One of the first things I did when I launched IBN in 2000 was create a branded logo so members could easily share their IBN affiliation with customers, stockists and other stakeholders. As the leader of a nationwide trade organization, I have always felt that it is important to provide business member leaders with an easy way to identify their association with IBN, which is dedicated to service, professionalism and consistency.
It's hard to believe, but in a few days, we will celebrate IBN's 10th year serving the small and independent beauty community. Our members proudly make soaps, cosmetics, candles, aromatherapy products, fragrances, jewelry, confectionery items and all kinds of health, beauty and lifestyle products. Pictured above is IBN's new 2010 member logo. (Members: scroll to the bottom of this post for instructions on downloading the logo!) For those who don't know, IBN launched on January 16, 2000 as the “Handmade Toiletries Network.” This post shares a bit about how it evolved from there. Our first logo was designed by Sabrina Evans Laurence, a Maryland based artist whom I met when I was running my aromatherapy shop and who I am proud to say remains my friend. (Sabrina now leads a women's ministry group.
Red was chosen because it was bold and bright, and also the color of most lip sticks. (Yes, that was my logic back then.) Green leaf features added color, and an oval shape was selected because it fit nicely with a variety of different print and Internet applications.
In launching the organization, I was aided by some amazing people.
- Jan Berger is one of my childhood friends. We have lost touch, but I remember her fondly as a creative voice as we started the organization.
- At the time, Charlon Bobo was teaching soapmaking classes and hosting the annual Southern California Handcrafted Toiletries Conference. She has 10 years of unbroken membership in the organization and today, is a copywriter.
- Scott Blackson owns The Soap Fairy in Delaware.
- Vicki Bedell in Cape Cod, Massachusetts also helped me get things underway. Vicki closed her business several years ago when she and her partner welcomed their first child. I have lost touch with her since then.
- Leslie Plant owns Leslie's Garden Handcrafted Soap in Maryland. Leslie's voice of reason and creative spirit added great value as we moved toward lift off.
While the number of HTN members was small at the beginning, the tenacity of the entrepreneurs who were a part during the early years carried their ventures, this organization and a growing industry from obscurity to solid respectability. Not only did consumers begin to take notice, but so did the business and media worlds, which began documenting members' extraordinary success in countless stories, both on and offline.
Handmade Toiletries Network became Handmade Beauty Network in 2003. I made that change for many reasons, not the least of which was that many people could not spell “toiletries” properly. When they asked, I’d begin spelling, “T-O-I-L-E,” and once I got that far, they’d say, “Oh, like a toilet with ‘R-I-E-S’ on the end. It wasn’t very funny at the time, so In January 2003, the name officially changed to the Handmade Beauty Network.
The blue logo, designed by Lyndon Perry of suburban Chicago (with whom I have lost touch) served the organization well by making the name of the organization stand out more and incorporating blue, a traditional color of respect and trust.
The change from “handmade to “indie” took place on January 8, 2007, along with the introduction of our current logo, pictured here. Today, the logo combines the best attributes of the first two logos. Blue still signifies strength and reliability, while a green leaf motif is reminiscent of the greenery in the first logo.
The special ‘I' with the green dot above is fun to use in the logo and on it's own in a variety of applications. The lovely leaf with its splendid curved lines and naturally attractive green color represent three things that mean a lot to our members: freshness, simplicity and nature.
So What Does Indie Mean?
The term “indie” is very important. Many of us have enjoyed indie films and indie rock bands over the years. In fact, until recently the term, “indie” had been used almost exclusively by independent film makers and musicians to identify their work as unique and special.
A dictionary defines indie as “an independently owned business,” and also as “a person who is self-employed” or a business that is “privately owned” and not affiliated with a large company. How could one not notice that this describes IBN's membership to a tee?!
“Indie” describes both the products and the people who make them, and that is the heart of the matter and the chief reason IBN exists — to serve Indies so they can serve others.
Get The Logo!
If you are a member in good standing of IBN, you can download the logo to display at your blog or website. All you have to do to get it is click here to read our Logo Guidelines. Once you agree to them, you will directed to a members only area where you will be able to download the logo.
Question: What is the history of your brand name and logo?
