Author: Bob Feb 14, 2023 14 min read
The logo is the main element of visual brand identity, and it is often the foundation of all branding. A clear, easily recognizable logo helps the consumer to choose a brand which he trusts in a couple of seconds.
Would it be possible for brands to exist without logos in today’s business world, when consumers and potential clients can rarely be surprised anymore? If you position yourself as a professional in the field, you cannot do without a logo.
It is a very important detail, as your partners, customers and competitors form their opinion about your business based on its visual part. That’s why it is necessary to approach the logo creation seriously, we recommend asking those who specialize in business logo design and know how to create it perfectly.
Company owners approach logos very seriously, and not without reason: the purpose of a logo is not just to attract the client’s attention, but also to be remembered by potential customers. A successful logo is something that allows anyone to understand, at a glance, in what field an organization works and what its specific features are. Let’s try to understand why it is necessary.
Without such a symbol, companies cannot do it, as they all need recognition among potential customers, competitors and average citizens who can become clients. In other words — it is a trademark, at the mere sight of which a person should immediately remember the products and services of your company.
A trademark symbol can represent the writing of the company’s name in a particular font (often it is originally developed for this purpose). It also may be a conventional sign — a symbol associated with the brand’s activities, philosophy and mission.
It happens that just looking at an elementary corporate sign, it becomes clear what the organization represents its owner. But this can only be done by professional graphic designers who create an easy-to-remember images that reflect the essence, despite the simplicity. But to make an overall impression of the company, one logo of the business, sign or emblem is not enough. You also need a common and unified corporate identity, reflecting the focus of activity.
When developing a graphic element (as well as in the development of style on its basis), special attention is paid to colors. They should not strain the eye, but do not always select pale colors – bright elements attract attention. When preparing, do not neglect the current trends in web design, because they change periodically.
Your logo is the first point of contact with the outside world. If people like your brand logo design, they will be more open to everything your company offers them.
Professional creation requires a combination of sophisticated skills, knowledge of graphic design theory, and their capable application. Any graphic designer who operates basic graphic editors can create a logo, but it takes more than 10 years to fully master all aspects of the craft.
Logo design is a small part of creating a company’s corporate image, but it’s important to know that a logo or name is the centerpiece of brand identity. And we all know that this is what the audience is most likely to remember and associate with your business nearly forever. A successfully chosen logo stays in the memory of customers for decades. At the mere sight of a familiar image, memory immediately reproduces the name of the company to which it belongs.
Of course, in the history of the most successful logos, there have been cases when a company logo was developed by a person who had nothing to do with design. For example, the story of the appearance of the Coca-Cola company logo, but this is rather an exception, and it is better to trust logo development to professionals.
This successful logo was invented back in 1885 by Frank Robinson, a friend of the company’s founder, it still adorns the bright red cans of the popular soda inside. According to statistics, the Coca-Cola logo is the most recognizable one in the world, although its creator worked as an accountant and knew absolutely nothing about design. The Coca-Cola logo is one more proof that the most important thing is a good idea, which will remain relevant at all times.
The prototype for the Walt Disney Company logo was Sleeping Beauty Castle, located in one of the most visited parks in the world — American Disneyland. At the sight of a picture, which decided to identify the company “Walt Disney”, a person immediately has an expectation of something bright and fabulous, just what Disney cartoons can give him. New film companies come and go, but the products of the Walt Disney Studios remain equally beloved by adults and children at all times.
Designing a logo is a serious creative process, the result of which is a graphic sign that reflects the positioning, ideology, philosophy, and values of the company. To understand how to create a good logo, you need to know the basic criteria of its effectiveness:
Uniqueness. The image should be original, and unique. It is important that competitors have nothing similar presented.
Simplicity. The more concise the logo, the more effective it is. Simple forms are easier to perceive, reproduce, scale and apply to different surfaces.
Associativity. Each element of the brand logo design is a certain association with the company, and every line should be meaningful. The task of the graphic designer when creating a logo is to find a solution that gives the sign a more in-depth meaning, linking the parameters of the brand with its name.
Universality. It is necessary to come up with an emblem, taking into account the further development of business. Probably, a brand will start to produce new goods or enter the international market one day. That is why the company logo should be universal, not hampering the growth and scaling of the enterprise.
Relevance. The principles of logo development should correspond to the concept of positioning. Design should fit correctly into a general context, reflect the uniqueness of your products or services, have power and be effective.
Now let’s take a look at the step-by-step process of logo design.
The first step helps lay a solid “foundation” for a workable company logo. It is important to carefully analyze the company, understand what it lives for, and what it strives for. To simplify the task, you can draw up a brief that represents the essence of the project, its aims, and references.
Answers to the following questions will help fill out the document correctly:
According to the rules for creating a company logo, it is necessary to take into account not only the strengths of the firm itself, but also the weaknesses of its competitors. We advise studying local and global experiences — then, you will have many insights at your disposal.
Hundreds of companies around the world have already faced the task of designing a logo. Why not adopt their experience, reducing the risk of mistakes and inaccuracies? Watch, learn, take an example, and remember the original chips. Evaluating your competitors will allow you to identify a color palette that is not yet occupied and can become yours. You can use color coding to do this: take a color wheel and point out your main opponents on it. In the remainder, you will find shades free for your creativity. Don’t forget to study the images used in the signs. You must choose a sufficiently original, but not too difficult-to-perceive version.
