VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
student project statement The HUSTLER Visual Development Guide and accompanying volumes (Visual Strategy Guide, Visual Standards Guide and Brand Extensions) were assembled as part of a student project for educational purposes only. The official HUSTLER brand can be accessed at hustlermagazine.com.
CONTENTS 1 // Brand Visual History
3 // Visual Research
magazine masthead
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hustler brands
11
logo look-alikes
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standards inspiration
75
2 // Logo Development round
1
sketches
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round
2
sketches
25
round
3
sketches
31
round
4
refinements
53
final logo
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OUR HISTORY
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1 BRAND VISUAL HISTORY
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Logo History: Magazine Masthead
Throughout HUSTLER’s 48-year history, the magazine masthead has evolved to include typeset key phrases. This evolvement is documented through the decades in the following pages.
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LOGO HISTORY
Masthead Logo Variations 1970S HUSTLER’s early years experiment with masthead logo identity. “For People On the Go” yields to “For the Rest of the World” in 1977, which the magazine will hold onto in decades to come. The “R” also has its final edit.
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1980S “Class of the Crass” enters as the masthead tagline.
1990S HUSTLER implements monthly changes from 1993–1996. “America’s Best” and “For the Rest of the World” alternate.
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LOGO HISTORY
2000S The masthead adds a 3D effect and tries a new condensed typeface in the early 2000s before changing back to all caps. A “peek-a-boo” corner with a glance at what’s included in the contents premiers.
2010S The sneak peek fold corner evolves, and the tagline remains “For the Rest of the World.”
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2020S HUSTLER nods to a nearly 50-year tenure with tagline “Hardcore Since ’74”
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Logo History: HUSTLER Brands
Beyond a magazine, the HUSTLER brand encompasses HUSTLER Casino and HUSTLER Hollywood.
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LOGO HISTORY
HUSTLER Hollywood
Lockup for retail store in Hollywood
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HUSTLER Casino
HUSTLER Casino lockup example
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OUR HISTORY
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2 LOGO DEVELOPMENT
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Logo Sketches: Round 1
Armed with a visual direction for the rebrand of HUSTLER, we leapt into strategic sketching with phrases based on keywords that best describe HUSTLER as it will now exist: Camp 1: Free: Give me Liberty Camp 2: Brazen: I said what I said Camp 3: Unorthodox: Breaking Conventions
Commentary on sketches is identified with the quote bubble graphic. Sketches linked to particular commentary are labeled with quote bubbles and a corresponding number.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Camp 1 GIVE ME LIBERTY Freedom of expression and the liberty to speak what one wishes without fear of prosecution is the root of HUSTLER. This phrase developed visual examples of how we can take the torch to demand liberty.
Symbols of freedom were explored here, including breaking crowns to stand for the fall of hierarchy.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Camp 1 GIVE ME LIBERTY After sketching within the first camp, these 11 possibilities were selected for further consideration in future development.
This direction gave off too much of the United States Bicentennial look//feel, and further directions explored a more fresh direction that was within the free speech category and embraced expression.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Camp 2 I SAID WHAT I SAID HUSTLER supports the strength to say what you feel and be unafraid to do so. This phrase reminds us to stand strong for our beliefs.
The first workings that inspired the logo.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Exploring speech punctuation.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Camp 2 I SAID WHAT I SAID Refined rough sketches for round 1.
Early sketches determined that punctuation and implied “loud” speech was a fitting direction for logo sketches.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Camp 3 BREAKING CONVENTIONS HUSTLER gives you the platform to break barriers, be they glass ceilings or arbitrary blocks keeping you from living life by your own rules and through your own choices.
Sketches exploring loud exclamations and profane speech.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Camp 3 BREAKING CONVENTIONS Refined sketches for round 1.
1: Burst shapes are explored further to communicate profanity and HUSTLER’s brazen identity. 2: The quote blurb, representing free speech, is called out as an option with further potential to explore.
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2
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Logo Sketches: Round 2
HUSTLER centers around the ability |to speak freely without fear of prosecution. This round of sketching focused on bringing visual elements of speech to the logo forms. Speech bubbles from UNORTHODOX: Breaking Conventions were combined with punctuation elements of BRAZEN: I Said What I Said to create one refined sketch direction.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Phase 2 Sketching BRAZEN: I SAID WHAT I SAID HUSTLER centers around the ability to speak freely without fear of prosecution. This round of sketching focused on bringing elements of free speech to the visual strategy.
1: Alternate exploration of exclamation. 2: Asterisk in quote bubble variation. 3: Variations of name in quote bubble, and exploring geometric created typography.
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1
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3
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Computer Sketches
Variations on quote bubble and asterisks combined with exclamation marks, a foreshadow of the final logo.
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HUSTLER
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Logo Sketches: Round 3
The final round of sketches centralizes the freedom of speech concept and solidifies a direction to include brazen unorthodox ways of working. HUSTLER’s dedication to free speech created the basis for this round of logo development. Asterisks, angles, expressive punctuation and speech bubbles featured prominently.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
The asterisk in quote bubble begins to take final form. Concepts of burst elements to represent loudness and brazen efforts continue development.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Logo Option 1
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color variations
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Logo Option 2
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color variations
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Logo Option 3
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color variations
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Logo Sketches: Refining
The refinement stage involved final hand drawing with rulers and tracing paper to determine logo form and further develop digitally.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Phase 4 Refining HUSTLER SAYS [EXPLICIT] The quote blurb option was developed further and the execution with an asterisk including an exclamation point as the center refined further.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Phase 4 Refining SELECTED FINAL SKETCH The quote blurb later develops to extend from the front of the logotype.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Phase 4 Refining: Digital Process Adjustments in lower to uppercase and exploring the alignment of the asterisk and width of the blurb stroke was explored here.
