The old logo had a dimensional, hexagonal look that felt dated and wasn’t memorable.
RedGuard, which manufactures blast-resistant buildings and storage containers, approached Gardner Design several years ago to help them with their marketing and branding efforts. Then called A Box 4 U, it was immediately apparent to the Gardner team that the name, which had become synonymous with storage containers, no longer applied and actually diminished the value of these high-quality, sturdy buildings.
“The first step of this relationship was dealing with a name that had not matured with the product they were offering in their industry,” explains Brian Wiens, art director at Gardner Design. “It also placed a limitation on the expanding product lines that were being developed enabling them to grow into other industries of safety and protection dealing with modular space.” Since the company’s brand color was already determined, the Gardner team recommended the name RedGuard, which firmly establishes the brand in its category.
The previous logo was a dimensional box, so Gardner’s team took cues from this to retain some of the brand equity. “This demonstration of space evoked RedGuard’s primary product of trade, which is space,” explains Bill Gardner, president and founder of Gardner Design.
“I explored a few concepts revolving around protection: a building, shield and human ribs. I found it interesting that these buildings have a rib-like structure that creates strength and protection,” Wiens says. “Ultimately I think the whole conceptual process led me to a simple form that lends itself to a building, a shield, and a rib-like outer structure that is protective.”
The geometric shapes work together to create a box that unfolds itself, revealing a safe, secure space inside, just like RedGuard’s products. By introducing a darker red to the logo palette, it creates depth and sophistication. Ultimately, this logo readily demonstrates the characteristics that make RedGuard unique, and it immediately garnered more recognition for the brand in its industry.
The old logo had a dimensional, hexagonal look that felt dated and wasn’t memorable.
The Gardner team wanted to retain the box feeling of the original logo, but they explored different concepts focused on the structure and its protective elements. Wiens played with different shapes and dimensions.
Other concepts included a shield and rib-like renderings. “Our rib cage protects our insides, so I played with these concepts as they relate to a building,” Wiens notes.
After several explorations, the red box-like structure emerged as the winning concept.