Logo Design

Brand Story

Do you think I earn my whole salary from packaging design? Sadly, no. It's not always easy to make a living from design alone these days. Thankfully, I know more than just branding—I also enjoy buying, repairing and selling cars. Instead of treating it as a side hustle with a generic identity, I decided to build a proper brand around it. That's how Hey Mark Motors! was born.

This project is a direct continuation of my personal brand, Hey Berkay!. Rather than using my real first name, Mert, I chose Mark because it sounds very similar while being much easier for English speakers to pronounce and remember. It removes any confusion without losing the personality of the original brand.

Brand Identity

The objective was to create a dealership brand that feels energetic, memorable and approachable instead of the typical corporate car dealer. Buying a used car can often feel stressful, so I wanted the visual identity to immediately communicate confidence, honesty and a sense of humour.

The slogan, "She's had a few owners. We don't judge.", reflects exactly that philosophy. Rather than pretending every used car is perfect, the brand embraces reality with confidence, creating a friendly and trustworthy personality that customers are likely to remember.

Logo Design

Logo Design

The centrepiece of the identity is a three-piston engine, one of the strongest symbols associated with automotive engineering. The pistons immediately identify the business as car-related while also representing the mechanical side of the company. Since I personally repair, service and prepare many of the vehicles before selling them, the symbol reflects both my passion for mechanics and the hands-on approach behind the business.

The logo is built inside a classic circular badge inspired by vintage garage emblems, racing clubs and motorsport branding. This timeless format gives the identity a bold, authentic appearance and allows it to work equally well across signs, stickers, clothing, invoices, social media and vehicle graphics.

To provide greater flexibility, I also created an alternative version where the expressive Hey Mark Motors! script overlaps the circular badge. This version adds extra personality and works perfectly as the primary brand mark for marketing materials while the badge version functions as a recognisable standalone emblem.

Colour Palette

Unlike most dealerships that rely heavily on blue, silver or dark grey, I deliberately chose a bold hot pink as the brand’s signature colour. The unexpected colour instantly attracts attention, creates strong brand recognition and gives the company a modern, energetic personality.

The pink is balanced with charcoal black, representing engines, tyres, asphalt and workshop environments, while white provides clarity, contrast and excellent readability. Together, these colours create a distinctive identity that stands out in the automotive industry without sacrificing professionalism.

To maintain consistency across every application, dedicated logo versions were created for light, dark and brand-coloured backgrounds, ensuring maximum visibility regardless of where the logo appears.

Identity System

Brand Applications

Although the logo is the centre of the project, a strong identity only works when it is applied consistently across every customer touchpoint. To demonstrate this, I developed supporting branding materials including a complete business card system.

The business cards continue the automotive theme through tyre-track textures, bold colour blocking and clean information hierarchy while maintaining the playful personality of the brand. Even functional elements follow the same tone of voice, with humorous copy such as “Pay me here, so I can buy more cars.”, reinforcing that Hey Mark Motors! is a dealership with character rather than just another used car business.

These applications demonstrate how a cohesive visual identity can transform a small independent dealership into a memorable and recognisable brand that customers are far more likely to remember and recommend..