The asterisk-exclamation mark combines and working out placement begins.
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Final Touches
In the final round of development, the HUSTLER logo comes to life. A merging of an X, exclamation mark and quote blurb create the icon. Custom geometric type forms the logo.
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LOGO DEVELOPMENT
Final logo The custom created geometric logotype comes together with four symbols to represent the new HUSTLER brand.
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= HUSTLER Asterisk
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= Quote Bubble
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OUR HISTORY
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3 VISUAL RESEARCH
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VISUAL RESEARCH
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Logo Look-Alikes
We researched logomarks that are visually similar or use shapes and motifs similar to HUSTLER’s refined logo options. This is a crucial step in visual research to identify what's already successful out in the world and how to further differentiate the HUSTLER brand to make a unique visual identity.
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VISUAL RESEARCH
Exclamation Mark Companies that wish to express excitement, draw attention, and entertain were identified with an exclamation mark in their logos.
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Exactly Right Media produces podcasts. It’s known for the initial podcast My Favorite Murder by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark.
Everything Entertainment is home to reality show Keeping up with the Kardashians. Property of Comcast, the network covers the Oscars.
Chips Ahoy is part of the Snack Works umbrella brand, offering sweet baked good snacks.
Yum! brands is the umbrella over KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill.
Yahoo is a media company offering email service and news access. Their platforms also include apps for email, sports and finance.
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VISUAL RESEARCH
Asterisk Organizations with expansive offerings and missions that emphasize sharing opinions lean on asterisk logo solutions.
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Meredith Corporation is a media company currently owning lifestyle and home brands such as Better Homes & Gardens and Southern Living.
Project Cannabis runs cannabis dispensaries and offers delivery services to neighborhoods in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Asterisk Denver is an event venue and planning service offering space for private events and gatherings.
Walmart’s spark logo took place of the star (1992–2008).
Yelp offers a space for people to leave reviews and explore local businesses.
Toluna Influencers is a market research and media company collecting users’ opinions.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a rock band active since 1983 from Los Angeles, CA.
The Lundquist Institute is a nonprofit medical research organization that also offers health services.
Zapier is a marketing automation tool used in communications and business operations.
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VISUAL RESEARCH
Quote Blurb Companies that promote sharing opinion and communication between multiple parties use quote blurb solutions in their logos.
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Bravo is a cable and TV network hosting popular reality television content.
Pen America protects open expression worldwide. They also offer news on restrictions and bans in the educational system and promote policy.
Blurb is a print-on-demand portfolio company and resource for self publishing.
Real Talk is an app-based company designed to help students with mental, emotional and physical health through storytelling.
OK2Say is a Michigan school program dedicated to helping students confront bullying and learn the best ways to mitigate violent behavior.
Monk Media is a communications agency in Mumbai, offering advertising services.
Books with Buzz are high selling books in Amazon marketplace, and feature reader reviews.
Twitch is a live streaming service often used by video gamers and broadcasters.
Downdetector is a forum for Spectrum internet users to report outages in their areas.
Woo Commerce is a WordPress extension for ecommerce.
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Standards Inspiration
Like any piece of design, there are archetypes of successful, best-inclass visual standards guides that create the foundation for the display of the brand identity in all its parts, from logo anatomy to type specs and color. While it’s important to carry through a sense of the brand’s personality in this guide, adherence to the overall structure of how a standards guide is built creates a sense of familiarity and authority. This research formed strategies to create the third guide of this series: the Visual Standards Guide.
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VISUAL RESEARCH
IDENTITY INTRO: BOEING Boeing’s intro to their system invokes personality and immediately puts the user // experience // passenger top of mind. This introduction reminds the guide viewer of the importance of the brand (it’s a special thing to fly Boeing) and their introduction to the key component of design within the pattern further reflects how graphics bring human experience and human touch in focus.
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LOGO ANATOMY: NEXTAR Comparing the sizing of the logotype compared with a highly recognizable visual element like the arrows that compose the symbol makes this an understandable visual // design system.
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VISUAL RESEARCH
TYPE SPECS: GAP INC Aside from a typo in the italicized last sentence, this list is well-designed in its clear format and a look at each letterform of the alphabet makes it easy to see how these are structured differently for different applications.
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MAIN COLORS: “THANK YOU” Straightforward look at colors using a grid. Specifying that only colors listed in the “Do” section makes it easy to see that a designer should only select from those chosen for print and additional colors for web application.
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VISUAL RESEARCH
LOGO DON’TS: DEVON Along with a clear look at very specific ways that mar the careful architecture of the logo, Devon speaks to the viewer: “Altering or redrawing the signature in any way weakens the power of the brand and what it represents.” Pivoting back to what the brand is about allows the viewer to consider the importance of accurate logo use.
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ALTERNATE LOGO VERSIONS: DFW This specifies well the use of other logo applications, including how the logo looks reversed out and in color. Secondary logo with the full type of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is a nice side-by-side look at the varying uses of the logo.
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SOURCES
Sources & References
logo history 6
HUSTLER 2017 Anniversary Issue Cover
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HUSTLER Facebook
logo history: masthead timeline HUSTLER Magazine 1974
January Issue
1977
HUSTLER August 1975 cover
1979
First Amendment Encyclopedia:“Larry Flynt” by Caryn E. Neumann
1986
Sidney Baldwin // Columbia Pictures
1996
February & April Issues
2001
February Issue
2005
May Issue
2012
April Issue
2020
April Issue
logo sketch photographs Student project creator
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colophon Headline Typeface: Maxular Light Body & Captions Typeface: Tarzana Wide OT Regular
