The Art of an Effective Logo

There is no doubt that you could identify McDonalds from its golden arches, or know who designed your friends shoes embellished with a swoosh, this is ultimately the purpose of a logo; to identify. If you ever find yourself in the centre of a foreign city, it probably wouldn’t take you long to come across a Starbucks or Subway, strategically located nearby. These popular franchises inspire trust due to their global consistency, recognised and reflected through their logo. If you see a sign with a dominos logo, you know exactly how your pizza is going to taste, you trust it, and it is the work of which enables that.

Now, what is it exactly that makes a ‘good’ logo? There is a varying degree of quality when it comes to the effectiveness of a logo design and it is vital that you get this right. Despite there being a million and one offering free and cheap logo design these days, cheap isn’t always cheerful when it comes your logo. Effective logos do three things:

  • Builds trust
  • Allows you to stand out against competitors
  • Represents your brand and its identity

There are 5 principles and an effective logo should follow these criteria. It should be, simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate.

1) Simple

Simplicity allows a logo to be easily recognisable. Whilst remaining unexpected and unique, a good logo should not be overdrawn.

2) Memorable

Closely related to simplicity, a good logo should be memorable, achieved by keeping it simple. Picture the most memorable logos you can think of, I doubt it is full of frills.

3) Timeless

An effective logo should have the ability to stand the test of time? Will it still be effective in potentially 50 years’ time?

4) Versatile

Remember that your logo will appear across a variety of media and should be suited to this. Ask yourself whether this logo would be suitable in print, online, on a large billboard or the size of a postage stamp.

5) Appropriate

How you format your logo should be appropriate for its intended audience. Whilst a childlike font and bright colour scheme would make a perfect logo for a children’s toy store, it may not be appropriate for a law firm.

The strategic tool of a logo serves many purposes including communicating brand values, creating a first impression and stand out against competition but its primary purpose is to identify. If your brand can be recognised just by the symbol of your logo, the logo is doing its job. In 2019 logos are everywhere, will yours be recognised? For information about how we can help you to create an effective logo, email [email protected].

 

 Sources used:

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/08/vital-tips-for-effective-logo-design/

https://www.canny-creative.com/7-steps-more-effective-logo-design/

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