we live and breathe small business brands. It's actually pretty unhealthy for us.
Obsessing about your brand is probably
not healthy for us, but it's really good for you.
Fifteen years after launching GDS, we're still as passionate about building small business brands and logos as we were on day one. It's a specific type of expertise we've worked hard to master. And we still get excited about this work, because it's fun and challenging. Best of all, it’s rewarding to see the end result of our efforts—and the success it brings to our clients and their businesses.
We understand that you have many choices when choosing a design firm to build your brand. We know how important the decision is, and it's a responsibility we don't take lightly. Here are a few reasons that partnering with GDS is a smart choice:
- We provide unparalleled experience. In fact, our small business branding expertise is unrivaled. With over 1000 small business brands created by our in-house branding authorities (Dan and Jeff), it's unlikely you'll find a team better qualified to build your brand.
- You’ll receive expertise from an expert. When working on your brand, you'll work directly with Dan, who aside from being GDS's President and Creative Director, is also a nationally acclaimed author and expert on small business logo design and branding. With two published books on small business logos (and a third on the way), plus over 50 published articles on design, you'll have at your disposal someone who's uniquely qualified to grow your business.
- Our brands solve problems first and look pretty second. We're in the business of building brands that build business. Our brand strategy for your small business will be rooted in a sound, fundamental plan for helping your company grow and prosper. Before we ever start sketching our logo concepts or solving your business’s brand problems, we’ll conduct research and identify optimal solutions.
- We create original artwork. We pride ourselves in our ability to craft original pieces of art for each logo—and we never use clip art. This is an important distinction, because logos derived from clip art can never be trademarked. We invest a lot of time and research in developing a unique brand that you can call your own.
- Fonts? Who needs 'em? Much of the actual lettering used in our logos is built entirely from scratch. Jeff is an accomplished hand letterer, in addition to a brilliant illustrator. If we can't find the exact letter style we want—no problem. We just create from scratch on our own.
- Our designs are made in the USA. All the work showcased on our site was done by Dan and Jeff, in-house, at GDS. Our work is never outsourced overseas. Unfortunately, most online logo factories outsource their work overseas to people you'll never speak directly with. Isn't it important that you communicate with the team who is working on your hands-on brand development?
- We sell a service, not a commodity: We don't believe purchasing a logo and brand identity for your business is the same as buying office furniture. What we sell is a service, a strategy and a process of proven success for building a brand for your business. If you believe your brand is a commodity to be had for the lowest price, there are plenty of online off-shore 'logo' factories who will be happy to sell them to you for exactly what they are worth.
- Logo design and branding is not an afterthought here. Logo design is not something we add on while creating your web site or other advertising. It's one of our primary lines of business, and we believe it's a critical foundation for building all of your other advertising. For us, it is the crown jewel of any advertising campaign.
- We're invested in your success. Most clients who come to us are interested in finding a strategic partner to guide them as they grow their businesses. We doubt you'll find many online companies who care as much about their clients' success as we do. We're in it for the long haul.
A Quick Overview
Crowdsourcing Your Company's Brand Identity? Really?
Imagine, if you will, that your brand is the heart that gives life to your business. Now imagine you need a new heart. Does it really make sense to try and outsource that enormous responsibility to a group of people you don't know at all? Would you trust a surgeon you've never met? Investing in the lowest common denominator for your brand virtually guarantees one thing: the lowest common denominator brand. We think your business deserves more (and sometimes, we're surprised businesses don't embrace the inherent value of their brand).
Are Unlimited Concepts Really a Good Thing?
Sites offering unlimited designs, designers and concepts sound great. But dozens—or even hundreds—of really bad logo 'concepts' done by inexperienced, uncaring 'designers' making a dollar an hour usually only serve to waste your time with useless 'logos' that rarely, if ever, serve your strategic marketing objectives.
Outsourcing Your Brand?
We think it's critical that you, the business owner, communicate directly with the designer and creative director building your brand. That's why with GDS, you'll be dealing directly with Dan on all brand building, instead of some impersonal web site or overseas designer.
