Mathilde Lacombe

“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand”—Paul Rand

A logo is one of the most important assets of a company. It acts as the face of a company. Graphic designers are accountable for creating a logo that not only impresses the target audience but also communicates the brand personality. Although they work on various design projects, creating a logo for a company is the most critical part of their job.

Most of the companies spend their crucial time in naming their business. They hardly invest time in their logo design. They think that they can make a mark in the industry with their products or services. Well, undoubtedly, a great product or service can help a company in gaining recognition, but what if a competitor is also selling the same quality product or services? In that case, it is a logo that can help businesses in differentiating themselves from competitors and make an impact on the target audience.

Just think of big brands like Nike, Apple, McDonald’s, etc. All these brands too have competitors that sell great quality products/services. But if you look at their logos, they all have unique and memorable designs. In fact, when someone talks about these brands, it is their logo that probably first comes to our mind. These brands don’t have to make continuous efforts to help people recall their custom  logo design. That’s the power of a logo!

If you are planning to create a logo for your brand and wondering how to create, here are a few tips for you:

• Focus on simplicity:

The first and foremost tip is to focus on creating a simple logo. Being new in the industry, you may think of putting all the elements in the design. But in reality, this may confuse the audience and distract them from the primary objective. Whether you want to redesign a logo or create a new one, the ultimate objective of a logo is to represent your brand. So, it is crucial to keep it visually attractive. A good rule of thumb is to create a logo that looks great in grayscale.
Let’s understand this with an example. We all are familiar with the brand name ‘IBM.’ Throughout its history, this brand has made several changes in its logo design. If you look at their current logo, you will find how the design has transformed into modernization. The contemporary logo design is simple and clean. The stripes in the logo indicate a sense of unity. It not only enriches the beauty but also makes a logo stand out in its niche market.

• Think about where to use a logo:

While designing a logo, think about all the places where it can be used. From billboards, email marketing to brochures, it is essential to know how your company logo will appear on digital and printing materials.

Let’s take the example of Amazon. In 2000, when the brand decided to expand its operations, it came up with the fantastic current logo. The arrow starting from “A” and ending at “Z” denotes that the customers can find everything they want on this website. The smiling yellow color arrow indicates the happy customers. Since the brand also has an app, they have focused on the appearance of the icon both on the small and big screen.

• Update the design over time:

Unfortunately, with the passage of time, even the best logos need to be updated. In today’s competitive market, it is tough to grab the attention of target customers. If a logo has been successful in the past, it doesn’t mean it will continue to be in the lead of successful logos. Therefore, it is essential to keep your logo updated with latest designs and trends. While redesigning a logo, make sure your focus should always be on finding the right balance between the new and existing logo.
‘Marriott Hotel’s logo sets a perfect example of accompanying the old logo with the new one. The iconic ‘M’ is just like the previous one. The name of the brand is positioned just below the big ‘M’ in bold black font. The company has managed to give its logo a new modern look without making any drastic changes in the older one.

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• Think about a “Classic” design:

As discussed above, companies should update their logo design over time according to the latest design trends. But it doesn’t mean that you make drastic changes in the design. This might affect your brand identity. Creating a ‘classic’ design with little changes in the logo can solve your purpose. There are few elements to consider when creating a timeless logo:

• Colors: They can either be your best friend or worst enemy. They are one of the most powerful forms of communication. So, it is imperative to have a proper understanding of color psychology before selecting the final color.
• Font: It plays a vital role in communicating a brand message. Choosing the wrong font can destroy your logo design. For instance, if you have a computer business, you can’t use a similar font style just like a fashion company. Selecting the right font can be a little tricky in the initial stage. But with proper research and analysis, you can choose the right font for your company logo.
• Using white space: It is the space between the design elements. It helps in organizing the content for better visual and communication experience. Companies that have succeeded in creating classic logos while using white space are The Guild of Food Writers, Safari Into Africa, FedEx, NBC, etc.

• The right process:

At last, when you start designing your logo, it is essential to follow the correct process. This way, you can ensure that the design has the potential to not only build a brand identity but also attract more customers.

• Think about what you want to convey
• Do proper research on the logo history of big companies
• Conceptualize and create a logo design
• Take opinions of friends, co-workers, and family
• Hire a professional graphic designer

Conclusion: 

Though logos are a small image, they have immense power to make or break a business. This is because people are naturally drawn to the visuals and build a perception based on it. If a logo is poorly designed, it may give a wrong impression about the company it represents. A well-designed logo can help the company in communicating its objectives, goals, products, and services. Designing a logo is not rocket science. If you keep in mind the above-mentioned points and use a logo creator tool, you may end up creating a memorable logo.