27. WINK
When designers at Wink first started working on a new logo for Copycats —a CD and DVD manufacturer—they intentionally avoided a look that was too retro. Many of the CDs the company produces have a ’50s or ’60s feel, and Wink wanted to help the manufacturer stand out with a more contemporary look. But when they presented 5 or 10 initial logos, none of them connected with the company’s owners. “We went back to the drawing board and designed to the personality of the company,” says Richard Boynton, designer and partner.

The result is a retro mark that takes cues from vintage manufacturing logos and record company labels. Designers dug through old books and phone books to find examples of both. Then they looked for common elements, which turned out to be the use of badge shapes and script fonts. These were combined with a lightning bolt to symbolize the company’s speed and a weathered black color to indicate age. Joshua Wert, one of Copycats’ owners, says the logo “has been a huge success.” Growth plans are on track, and unsolicited compliments have been flowing from just about everyone who comes in contact with the company.
Michelle Taute