Honda RoadSync—
RaceTrack Roots
DEETS
PROJECT INFO
Logomark
3 Weeks
FALL 2020
Honda Global
LEAD DESIGNER
Logomark
CONTEXT
Designed with the Past, Present and Future
Designing the logomark for RoadSync, the first companion app
for Honda Motorcycles. RoadSync helps motorcyclists stay
connected while driving safely.
KICK OFF
Understanding
the Needs
After spending almost a year and a half on RoadSync, I was
tasked with designing a logomark to complement the iconic
spirit of Honda motorcycles.
I wanted the logomark to gracefully nod to its past, yet also
show the present future of connected driving. Our brief
identified a key number of things to address—
A flat, scalable mark that works well across many devices. It must also have potential to be cut or engraved into material used on analog meters.
Something that evokes a sense of connectivity
A refined identity that combines the strong, iconic spirit of Honda’s racing roots with today’s connected drivers
Creating a recognizable logo that stands out in a saturated backdrop of auto-related products & brands
A flexible mark that can represent not just Honda motorcycles, but also innovation in their other automobiles
I started sketching by hand; While ideas became
more tangible, I graduated from analog exploration to taking
some interesting cues and forms to the computer. I separated
these into different camps; Then hemmed and hawed over
abstract shapes, emblems, letterforms, monograms and symbols.
Here’s a look at some of the earlier ideas—
MAIN OBJECTIVE
Past, present and future of driving.
From top row to bottom.
The first
row’s influence was heavily drawn from Honda Motorcycle wing
logo. The second row was inspired by combining forms of
recognizable things like the gears on a shift knob or the
curves on a windy mountain road. The last row was simply an
exploration on letterforms.
After the first couple of rounds and a few conversations with our Honda counterparts, we converged on a few elements that could make up a single, powerful mark:
Racetracks (or the thrill of being on the road)
and the idea of impossible made possible
A symbol that represents linking and togetherness,
FINISH LINE
Finalizing
the LogoMark
You can see how I was originally inspired by MC Escher shapes and the simplicity of the traditional oblong racetrack. This was actually chosen as final mark, but due to complications in the EU, we went back to the drawing board.
I took a step back in the process and took cues from earlier explorations. I focused on creating something that had a clearer message—RoadSync was made for connectivity and that needed to come across stronger.
The final version felt right—it was bolder, confident and more assertive. The racetrack was still a prominent part of the mark but was more alive with the suggestion of movement and the age of connectivity.
related work
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harper s. lee—
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