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Having a strong brand means having a fantastic logo. When designed well, your logo
can attract your potential client's attention and raise your sales in the long run. That’s
why it has to be made along with the right elements or else, it might drive customers
away.
Find out more about the importance of an amazing logo design and how you can create
the best one for your brand.
WHAT IS A LOGO DESIGN?
A logo design is a graphic symbol that identifies a commercial product, a company, or
any private or public entity.
Logos are generally a combination of typographies, colors, and symbols. It's a graphic
element, which is part of the entire visual identity of a brand.
Creating a logo design means a step closer to having a perfect visual brand mark.
Depending on the type, some logos involve a tagline too.
WHAT DOES LOGO DESIGN DO?
1. Your Logo Design Helps in Building Trust and Brand Recognition
Talk about leaving a powerful visual impact, and your customers will always remember
your logo.
Logos are there to relay a trusted visual association with your business. When they
remember the association, they can easily recall your brand. When it comes to having
skyrocketing sales, logos can make or break the deal.
You can instantly recognize a brand with or without the name attached. That's how you
know logo design is well-made. So, it's safe to say that logos are an integral part of
brand identity.
2. Your Logo Design Helps Make You Stand Out From Your Competition
Logo design helps you create an image that mirrors your brand's identity. When done
right, you can stand out from the rest. That's possible when you stay away from
overused themes in logo-making.
Elements like arrows and globes are often used in a design for businesses. So think
outside the box before committing to them.
Some business owners believe that aligning their logo with their successful competitors
may be ideal. Association can work for or against your brand. So if you want to stand
out, be noticed by steering away from similar colors and designs used by competing
companies.
When done wrong, your customers might find it hard to separate you from your rival
brand.
3. Your Logo Design Visually Represents Your Brand in its Most Basic Form
Logo designs are the soul and heart of the business for one apparent reason: they hold
an exact informative representation of the brand.
In logos, the simpler, the better. Notice that the most basic design is incredible in
effectively communicating a brand's image.
Some use repeating elements to enforce coherence and to save time. Basic shapes
and formation with varying sizes can make a logo more interesting to view.
4. A logo helps identify key information about your business.
Besides catching your potential customer's attention, a good logo also relays crucial
information about your company.
● You can communicate relevant info related to:
● The industry you exist in
● The services you provide
● The target demographic of your brand
● The values your brand holds
Software industries can simply use circuit imagery into their logo. Environmentally
inclined brands can use specific colors too. Stylish fonts can then be used for luxurious
brands.
WHAT MAKES A LOGO GOOD AND STAND OUT?
Professionals on how to design a logo follow the following points:
● Pocket-sized logos
Successful logos can work across all screen sizes. Today, the most common one is the
screen that fits in our pockets.
Scalability in logos is nothing new. But some brands tend to neglect this need.
Since corporate branding emerged, logo designers have been considering that their
creations should look good in billboards and business cards. Logos should also be
recognizable even on a candy wrapper or on the side of a bus.
When logos don't scale well, that's when you're in big trouble.
Logos should be able to:
● Move on screen
● Perhaps make a sound
● Shapeshift
● New systems and touchpoints
With the surge of devices like iPhones, customers' relationships with a brand have
become more personal. Interactions become more frequent. Logos used to be a
shorthand for a brand, but today, it's a vital part of the whole brand.
Logos in the 21st century are a reflection of the possibilities of this generation.
Designers can create one at the tip of their fingers. Not to mention the software to craft
logos, today's graphic designers can happily making art that can be used in any device
available today.
● Belief systems and responses to logos
Another notable point on how to design a logo is that there should be an emphasis on
story and meaning. Successful graphic designers have produced logos that can
communicate and provoke reactions.
Having a logo that not only looks good but also works well for a reason is the goal. Note
that most classic logos that embody wit and greatness comes with intense
underpinnings.
Some of the notable logos in the past were created with limited software possibilities.
But maybe that's why most of them work well today. They were built with a clear
message in mind and translated into symbols effectively.
● Logos doing it all
Gone are the days when logo designers only draw a logo and are done with the job.
They also have to think about how it animates and how people might see it on the first
encounter.
A good logo shouldn't only be attractive on the page. It also has to move and sit
beautifully within the lives of the consumers. Think about an animated website header
or a moving billboard.
