If you had to pick only one, which logo format do you give to clients? PDF, AI, or EPS.
Thanks in advanced.
I would give all source files, that being PSD and or AI.
Also supply a few compressed versions (JPEG, PNG, etc)
That depends, if you want to keep your clients depending on you, then you would give them something that’s it’s not editable. If you are like me, then you give them the original files; after all, he did pay you for this specific job.
It depends much more on what your agreement is with your client.
When I work with graphic designers, the agreement I have with them is that I retain IP rights, and that I get provided with editable source files for all finished products.
My designers are happy with this agreement, because they know that their professionalism and excellent work keeps me coming back - not the fact that they lock me in with uneditable files.
Any designer I encountered who wanted to try and lock me in like that would get immediately scratched off my contact list…
I dont really understand the logic to the question of this poll. Why is there a limitation to the number of formats you can provide?
I definitely want to provide clients with an editable format. They paid for it so they should have that benefit. I only provide gif and jpg as mockups.
As far as I know both all three formats (when saved properly from Illustrator) is perfectly editable in Illustrator with layers maintained. All three are perfectly acceptable by print shops. Since all three format essentially have the same capabilities, there is no reason to send all three. It would be too big via email. I can only send one via email.
Another reason is that giving three will confuse clients. They keep asking “How come there is three?”, “Which one do I give to print shops”. etc.
I’m just curious as to which format is the “industry standard”. For example, I heard rumors that “EPS is dead” (superceded by AI and PDF formats). Not sure if this is true.
If I’m going to transmit more than one file via email. I rather transmit one color version and one black/white version instead of two different formats that essentially have the same capabilites.
The source file is always .ai
All three because one format could always fail on the clients side, it is just to cover yourself.
Well I generally don’t deliver EPS files, other than that I deliver AI, PDF and ready to use GIF/PNG/JPEG…
well if you definitely want to keep your clients just give them everything – after all they paid for it 
I usually provide ai/cdr/eps/pdf for vectors and psd/png/gif/jpeg for bitmaps
it doesn’t take much time to convert it and your work will look more professional in clients eyes 
all 3.
All 3
I would agree with sending all. I typically send ai, pdf then also a png and a jpg preset for use in MS documents and such.
If your email is keeping you from sending stuff to clients, you may want to look at another email host Or…send more than one? That should hardly be the deciding factor in how you do business.
Or consider options outside of e-mail. Meet with your client for lunch or a coffee to celebrate the end of another project (for you, or for them), and hand over a CD or DVD with the work on it. Or even do what my main designer does - burn all the work onto CDs or DVDs, have a courier deliver it to the client, and then bill the client for the courier (but include it in the overall service fee).
Or consider options outside of e-mail. Meet with your client for lunch or a coffee to celebrate the end of another project (for you, or for them), and hand over a CD or DVD with the work on it. Or even do what my main designer does - burn all the work onto CDs or DVDs, have a courier deliver it to the client, and then bill the client for the courier (but include it in the overall service fee).
too exagerating 
thats not exaggerating.
thats what we do too. its the overall customer experience that is crucial.
even if your design rocks, but your customer service/pr sucks, say goodbye to that client next year/in the future.
:agree:
I voted for EPS for maximum compatibility that is;
-You cannot open/import some PDFs or newer AI formats with older versions of some applications (Like MM Freehand9).
-EPS is the standart format for DTP, so almost all applications support it. A design application must support EPS but may not support AI, PDF.
With EPS you can nearly be 100% sure that your client will open the file, whatever program he uses.
Edit:
I would also convert the ‘application specific effects’ on the design. To be on the safe side, convert everything to simple bezier curves with the minimum amount of total shapes in the design. In fact this is the most secure and fast method if the file will be sent to a ‘Raster Image Processor’ in a printing house.
I’m with you on that. I believe AutoCAD and SolidWorks also take EPS and not the others. For example if a client wants to import the logo into a blueprint drawing done in AutoCad.
After hearing all the comments, I decided to vote for EPS as well. I found that the EPS is much smaller than the AI format. And when I re-open the EPS in Illustrator, I was not able to find any lost of functionality in the smaller file (at least not in my simple logos).
Different format for different situations. JPEG/PNG/GIF for web based or screen viewing. Most likely AI/PDF for print depending on the type of logo.