Here is the second part of the article “Is Your Logo a No-Go?”
Article from Imprint Canada.com, January/February 2010,
Volume 17, Number 1
A logo is the first thing that your clients associate with your company. What does yours say about you?
A solid logo design - like every other form of design, graphic or otherwise - needs to be based on a set of principles in order to be effective and memorable.
4) STYLE
The use of colour, typography and balance, when employed correctly, are vital to making your logo memorable (which is ultimately what you want).
The syle of design you or your designer chooses needs to be suite to reflect the essence of your organization (which is attained through research - see Part 1 of the article).
The importance of typography, or “font”, is often oversimplified. If your logo uses text - either as part of the design or tag line - you will probably find that you need to test dozens and dozen of different typefaces before you get it right. Custom fonts are always a good way to go, especially if you really want your logo to stand out.
The more original the font, the more easily recognizable and memorable your design will be.
Another element of style is balance. Our eyes and minds are naturally drawn to perceive balance as visually pleasing. Keep this in mind when considering the physical make-up of your logo and be conscious of the ratio your design holds with respect to horizontal and vertical scales. Your don’t want a logo which is disproportionately tall or wide as this will almost always become a problem when used in conjunction with other graphics or artwork.
5) CONSISTENCY
Don’t fiddle with your logo once you’ve got it right. It take a lot of time and work to develop a good design, so once you have it, be sure to use it in exactly the same manner everywhere associated with your company - from cards to price lists to websites to newsletters.
Consistency helps establish memorability so it is important to establish guidelines that outline specific rule for pantones, space allotment and size for your logo - and be sure to enforce these rules at all time.
If you have a third party who will be working with your logo, ALWAYS insist on final approvals prior to production of any media.
6) CREATIVITY
Combining all the principles into one visually pleasing design is easier said than done. Logo design can be done well and it can all too easily be done very poorly. There are numerous logo templates out there that you can copy or buy for next to nothing, however the finished product will almost always reflect the level of design work that went into it.
If you are thinking about a new logo for your company, don’t be scared to spend money on an experienced designer who is versed in corporate identity. The collaborative process that a good designer brings to the table will help you navigate the various concepts which need to be explored before narrowing down the right design for your company.
TIP: Your logo doesn’t need to show what product or service you provide. Need proof?
According to Business Week’s Top 100 Global Brand Scoreboard - which lists brands like Coca-Cola, IBM, Microsoft, Nike, Nokia and Sony - the following list identifies what these logo design hold in common:
94% the name does not describe the product sold
90% the by-line tag is not included in the logo
84% the font style is clean and clear
74% the logo design uses only one colour
74% the design uses letters only without the symbol
72% the design is a made-up name or Acronym
66% the design is rectangular in shape
62% the logo design is one word only
54% the logo design includes the trademark symbol
52% the name is 6 letters or less
52% the background is filled and solid
44% the predominant colour base is blue
Well there you have it - things to consider when designing a logo for your company. Hope you found this article helpful.