Jeff Fisher's neighborhood logo design efforts recognized at 'Celebrate North Portland' event

It's always nice to be recognized for one's work-related efforts, especially pro-bono activities in your own community - although it's never something to be expected. For me, the funny thing is that each time I've informed that I was to be publicly recognized at a neighborhood event, I've known I would miss the celebration due to traveling outside of the country. Such was the case in March 2011, while I was in on the island of St. Croix.

In late 2010, I learned that my volunteer neighborhood design efforts were to be acknowledged at a public dinner to be held on March 19th at the University of Portland. I was to be one of many residents to be honored at the event "Celebrate North Portland: Recognizing over three decades of activism in North Portland," hosted by my long-time friend and client, Mike Verbout.

Verbout, the former principal of James John School, also asked if I would create the logo to identify the dinner.

Schnitzer Steel, community activists Barbara Parmelee and Rich Recker, former Portland Mayor Vera Katz, columnist Steve Duin of The Oregonian and The Merck Family received plaques for their contributions to North Portland. Along with many businesses, organizations and individuals, I was honored to have a narrative describing my community work published in the evening's recognition book:

"Jeff Fisher, author of Identity Crisis!: 50 redesigns that transformed stale identities into successful brands (HOW Books, 2007), is the Engineer of Creative Identity for the North Portland-based firm Jeff Fisher LogoMotives. A 32-year graphic design veteran, he has been honored with over 600 regional, national and international design awards and is featured in over 140 books about logos, the design business, and small business marketing. His first book, The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success was released in 2004. Other book projects are currently in the works. He often travels – nationally and internationally – to present courses, seminars and workshops on design, branding, marketing and social networking.

In addition, Fisher is a nationally-recognized speaker, making numerous presentations each year to design organizations, design schools, universities and business groups. In 2009, Graphic Design USA magazine named Jeff Fisher one of its design industry “People to Watch.” Jeff Fisher LogoMotives is a past recipient of the Spirit of Portsmouth Award, Salvation Army’s North Portland Neighborhood Pride Award and the Portland Area Theatre Alliance B. Joe Medley Volunteer Award. Fisher is also Portland Rose Festival Character Clown Corps member Toots Caboose. Jeff and his partner, Ed Cunningham, have made Arbor Lodge their home for 15 years.

Past North Portland clients of Jeff Fisher LogoMotives have included James John School, Just Out, Peninsula Community Development Corporation, North Bank Cafe, Coyner's Auto Body, Lampros Steel, The Sentinel and DiPrima Dolci. The designer has donated his talents and abilities to create logos and other works for the North Portland Business Association, Project Safe Summer, Portsmouth Neighborhood Association, Peninsula Clean Team, Caring Community of North Portland, Kenton Neighborhood Service Center, Children's Relief Nursery, North Portland Neighborhood Services, St. Johns Window Project, Historic Kenton Firehouse Committee, The Salvation Army’s Moore Street Corps, and the North Portland Pride B.B.Q and Festival. He also designed the St. Johns street banners."

It's been a real pleasure to live and work in North Portland. I look forward to many more years of involvement in the vibrant community I call "home."

© 2011 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Anatomy of a logo design

Several years ago my friend, and long-time client, Anne Kilkenny contracted me to design a logo for a grass roots community effort to oppose the inclusion of a "big box" hardware store in a new development proposed for construction on the east side of Portland's Willamette River. The site, at the end of the Burnside Bridge, was within a few blocks of numerous owner-operated smaller home improvement stores. Residential neighborhoods were nearby. The construction of a large retail store could have a tremendous negative impact on local business, the quality of life for neighbors and traffic.

I had worked with this client for years - including designing the award-winning identity for the nearly 100-year-old W.C. Winks Hardware store and the logo for her Heart of the Pearl retail development in the city's Pearl District. Kilkenny didn't need to provide much initial input on the project. It's just the way we've worked together over the years. I'd read the newspaper reports of the community issue and was familiar with the area in question. She gave me the rather clever acronym for the organization and set me to work. My one directive was to create something "that might look cool on a T-shirt."

