“We explored a number of different areas, and since the word collar is in the name we went through a more literal approach,” Anderson says.
Grey-Collar Solutions provides software to utility infrastructure companies that streamlines communications and information across all platforms, from the people working in the field to upper management. The grey collar is a hybrid between non-technical user groups (blue collar) and technically advanced user groups (white collar), so Gardner Design had a unique opportunity to develop an identity system that integrates these concepts.
“This is a case where the client doesn’t have a tangible product, so coming up with a visual solution can be tricky,” notes Bill Gardner, president and founder of Gardner Design.
Designer Adam Anderson’s early concepts revolved around two shapes: a collar and a circle. “Since collar is part of the name, we took a literal approach, using two different ideas. One has lines running through it that symbolize the pipes and moving parts and components that go on behind the scenes, and the other is more high-tech, using color tones that resemble pixels,” he explains.
The round logos take on a global representation. “A large part of what their clients do is go into the ground to lay lines, so we wanted to portray the earth, with the lines symbolizing the pipes beneath the ground,” Anderson explains. Each circle tells a slightly different story about Grey-Collar’s services and clients.
Ultimately, they chose the circle that has an uneven split with different lines on each side. “The lines on the left are uneven and a bit disjointed and the lines on the right are clean and straight. This represents the streamlined flow of information, with the smooth straight lines and different layers,” Anderson says.
The white and blue come together to form the gray solution. “The yellow paired nicely with the rest of the colors creating a fresh, modern palette,” he notes. A customized sans serif in gray pairs nicely with the logo, lending an authoritative quality to the high-tech start-up.
“In this case, the clients’ product isn’t easily associated with a noun or a thing. These are the most challenging to convey in a logo because you are forced to convey visual information in a conceptual manner.”
—Bill Gardner
“We explored a number of different areas, and since the word collar is in the name we went through a more literal approach,” Anderson says.
Anderson also designed circular concepts that symbolize the earth. The lines represent the underground pipes that Grey-Collar’s clients install. The two intersecting circles are the two groups of people—blue collar and white collar—communicating and working together.
Ultimately, the client chose the circle with the uneven bands on the left migrating to the smooth, orderly bands on the right. The designers also introduced a clean, custom sans serif typeface in light gray.
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