Satisfy Client or Design?

Just wanted to hear some opinions on this...

I'm making a logo for a client right now, and we're still in the sketch phase. In the very beginning, he told me what he wants the logo to show. With that taken into account, I've made several sketches. He turned them all down. So I took a different approach, and he turned those sketches down too. Instead, he emailed me his own sketch and he keeps insisting I go with that sketch.

Now, the problem is that his idea is horrible for a logo. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying my ideas are the best in the world, but his are clearly terrible. They don't convey the right message about his business and they're too graphically complicated for a logo. I've tried implying this (don't want to protest it openly), but he won't budge.

My dilemma now is: Should I just go on with his idea just to please him, despite the fact that it's a terrible idea and that I wouldn't even want to show it in my portfolio? Or should I insist that he reconsiders?

I would also ask whether I should go to the extreme and refuse to continue, because I don't want to have my name associated with such a logo. However, since he made a down-payment on this, I realize I'd have to return the money, and I don't want to do that.

Opinions/suggestions?

Do what he wants. If you find that the work you did is horrible and you don't want to display it, don't put it into your portfolio.

Just reply saying that as a professional designer, you dislike he's ideas, but are willing to go with it. He will get the message that he's logo sucks and will probably tell you to go with a different idea. Can we see the logo by the way?

You can also just make it to please him. You're doing nothing wrong either way, the client should also get what he asks for. Refusing it will make you look bad!

You can always do it and not include it in your portfolio, lol.

I thought the same thing... Just get it done and forget about it.

No, I can't show the sketches because it's against the contract to publicly share the work before it's completed.

This sounds like a client that needs to be fired. Return the deposit and move on. Do you really want to do sub-standard work, even if you don't use it in your portfolio? I can't lower myself to do sub-standard work for any reason, it's simply not worth it. The client will also probably be trouble every other step of the way too.

I also call myself a creative director, this means that I have to find creative ways to direct my clients

Ah damn you Julian, you had to come in with your expert opinion and ruin everything, didn't you?

Just kidding, of course. I understand what you're saying. I want to take your advice (and dump him), but I think I will give it another try... I will try to explain more openly why he's making a mistake going with his crappy idea. If he still insists I continue with it, I'll do as you suggested and return the deposit.

I don't care what my work looks like as long as it's what the client wants. Then again, I don't consider myself creative or an artist in anyway. I design for money - and if I can make something that gets me paid, then I honestly don't care the least little bit of what it looks like.

In my personal opinion, I would tell the client in an open, personal, yet polite manner, that his idea sucks (don't use those words of course lol).

Let him know your professional opinion, and that you don't feel that his idea would get the message across that he's trying to portray. Give him your examples of your experience and why you feel the way you do.

Additionally let him know that if he insists, you will indeed go forward with his idea, but that you politely request that you not be held responsible if the message his logo portrays is a misunderstood or misconstrued one.

Personally I would return the deposit as Julian, But I'm in the fortunate situation that I am not in need of more client as I don't freelance fulltime and work clientside for a computer company(pretty sure julian aren't a fulltime freelancer too) For me it would depend alot on the situation. I would make whatever the client wanted if I needed the money. Also depends on how much I would think the client would need in the future

Pay is pay, unless you're in extremely high demand, I don't think you have the right to be picky.