Technology has gone so far that logo designs now do it all.
● Keeping it simple
Of all the trends that dominate branding recently, this one wins against them all:
simplicity.
Simplicity has been king ever since, and this won't seem to stop anytime soon.
Take the Mastercard logo, which has essential components. It has two flat and
overlapping circles.
Simplicity means being able to flatten a logo design and still be able to:
● Communicate the brand message
● Relay the brand values
● Introduce the product
Finding the right combination of scale, position, and color is vital to both print and
screens. Simplicity comes in handy in showing the right balance on all these aspects.
● Speaking to your audience
Coca-Cola is one of the classic examples of a company that understands its audience.
Its logo design is a timeless illustration of one that doesn't go by the latest trends or
styles. As things come and go, its clear message never goes out of style.
Whether it's Coca-Cola or any other company, it's essential to understand the target
audience. Connecting the product to the audience is the goal.
To do so, opting for a logo that wouldn't date is a must. It must be futuristic, and that it
doesn't depend on the latest trends.
A logo and a color that people recognize will result in a brand that stays long-term. It
also has something to do with simplicity, as previously discussed.
Finding the sweet spot between smart minimalism and dull minimalism can help a brand
rise to the top. For that to happen, it's also essential for a logo to be truthful and potently
speak of a brand's essence either abstractly or directly.
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A LOGO?
To design a logo also means having the right elements attuned to a brand’s desired
image. Here’s a list of the basic aspects of logo design:
❖ TYPOGRAPHY
Fonts have a powerful psychological effect on people. They stir emotions that are
directly tied to their shapes and our responses to those shapes.
Finding the right font for your logo design is necessary. One should have the proper
"personality" to evoke the correct response from your target audience.
More than words and their meanings, typography is an effective way to convey ideas
beyond what's written. It can showcase personality through a visual representation of
the tenor and tone of your intended message.
A font with a vibrant personality might be the best for your website. An amalgamation of
serif and sans typefaces might also work.
Serif and Sans Serif fonts are designed to make it easier for people to read words.
Many different business types use them because they fit almost anywhere.
So how do you use the right typography that will work best for your business?
Arial and Helvetica are two conventional fonts. Offbeat choices include Kirsten or
Papyrus.
Remember that whatever font you choose, it should align with what you showcase to
your customers.
A study run by the Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL) at Wichita State
University examined the traits people associate with different fonts.
Stable and mature ones are linked to traditional fonts like Arial and Times New Roman.
But they are also considered as conformist and unimaginative.
Useful and casual ones are fonts like Comic Sans. They're also taken as relaxed and
happy.
Business logos usually work with traditional and clean fonts. The letters, business
cards, and emails should have such fonts. It helps reinforce the message that you're a
credible and trustworthy business to work with.
If you're running places with a more casual vibe, say a coffee shop, you should avoid
too rigid and hyper-clean fonts. With a relaxed and comfortable café atmosphere, you
should have a font that reflects that.
What's most important is that your company's name should be readable and legible.
When a client remembers your business name, he/she is a step closer to retaining your
brand essence.
❖ IMAGERY
All logos have a shape. Whether they use an icon and text, only text, or even just an
icon, they have shapes. This shape helps communicate the message about your brand.
Shapes fall into three main categories:
● Geometric
● Abstract/symbolic
● Organic
All of these categories are packaged with their psychological associations.
❖ GEOMETRIC SHAPES
No shape looks too human-made than geometric ones. They're mathematically precise.
Isosceles triangles and perfect circles don't usually appear in nature. So when you use
these shapes in your logo design, it communicates power and order.
Rectangles and squares convey:
● Stability
● Reliability
● Strength
● Order
● Predictability
Think of materials used to build stable and sturdy buildings—like bricks. If you want your
logo to communicate reliability and strength, then choose rectangles and squares for a
shape.
Brands like IBM took the initiative in creating a powerful and minimalist visual brand.
The International Business Machines Corporation was shortened, resulting in its iconic
logo.
As circles are never-ending, they can be the right choice for you if you want to convey:
● Harmony
● Unity
● Eternity
● Timelessness
Since curves are also considered feminine, circles may also relay softness, feminity,
and gentility.
