For this "Premier" logotype, I wanted to explore the use of initially hand-rendered letterforms that would create an identity with an enhanced level of exclusivity via the use of bespoke characters, and also a more personal aesthetic to represent the personalised services the bank offers its customers.
I began by drawing a typographic grid on my layout-pad, consisting of a baseline, x-height, cap height and lines to keep a persistent oblique slant to add a visual emphasis to the logotype.
I then began to draw out my desired logotype in pencil, outlining the letterforms before lightly filling in for extra definition when producing the next layer.
I attempted to optically kern each letterform as I progressed through the logotype, which I somehow deviated from when starting the second-to-last letter - identifiable in the above image. It was my plan to rectify this when producing the next pen-layer.
Once I had completed the above pen-layer of the "Premier" logotype, I scanned in the sheet before importing into adobe illustrator for precision editing, clean up, and resolving the kerning. I wanted to supply the logo type with a standard tracking and kerning, keeping the letters relatively close together for distinct readability/legibility and a strong, unified-whole aesthetic reflecting the dominance of the bank in the financial sector.
The above image shows the initial "perfected" Premier logotype before colour treatment. I believe the bespoke treatment I have created attains an evidently hand-rendered aesthetic, and therefore an enriched level of personalisation, reflective of the personalised services available at the bank. Although the letterforms are sans-serif, the oblique visual language evokes a sense of emphasised exclusivity and suggestion of the bank being as it is named; Premier. The combination of lower-case sans-serif and oblique quality featured in the letterforms instills an understated contemporary elegance in the logotype, modestly delivering the importance of the company at the top of its sector.
I then changed the logotype to white, and supplied a deep, rich purple background. I did this to create a tonal contrast to elevate the energy of the design, and also as the eyes are instinctively drawn the the lightest part of an image - making "Premier" the primary focus - as the bank is within the financial sector. The purple enhances the logotype due to its connotations of nobility, ambition, and wealth, all of which are traits of both the bank itself and the customers they wish to attract. Also, this is a colour un-used by any of HSBC's competitors, meaning the distinction and singularity of the company will remain within the banking sector.
Next, I added the slogan to enhance the success of the logotype through its influential and suggestive presence, convincing in its communication that Premier is and will continue to be "the bank of choice" - as desired by C.E.O Antonio Simones.
The slogan is featured in an all upper-case, sans-serif Helvetica Neue to extend the contemporary aesthetic of the logotype whilst contrasting to the lower-case bespoke type above. I added a bold emphasis to the word "bank" in order to enhance the prominence of the sector - allowing for the eyes to initially read "Premier Bank" before the gaze returns left to consume the slogan in its entirety.
My next step was to consider how this logotype would feature as signage on the outside of the banks, for which I decided would be backlit letterforms, emitting a crisp white glow - further enhancing the sense of exclusivity and prominence of the bank within the financial sector, and street the bank is on. To try and emulate this effect, I added a soft white glow to the logotype - illuminating the immediate ground behind it.
My final endeavour in this logotype production was driven by the thought of younger, working professionals who are becoming more prominent in the banks customer profile. The banks personal services are almost all replicated through express banking machines and digital platforms for these persons who are on the go. I believed the bespoke letter P lent itself to the integration into an mobile app format, keeping the bank at the forefront of leading the sector.
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