Create a Professional Logo with Staying Power
18
AUGUST, 2017
Logo Creation
Branding
Marketing
Create a Professional Logo with Staying Power
“It is far more satisfying to have a logo created that is 100% your own. So, if I was to give one single piece of advice it would be this, be original!”
As a long time designer I love helping business owners to create memorable and effective custom logos. It is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work to be a part of someone’s origin story. This makes me wonder, who was the graphic designer that designed Batman’s logo? I wonder if the Justice league has an in house designer. But, I digress. I would like to share some tools and ideas with you here, so that you can create a professional logo with true staying power.
Don’t be a Design Zombie
(Use Your Brain) In a sea of marketing and advertising, at a time when the digital world is inundated with pop-up ads and targeted marketing banners, it is more important than ever to create a professional logo that is 100% your own. Many business owners have admitted that it is much more energizing and fun to create something that shows their unique personal flair. Besides that, it is far more effective to create a logo that helps your business to stand out as its own entity. So, if I was to give one single piece of advice it would be this, “Be original!”
“The best logos out there invoke personal associations that align with your customer base and purpose through simple means.”
What Makes and Effective Logo? An effective logo doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact it should be fairly easy to describe to others. The best logos out there invoke personal associations that align with your customer base and purpose through simple means. According to a study of the most popular logos in the US and UK (by Siegel+Gale), it is Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s who have the most memorable logos in the western world. Why is that? It is in part because the images are simple, memorable, clear, and eye-catching.
Of course these folks have been around for quite some time and have huge marketing teams. But, they did have more humble beginnings, and if you look at their original logos, you will see that the imagery has evolved along with the company. Which brings me to my next point, how do you begin? If you are not sure where to start, I advise that you spend some time thinking about what what you want your logo to do for your business. Here are a few good questions to ask yourself, whether you are having a logo designed for you, or you are designing your own logo (or, for you designers reading this… your client):
- What is the purpose of this logo?
- What do you want it to communicate about the business?
- Who is the target audience / customer?
- Will this logo look just as good in black and white as it does in color?
- Will it still be recognizable when it is printed very small? (Or, as one of my friends said, “can you still see it in a dark bar?”)
- Does this logo represent the whole company and not just a part of it?
- Is it versatile enough to evolve / adapt as the company grows?
- Does this logo project the core mission statement and values of the business?
Go Forth and Create! This is not intended as an exhaustive list, but a good starting point for you. These are some important questions to ask as you work through different concepts and draft revisions with your designer, your client, or yourself. You will soon arrive at a design that fulfills most (if not all) of these criteria. This is a logo you can be proud of! Once established, don’t be afraid to share it with the world. Associate your unique mark with all that you do. If you want to generate word of mouth about your business, it is necessary that people recognize your work. Logo recognition allows your happy customers to more easily share with others about their positive experience and it will make it easier for them to identify you again in the future.
Read articles like this one before they get published!
Subscribe to our Awesome Newsletter.
Urban Design & Media Portfolio
[the_grid name=”Portfilio_Menu_Mobile 2″]
Let’s connect.
0 Comments