Using animal and insect symbols in graphic design is a highly effective way to connect a product or service with nature. We see how effectively this can be done with my current Design Pick of the Week: Fields of Ambrosia. Founder Deborah Jasien has been crafting her all-natural bath and body products in North Conway, New Hampshire since 2001.
Beneficial to the body and earth friendly, the products at Fields of Ambrosia combine the “life force energy of healing plants” with the aromas and healing powers of pure essential oils,” as the company’s website explains. The use of different greens throughout the logo and the stalk-like sans serif fonts hint at the products’ natural origins. (Note that the green bar behind the oval is not actually part of the logo but from the background on the website header.) The double lines in the word “Ambrosia” take the subtle image of veined plant stems even further; its shading allows for the use of a necessary accent color to contrast with the green.
The monarch butterfly, of course, is the focal point of the logo (and therefore also of the sign above the company’s retail location).The oversized “O” frames the butterfly and hints at its emergence from the cocoon. Symbolizing transformation and joy, a butterfly reminds customers that we must shed the old before we can come into the new. Shed your old products and imagine the improvements in store with Fields of Ambrosia products, the monarch implies!
In early Christianity, the butterfly was also a symbol of the soul. As explained on the Fields of Ambrosia site, “The ‘aroma’ of aromatherapy is not as important as how it makes you feel.” Much like the butterfly, your metamorphosis at Fields of Ambrosia will be more than skin deep.
Overall, this logo is a great example of the power of symbolism and of simplicity in color and font choices when spreading a company’s message. It certainly makes me want to stop in their shop the next time I’m in North Conway!