Case Study: How I Designed a Bold Logo

Tell Me

Tell Me isn’t just another pub—it’s a cozy British spot right in the heart of the West Village. Think dark wood paneling, a warm fireplace, and the smell of classic pub grub that instantly makes you hungry. Whether an ex-pat catching the big match, a student looking for a hearty meal, or anyone who enjoys a great selection of beers on tap, Tell Me is the place to be. This entire branding project was created as part of a class assignment, where I was challenged to develop a full logo concept rooted in storytelling.

Run by a British ex-pat and his American wife, this mom-and-pop spot blends authenticity with a welcoming, energetic vibe. It’s not about being fancy, it’s about good food, good drinks, and a good time! This is the exact energy I wanted to translate to the logo.


Initial Iterations

The first iteration leaned on a stamp-style mark. Clean, yes. Memorable? Not really. This design felt too cliche for a pub with lots of character. So, back to the sketchbook I went. The second and third rounds were bolder; I added a cut-out profile of a mohawked figure. Definitely more memorable now, but there was a catch: the icon had more personality, the typography didn't. They weren’t necessarily speaking the same language, so once again, I went back to the sketchbook. 







The Font Breakthrough 

The type became the game-changer. Earlier fonts I had used were either too basic or too clean. Neither matched the pub's personality. The breakthrough came with a spiky, bold type that played off the mohawk spikes. This font definitely gave the personality more life, but there was one more thing: the icon looks left out. You can probably guess what happened next: back to the sketchbook. 







Finally!

For the final iteration, the icon transformed from the mohawk cut-out into a dual-purpose mark: a keg, referencing the pub’s beer culture, and a stamp, a touch of history to the UK’s invention of stamps. Once I had the perfect font, the imagination flowed. The combination of the keg-stamp icon with the spiky typeface gave the logo the perfect amount of personality and life that I was looking for.




Keywords: Logo, Case Study, Branding, Design, Pub

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