I first started Shortcake Albums in 2015, and as a first-time founder it was a learn-as-you-go experience. (It often still is...)
When I needed a website, I learned how to build a website.
When I needed designers, I learned how to hire freelancers.
And when we needed a logo...well...I played around with some fonts and colors until I found something I liked, and went with it. I figured it was good enough to get started with, and I would change it later when I had time to think more about branding.
Our first logo. Pacifico font in strawberry-red.
Three years later, and the old logo has been bothering me for the last six months. It was no longer reflective of the quality of our service and products. It was too "cute", and the font is too popular (I've seen it used on everything from dentists to delis).
So, a few months ago I started tinkering around with fonts and styles again, sought advice from designers and marketers, and followed new trends, until I created what I was looking for.
I wanted a logo that would be:
- sophisticated: to reflect the craftsmanship that goes into our designs and physical albums.
- personal: to add a human touch.
- slightly feminine: to reflect our key customer base.
- modern: reflecting current trends in design and tech.
- classic: to show continuity and permanence - that our albums will keep your memories safe for a long time.
- nostalgic: to reflect the content of our albums - your precious, special memories.
I started looking at handwritten fonts first, til I found one that looked refined and feminine, without being too decorative. That gave the personal, feminine, and modern-yet-nostalgic touches I was looking for.
Next, I combined the handwritten font with an all-caps serif font to add a bold, classic touch. The combination nicely complements each other.
Our new logo. Handwritten script combined with an all-caps serif font and black-and-white color scheme.
I also decided to change our color scheme. We'd been using aqua and red until now. My original inspiration there was strawberry red (for strawberry shortcake), and aqua for a touch of modern femininity.
For our new colors, I chose black and white because they're classic, bold, distinguished, and a combo that also alludes to memory, nostalgia, and the timelessness of special photos.
Album branding. This graphic is placed on the final page of each album we design.
I've always been drawn to neutral color schemes with pops of color, so I might still keep some touches of aqua here and there for continuity from our old branding, and as that occasional touch of color.
I'm excited to share our new look with you, and would enjoy hearing any feedback or questions you have! What do you think?
xo, Coralee
P.S. If you enjoy playing with fonts like I do, some good resources to find fonts are DaFont, FontSquirrel, and Creative Market. Canva is also a great tool for simple graphic design projects.
Coralee Dixon is the founder of Shortcake Albums. She lives with her family in NJ, and is the mother of two awesome little girls. She does not have it all, but she does have just enough.
Shortcake Albums is a custom photo album design service. Connect your digital photos or social media accounts, and our team of professional album designers will do all the work - sorting and organizing your images and text, selecting the best photos, and laying them out into a custom book of your most special memories and moments.
From premium wedding albums to family yearbooks, baby albums, and more - share and enjoy your family memories again. Order your album at www.shortcakealbums.com.