With triangles, they are considered a directional shape. Their meanings change
depending on their positions.
When right side up, triangles convey:
● Power
● Stability
● Upward momentum
Inverted triangles suggest:
● Instability
● Downward momentum
Triangles pointing to the side convey:
● Movement
● Direction
❖ ABSTRACT OR SYMBOLIC SHAPES
Symbols are simplified shapes. They represent something specific in different cultures.
Since they have clear and shared meanings, they are common preferences in visual
language.
People have seen images with symbols multiple times. So you must be smart and
original in using them. If done wrong, your logo design might appear unoriginal.
A few examples of symbols include:
Stars convey:
● Patriotism
● Religion
● Show business and Hollywood
Hearts can be used to communicate:
● Love
● Relationships
● Marriage
Broken hearts convey:
● Break-Ups
● Divorce
● Sadness
Arrows suggest:
● Direction
● Movement
● Travel
Arrows are usually used in business related to shipping and delivering goods.
Note that you should be careful in using symbols. If your logo is too 'on-the-nose,' it
might come across as unprofessional.
❖ ORGANIC SHAPES
Organic and irregular shapes are best if you want to exhaust your creativity. These
shapes include shapes of actual organic items that you can find in nature. Common
examples are:
● Rocks
● Leaves
● Tree bark
● Amoeba
● Water ripples
This is a category that encompasses any irregular and non-symbolic shape. Shapes
that aren't inspired by nature can also fall into this category.
When using organic shapes, remember that:
Natural shapes such as:
● Leaves
● Grasses
● Representations of water
● Trees
They tend to have a soothing effect. That's why it usually appears in logos for spas and
holistic medical businesses.
Shapes with jagged angles may convey:
● Feelings of anxiety for your viewers
Shapes with soft curves may convey:
● Feelings of relaxation
Any shape that doesn't resemble anything remotely recognizable is open to the viewer's
interpretation. It means that you need to work harder in communicating specific
messages by using other branding choices and design elements.
❖ COLOR
Talk about the strongest emotional trigger in the logo design repertoire, and you've got
color.
Colors are linked to emotions lying in the human psyche. There are two reasons behind
it:
● Either it's due to cultural influence
● It's hardwired into our brains
Factors can also be a combination of both. Either way, there are generally accepted
languages of color.
When playing with colors in designing a logo, here's what to remember:
Red often means
● Exciting
● Attention-Grabbing
● Warm
● Connected To Love, Anger, Life, And Comfort
Yellow is often seen as:
● Adventurous
● Evoking Happiness
● Enthusiasm
● Youth
● Travel
Green is connected to:
● Money
● Balance
● Health
● Sustainability
● Knowledge
Blue is the color of:
● Honesty
● High Quality
● Competence
● Trust
● Reliability
● Integrity
Pink evokes:
● Love
● Compassion
● Romance
● Gentleness
● Sophistication
Purple denotes:
● Creativity
● Royalty
● Mystery
● Respect
● Playfulness
Brown is related to:
● Outdoors
● Organic
● Natural
● Friendly
● Rugged
Black is all about:
● Sophistication
● Intelligence
● Seriousness
● Expense
White is known for its:
● Order
● Innocence
● Purity
● Cleanliness
● Neutrality
● Space
Grey is for communicating:
● Timelessness
● Neutrality
● Refinement
● Practicality
❖ Context
Culture and context also influence how colors, shapes, and lines are interpreted. So it's
smart to research your target audience first before coming up with your final logo
design.
Note these ideas when composing a logo design:
Size:
● It denotes importance.
● When an object is larger, it draws more focus.
Readability:
● Western audiences will read from left to right.
● So objects on the left side are viewed first and can be perceived as more
important.
Spacing:
● When items are loosely spaced by negative space, they look more restful.
● If you want to emphasize negative space, make sure not to leave too much of it.
● Too much negative space may denote a lack of coherence.
Item placement:
● Irregular or scattered placement may suggest playfulness, rebellion, or chaos.
● A symmetrical or orderly arrangement may mean formality, conformity, or
stability.
● Layering items can create a visual relationship.
Color mixing:
● Different colors in a single design have psychological effects on your audience.
