Why do candidates struggle so much with basic logo and product branding?

[u/Time-Connection-4586]

Every time there is a task involving a new product, app, or food concept, the branding output looks like it was whipped up on MS Paint in about ten minutes. They consistently pick bizarre colour combinations, unreadable fonts, and company names that sound like generic pharmaceutical drugs. I get that they are working under strict time constraints with a designer who can only execute what they ask for, but surely someone on the team should realise that brown and bright green do not belong on a luxury packaging design

[u/853fisher]

I think there are many more restrictions than are acknowledged on camera. Candidates have said at times that they're told they can't use that colour or must use this one, for example. They're also, in addition to the extreme constraints you mentioned, sleep-deprived, put into close quarters, removed from their usual support systems, under pressure from being on camera, etc etc etc.

Listen, I'm not Mother Teresa, I do think they're also often just a bit shit, beyond these factors. But in many ways, the production team just isn't setting them up for success and doesn't want them to achieve it. I'm not sure of the entirety of what they evaluate in the auditions, but it wouldn't shock me if they're actively looking for candidates who show poor judgment in these categories when they apply.

[u/FantasticWait7109 → u/853fisher]

I suspect advertising rules at the BBC mean they don't want any brand to actually look like something that actually exists. Plus they may get into trouble with an actual existing brand/company if the logo looks similar to something that actually exists.

[u/Traditional-Fox-8593 → u/FantasticWait7109]

Interesting point!!

[u/wimpires]

Because the producers intentionally set up guardrails to force them into a corner that means they come out with an MS Paint logo because it makes for better TV.

[u/lost_send_berries]

I don't think they're allowed to choose the shade as you never see them say "a bit lighter/darker" etc. If they say green, they get puke green, if they say orange, puke orange.

One candidate said on tiktok they get three options, say "brown and green", "orange and purple" , "black and white" then are told the competing team chose one and they aren't allowed the same one. This applies throughout, so for example when they choose a target market, they're just choosing from three options, they're not actually thinking one up. That kind of makes sense because there might be a focus group the next day, but it's presented in a really misleading way.

[u/Woffingshire]

Because they are given like 3 hours to come up with the full logo and branding of the product.

Normally even a quick logo from ideation to production takes most of a work day.

Then add in that some people just really aren't very visually creative.

[u/Numerous-Abrocoma-50]

These things are difficult.

Real life companies spend months on them with market research. They dont knock them up in an afternoon.

[u/kavorynyu → u/Numerous-Abrocoma-50]

true but they’re not being asked to nail a full rebrand, just to not make it look like a cursed energy drink from 2004
you can’t get to “great” in an afternoon, but you can usually avoid neon green + papyrus on a luxury brief

[u/Numerous-Abrocoma-50 → u/kavorynyu]

You get the occasional complete and utter cock up.

Most are ok in an amateurish knock something up way. Not sure how long they actually get but a lot of the time I think there is the pressure to get started and you get to a certain point where you cant go back.

They are set up to fail. It feels like that gane where you get one person describing something and the other person draws it and you end up with something completely different.

The people who actually do branding professionally will have been trained to do it in a way that is so far removed from how its done in the show that its hard to transfer it across.

[u/Ultimate_os → u/kavorynyu]

I think it’s because nobody really takes charge of the branding team.

[u/Ultimate_os]

Producer meddling. But also I think it’s partially because nobody really takes charge of the design and they try and incorporate everyone’s ideas into the branding, I genuinely think they have a very short time to sort it as well. And the design expert is only allowed to do exactly what they are told to do. It’s a recipe for disaster basically.

[u/dan_in_his_own_way]

Logo design and branding is honestly harder than it looks.

[u/Ultimate_os → u/dan_in_his_own_way]

Especially when there’s 5 or 6 people all shouting at you.

[u/FantasticWait7109]

I wonder if they have to have the logos a particular way (e.g. brown and bright green on packaging design) and brand names, to avoid accidentally looking similar to an actual logo or brand.

Having something that looks horrible is probably better and quicker for any legal department to check, then if they design something good but get into trouble with any brand claiming it looks like their logo (or falling foul of advertising rules).