Client Overview
My client, Scary Group, is the leading brand in horror entertainment. They offer a wide range of frightening experiences, products, and content. The company runs haunted houses and escape rooms for intense and live scare experiences, sells horror-themed merchandise, including costumes and decorations, and produces original horror content such as films, podcasts, and books. Their target audience includes horror fans and thrill-seekers of any age, people looking for Halloween decor, and event planners organizing horror-themed parties or events. Scary Group is the go-to company for horror fans. Whether someone wants to experience scares in person, decorate with spooky items, or enjoy scary stories in different ways, Scary Group has it covered. Their commitment to the horror genre has made them a popular brand for anything frightening.
Logo Overview
The Scary Group logo captures the feeling of horror and mystery. The mask design itself adds to the horror theme because masks are often used in scary movies and stories to hide someone's true identity, which makes people feel nervous and scared. The asymmetrical design adds visual interest, and the color scheme of black and reddish-brown gives off dark feelings. I chose to make the eyes the reddish-brown color because they are common in horror and thriller genres, and often used to portray something supernatural. Additionally, I think having the masquerade mask tilted and put in between the two parts of the client's name brings it all together rather than having it feel like separated elements. I created a silhouette design because it is simple but impactful. It’s easily recognizable, even in smaller formats or from a distance. I wanted it to reflect the company's focus and serve as a good representation of the brand.
Logo Usage Overview
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Logo Usage Guidelines:
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The logo should always be used in its entirety, with both the text and mask symbol present.
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The color scheme should be maintained as black and reddish-brown on light backgrounds, or white and reddish-brown on dark backgrounds.
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Minimum size restrictions should be implemented to ensure the legibility of the "SCARY GROUP" text.
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Clear space should be maintained around the logo to preserve its visual impact.
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Scary Group reserves the right to modify these guidelines and logo at any time, and to take action against any unauthorized or non-compliant use of the logo.
Overview of the Client's Color Set
I believe the colors in my logo are perfect for a horror-themed company. Black is a classic horror color that makes people think of darkness and shadows, which is exactly what you want for scary stories. The dark red reminded me of blood and danger, which keeps things eerie and represents the brand well. The white helps everything stand out and can even make people think of ghosts or moonlight. In addition, I added a few more colors that I thought would represent the brand well outside of the logo. I think using a dark shade of purple would be beneficial because it's often used in spooky settings like haunted houses and brought up in witch stories. The dark green color can make people think of creepy forests or monsters, while dark blue brings to mind a scary nighttime feeling. Together, all these dark colors create a dark mood that tells people right away this is about horror.
Overview of the Client's Selected Fonts
I believe that the Didot font works well for my logo. The letters have both thick and thin parts that make it look fancy but also unsettling. The pointy, knife-like edges of the letters add to the creepy feeling. Even though it looks like a fancy font, it caused me to think of old horror books and even modern horror movie posters. It's also easy to read, which is important for a logo. The font matches well with the mask design and dark colors, which makes everything look professional but scary at the same time.
Sources of Inspiration
The font in my logo and the one used in the US movie poster have a lot in common when it comes to their design. The thick and thin strokes contrast sharply in the bold "U" and "S" of the movie title. This style gives them a sophisticated feel, similar to the Didot font. However, there's an eerie edge to both due to their sharp, pointed features. The clean and crisp lines make them look polished, but there's still something unsettling about them.
The Pretty Little Liars masquerade ball scene shows the main characters in dresses and masks, but there's a lot of uncertainty because A, the girls' stalker in the show, is somewhere in the crowd. My logo has that same feeling. The tense feeling I remember having while watching this scene is the reason I chose a masquerade mask for my main element in my logo. Just as anyone at the ball could be A, my logo hints at mystery and hidden danger.
I decided to look up Edgar Allen Poe's books because the content of his work is known to be on the horror side. When doing so, The Raven appeared. I immediately loved how the book cover shows exactly how dark red and black work together in horror. This cover used a deep red color with a black raven silhouette against the mansion background. My logo uses these same colors to create that classic horror feel. I also made my masquerade mask a silhouette to direct the audience's attention to it since silhouettes give a clear image, like the raven on the book cover.