For example:
Combinations of bright colors denote:
● Youthfulness
● Childlikeness
● Fullness of energy
Black and white denote:
● Elegance
● Maturity
● Sophistication
Monochromatic schemes let people:
● Embrace more vibrant colors with a more unified feel
HOW IS A LOGO DIFFERENT FROM BRANDING?
Branding is a process that comes into building a brand. It's a strategy developed by
companies to help people find their products or organization quickly. When done
correctly, branding can make clients choose one product against the other.
Businesses need strong branding for one apparent reason: it clarifies what a particular
brand is and isn't.
Different tools can help in branding. Some elements you can use include the following:
● Brand definition (purpose, values, promise
● Brand positioning statement
● Brand identity (name, visual identity design, one of voice)
● Advertising and communications (outdoor ads, TV, radio, magazines,
● website, and mobile apps)
● Sponsoring and partnerships
● Product and packaging design
● In-store experience
● Workspace experience and management style
● Customer service
● Pricing strategy
A logo is a part of building a strong brand. It falls under the element Brand Identity (as
listed above). It helps paint the right visual identity for a business.
WHY IS THE LOGO SO IMPORTANT FOR BRANDING PURPOSES?
A logo is seemingly a tiny element of branding, but its impact goes across various
platforms. It appears on the majority of touchpoints with customers. The logo appears in
different media like the:
● Website
● Brochures
● Stationery
● Product
● Packaging
● Ads
● Uniforms
● Stores
With its presence across screens and prints, the logo becomes a deal-breaker in
branding. It allows people to identify products, services, and the organization itself
quickly.
The logo is powerful enough that often, it's the first thing people will use to identify a
company.
Here is why a well-designed logo is so necessary for branding purposes:
● It allows people to identify and recall your brand quickly.
A logo is one of the main points of identification for your stakeholders and clients. It will
help them detect your brand in a glance across different channels.
● It creates consistency over different communication channels.
Businesses and organizations exist on different platforms. Having a multipurpose and
well-designed logo lets your brand be represented consistently.
● It is part of your brand identity.
As part of your brand's visual identity, your logo is a primary tool to promote your brand
name, values, and personality graphically.
● It fosters a professional image and raises expectations.
People expect a professional look from a brand. A logo that sports the right persona will
stand out and communicate reliability and trustworthiness.
When you get the right professional logo designer can help you have a logo that's
innovative and uniquely reflects your brand's identity.
● It will distinguish your brand from the competition.
Using different shapes, colors, styles, and typographies for the logo design can help
distinguish one's brand from its competitors. The right logo design is a useful tool to
help people recall a brand within the industry.
● It can facilitate an emotional connection with your stakeholders and boost
brand loyalty.
A good logo design can help enhance people's memory of a brand. Logos can help
forge an emotional connection so secure that it evokes a massive reaction from
potential clients. One example is when Gap changed its logo in 2010. The new logo
design didn't sit well with the consumers. The company chose to use the original one.
HOW TO DESIGN YOUR OWN LOGO?
If you're planning to have a startup company, wanting to avail yourself of free logo
design might have crossed your mind.
With limited funds, it's also usual to ask yourself, "how can I design my own logo?"
If you're experimenting on how to design your own logo, remember these points:
Simple:
Remember the key phrase "less is more."
When your logo is less complicated, it's easier for the audience to memorize. In
branding, when you've created a lasting impression, you're halfway there.
Versatile:
You need a logo that looks good anywhere you place them. Your logo should look on
big and small screens.
Timeless:
You might need to spruce things up, but your goal is to have a logo that would last for
decades. So before you follow trends, ask yourself, "will this logo still look good in 10
years?"
Appropriate:
A logo doesn't have to reflect what your business sells or does. But it should appeal to
your desired audience. Understanding your crowd is necessary to have a logo that
'speaks' to the right people.
Up-to-date:
Your logo will pop on all kinds of social media platforms and your website. That's why
you need one that goes with the current standards of your audience.
Knowing how to design a logo for free is one step closer to building your brand. But
remember, if you want to have a lasting impression on your customer, professionals
know the ins and outs of this business.
We at Logodesigns.com want to make sure that you're getting the best logo design to
represent your brand. Our in-house graphic designers are ready to step up and make
you a stunning logo design. From creative typography to bright colors, we guarantee
you a logo that's absolute eye candy.