How I would design Acquire
How I would design Acquire
How I would design Acquire



Acquire, formerly MicroAcquire, is startup acquisition marketplace focused on software companies. Their new domain name triggered a rebrand. They hired an agency to design their new logo but here is how I would do it.
Acquire, formerly MicroAcquire, is startup acquisition marketplace focused on software companies. Their new domain name triggered a rebrand. They hired an agency to design their new logo but here is how I would do it.
Acquire, formerly MicroAcquire, is startup acquisition marketplace focused on software companies. Their new domain name triggered a rebrand. They hired an agency to design their new logo but here is how I would do it.
Previous logos

The original MicroAcquire logo alongside the current version. An improvement was definitely made but let's break down what I would do differently to create a more impactful logo for the brand.
Meaning
The main problem I identify with the new logo is that it isn't obvious what the dot represents. The dot carries a lot of weight within the icon, and the eye is drawn to it. However, what does it mean in relation to the word "acquire" or in relation to the product? It's not clear.
Here is the breakdown by the original designers.

Sometimes this approach is acceptable with logo design, but in those cases, the symbol or shape should be something more abstract or unusual than a simple dot. Customers can associate those shapes with the brand, but a dot is too generic.
Another small problem with the dot design is that there are three circle dot shapes within the entire logo. All with different sizes, and this creates a subtle visual imbalance.

I would fix this issue by removing the dot and using a shape that clearly relates to the word "acquire" and the product itself.
I think a check mark achieves this because it communicates these things:
Symbolises the completion of transactions. ✔️
Associated with the acquisition of something ✔️
Synonymous with "trust" ✔️

In my opinion, the check mark is more impactful than the dot.
Colours
Using green within the logo is not random. The idea comes from the website's design, which frequently uses different shades of green throughout. In this example, the shade is much lighter than in the logo because the logo requires more contrast with the blue and white. It's important that the blue and green are clearly separated.

Blue has been associated with trust and professionalism for decades. It makes sense to add green to the logo since checkmarks are usually this colour. It also has some relationship to money, which is appropriate for the product.
Why drop the .com?
I understand that having the acquire.com domain is a big deal, and the rebrand was driven by this fact. However, it is not necessary to include it in the logo. Especially if one of the goals of the rebranding was to make the brand more clean.Incorporating the.com feels a little like incorporating LLC into your branding.
However, if the .com must be included, it should be part of the design and not a sidekick. For example, the hotels.com logo is designed with the .com carrying the same weight as the rest of the text because the .com is so important to the brand.

With the current logo, there are three levels of hierarchy, and the .com feels like an add-on. Considering the size of the text, it goes without saying that it will also be hard to read at a small scale, such as on mobile devices.
Typography
I only made some slight adjustments to the text. One of the edits I made was cutting out the side of the "c" using the "q" shape. Since the checkmark cuts through the blue line in the icon, I thought it would be a nice touch for the text to behave in a similar fashion.
Variations

Here is how the logo looks in varying colour options.

The icon is also effective when used in a pattern.

The final redesign in its entirety.
Previous logos

The original MicroAcquire logo alongside the current version. An improvement was definitely made but let's break down what I would do differently to create a more impactful logo for the brand.
Meaning
The main problem I identify with the new logo is that it isn't obvious what the dot represents. The dot carries a lot of weight within the icon, and the eye is drawn to it. However, what does it mean in relation to the word "acquire" or in relation to the product? It's not clear.
Here is the breakdown by the original designers.

Sometimes this approach is acceptable with logo design, but in those cases, the symbol or shape should be something more abstract or unusual than a simple dot. Customers can associate those shapes with the brand, but a dot is too generic.
Another small problem with the dot design is that there are three circle dot shapes within the entire logo. All with different sizes, and this creates a subtle visual imbalance.

