We have been working for a client developing a new name and logo for an existing company. Before anything else can happen the first step is to create a name, a name that has a story, a special meaning that the client beleives in. We went through our process and developed a name that we knew was the right one. When we presented the name the client LOVED it, it was perfect, so much so that the client had  passion, a true vision of the possibilities of this name, a genuine excitement. This excitement is critical, it is the faith that drives the brand so it is critical.

 

The client in his excitement then took the name and shared it with a panel of his trusted friends and colleagues. When we met with the clients in the following days to move forward with the logo the client's enthusiasm was gone and the passion was non existent. The client made the comment "I still LOVE the name, but the feedback is not all positive". So the Client took a Great name and asked for feedback without the name being paired with a logo. The panel poisoned the idea.

 

 The story becomes more interesting when the client then provides us with the new name that he has come up with based on feedback from his panel. Now in my opinion the new name is not bad but certainly not as good as the first name I say this based on four questions:

 

 

1. Is the name memorable?

2. Is the name easy to spell?

3. Is the name short?

4. Is the Client passionate about the name?

 

 

1. Now the new name is not memorable 2. It is not easy to spell ( so we registered the misspelled possibilities ) 3. it is 12 characters long so it is a little long (not the deal breaker here) 4.It would appear that there is very little passion from the client. The clients panel of trusted advisors agree that this new name is the perfect 10 for a name so the panel is happy.

 

So I accepted defeat by the panel and began phase 2 of the project, the design of the logo. Now I believe that we can make any name look Great even if it is lipstick on a pig, a mediocre name makes the design that much more important. In our process we show the client the logo ideas when the logo is in it's rough form, so when we show the client the roughs he really likes one of the roughs. I admit the rough logo does look great but it is still early in the process, so when the client asks for a JPG of the rough just to look it over and let it sink in the design team is against it. The client promises that the rough will never be shown to anyone else and he leaves with a JPG. 

 

Less than 4 hours later we have emails that our client is forwarding to us from his trusted panel. Now 9 out of 10 times a panel will discourages and frustrate the process and squash great ideas due to the varied opinions of the members on a panel. In this case they love the logo and this validation from these individuals has really resurrected the enthusiasm in the client that we had not seen since the he loved the first name. Now the client is full blown  "IN LOVE" because his panel has approved.

 

So this was a GREAT outcome and I am very pleased considering it could have been a train wreck. The real lesson is the influence that a panel can have on a business. I have a hard time with panels since there are too many variables to really trust the feedback a panel provides. 

 

 

1. Do Panels have an understanding of the business' core values or vision? 

2. Do Panels consider the audience of the business? 

3. Do Panels understand branding?

4. Do Panels consider who the competition is and what that means to the business?

 

 

No, no, no, and no. They are only considering their individual tastes and their personal taste does not translate into what the audience will respond to, or what will make the phone ring. Panels are arbitrary data points that water down the impact of an effective message.

 

Now in this example the Logo and the Name are a solid 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. I am extatic that we hit this high considering a panel was involved. The panel effect consistently returns between a 3 and 6 on this same 1 to 10 scale. Now an 8 is nice but consider using the first Name that the client was passionate about, that name paired with the great design would be magic at least an 11 (spinal tap) on a scale of 1 to 10. That 11 is something to believe in and this faith makes the phones ring. 

 

 

 

 

 

A panel's sole purpose is to squash the truely great ideas and neuter passion.