Creating an Identity for the Mozilla Developer Network
We’re in the process of building the Mozilla Developer Network to be a useful resource for developers working on the various Mozilla-based software projects and the open web in general. It’s a big, far-reaching project so, as Jay Patel noted last week, it’s important that we establish a strong brand identity for the MDN.
The first step is to create a logo that will represent the MDN to developers around the world (and also look great on a t-shirt, of course). To do this, we’ve once again turned to the talented folks at Studio Number One, who last worked with us on the logo for the Mozilla Creative Collective. And, as usual, we want this process to be as open and participatory as possible…in other words, we need your help!
The intended audience for this logo and the MDN in general is most definitely developers. As Jay’s creative brief notes, “the MDN brand will serve to unify our diverse developer communities and represent the innovation we bring to the world through the people, products, and technologies that define Mozilla.” Beyond that, the direction was pretty wide open – the key thing being that the MDN logo would feel both connected to Mozilla’s identity and history, but also be distinctly separate as its own unique entity.
Posted below are some early stage design options from Studio Number One (including different variations on similar themes). At this point in the process we need to start focusing on one for further refinement. Which one should that be? What stands out to you and why? Try to envision these on a website, t-shirt, poster, sticker, etc and let us know what you think by Friday, February 19. Any and all feedback is encouraged.
Thanks!
February 18th, 2010 at 7:50 am
Yeah, no.
I dont like any of them.
Do YOU?
The “MDN’s” just doesn´t look or feel right.
February 18th, 2010 at 8:07 am
#8, text replaced with #6 (thumbs up)
February 18th, 2010 at 8:15 am
I love #1. It’s the dangling arm that makes it. It makes me think of Basil Fawlty’s wife Sybil saying, “I know… I know…”. Fierce!
February 18th, 2010 at 9:02 am
Old and rusty mech-dinosaurs, who behave clunky? Please no.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:08 am
I’m a designer and I do logos a lot; and while none of these really mirror the overall look or feel of what Mozilla (the browser) is.. Number 3 is most reminiscent of old school Mozilla. The rounded edges soften the logo and are a contrast to the straight lines of the text. While I’m not a huge fan of the font face (all caps) I do like the consolidated format of the logo. I’m more a fan of 4×3 logos than I am of 3×4.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Didn’t see a really outstanding logo proposal, especialy because of the red on black combination.
If I had to choose one I would go for number 8, only then with a red outside and no color inside.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:40 am
I don’t like any of them. Why does Mozilla need to be mechanical or a tangram? Why not a geek-zilla? Or to be consistent, use the same Mozilla as Mozilla.org and Mozilla Creative Collective but put Mozilla in a development context.
FWIW, I still miss the Mozilla from back in the Netscape days. I still have a old school Mozilla long-sleeve t-shirt.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:52 am
i dont like any of them.. but if i need to choose 1 .. it should be N° 7
February 18th, 2010 at 11:07 am
#7 is just sheer awesomeness and would look great on a shirt or otherwise. #4 and #10 are good runner ups IMO.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:09 am
square #3 with 5’s dino character.
Number #1 is very glossy and tinny like Windows Vista/7. People sure like it.
Wydaje mi się, że najlepszy efekt uzyskać mieszając #3 z #4 – postać dinozaura w czerwonym kwadracie z propozycji #3
February 18th, 2010 at 11:13 am
IF i had to choose, i would go for #8.
But any of them really flashes me.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Out of these, I like #3 the best, it is nice and clean. I think the whole thing needs more work though. The text does not seem to be an integral part of any of the logos.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:54 am
Compared to the Firefox and Thunderbird logos they suck.
Nothing ties in the concept of a network and/or development and they all sort of have an 80’s cheesiness to them. BAD BAD BAD
They incorporated the circle (in most of them) which is in Firefox & Thunderbird logos but they missed the mark with the dino all together, it should have a better flow with a circular design element like the fox and bird…
Well that’s my 2 cents waiting on change
February 18th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
I like #3
February 18th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I just ADORE number 8 !! It’s just the perfect logo for the MDN !
February 18th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Good use of the color scheme. My favorites are 2 and 8. 8 is the most vibrant dino by far. The square shape from 3 works well but that dino is a bit tacky.
