I like your bottommost shield/icon best - but I think that you would do well to have a more rectangular shield shape; the power icon will fill it better. The other version of the icon doesn't read as a shield with a design on it to me, at least not without some thought.

You will be sued if you use UPS and anything that looks like their sheild (United Postal Service). Who remind us on a daily basis that they are an international company. Plus you will confuse any potential customer because the meaning isn't clearly stated upfront. Come up with a new name and a tagline for the new company. This is just advice

"variety of different UPS units"

what is a UPS unit? - uninterupted power _______?

Is a UPS unit a standard industry term - cause you might be able to use the acronym then - you might have to prove that your industry knows the term rather then trying to educate and market a new one - which UPS (courier) probably wouldn't let you do. but yeah definately not the sheild in any case, the UPS we know it will come get you.

I am not for the name either, but that is his choice, I don't think I will be able to steer him away from it.

UPS is an industry standard term, and in his feild of business it would not be confused for the shipping service. It stands for Uninterupted Power Supply.

I never saw the United Parcel Services logo as a sheild before, but in that case any ideas for something that could represent power protection.

Thanks

UPS is a standard industry term, but I agree that while the shield is conceptually good, it is way too similiar to the 'other' UPS logo redesign.

Live out that shield, it is overused. Use lowercase letters or use smallcaps. Tho logo has to stand out and catch attention and/maybe in your case remind od strong undisturbed flow of power-force-strength. Hope this helps.

g

I am trying to think of another way to symbolize power protection. I have tried some ideas with a lightning bolt which is way over used, and a plug, but none of them really show protection.

I will keep working on some more ideas. Could the company possibly be in danger by using UPS in their name?

Given a sufficiently round type, you could use the power symbol as the U in UPS, or you could (with many sans) use it in place of the O in FOR. I'd play around with that.

As for the name, I don't think they would be in danger. They aren't in the shipping business, and there are other UPS outfits, e.g. http://www.minutemanups.com/ (who use a plug in their logo).

However, if United Parcel Service does decide to sue them, there will be lots of publicity. So, design a logo you would be proud to see on the 6 o'clock news!

"with a lightning bolt which is way over used"

But what is the primary use of a UPS? To provide power when the lightning takes out your powerlines. So, it's probably an appropriate symbol.

Tossing out some ideas here...

Building with dark windows except one.
Something related to the power meter on your house
Batteries
Midnight Oil

Maybe you should emphasize the "on-ness" of the on/off button.

hhp

Why not spell out the name and stack it on three lines. Remember KISS

just some object ideas that might represent protection:

gate/fence
concrete/wall
wrapped blanket (such as the insurance company does)
lock/key
roof (could do a basic peaked roof shape and have the power symbold under it)
mote

Ok I worked on some more. Thanks for all the tips fo sar everyone. I tried to work with just the power symbol for the first ones, and when I email my ideas once I finalize them I am going to propose maybe adding a tagline to the logo to eliminate confusion with united parcel service.

Also the typeface isnt final, I wanted something that was a bit techy as its for a computer related product, and this time I tried lowercase instead of all caps like before. This typeface is Superscooprounded.

I like the bottom one of the top group. None of the plugs works for me, and I agree that the fence doesn't convey what you want.

The second logo is too complex and requires too much explanation to work well, and the third logo (with the UPS unit) is too bland.

The top one has been my favourite so far too, I think I am going to fiddle around with the power logo and different ways to show it.

Any comments on the typeface I am using?

A few more variations with just the power symbol.

Lower left, without a doubt. As for the type, I find the el distracting, and there definitely needs to be more word space. How would it look with a slab serif?

I think you need more than just the power symbol. It's an overused mark and just a bit too generic. Sort of like using the wheelchair symbol as a logo for a company specialising in accessibility equipment.

What if you used the symbol with an outlet? Maybe have an outlet with a power button?

