A logo is more than just a simple image. It is the embodiment of your company especially its brand of quality and commitment to customers. Thus it is important to understand the value of a logo and its potential to increase the strength of your brand. Make your logo memorable and timeless like we did for one of our clients.
With the use of visual elements and cues, a logo can communicate a message about your brand. It can be a visual reference for your products and services. In time, your company will earn the trust of consumers. When they see your logo, they know they are in good hands.
A successful logo will inspire respect, trust, recognition, and familiarity to your target market. It will become the calling card of your company. With just an image, you can communicate perceptions to prospective clients.
Basic Principles of Logo Design
Logos are all for creativity. But there are also basic principles and guidelines for creating a memorable logo. It must be describable with words. It must also be effective even without color. It should have flexibility in its scalable size so that it is still recognizable even if it is just an inch in size.
With these basic principles in mind, let’s take a look at an interesting case study of an enduring and successful logo in the market. Take the example of the Nike Swoosh logo so we can see what sets apart a good logo from a bad one.
The classic check-like Nike Swoosh logo was only created in 1971 but it has evolved into one of the more familiar logos especially in stores. It was only worth $35 when it was created by Caroline Davidson. Today, it is still memorable, scalable and effective even in black and white. The logo is said to represent the wing in the statue of the Greek Goddess of Victory called Nike. But we know now that this logo is associated with everything about sports.
On the other hand, unsuccessful logos happen when the design is really atrocious or if it takes a different meaning altogether than what is intended.
The Logo Design Process
The design process of a logo has many steps and it is important for a business to be hands-on with every progress. In a nutshell, this is the typical workflow behind the creation of a powerful logo:
- Presentation of the Design Brief
- Brainstorming for New Ideas
- Sketching of Initial Designs
- Creation of Prototypes with Concept Testing
- Seek the review and inputs of the clients
- Attend to finishing touches
- Submit project to clients and offer quick customer care
Bridging the Technological Gap and Mastering the Output
To improve the look of a logo it needs to undergo the process of mastering. This will provide a logo an extra sheen which will be very useful as you attract the attention of your target market. There are numerous computer programs for logo mastering such as Adobe Illustrator.
Many design experts have shared that a design should not be made directly and solely from a computer. But the exact opposite should also be avoided. Don’t release a logo to the public without the benefit of a short digital touch-up.
Technology has evolved; you can participate in every step of the logo design process even if you are online. Initial ideas and sketch drafts for your logo can be easily sent to you for your inputs and approval.
Elegance in Simplicity
When creating a memorable logo, try to remember that it does not necessarily require a quirky design. It has to look presentable, neat and striking. It should have elements that will appeal to the photographic memory of people.
Ultimately the value and impact of your brand will be determined by your target market. Their perception of your products or services will shape the way they will look at your brand in the future. If they have a fulfilling experience transacting with you, they will associate your brand with excellence.
Memorable Logo Icons
Companies that are blessed with having strong and iconic symbols such as the Pillsbury Doughboy, the Maytag repairman, or the Michelin man can actively manage and use the symbols to supercharge their brand.
Such iconic logo symbols give a personality to the brand and help tell a story effectively. For example, the Pillsbury Doughboy is quite upbeat with a sense of humor and signals freshness and superb quality. The Maytag repairman is relaxed and confident and symbolizes the reliability of Maytag. The Michelin man is strong and positive and means safety.
Iconic logo symbols can have a life of their own. It is usually much easier to make a connection with a logo symbol rather than a product. Budweiser’s Frank and Louie lizard characters have such a following that customers would go to their website to check out the ads. They would also buy custom t-shirt designs and toys from their website. These characters were strongly linked to Budweiser because they were marketed so well in their ads.
When considering a log design for your company, you need to try and work our a brand strategy first. What would be your identity, how would you want to be related to etc, are questions you need to ask yourself. The answers to these questions would then help you decide whether you want to go for iconic logo symbols or for a logo design that is more illustrative in nature.
