sebring_logo.png http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/File:Symantec_logo.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_logo
Page Number
Website
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http://www.stellentcorp.com https://www.dice.com/company/10415639 http://www.scansource.com/en/press/brand-library http://www.wrightgrid.com/portfolio_page/squarespace-newport-folk-festival/ https://www.sas.com/en_us/legal/logos.html http://www.sanmina.com
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanel http://www.logomore.net/china-mobile-logo/ http://brandingsource.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-logo-asian-paints.html http://www.stevewoodruff.com/help-me-out-here-k-rog/ http://logok.org/ahold-logo/
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http://www.newtontechs.com/testimonials.html
Design
Ran An
Course
GR.604 Nature of Identity Spring 2017 Academy of Art University
Instructor
Hunter Wimmer