I can do a mock up with a thicker serif typeface, it just seems like it would give it sort of a traditional feel to it, which I am not sure I want because they deal with modern technology.

Im going to keep working on the symbol.

Here are some more ideas, I tried it without the swoosh, and combined it with an outlet. One of them I added a roof.

When you sort of read the one with the roof from the top its like protecting the power to your devices (symbolized by the outlet), not sure if thats clear enough tho.

I also included the very first idea I had while doodling in class. I thought it was too many ideas packed into it though.

Just work on the typeface in the variation #3 in your post 14. I think the symbol is very adecuate.
In your last post the outlet looks like a geometric-anime-baby-face , and the last one is just too busy.

> I can do a mock up with a thicker serif typeface, it just seems like it would give it sort of a traditional feel to it, which I am not sure I want because they deal with modern technology.

The main reason I suggest it is to get further away from United Parcel Service. (And I think a slab serif would keep it from being too traditional.) You can certainly keep the face you have, but add more space.

In the meantime, I've been poking around looking at varous other UPS system logos. The lightning bolt appears in just about every one, and outlets appear frequently as well. I think the power sign is the way to go. (And for God's sake, please don't ever put LE$ in a logo!)

here is the ones from post 14, just I posted a couple typeface mock ups, and loosened the tracking. Think it should be looser?

The Le$ thing is probably one of the main reasons I ditched that logo. Im glad I left that idea quickly :D Mind you, putting For Less in your company name is pretty stupid too if you ask me, oh well what can I do.

Ill try it with a slab serif font and post it.

Of those three, I like superscoop rounded best. The word less seems tighter than the other two. Also add a bit more space between the words.

As for the for less, at least it isn't UPS R US!

I tried looking for a slab serif font, but I couldnt find one that didnt seem to clash with the artwork.

As for the spacing, I have been manually type setting outlines in flash where I have been doing the mockups, just because the shapes are really easu to manipulate. I Will export to illustrator and set it properly and repost a final preview.

Also if you were to choose another concept to send with this one, just so I can show him another idea, I told him last week I would show him a couple ideas, which other one do you think I should send?

I opened up the tracking a bit. I think I did a better job in this one, its not tighter in the word less anymore.

Still think I need more space between the words in this one?

No, the word spacing is enough now (and oddly, perhaps even a hair too much ) You might want to see how it looks centering the symbol above the for. I think that would visually balance a bit better.

Along with this one, I would send your third plug in the top group from post #11, and the UPS unit one from 11 as well (which could also be interpreted as "power for the building" if you don't see it as a UPS unit).

Sounds good, I will send those and see what he thinks. I may go to small caps on the logo if I can convince him to add a tagline below it to clearify any confusions with the acronym.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I will probably post again if I do any changes.

I know UPS is a commonly recognizable acronym in the technology industry, but placing the text in lowercase reinforces interpretation as the word "ups" rather than UPS; since the name uses the rhyme between S and Less, this might be undesired.

Return to the stylized power icon is good, although I have to say I liked the anime-face outlet

Well I presented the power idea, and also the plug idea and another; as it turned out he really liked the plug the best. The plug was my second choice at the time but it could have used some work, and I found a couple other logos that the shape of the sockets in them and decided to steer away from that.

Additionally I also told him my reasons for suggesting a tagline and he agree with me 100% so I added that and after some work I finished the logo and the client is really happy.

Nicely done. Now you can use this as a plug for your future design work!

I think it's a nice solution. The only nitpick would be the little dip in the cord as it comes out of the plug. It seems to interfere a bit with the motion of the swirl.

P and R seem very weak. bowl is sitting too high and is too small in my opinion. I quick modification to demonstrate of what I am talking about. In addition I would also make O more condensed/
oval. (not shown). It seems like there is too much negative space in center of type.

I think a font like knockout would look better. Something bold and tall.

Thanks for the tips on the typo, I agree with you about the O now that i think about it, and I will see what I can do with the P. That way the bowl will sort of match the large bowl on the R.