I did a couple doodles on a piece a paper and then went directly to my PowerBook to fine-tune my one and only concept for the logo (above). Recently a friend was looking at the design and said "that's a design that would look really cool on a T-shirt, but what is it?" I gave a brief explanation of the concept behind the design and then my friend commented that it was "a really cool design."

In dissecting the design (above), I explained that the squiggly blue line (A.) represented the east bank of the Willamette River and one boundary of the area being impacted. The color blue was another representation of the water. Within the logo there are four abstract human forms (B.) representing the local community activists, the small business owners, other concerned citizens, and the public officials siding with the group. Together these four human forms created a circle (C.) signifying the unity of the various groups on this emotional community issue. Together the elements also created squares (D.) representative of Portland's grid system of small commercial and residential blocks in the area. I used upper and lower case letterforms on the AFriend element (E.), an acronym for Association for Responsible Inner Eastside Neighborhood Development, to make it seem friendlier and a little more neighborly for the group going up against the big corporations (and their lawyers) and city planners in dealing with the issue. A little last minute treatment was coloring the dot over the "i" blue to symbolically remind those involved that a single drop of water in a bucket can make a difference in the end result.

I don't know if my "cool" design had much of an impact on the outcome, but the developers of the project did end up going back to the drawing board to remove the "big box" retailers from their architectural plans.

The AFriend logo appears in The Big Book of Logos 5 and 100s Visual Logos & Letterheads (UK).

© 2010 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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Profiting from Pro Bono Creative Efforts

by Jeff Fisher, Engineer of Creative Identity, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

It can happen to almost any "creative type" on a daily or weekly basis. When you least expect it you are asked to produce a project for a nonprofit client - for free! Your response to the request may depend on a variety of issues. Often you will react emotionally with an immediate "out of the goodness of your heart" positive answer. However, when it comes right down to the nitty-gritty, the decision may be based on the age-old question; "What's in it for me?.

Given that you have the time and desire to assist a nonprofit in their marketing and promotion efforts, you need to establish the personal value and rewards of doing such work. I have determined that to do my best work for such a group I require a passion for their cause. With the large number of requests I received for pro bono work I also realized I needed to create some personal guidelines in regards to donated time. I now only consider donating my services if the project is related to education, nonprofit performing arts groups, children's causes, HIV/AIDS or issues in which I have a strong personal interest. I will also only take on a limited number of pro bono projects in any one calendar year.

Unfortunately, our friends at the Internal Revenue Service don't see a great deal of value in the gifting of time, talent or services. The Internal Revenue Service states: "Contributions you cannot deduct at all include the value of your time or services. Although you cannot deduct the value of your time or services, you can deduct the expenses you incur while donating your services to a qualified organization.

Even so, there are tremendous profits and benefits (above and beyond those warm, fuzzy feelings) in donating your services to nonprofit organizations Taking (or getting credit) for your efforts.

Doing creative work for a local nonprofit organization can be a great way to promote your talents and abilities. I actually look at such projects as part of the marketing plan for my business.

When a nonprofit asks you to donate services, don't be shy about asking for credit in return for your efforts. This may simply be a credit line on a photograph or graphic; or a byline on an article you have written. It may be in the form of an acknowledgment in the program for an event or a mention in the group's newsletter. You may want to receive a verbal "thank you" from the organization at one of their public gatherings or dinners.

If the nonprofit has a membership directory, newsletter or event program, an appropriate expression of their appreciation might be a print ad in the publication. A link from the client's web page to your own can be a very profitable gesture. If the organization is of personal interest a complimentary membership, or admission to an event, is often a welcome gift.

Completing a donated project for a nonprofit organization is the perfect opportunity to "toot my own horn" and send out one of my "Toot! Toot!" press releases. Many local publications, or those related to the purpose of the nonprofit industry involved, will be pleased to print the information. The resulting publicity is positive exposure for your business and the organization.

