A business's logo is an integral part of making a brand successful, and recently, three Greenwood area business owners received skilled assistance from Lander University students in making their images stand out.
The owners of Fat Daddy's BBQ, CrossFit Mainstay, and the SC Jazz Foundation were paired with teams of students from Lander's Graphic Design Studio course, which is led by James D. Slagle, associate professor of art and chair of Lander's Department of Art. After several meetings with the business owners, individual team members went to work in designing and tweaking new logos.
The final concepts were presented to the business owners during a December reception at Fat Daddy's BBQ.
"I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and it was a great way for the students to get real-world experience," said Dylan Forrester of CrossFit Mainstay. "The team of four students came to CrossFit several times to get a feel for our business, met and talked with some of our clients, and even worked out on some of the equipment."
Rather than relying upon promotional materials, the students realized that first-hand experience was vital to the development of the final designs. "One student said that a particular exercise we taught guided the way her design turned out."
Chris Reeder, owner and general manager of Fat Daddy's BBQ, echoed that sentiment. "I was very impressed with the way the students wanted to learn everything they could about our restaurant," he said. "They met with me and my staff, sampled all of our food, and listened to the story of what we're all about."
Reeder said he was particularly impressed with the students' commitment to getting as much information as they could about his business before even beginning the design process. "Everything we serve - whether it's BBQ, a salad or sauce - is made from scratch, and I was struck with how they incorporated that philosophy into the final design concepts," he said.
Students taking part in the project included: