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Free logo makeover week #2 – Taking HandleDroid from complex to accessible

Hello there,

today I'll be reviewing and enhancing the brand design of handleDroid, founded by fellow Indie Hacker @trofosila.

Let's get started.

1. Foundation: The values behind HandleDroid

HandleDroid is a service that notifies you when the availability of a username you want changes on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. To do so, their bot will monitor one handle for up to three years. Their core values are to be simple, easy to use, and reliable.
HandleDroid current logo design

2. Good things about the current logo

  • The idea behind the symbol is nice and simple: it combines the image of a social media identity with a sense of depth and repetition. This perspective effect suggests automation and time.
  • The symbol explains in one piece what "HandleDroid" is about, and makes the name clearer. It's a good thing as they want to convey simplicity and reliability.
  • The colors bring a good balance between reliability (dark green and blue) and a human, sensitive feeling (turquoise, soft colors).
  • This balance can also be found on the rounded lines associated with a condensed font (PT Sans Narrow).
  • Since HandleDroid can be assimilated with a robot, I think it is very interesting to keep the human feeling alive and not get rid of the kindness behind the tool.

3. Issue with the current logo

Trying to explain what the product is through the symbol is good but in this case, the design is too complicated and verbose to be understood properly. It doesn't convey simplicity and ease of use.

The current logo is difficult to read, especially in small size. The letter-spacing is too tight and makes the word harder to read.

4. Improvement solution

To enhance the actual logo, we need to keep the seriousness and the educational style of the symbol, along with the flexible lines and the human feeling. However, we also need to clarify the drawing and give it more strength.

Designing the new logo depends on this question: how to express simplicity and reliability and still convey kindness?

5. Design ideas

I've made a lot of sketches to experiment bringing strength and clarity to HandleDroid in a soft, easy way.
HandleDroid logo design sketches

Symbol

  • Simplify the "user ID card" by getting rid of the details: try to be less talkative and more effective.
  • Try other ways to display perspective and depth: going from dots to full lines or adding a third card to insist on multiple ids.
  • Try other designs for "user ID card" than the speech bubble: smartphone, cards, pawns…

Colors

  • Keep the green with a hint of blue, to keep the softness alive, but try a deeper tone to insist on reliability.
  • I also tried a blue hue, with a hint of green for the kind feeling, it conveys simplicity and seriousness.

Font

  • Use a thicker weight (bold instead of regular) to add strength and solidity.
  • Try another condensed font with a little less flexibility and more stature.
  • Adjust the letter-spacing: when the weight of the font is ok, no need to tighten the spacing to add visual impact.

6. Logo Proposals

I applied all these ideas in the four proposals below.

  • Font: I picked PT Narrow Bold and Barlow Condensed Bold, according to the symbol.
  • Colors: I kept the deep green, but enhanced it with a more intense connotation.
  • Shapes: I chose a minimalist design with straight lines, rounded edges, and perfect circles.

Proposal 1 – User identity and bot tracking

This proposal keeps the idea of associating "user identity" with automation and perspective. Here, the message is the same, but the design is clearer and the legibility is enhanced.
HandleDroid logo design proposal 1 - a
HandleDroid logo design proposal 1 - b

Proposal 2 – Through time

Going from dots to a fully colored "user profile" evokes the duration of the search. The design expresses the idea that you finally get the profile you want thanks to the bot's work.
HandleDroid logo design proposal 2

Proposal 3 – Finding a match

The cards are melted into one shape, or repeated, to express depth and a perpetual search.
HandleDroid logo design proposal 3 - a
HandleDroid logo design proposal 3 - b

7. Time to choose

HandleDroid logo design all proposals
The HandleDroid logo case was nice to work on! Which proposal do you prefer? Help @trofosila choose by giving your top 3 in the comments.

Side note: If you're looking for a brand identity for your project, this kind of deep design work usually goes for $1k+, not very affordable when you're just starting. That why I created logology, where you can get a brand that fits your values for 10X cheaper. All designed by me. :)

Next week, I'll enhance the logo of list.app founded by @ksp, stay tuned! :)

  1. 2

    Great work @Lucie Baratte! The designs all look great.

    I'd vote for number 2 with number 1 coming in second.

    1. 1

      Thank you @rlepore! :) Seems like the #1 as the vote of the community so far.

  2. 2

    This comment was deleted 2 months ago.

    1. 1

      Hi Laurentiu, indeed, the #2 is the winner!! I think is a very good choice! The color of this one can be darker, it would enhance legibility for users with limited vision, that's true. But if so, we need to do it softly to keep the kind feeling of the turquoise alive. Deep green is stil an option too! I send you versions of this logo with multiple color choices (in svg). They'll all be efficient and meaningful, you'll just have to choose the one you like the most. :)

  3. 5

    This comment was deleted 2 months ago.

    1. 1

      Dear Laurentiu, I'm so pleased you like my work on your logo. Thank so much for your kind feedback! I do appreciate.
      I'd love to hear what the community thinks too, so I'll wait before I'll give you my recommendation. ;)
      À bientôt !

  4. 4

    This comment was deleted 3 years ago.

    1. 3

      Second is my fave too, love how it shows the idea of progressively getting closer to the handle.

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