app design &development

local small business / startup

Just to recap, Im doing a local app design & development startup.

mission
to create powerful and intuitive apps to empower users and improve their daily lives to merge virtual space and real life

The mission is to: create intuitive apps for users. to improve peoples daily lives. to live in the middle ground between virtual space and real life.

essence
enhancing lives through technology

The essence is enhancing lives through technology.

attributes
dynamic supplementary human + machine merge real life + technology merge transhumanism

The attributes are: dynamism, to show that technology is ever-changing. supplementary information on top of real life. the merging of human & computers. the merging of real life & digital life. with a little bit of transhumanism for good measure.

competitors &comparables
the other guys

So, what do the other guys look like?

Larva Labs is a small group of developers who focus mainly on fun apps and games. Their identity is a bit too web 2.0, with their glossy shapes and drop shadows. However, it does convey a bit of a sense of the tactility that their apps tend to portray.

Layar (the company) is named for their main augmented reality app, which uses the concept of layering supplementary information on top of real life. Their logo is a cloud, which represents the cloud of servers that process and store the data they show.

Teknision creates lifestyle apps such as smart Android home screens and concepts that use emerging technology. Their identity takes the form of a layered, interwoven box, which gives a sense of the depth and potential of technology and screen-based media, and how it intertwines with the users.

Google does a little bit of everything, and their dedication to the users needs is inspiring. Their logo is clean and friendly, if not a bit childish.

naming process
a long journey of terrible ideas

So, the naming process took forever. And it didnt go well at rst.

round 1
transhumanism & duality (brain + guts, science + art, technology + humans)

Round one of name ideas was based on the idea of combining technology and humans, or the cerebral & visceral.

The ideas were all over the place. There were a lot of things that didnt make much sense.

The ideas were all over the place. There were a lot of things that didnt make much sense.

round 2
a different approach

So, I took a totally new approach, and I based the name off the attributes and brand essence, instead of distantly-related words.

And then there was this a-ha moment! This is when Cogneedo was born.

And then there was this a-ha moment! This is when Cogneedo was born.

cogneedo
cog + need (technology + users) the opposite of incognito (transparency; not disguised)

To remind everyone: Cogneedo comes from the idea of machines & technology catering to users needs. Its also a play on the word incognito, which means to be disguised. Cogneedo is the opposite. Its transparent and unobtrusive.

the face of cogneedo

what does cogneedo look like?
So, what does Cogneedo look like?

finger frame
trustworthy friendly comforting secure layered/dimensional

This mark is designed to offset the typical uneasiness that comes with new technology, replacing it with a sense of security. The layers represent the idea of layering information on top of real life, to enrich a users experience.

concept
abstract representation of a finger frame represents the human need for technological assistance in the form of augmented reality

The shape comes from the nger-frame idea I had awhile back, which I used as a metaphor for augmented reality addressing users needs.

The logotype is handwritten and organic, representing the users as the human element of the brand.

cogneedo

technolo y for humans

And the tagline, technology for humans, is pretty straightforward. Its all about the users having human-friendly tools, instead of feeling alienated.

Heres everything together.

Heres everything together.

And my boomerang pattern...

colors
fun complementary friendly trustworthy nostalgic/comforting

the colors are fun, complementary (to illustrate the complementary realms of reality and virtual space), friendly & trustworthy, if not a bit retro and nostalgic, to assist users in this new frontier and not overwhelm them.

Heres a sample business card, a t-shirt, and a branded app splash screen.

...and a billboard.

Technology for Humans

Technolo y shouldnt just solve a problem; it should take care of it. It shouldnt et in the way or make thin s complicated. It should become transparent and comfortable and make thin s simpler.

The typefaces both convey friendliness, and the typeface used for body copy conveys simplicity and lightheartedness.

The imagery is overlaid with the pattern in one color.

human cog
cogneedo is people!

And heres the human cog.

concept
humans make technology possible & necessary the human need is the most important part of technology
The idea behind this is that humans have progressed technology, so we are all a part of what we use. Technology exists because we have needs that must be fullled.

The logotype is very human, reminding the viewer of the importance of the people/users.

technology for humans

The tagline, once again is technology for humans, which works really well with the human-cog.

And the signature...

And the signature...

other elements

More versions of the mark are made by changing the number of people making up the cog.

colors
organic natural friendly
These colors are more organic, familiar colors that arent typical at all for tech-based businesses.

Heres a sample business card, a t-shirt, and a branded app splash screen.

...and a billboard. This also shows how images would be treated, with a cog overlaying and masking over it.

Technology for Humans

Technology shouldnt just solve a problem; it should take care of it. It shouldnt get in the way or make things complicated. It should become transparent and comfortable and make things simpler.

The typefaces here show a balance. The script shows the human touch, and the body copy is set in a typeface that has a much more utilitarian, functional purpose.

The imagery is masked with a cog shape.

I like the possibilities with this direction, and Im moving forward with it. Its clever and techie, and it embodies the friendliness that I want to convey. I think its a great way to go, and it reads as representing a cutting-edge tech business that people can relate to.

infinite loop

I call it the innite loop.

concept
two loading wheels c for cogneedo segmented gradient shows progress shows that technology is infinite mildly coglike
Its an innity symbol, two Cs for Cogneedo, and it shows progress like a pair of loading wheels.

cogneedo
The logotype is clean, friendly, and unobtrusive, and the round letters reect the shape of the mark.

transparent technology

Transparent technology is a good description of what Cogneedo offers. A blend of reality and technology, without imposing on real life.

Heres everything together in grayscale and in color.

Heres everything together in grayscale and in color.

The pattern starts to make a lace-like texture, which I think can further add to the humanist elements to the brand.

colors
friendly fun upbeat contemporary
The mark can be used in any of these colors.

Heres our cool stuff. I think the mark translates really well to these different media.

TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMANS

Technology shouldn't just solve a problem; it should take care of it. It shouldn't get in the way or make things complicated. It should become transparent and comfortable and make things simpler.
The typefaces here convey a sense of familiarity and comfort.

The imagery is masked with a simple circle, to be friendly and fun, but not distracting.

So, this is the direction Im moving forward with. And I hope you guys like it too.