Creating a new logo design begins with a desire to illustrate a company's identity with a series ofshapes, colours and perhaps some words. The options are infinite. Only one logo design is perfect. Your logo is a lifetime investment, one that will become your corporate identity as your business expands. Why not get it right?
The Logo Factory designers have been in the 'trenches' for years, with thousands of successful logo and corporate identity projects under their collective belts. With that in mind, who better to ask for a series of tips and pointers when it comes to logo design. Here's some logo design advice from some of the best designers in the field. It should be noted that most of these tips are not absolutes (you'll probably be able to find examples in our design portfolio that will contradict each and every one). It's also been said that rules were meant to be broken. Our logo tips are, however, a decent set of guidelines that will help you narrow in on the best logo for your particular requirements.
Simple is sometimes better
A complex logo can be difficult to reproduce and more importantly, difficult to remember. Better to have a simple version for your main logo, and a souped-up version (like a beauty shot for example) when a more complex version is appropriate, and/or the reproduction medium allows.
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Avoid cliches or trends
Logo trends come and go every couple of years. In the latter half of the 90's the trend was the swoosh (or was it the swish?). A combo homage to Nike and an attempt by every company on the planet to illustrate that they were all high-tech and stuff, the swoosh became the most overdone graphic element in recent memory. Then came shadows. Then 'gel' blends and reflections (like many graphic trends, thanks to Apple). Now, it's the so-called Web 2.0 'look' and feel. How to tell of a logo trend is just that? Simple. Is everybody doing it? Then it's a trend. It will be very passe in a few months or years and you'll be stuck with tens of thousands of business items plastered with a logo that causes you to shudder every time you look at it. Stick to the classic types of logos - longevity, adaptability and impact will be the pay-off.
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No war and peace extravaganzas
Your logo doesn't have to portray exactly what your company does. Think the McDonald's Golden Arches. No hamburgers. Think the FedEx logo. No trucks or planes (though a cool 'hidden' arrow). Think the Nike swoosh. No sneakers or golf shirts. etc. While sometimes having a logo that portrays an element of the company is appropriate, it's often better to have a logo that's graphically void of detail - a logo that can be adapted to whatever direction the company takes. Think the Apple logo. True, it is an apple. But there's no indication that it belongs to a computer company. That's a pretty cool thing - the Apple logo looks just as cool on an iPod as it does on the top of a Powerbook.
Top of page Size matters
Your new logo needs to reproduce at a variety of different sizes - particularly on the smallish side. Overly complex logos can 'gum up' when reproduced as a very small image. Think business card, fax header. How about a key chain? Or a ballpoint pen? Take a look at the Nike 'swoosh'. Not a very dynamic logo but it is recognizable on a shirt sleeve on the television where a complex logo wouldn't be. Think of your logo as a mega-sized image as well. Like a billboard. Knowing how your logo is going to be used, both in size and media, can help your designer create a logo that's appropriate in terms of complexity.
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Aspect ratios & logo footprints
The aspect ratio (the relationship between the height and width of a logo) is critical. A logo that is too tall and skinny, or too wide and short, is not visually pleasing, and you'll end up with all sorts of layout issues when it comes to setting up your logo in artwork, especially when combined with other graphic elements (ie: business card, web sites, etc). A logo that is closer to a 'golden mean' (almost the aspect relationship of a business card) is much more pleasing and more adaptable to working in other artwork. Square is pretty cool too - circle logos are very strong visually due to their 'square aspect ratio'.
Top of page Disconnecting icons and text
If your logo is to feature both an icon and a textual treatment of your company name, it's best to have the elements as distinct pieces of artwork (as opposed to overlapping, intertwining, etc). This way, you'll be able to use either the text or icon solo, and the logo will still stand up. As you've probably noticed, The Logo Factory 'house' is placed solo at the top right of every page of this web site, though there is a font treatment of the company name in a distinctive font that we use from time to time. The two elements are actually pictured together in the 'true' version of our logo.
Top of page Your logo is for your audience
Naturally, you want to like your logo (we've know lots of times were people are reluctant to use their logo as they no longer 'like' it). On the other hand, keep in mind that your logo is to appeal to your customers, and should be created with them in mind. You may be the most conservative person on the planet, but if you're trying to market to the hip-hop crowd, your sensibilities are probably different than your 'audience'. A logo that you 'like' probably won't appeal to them.
Top of page Your company's essence and 'theme'
Your logo needs to portray the essence of your company. Are you a serious company, or one that revels in being whimsical. Are you appealing to a conservative set? Then a cartoon logo probably wouldn't be the best choice. Trying to brand a sports-bar? Then a logo that would work for a financial institution probably won't cut it either. Understanding a particular industry's 'theme' is important, and where a designer's experience comes into play.
