Southwest Missouri Police K9 Association

Logo & Branding

SWMO Police K9 Association is a non-profit association dedicated to the training, development, and certification of law enforcement canine teams and their administrations. Brad Hill Design was asked to make a logo and brand that honored the dogs and allows the organization to have a consistent look for various uses. The primary execution would be business cards, t-shirts, letterhead, email, social media, and training documents. We delivered on their request by creating complementary artwork that works as a system and is flexible enough to work for the desired media and limitations it may impose. The result is a timeless look that will serve them well for years to come.

Concept Statement

Or, just a fancy way to say what we were thinking when we made this logo. The power of this mark is in its flexibility and diversity. The combination of all 7 graphics creates an identity family. This allows the tactics size and execution limitations to guide the selection of the right mark. Multiple typefaces were used to create a layered effect and provide visual hierarchy to the visual lockup. The addition of several typefaces also provides a visual texture, which balanced nicely when paired with a limited color palette. A tone-on-tone technique is used for the Belgian malinois illustration. This prevents the details of the artwork from overwhelming the rest of the logo. The layered effect and intricate linework provide a timeless look when used in a medium or large size. The grouping of the four smaller buttons allows the brand to show well in small uses such as favicons, social profiles, and iconography.

Southwest Missouri Police K9 Association Black and White Use

Southwest Missouri Police K9 Association Social and Small Use

Things to keep in mind when creating a new logo

How and where the logo will be used is the first thing we need to understand. A complex and detailed logo won’t work well when shown small. Likewise, a logo that was designed to be used in small instances will appear cartoonish or even interpreted as yelling when scaled large. If the logo needs to be embroidered that changes and potentially limits the design possibilities. Other considerations are how third parties treat our logo. For instance, some social media platforms will always show the logo or profile picture in the shape of a circle. If the logo didn’t consider that use, it might not be readable or just look odd in that space. Neither is ideal for a business or organization trying to put its best foot forward to make a great first impression. Listing the constraints before designing a new logo can feel overwhelming. But, it’s a worthy exercise. In many cases, our best work comes from designing within constraints.

Southwest Missouri Police K9 Association

Logo & Branding

Concept Statement

Things to keep in mind when creating a new logo

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