Deciding a style company logo, focus on the specifics of the business, its products and the target audience. One of the following styles can be used as a basis:
Modern – a universal option, suitable for almost any company. It successfully combines originality and simplicity.
Classic – a good choice for serious organizations: educational institutions, medical centers, media and large enterprises.
Abstraction – such emblems are original. The audience gets an opportunity to fantasize, involving their imagination and background.
Vintage – appropriate for themed institutions: cafés, restaurants, bars and others. Vintage elements are good when the project has an unusual story or theme.
Minimalism – is a great choice for most brands. Laconic logos look professional and will be used for a long time.
Graphic design of a company logo can be different. Let’s consider the main types:
Calligraphy – this option is suitable for companies which products are made mostly by hand.
Heraldry – classic lettering that resonates with family coats of arms, and state symbols. This option may look too deliberate.
Monogram – a good way out if the company name consists of several words.
Typography – an actual method that involves the use of a unique, recognizable font.
Logo character – such element will make the emblem more emotional and agile.
It is recommended to develop a logo in many variants and even styles at once. In the future, applying the criteria for evaluating the company logo, you can take in the development of the optimal variant.
If you are planning to do business in an area with high competition, you need to properly set yourself apart from it. This includes the smart use of color, so study what shades competing firms use.
When selecting a gamut, focus not only on its uniqueness, but also on its psychological component:
Red – stimulates and excites, expressing emotions such as passion and power. Warm shades of scarlet convey stability, reliability, and the desire to become a leader.
Violet – is associated with nobility, splendor, and wealth. Light colors create a sense of spring and romance.
Orange – represents light, joy, courage and energy. It is suitable for friendly, cheerful and energetic people.
Green – has strong associations with nature, greenery, and fresh air. Creates a sense of calm, health, prosperity, optimism, and rejuvenation.
Yellow – is one of the brightest and most pleasant, as it is comparable to the sun. Bright shades are used to attract attention.
Blue – conveys reliability, safety, trust, and friendliness, reminds of the tranquility of water and the ocean.
Black – Ideal for conveying traditional values and style. Associated with power, modernity, and sophistication.
When making the final decision in favor of a particular company logo, ask yourself a number of questions:
By answering these questions, you’ll be one step closer to determining the final design, as creating a company logo is not an easy task. Its successful implementation requires knowledge, experience, and creativity. Using the services of professional graphic designers and marketers, as well as observing the requirements of the logo and corporate style, you can create an emblem that will help your business to become successful.
Brand designers are specialists who create brand logo design elements for for-profit and nonprofit companies and assemble a set of rules for how to use these visual elements in different mediums. The designer can be both in-house and outsourced. Let’s discuss all the variants of such service vendors and reveal their positive and negative sides.
Basically, graphic designers are specialists in vivid and visual communications, and they interact with marketers, copywriters, and audience researchers. Typically, brand designers work on a freelance or studio basis with third-party outside clients rather than as the staff of the company itself, which needs a corporate identity. So, who should take care of your logo?
In-house employees are more involved in all processes, a deeper understanding of the product, values, culture, and philosophy of the brand. Because of this immersion and depth of understanding, the in-house team usually does not bring repetitive or abstract, superficial ideas. In-house designers know what approaches haven’t worked in the past, and how and why it’s important to look for new approaches to brand development and communication.
The main tangible benefit is that having an in-house agency reduces costs when it comes to communication tasks, design, video, print, and electronic production. But, it’s important to understand that you can only count on cost reductions if you have a colossal pool of creative tasks and ensure that your entire in-house team is loaded on a regular basis. One more disadvantage is that your employees have to deal with various tasks for clients’ projects and may not have enough time to take care of their own company’s logo. This is why, significant delays are inevitable.
Freelance graphic designers more often fulfill orders for small businesses: stores, local clothing or product brands, small service organizations, and restaurants. Finding a qualified and responsible freelancer can turn into a real adventure, but this will be less expensive than hiring a studio or in-house employee.
After all, you and the freelancer don’t owe each other anything. He can easily push your task for a higher-paying project or fail on time or quality of work. By the way, the freelancer will not be able to fully immerse himself in your project. If you were able to find a professional, it’s great luck. It’s worth noting that a freelancer is more suited for quick and clear tasks.
Work in a design studio or agency is usually teamwork on large branding complexes for big large clients: logistics companies, retail chains, large-scale events, and federal online services.
The involvement of a design studio as a partner in solving the company’s tasks in the field of marketing brings with it a number of additional benefits. For example, optimizing the cost of employees who work in the staff of the company: no costs for their salaries, organization of workplaces, their technical equipment, rental of premises, etc. Not having to constantly search for qualified personnel in this area also has an additional advantage. Of course, the search for the right specialist does not occur every day; however, this can take a long time, requiring significant time and cost.
Collaborating with an experienced design agency provides the opportunity to use the best experts in this field. In addition, they master various styles and visual techniques, so you don’t have to adjust your project to the designer’s skills and are free to share the most complex ideas. Specialists from all-in-one video studios can consult you about the peculiarities and share their successful cases for you to choose the best from the best.
Do not underestimate and overestimate the logo, blindly following fashion trends, large corporations and clichéd company logos — be reasonable. And remember that the role of logo design is one of the most important, so do not hesitate to contact specialists to develop a truly high-quality and harmonious logo. Wow-How experts are always here to help you implement even the craziest ideas.
