What is the best, first impression of your business? Your company logo - a graphical representation of your organizational identity; a mental shortcut to your products or services. People are drawn to images, especially when they have an interesting design or eye-catching color. A logo presents something specific and unique to the subconscious. Whether communicating how fun, serious, or dependable your business is, your logo should instill a positive feeling in consumers and distinguish you from your competition.
Many logos convey something essential about the business. This allows consumers to associate a logo with its brand. Some, however, are more allusive. While a logo needn’t say exactly what an organization does, it can be confusing when the connection to the company is only symbolic. On a positive side, an allusive logo can keep you from being 1 of 500 Italian pizza guys. The challenge is that your company will need to invest time and money to link the logo to your brand. This is a longtime commitment that is difficult for small businesses which is why most logos give some sense of the company’s offerings.
A logo should reflect the attitude and sense of style of the business without latching on to a quick design trend. Timelessness is an important quality for a logo so forgo waves like pixelated designs that scream 90’s or another particular era. A logo should be unique and recognizable as yours every time. The best logo designs are very simple making them easier to absorb, understand and recall - someone should be able to describe or explain a logo in a single sentence. Simplicity of design also makes it more difficult to counterfeit a logo.
It goes without saying that a logo should be easy to read. Colors, font and typeface should be chosen purposefully. Electronic mediums have improved our ability to communicate colors. Some logos are vibrant and eye-catching while others use gradients or fades to capture attention. Regardless of your choice, remember that colors carry with them emotional triggers.
This infographic from https://facthacker.com/color-psychology/ displays some common associations.
Effective logos utilize a single, primary color so they don’t overwhelm the consumer with multiple colors and emotional responses. The use of a single color is also more cost effective and easier to represent on a variety of backgrounds.
A logomark is a picture only and doesn’t rely on language knowledge. The caveat there is that symbols might have different meanings in different cultures. A combination mark is both text and images and while words are not necessary, they might help the clarity of the message. Any included text, whether it is a business name or slogan, should be clear and readable. That being said, there are some different and interesting ways to display font:
Split typography features unexpected negative space in the letters.
https://visualtextproject.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/freedom.jpg
Chaotic typography features non-linear placement of letters.
https://graphicmama.com/blog/graphic-design-trends/
Hand-effect Typography looks like it has been written by hand with irregularities common in everyday handwriting. It is not right for all applications, but for less formal businesses where you want to mix it up and add a little flavor it might be worth considering.
https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/design-tips/create-a-font-_-out-of-your-own-handwriting
Regardless of the choices you make, legibility is key. The power of a logo is lessened when someone has to think about it and cognition overpowers the emotion in a reaction.
As you are narrowing down the design of your logo, there are also technical considerations to remember. Your logo should be able to be reproduced while maintaining design integrity. It should be convertible across all media meaning it needs to be resizable in a variety of contexts without losing quality. Something else to be mindful of are the square formats used by social media. Your logo should be self-contained and visually balanced so it may be displayed in a variety of formatting constraints.
While it is an additional effort, a company logo can help you stand out among your competitors. It will brand your business and make you more memorable. A well-crafted logo gives the impression of an established, well-defined company that is invested in its identity. By putting the logo everywhere and on everything, you increase repetition of exposure which increases the logo’s effectiveness, building familiarity and consumer loyalty until, eventually, a glimpse of even a part of your logo will summon your company to mind.
Logo design is something we are doing daily and each designer or marketing professional takes a different approach. As we onboard and better understand your needs we match you with the best designer for your specific needs. Want another perspective from one of our other team members? Read our recent blog here.
Ready to get started on branding your business or navigating a successful rebrand? Let's jump on a free 30-minute consultation to go over any follow-up questions you still may have and your specific ideas and preferences. Contact us today to get started!