Top of page Your logo has to have 'instant impact'
Your new logo will probably not have the luxury of being in your audience's eye for a lot of time. In fact, you probably have a few seconds (at the outside) to 'grab' the viewers attention. If your logo needs to be deciphered, or has an elaborate 'back story' (see metaphor light) there's probably little chance that it will communicate the essence of your company, service or product effectively.
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A tagline is nice, but not as part of your logo
A tagline is the phrase or few words that describe a company, or the company's mission. Generally stated, taglines are featured under the logo (or in circular logos - around the logo). They're cool and all, but it's not advisable to include them in the initial design phases of your logo. Wordy taglines will require a small font that will become illegible at smaller sizes. Also, a tagline can create a lot of visual clutter in many applications. It's always better to have that ever-so clever tagline as a separate element that you can add when appropriate, or when doing so will not interfere with the design integrity of your logo itself.
Top of page Strive to be 'different'
You'd be surprised how many clients have asked that we design logos that are very similar to their competitors. Kinds misses the point, no? The idea of your own logo is just that - your own logo. While it can be helpful to look at logos that your competitors are using (or even people in the same industry), this should never be used as a guide to creating your logo. The idea here is to be different than your competitors. To stand out in a cluttered marketplace. To have a logo that's better than theirs Or, at the very least - different.
Top of page Colour is a secondary factor in your logo design
The most important part of your logo design project is the design part. Oh sure, it's nice to see you logo in the colours that you will eventually use, but in the initial stages of any design process the colours are of secondary importance. They can always be changed,or edited later. Now, having said that...
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Consider colour choices carefully
Whether you utilize a two spot colour, or four colour process design will greatly impact any reproduction costs in the future. While not critical in the initial design phases, your choice of corporate colour will have a ripple effect throughout all you corporate 'look-and-feel' material and is a decision that should not be taken lightly in the final stages of the design process.
Top of page Some web colours cannot be reproduced
In traditional media that is. And vice versa. Some WEB colours are beyond a CMYK range - meaning that the colour cannot be printed using CMYK or Pantone equivalents. To make things more complicated, sometimes WEB safe colours CAN be converted successfully. Best advice - if there's a particular WEB-safe colour you wish to use, our designers will be glad to tell you of it's usability is outside of your monitor (cont'd).
Top of page Keep your logo 'metaphor light'
While it’s nice for your logo to actually ‘mean’ something (i.e. – this colour represents growth, this dot represents our product) sometimes clients wish to write ‘War-and-Peace’ with their logo’s metaphors. An overworked logo is not a pretty sight. The most memorable logos are also the most simple; the memorable complex logos are often highly rendered illustrations (see here for the anatomy of an illustrative logo), not a bunch of geometric shapes. Dozens of swooshes, dots and colours – all professing to ‘mean’ something will not mean anything to the first time viewer even though it might be a 'cool' back story to tell.
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Avoid design by committee
Perhaps the most difficult project for designer and client alike. A large group of people are responsible for selecting, approving and modifying the logo throughout the various design stages. Keep in mind that it is usually the loudest (and dare we say – the committee staffer with the largest ego) who invariably makes their opinion heard – not the committee member who has a keen sense of design. Better to select a ‘voice’ for the committee who is keenly aware of your group’s goals.
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Understand that your logo is just the beginning
True, it's an important beginning, but a beginning never the less. Don't expect your logo to single-handedly develop your company's 'brand'. Far from it. It is only by repeated use of your logo, combined with graphical elements (your marketing artwork, ads, etc) as well as the old-fashioned stuff (business ethic, customer service, etc) that will create your 'brand' or corporate image. Having said that, however, your new logo is the corner stone of these efforts, and its pretty important to get it right.
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Repetition. Repetition. Repetition
You want to know why the Nike logo is so successful? Is it because it's a 'great' logo? Far from it. Other than being remarkably simple, the Nike 'swoosh' is painfully uninspiring. No, the Nike logo is successful because it's been seen a cazillion times. On TV. On the shirts of top athletes. On the sports equipment of almost every professional sports team out there. Simply put, the Nike logo is so successful because it's been driven into our subconscious by constant exposure. And that's the same philosophy you should take with your logo. Granted, you don't have the promotional budget of giants like Nike, Apple or FedEx, but do what you can. Plaster your new logo everywhere. Every scrap of paper that leaves your office should feature your logo. Put it on your car (could be a tax write-off too). Use your new logo until you're sick of it. And then use it some some more. In fact, that's a pretty good rule of thumb - at the point you're getting sick of your logo (and you'll be tempted to change it - see next tip) it's just starting to get some traction.
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Don't change. (almost) never
Once you've developed your logo, it's in your best interest to keep it. Brand recognition takes time (some studies state that viewers have to see a logo three times - or more - before they'll remember it the next time). There's an awful lot of logo clutter out there, so only be repetition will your logo break through. IF you're going to change your logo, think very, very long and hard about it. If you decide to go ahead, then make sure you get it right that time. Changing a logo dramatically more than once (in a short period of time) may tell your audience that you're flaky and unreliable. Not good in business.
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