I would fix this issue by removing the dot and using a shape that clearly relates to the word "acquire" and the product itself.
I think a check mark achieves this because it communicates these things:
Symbolises the completion of transactions. ✔️
Associated with the acquisition of something ✔️
Synonymous with "trust" ✔️

In my opinion, the check mark is more impactful than the dot.
Colours
Using green within the logo is not random. The idea comes from the website's design, which frequently uses different shades of green throughout. In this example, the shade is much lighter than in the logo because the logo requires more contrast with the blue and white. It's important that the blue and green are clearly separated.

Blue has been associated with trust and professionalism for decades. It makes sense to add green to the logo since checkmarks are usually this colour. It also has some relationship to money, which is appropriate for the product.
Why drop the .com?
I understand that having the acquire.com domain is a big deal, and the rebrand was driven by this fact. However, it is not necessary to include it in the logo. Especially if one of the goals of the rebranding was to make the brand more clean.Incorporating the.com feels a little like incorporating LLC into your branding.
However, if the .com must be included, it should be part of the design and not a sidekick. For example, the hotels.com logo is designed with the .com carrying the same weight as the rest of the text because the .com is so important to the brand.

With the current logo, there are three levels of hierarchy, and the .com feels like an add-on. Considering the size of the text, it goes without saying that it will also be hard to read at a small scale, such as on mobile devices.
Typography
I only made some slight adjustments to the text. One of the edits I made was cutting out the side of the "c" using the "q" shape. Since the checkmark cuts through the blue line in the icon, I thought it would be a nice touch for the text to behave in a similar fashion.
Variations

Here is how the logo looks in varying colour options.

The icon is also effective when used in a pattern.

The final redesign in its entirety.
Previous logos

The original MicroAcquire logo alongside the current version. An improvement was definitely made but let's break down what I would do differently to create a more impactful logo for the brand.
Meaning
The main problem I identify with the new logo is that it isn't obvious what the dot represents. The dot carries a lot of weight within the icon, and the eye is drawn to it. However, what does it mean in relation to the word "acquire" or in relation to the product? It's not clear.
Here is the breakdown by the original designers.

Sometimes this approach is acceptable with logo design, but in those cases, the symbol or shape should be something more abstract or unusual than a simple dot. Customers can associate those shapes with the brand, but a dot is too generic.
Another small problem with the dot design is that there are three circle dot shapes within the entire logo. All with different sizes, and this creates a subtle visual imbalance.

I would fix this issue by removing the dot and using a shape that clearly relates to the word "acquire" and the product itself.
I think a check mark achieves this because it communicates these things:
Symbolises the completion of transactions. ✔️
Associated with the acquisition of something ✔️
Synonymous with "trust" ✔️

In my opinion, the check mark is more impactful than the dot.
Colours
Using green within the logo is not random. The idea comes from the website's design, which frequently uses different shades of green throughout. In this example, the shade is much lighter than in the logo because the logo requires more contrast with the blue and white. It's important that the blue and green are clearly separated.

Blue has been associated with trust and professionalism for decades. It makes sense to add green to the logo since checkmarks are usually this colour. It also has some relationship to money, which is appropriate for the product.
Why drop the .com?
I understand that having the acquire.com domain is a big deal, and the rebrand was driven by this fact. However, it is not necessary to include it in the logo. Especially if one of the goals of the rebranding was to make the brand more clean.Incorporating the.com feels a little like incorporating LLC into your branding.
However, if the .com must be included, it should be part of the design and not a sidekick. For example, the hotels.com logo is designed with the .com carrying the same weight as the rest of the text because the .com is so important to the brand.

With the current logo, there are three levels of hierarchy, and the .com feels like an add-on. Considering the size of the text, it goes without saying that it will also be hard to read at a small scale, such as on mobile devices.
Typography
I only made some slight adjustments to the text. One of the edits I made was cutting out the side of the "c" using the "q" shape. Since the checkmark cuts through the blue line in the icon, I thought it would be a nice touch for the text to behave in a similar fashion.
Variations

Here is how the logo looks in varying colour options.

The icon is also effective when used in a pattern.

The final redesign in its entirety.
2022
Graphic Designer
Logo
2022
Graphic Designer
Logo
2022
Graphic Designer
Logo