dache.ch

sponsr is a web company from Orlando,Florida connecting sponsors to event promoters, venues and producers. Paul Geller, founder of sponsr, approached me to create their business identity. This article serves as an insight into my creative approach.

The Creative Brief
Once sponsr had made the initial contact, I discussed the project with them in order to gain a more solid idea of which direction they had envisioned. sponsr is different to its competitors in that it is a completely web driven service with online transactions and is fully searchable. Sponsorships in their case are when corporations deal with event promoters in return for advertising or placing their name on an event. They required an elegant and timeless visual identity that was more end-user driven than business to business.

Drafting and Development
There were two major themes which I wanted to explore : connection and support. Below you will find a selection of the sketches which inspired me to create the final design.

This alternative concept is that of support and how a sponsor can support, aid and allow people to reach higher and achieve further success. The image below demonstrates how I transferred the drawings into Illustrator to improve the line work.

Although the concept was not taken further, one key element to the development of the branding was that the identity had its color scheme confirmed. A palette which was original within this industry was an important factor to the launch.

Inspiration

Although not a direct inspiration, I am a fan of the works of the Swiss painter of German nationality Paul Klee. Having recently been reintroduced to his work from a book I acquired at a flea market in Bern, his mastery of colors and techniques is fascinating and is an inspiration to me.

Paul Klee - Southern (Tunisian) Gardens - 1919

Logo development
In parallel to sketching ideas for the symbol, I developed a custom set of sans serif letters for the project as it was of high importance to the client to have a font recognisable only to them.

I took my sketches further and eventually was happy with the result which was then taken into the dot grid book where I was able to tweak it further and fully plan how the grid for the symbol would work once in Illustrator.

I integrated the symbol into the grid used for the uniquely designed typeface to keep things harmonious. The addition of the .com was included for certain variants of the identity.

The monochrome solution being complete, I now had all the elements to complete the identity.

Final solution

For the final solution I took the coloration from the previously explored idea of support. The principal concept in the final design is that of connectivity so as to reflect the main element of sponsr’s business whilst its multiple layers reflect the idea of growth.

Client Testimonial
“David is as sublimely talented as he is punctual and professional. He quoted me a reasonable price, really listened to what I wanted and delivered me an iconic brand.“
Paul Geller, founder of sponsr

I wish sponsr all the best for a successful launch and I hope that you have found this to be an interesting article. As always, any constructive criticism and comments from readers is valued so please feel free to offer any thoughts you may have on this design and the article. Hope you enjoy!