I hate 4 and 7. Origami and flat, geometric shapes are too much of a departure from the layered Mozilla and Firefox logos.
I’m not fond of the typography at all, the “Mozilla Developer Network” is far too small and deemphasized.
Any chance this could be opened up for a design challenge like what Mozilla Labs is doing?
February 18th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I like the logo number 10 because it is a bit three-dimensional.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Im a Graphic Designer, and sorry to say this, but none of them look right… i would make another round if i were you…
February 18th, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Also… none of them have the “Network” feeling…
February 18th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Number 1.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
ich brauche das nicht und ich will das nicht, Warum wollt ihr mich zwingen ?
Ich bleibe Twitterfrei.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
3 for me; it’s awesome!
February 18th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
#6
February 18th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
#1 is the one. is just strong like you guys!
February 18th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
#3 looks good
February 18th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I would love to see something on the order of the Firefox and Thunderbird logos. They are beautifully effective and not overblown. The mechanical look you are suggesting along with the choice of colors is, well, lacking.
February 18th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
I don’t like any of them
February 18th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
#7!
February 19th, 2010 at 12:00 am
#4 is far and away the most professional looking, and most interesting design. The others are pretty unremarkable.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:53 am
Seems None of Logo is Attractive,Looks Like old
February 19th, 2010 at 4:14 am
I will vote for #5. Looking pretty good!
But i can’t substantiate my choice! 
February 19th, 2010 at 6:57 am
8 is not bad. But I’m not a huge fan of those logos. I feel like it’s important to keep the original dino head and, maybe, add some stuff around.
February 19th, 2010 at 8:41 am
In my opinion I like #4, and it can be toyed with later on. First of all its very modernized, seeing a Dinosaur engineered modernly. And as for it being toyed with, well during commercials or ads or whatever, the dinosaur can be used the company’s signature…you can make it move and create a story for it. The possibilities of toying with #4 are endless!
February 19th, 2010 at 9:06 am
overall: bad
#3 is better, simplier (KISS)
but a logo creator first has to change the rules: keep the MDN acronym out!
February 19th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
#9, or #6 if you fix the arm.
#3/#6/#10’s arm is all wrong, definitely Sybil Fawlty, but fix that and it could be the best. Right now #8/#9 is the best dinosaur, just make its mane look more mechanical, but I don’t know if you want to have an exact lookalike of the Mozilla dinosaur.
I’m looking at http://www.mozilla.org and the particular orange you’re using doesn’t seem to match its upper left color swatches.
The round highlight icon style (#1/#2/#5/#10) and iPhone icon style (#3) are both going to feel tired and played out very soon. The styles of #6 and #9 won’t date as much.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Any candidate should be ok
February 20th, 2010 at 3:45 am
For me No 10 is nice…
Its look simple and smart..
nice color.
and….
NICE!!! =)
February 20th, 2010 at 6:31 am
[...] intothefuzz | Creating an Identity for the Mozilla Developer Network [...]
February 21st, 2010 at 8:14 am
#3. I like the non-stencil acronym the most. And I think the lizardoid in #3 looks better than the other ones. It’s more robotic, while #2 looks more like Frankenstein’s Lizard. #4 is interesting, while #7 looks evil and clumsy. The gradient is unnecessary and adds nothing positive to the overall look and feel. And the circular background, I feel doesn’t play well with the wordmark. Perhaps #8 with the #3 wordmark and lizardoid?
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:04 am
#3
Although none of them really reflects the existing Mozilla brand. All of these are flat, the existing brand is really colorfull and 3d-ish with the fox tail and everything.
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:57 am
#8 or #2 Please!
February 27th, 2010 at 3:37 am
I liked #3 and #8
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:43 pm
[...] other day I posted some work-in-progress versions of the potential new Mozilla Developer Network logo. As part of that, I asked for feedback from the [...]
March 15th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
[...] de bastante debate en el blog bajo la entrada Creating an Identity for the Mozilla Developer Network, finalmente se estableció el nuevo logotipo de Mozilla Developer [...]
May 5th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
For me No 10 is nice…
Its look simple and smart..
nice color.
and….
NICE!!! =)
May 12th, 2010 at 9:42 am
I will go with number 1 , 8 or 9 , but if i had to choose one i will choose 8 it looks great!
May 15th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
I will choose number 8