Responsive - Pocketbook: Logo Experimentations

I have begun designing some logos for Pocketbook. I got an A2 sheet of paper and tried to find a logo that worked as a representation of their company.

General Shape Influence

Using a circle not only visually symbolises a record but also metaphorically symbolises the whole process. Something which Harry and Sam were keen to show in their design, that they were there for the whole process of creating a song. I decided to recreate the designs with the most potential on illustrator.

Top

A simple combination of a circle in a square supposedly a record in a sleeve. However this may be too simple and doesn't show of the song writing aspect of the business.

Top Right

Pocket and Book have very similar letter structures, this is something that I thought would work but really hasn't. It is illegible and hard to understand what it is meant to be. The logo should also work independently from the name of the company. 

Middle - Right

Experimentation with the letters forming the pages of a book to visually show their company name. The idea of a page corner turned over is a progression of the book idea however the page turned over is meant to represent that it is something you want to remember; much like you would do with an actual book. However these logo variations don't scream creativity or music. They look corporate and perhaps would be more appropriate for a paper company!

Here two circles - one inside another have been turned into a P and a B. The shape looks similar to not only a record but also musical notes and headphones. This logo is completely appropriate for what they are trying to put across to clients. However after I showed them it was pointed out that it looks like the Beats logo. Now that I can see this it is definitely too similar to use.

Interlocking Circles

Experimenting with the top left drawing of two interlocking rings. The circles interlocked show the strength of the collaboration and how all the separate elements of the company are linked. This is a strong concept however whenever I look at it I just see donuts. The logo variations are all quite clunky, they need to be more free flowing and dynamic as the are representing music.

More record variations, however none of them stand out or fulfil the right criteria.

This idea incorporated each aspect of the business into the logo. The microphone obviously represents the production side. The microphone forms the negative space in the nib of a fountain pen. The last one on the right also looks like a book held up a certain angle; the sides of the fountain pen look like a book being held open. This is a really nice concept and a great way of portraying the business for its literal services however it looks corporate. It again doesn't show the right vibe for the business, it doesn't look personal or even creative something they really wanted to show. 

I have been designing some mock logos for a while now and it really hasn't gone anywhere. I think I will go back to mind mapping as well asking some important questions which will help with the progression of the logo and turn it into something more appropriate.