What makes a good logo design?
What makes a good logo design? A good logo design in theory should be able to create a positive, powerful first impression. It should also create a long-lasting one as well.
Examples? Just think of IBM's and McDonalds’ logo. If you can only see part of their logo you'll instantly recognize it. This proves that their logo works in leaving a strong impression to viewers. Isn't that what we all want?
It should also convey to viewers, your company's ethos, mission, and products/services to them. A good logo also builds your brand and gives a polished, more professional look to your business.
It should reflect the nature of your business and what kind of services you offer. If it's a bank, the then classic and bold typeface works well to suggest a solid and protected look. If your unique business is based on speedy service, you might consider italics or dashes to suggest movement.
Practically, a good logo design should also be simple and works well in black and white. Why? Let's imagine again examples of excellent logos; Nike's swoosh, Sony, Dell, and BMW. Can you recognize them in black and white? From a distance? or even just a part of it?
That is why your logo needs to be simple to work well in all mediums. Clients often make the mistake in thinking that more is more when in actuality less is more. The simpler your logo, the easier it is on the eyes and the faster it will register in your future customers' minds.
Exceptions apply to Governments Organizations, 5-star hotels or exclusive clubs. This is because a good logo for them would more often be classical in nature to give an image of stability and exclusivity.
Colors are not as important in a good logo design as you might think. If your logo does not look good in black and white, it won't look good in any color.
Choose only colors that represent your company well. Yellow or sky blue gives a youthful and energetic look. Navy or lavender gives a calm, professional feel. Red, orange means strong and intense while green and magenta commands respect.
In the end, think ahead and avoid being too 'modern'. A trendy look might work now, but 5 years later it might look dated. A good logo design should last a minimum of 15 years, as it might be costly to 'update' your logo a few years later.
Choose your logo design wisely, and remember a cheap logo design service is not necessarily better. As the saying goes, 'You get what you pay for'.
Written By Alif Wahab (Director of a multidisciplinary design firm, Uniqon Design Services)
5 Principles Of Effective Logo Design
As mentioned, a good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic and simple in form, and it conveys the owner's intended message. You should follow the five principles below to ensure that your design meets all of these criteria:
Simple
Memorable
Timeless
Versatile
Appropriate
1. SIMPLE
Simplicity makes a logo design easily recognizable, versatile and memorable. Good logos feature something unexpected or unique, without being "overdrawn."
While in college in the mid-'70s, an instructor introduced me to the K.I.S.S. Principle of design, which translates as: Keep It Simple, Stupid. It does convey a very important design consideration. Simple logos are often easily recognized, incredibly memorable and the most effective in conveying the requirements of the client. A refined and distilled identity will also catch the attention of a viewer zipping by signage at 70 miles per hour, on packaging on the crowded shelves of a store, or in any other vehicle used for advertising, marketing and promotion. Remember, the basis of the hugely effective international branding for the world’s largest shoe manufacturer is a very simple graphic swoosh. — Jeff Fisher
On that note, you may find the history of the Nike logo quite interesting.
2. MEMORABLE
Following closely on this principle of simplicity is that of memorability. An effective logo design should be memorable, which is achieved by keeping it simple yet appropriate.
Surprising to many, the subject matter of a logo is of relatively little importance, and even appropriateness of content does not always play a significant role. This does not imply that appropriateness is undesirable. It merely indicates that a one-to-one relationship between a symbol and what it symbolized is very often impossible to achieve and, under certain conditions, objectionable. Ultimately, the only mandate in the design of logos, it seems, is that they be distinctive, memorable, and clear. — Paul Rand
3. TIMELESS
An effective logo should be timeless. Will yours stand the test of time? Will it still be effective in 10, 20 or 50 years?
Leave trends to the fashion industry. Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key. Don’t follow the pack. Stand out. — David Airey
4. VERSATILE
An effective logo works across a variety of media and applications. For this reason, logos should be designed in vector format, to ensure that they scale to any size.Ask yourself, is your logo still effective if it is printed...
In one color?
In reverse color (i.e. light logo on dark background)?
The size of a postage stamp?
As large as a billboard?
One way to create a versatile logo is to begin designing in black and white. This allows you to focus on the concept and shape, rather thancolor, which is subjective in nature. Also keep in mind printing costs: the more colors you use, the more expensive it will be for the business over the long term.
I like to work first in black and white to ensure that the logo will look good in its simplest form. Color is very subjective and emotional. This can distract from the overall design - say if you saw your logo in all red, that color may be the first thing that you respond to and not the composition of the design elements. I will not even consider submitting color suggestions to a client for review until they have signed off on a final black and white logo. — Patrick Winfield
Familiarize yourself with the commercial printing process so that you do not encounter printing problems down the line. Know the difference between theCMYK, Pantone and RGB color systems.
5. APPROPRIATE
How you "position" the logo should be appropriate for its intended audience. For example, a child-like font and color scheme would be appropriate for a logo for a children's toy store, not so much for a law firm.
A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does. Restaurant logos don’t need to show food, dentist logos don’t need to show teeth, furniture store logos don’t need to show furniture. Just because it’s relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do better. The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an airplane. The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc. — David Airey
Should a logo be self-explanatory? It is only by association with a product, a service, a business, or a corporation that a logo takes on any real meaning. It derives its meaning and usefulness from the quality of that which it symbolizes. If a company is second rate, the logo will eventually be perceived as second rate. It is foolhardy to believe that a logo will do its job immediately, before an audience has been properly conditioned. — Paul Rand
Source: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/vital-tips-for-effective-logo-design/