BUSKIRK TREE
A logo gets spruced up with the addition of a 3D design element.
Designer: Sam Berkes
Inevitably in a logo makeover, the designer asks
how far can I stray from the original design? Is there
equity that I must retain? What does the current logo
say about the company and its product or services?
Tricia Buskirk, co-owner of Buskirk Tree Service,
says the company currently has no marketing message,
and advertising is very limited so she’s open to
almost any new direction. The logo must be used in
a number of places, but print ads are minimal. “The
logo appears on all our vehicles—primarily in vinyl,
on uniforms and in the yellow pages,” says Buskirk.
“We also want to keep our red-and-yellow colors: All
our vehicles are already in these colors. Besides, the
other tree service and landscape companies all use
green already.”
DG art director Sam Berkes’ initial explorations
included a tree element and an abstract design element
reminiscent of a leaf. He selected a serif font
initially to provide the group with a more upscale,
landscaping feel. However after learning more about
the company, he selected sans serif font Arial Black
Regular with its clean lines and industrial feel.
His final design is similar to the original logo
and will help maintain the existing logo’s equity.
“Buskirk requested a 3D, professional-looking logo.
Since it’s mostly reproduced in vinyl for their vehicles
and on uniforms, I created a simple 3D element
using B and T that can be used separately from the
shield for shirts and additional applications,” says
Berkes. He also maintained the requested red-and-yellow
palette.
“Yellow is the first color the eye notices, and red
is vibrant. Together, the two definitely stand out,”
says Berkes. He also recommends Buskirk work with
a professional to develop a strong branding message
for the growing company. “They haven’t advertised
much yet, and as they grow, they’ll need to have a
consistent identity and message for their customers,”
adds Berkes.
