The fairphone star-logo

[Ruth_FP1]

Please do not drop the fairphone star-logo!
Just having the writing FAIRPHONE is not so good.
(my opinion).

How about doing a poll on this, or has this already been decided?
tnx.

(I searched the forum but did not find a topic on the logo - and the one with FP2 wishlist is closed. If there is a more fitting topic pls move it. tnx)

[Stefan]

The Austrian Fairphoners are also a bit disappointed about the decision, but I think it is definite. There was some confusion because the Fairphone star resembled the logo of the German provider Congstar.

[Ruth_FP1]

There was some confusion because the Fairphone star resembled the logo of the German provider Congstar.

Who was confused? Congstar? Did they object to Fairphone logo?
There are so many logos with stars everywhere (not only in Germany - http://www.stern.de/) but to say that the logos resemble each other or one gets confused would be an exaggeration.
I think it’s always better to have a logo that is an icon and not only the written name of something.

Can we have an official comment from Fairphone perhaps?

[paulakreuzer]

The Austrian Fairphoners are also a bit disappointed

Are we? I actually like the new logo better than the star.

[huskers]

I actually like the new logo better than the star.

Me too. But I’m not from Austria.

[Ruth_FP1]

The Austrian Fairphoners are also a bit disappointed

Are we?

Yes you are!
…

I like the star-part in the square you see in the front (top left corner) of the phone - I guess there won’t be the new logo / lettering substituting it, also I like the star in the circle (from the back cover) and also the star as the i-dot on Fairphone.
With FP2 and without the star-logo you won’t see fairphone on the front right away, not even an F or sth like that.

I actually heard it was for political reasons / similarities - not because of congstar - that the star will be dropped, so it would be nice to hear from Fairphone-people.

[kevr1990]

There are so many logos with stars everywhere (not only in Germany - http://www.stern.de/2) but to say that the logos resemble each other or one gets confused would be an exaggeration.

Stern isn’t in the smartphone industry, so there’s no problem there. The problems arise when 2 companies in similar sectors have similar brands.

For example, Sky TV recently took Microsoft to court over the SkyDrive name. Microsoft was ordered to change the name because they both provide online services (even though the nature of those services are very different).

So, because the Fairphone star logo is similar to that of a company in a similar industry, there is sufficient need for change. For an organisation the size of Fairphone, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

That said, I don’t think the current logo is distinctive or modern enough, nor does it communicate fairphone ethics in any way.

[paulakreuzer]

nor does it communicate fairphone ethics in any way.

True, but did the star?

[Stefan]

The Austrian Fairphoners are also a bit disappointed
[/quote]Are we?

Sorry, @EvaS also said that she liked the star, so that would be 66.6%.

[quote=“paulakreuzer, post:8”][quote=“kevr1990, post:7, topic:9979”]
nor does it communicate fairphone ethics in any way.

True, but did the star?[/quote]

Not really. I too think that Fairphone could have been more creative with their new logo (e.g. use the symbols of their 5 main sections Mining, Manufacturing, etc.).

[Jerry]

I like the star-in-square logo, but the FairPhone lettering with the star not so much. I think it’s better without.

[Stefan]

To everyone, who liked the old logo: You can still have it by accessing the mobile Fairphone forum…

[kevr1990]

True, but did the star?

You’re right, it didn’t. I’d have liked to have seen a more modern logo that better communicates what is it that makes Fairphone Fairphone. Right now, the logo style could represent anything from a oil giant to a budget 99p store.

[Ruth_FP1]

What I like about the star: with it you see directly that it’s a fairphone, from both sides.
Having just the lettering (in grey) on both sides is not as distinct.
(of course the silver / black-back was also quite unique. I recognized other fairphone users with this on a couple of occasions)

[Ruth_FP1]

I too think that Fairphone could have been more creative with their new logo (e.g. use the symbols of their 5 main sections Mining, Manufacturing, etc.).

Or if the star clash with congstar really is the reason find a new non-lettering logo (in addition to the FAIRPHONE lettering)

Actually, is there still time?
How about a logo-competition?
I am sure there are many creatives / design students willing to participate, even without prize money (or give the winner a FP2 )

[paulakreuzer]

What I like about the star: with it you see directly that it’s a fairphone, from both sides.Having just the lettering (in grey) on both sides is not as distinct.

I think it’s the other way around: With the FP2 saying “Fairphone” on both sides more people that didn’t know it before will know a Fairphone when they see it.

Actually, is there still time?
How about a logo-competition?

It’s probably to late, but I like the idea.

PS:

I too think that Fairphone could have been more creative with their new logo (e.g. use the symbols of their 5 main sections Mining, Manufacturing, etc.).

Like so?

[Ruth_FP1]

[quote=“paulakreuzer, post:15, topic:9979, full:true”]

What I like about the star: with it you see directly that it’s a fairphone, from both sides.Having just the lettering (in grey) on both sides is not as distinct.

I think it’s the other way around: With the FP2 saying “Fairphone” on both sides more people that didn’t know it before will know a Fairphone when they see it. [/quote]
First of all, the “when” should be an “if” - did you actually see “Fairphone” on the photos I posted?
And no I don’t think it’s the other way around.
If you know the Fairphone you recognize the star right away.
If you don’t know what a Fairphone is the lettering won’t help either - as I have often found out in conversations with people who have never heard of it before. They don’t assume the word “Fairphone” refers to one specific phone.
So basically the logo - as probably most / all logos - is to re-cognize sth. (Wiedererkennungswert).

Now can we have a competition please?

(I PMed Joe of Fairphone to get some official input here)

[paulakreuzer]

First of all, the “when” should be an “if” - did you actually see “Fairphone” on the photos I posted?

If you look at the animation you’ll see that the logo can be seen very well from nearly every angle.

If you don’t know what a Fairphone is the lettering won’t help either - as I have often found out in conversations with people who have never heard of it before.

Of course the word alone won’t tell anyone what the Fairphone is all about, but if they are interested in “fairness” then they will want to find out. Seeing some phone with some logo on it will only wake the interest of people interested in phones.

[Stefan]

Actually we hit the topic of a new Fairphone logo in late March, when @Chris_R and I were invited to the opening of Fairphone’s new Amsterdam office. When I returned home, I even created a forum thread, but made it invisible shortly later because @Chris_R made me aware that a lot of people would have thought that it was official, which it wasn’t.

[Stefan]

@Ruth_FP1 Yesterday a friend of mine, who is a graphics designer, said she liked the Fairphone star on the back of my FP1 and when I told her that they abandoned the star, she was quite disappointed…

(It seems that also from a professional point of view, the star should have been kept.)

[Ruth_FP1]

I am still hoping that some Fairphone officials will drop by and comment

no matter how cool and modern and whatever the new Fairphone ,logo’ is (and if it is just the written long name it’s not so much of a logo in a way is it) - a small picto-logo is more distinct. Why not have both?
When you see someone telephoning and you only see the back of the mobile, you won’t even see the new FP-logo, because it is covered by the hand.