The donation of my services has also led to greater creative freedom in many cases. The individuals involved in the projects are often very willing to admit the creative aspects of such an effort are not within their area of expertise. They are pleased to give creative individuals free rein to produce the best result - and often the work I consider my personal best. Over one third of the international, national and regional design awards I have received have been for the projects of nonprofit groups. Many of these projects have been published in design annuals or graphic design books. Each award has given me even more reason to promote myself through press releases.

Making friends and meeting influential people

One of the major benefits of doing pro bono work is the people with whom you come in contact during the course of the projects. Many of these people may become strong advocates and allies for your business efforts.

The staff of a nonprofit organization is the best source of word-of-mouth promotion following a successful project. Over the years I have developed long-term business relationships with individuals who have moved from one nonprofit to another throughout the course of their career. With each move comes the potential for a renewed client relationship.

Most groups will have a Board of Directors, made up of civic-minded business people, who may also have a need for your services. These same Board members also travel in a variety of business and social circles. I have been hired for projects because my name came up in a conversation an individual had with a Board member of a client organization - in some situation totally unrelated to my client. On several occasions I have been contacted directly by Board members to produce projects for their own business ventures.

Having participated in the design of materials for fundraising activities my work will get a great deal of exposure to those attending the event du jour. Numerous clients have commissioned me to design projects for their business after attending fundraising events and seeing examples of my work.

The prospect of future work from the client

Often the donating of services for a client will lead to paid work in the future. When contributing my services to any group I always make them aware of the fact qualify for my nonprofit rates on all future projects. That rate is a 20% discount off my usual fees. Last year I donated my services to design the logo for the summer school program of a local elementary school. Later the PTA of the school hired me to create the image for the school itself. For several years I executed pro bono work for a local nonprofit theater company. One year the group received a grant to cover the costs of my work in producing their marketing materials. A local AIDS residential care facility was the beneficiary of my design skills for several years. They then took it upon themselves to get funding for a monthly stipend to cover my services. Each year the stipend was reviewed, and increased, as the financial situation of the organization improved.

Is a simple "thank you" too much to ask?

Having executed pro bono work for over 25 years I have learned that you must often make the recipient aware of the value of your work. I have repeatedly run into situations when nonprofit clients have no appreciation for donated services. Getting something for "free" occasionally translates into a perception that your work has no value.

First of all, I suggest having the client sign a contract or project agreement to outline all aspects of the project. Even if they are not paying for your services the project should be treated as a "real" job to avoid potential misunderstandings or miscommunication. I also have created a "project value sheet" to present to pro bono clients upon completion of their project. Basically it is an invoice-like form, showing the value of the time spent on the project at my billable rates for each task involved. Of course, there is no balance due. However, conveying this information to the clients has resulted in a greater appreciation of my work.

Still, I am stunned by the number of nonprofits who approach a creative individual with a request for donated services and don't make the slightest effort to express appreciation when the project is complete. All I expect is a simple "thank you," whether it is a handwritten note, in person, via a phone call or by email. The fact my work is appreciated will go a long way toward establishing a long-term client relationship and the possibility of additional pro bono efforts in the future. I've been surprised at the number of nonprofits who, after no sign of appreciation at all for previous donated work, will ask me to donate my services again. Not only will I not work with them again; I let them know precisely the reason I've made the decision.

A win-win situation

Conducted with professionalism and respect the relationship between a writer, photographer, graphic designer or other creative, and a nonprofit needing the services of such an individual, can result in a beneficial situation for both parties. The organization can obtain quality creative work not otherwise affordable, and establish a positive relationship with a talented individual. The "creative type" can feel good about assisting the nonprofit group in the marketing or promotion efforts, create a new audience for their work and promote their own business in the process.

This article originally appeared on StickyIdeas.com in April 2001.

© 2007 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

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