The making of the Saratov tourist logo

The phrase “I Enjoy Visiting Saratov” was born in the art director’s head instantly, other alternatives weren’t even considered.

Searching for references and creating the first concepts of the logo.

—Not bad. What if we put the Ф on one side to make it look like a В?

—Let’s flip the key and make the Е look less like a fork.

—OK.

Now for the most important part of the project, the presentation. We need to use all the right photos and all that.

Assembling the first presentation.

—Nope, doesn’t look right. There is no message, no relation to the viewer.

Simultaneously developing the visual identity.

Making changes to the presentation.

—We need a few billboards with their major features. Like, the conservatory, the Volga River, restaurants, sights. And the bar on the side.

Creating billboards with a more reserved design.

—The overlay in the one with the theater is too harsh, it looks bad. And it would be best to place the logo in the bottom right corner.

Making corrections. We also need to create a billboard not for a specific event but for advertising Saratov’s restaurants, for example, or something else.

—Now that’s interesting.

Showing the logo on different media and assembling the final presentation.

—OK.

The art director goes to Saratov to demonstrate the logo. The designer stays at home and eagerly waits for the result.

Once back, the art director announces that the approach was deemed too bold by the city administration. And that an agreement was reached for the studio to develop a proper logo for the city, not a tourist one. The art director leaves on an Ethnographic Expedition while the designer continues his work.

The designer really likes the first drafts, but we decide to save them for later.

Other results are less exciting and satisfy neither the designer nor the art director.

Finally, a nice idea gleams. The coat of arms of the city has three silver sturgeons. That’s what we’ll put at the core of our logo.

—We need to ensure somebody can’t make it look like a bent over old lady with hooves just by rotating it 90 degrees.

—Let’s go with Number 4.

Demonstrating the use of the logo.

Sending the logo to the type designer.

Preparing a presentation.

The art director approves everything. We are waiting for what will happen next. The city administration in Saratov changes, there is now a new mayor with a new team. So we wait until the things level off.

Finally, a meeting is scheduled. The designer rushes to print out the presentation. The art director takes both the old and the new concepts to the meeting.

Ultimately, the first concept is approved, the one which was seen as too bold by the previous administration. Apparently, the new mayor is more daring, which is something we can applaud.

Sending the logo to the type designer to make the final touches.

The designer doesn’t like the corners on the characters, getting rid of them and making everything look more rough.

—Looks all right, but now we need to make it all a bit thicker.

—Yep, like this.

Working on the key. Assembling the brand book. Creating a pattern to go with the logo.