Vol. 1 / Issue 10

Design Tips: The Logo

Imagine you are driving down the interstate on your way to work. Your eye is caught by a colorful billboard featuring a CocaCola advertisement. The bright red and crisp white instantly make a connection with that bold, iconic script. You can practically taste it. That logo has your mind thinking about a cold and refreshing drink and the day has only just begun. That is the power of a well designed logo.

What is a logo?

A logo is a symbol that encapsulates all that a brand is, all that a company is, and all that the people behind that brand are. The logo is the foremost aspect of a brand’s image. A logo is the first thing someone sees and associates with a brand. To stand out among the crowd with a truly memorable logo is not an easy thing to achieve.

You may ask: “I just started my business and want to work on my branding, how do I get a good logo?” This is an important question to ask. Your first step should be to consult with a designer, unless you are creative yourself. First impressions often make or break a brand when meeting with new clients, so you don’t want to design yourself a logo using clip art and Comic Sans.

Logo Classifications

Although there are many types of logos out there, most can fall under three broad categories:

Icon: Icons are instantly recognizable logos for companies that encapsulate their entire brand. They are one-element abstracts or otherwise, symbols used to convey a specific idea such as CBS, Apple and Nike.

Word Mark: A word mark is a text-based logo featuring the name of the company. Custom made fonts are typically used to protect the brand, for example Mobil, Coca-Cola, and Jeep.

Letter Mark: Letter marks are stylized and typographic symbols that represent a brand through the initials of the brand name. Think CNN, IBM and HBO to name just a few.

The Design Process

Now that you’ve narrowed down what kind of logo you want, what is the next step? The designing. For a designer, this step will always include a lot of work that the client may not see, or even be aware of. A designer will produce many thumbnail sketches and rough drafts before presenting something to a client. The type, the colors, and overall aesthetic have to work together to become something well designed and recognizable.

The design process can include hours of research on your designer’s part in order to make sure your logo captures the idea behind your brand. Often times, the simpler the logo is, the more complex reasoning there is behind it. Think of a brand like Nike. The iconic “swoosh” logo is all they need, and people all over the world instantly recognize it. That swoosh wasn’t a haphazard accident or done in five minutes. The design is actually meant to symbolize the wing of Nike, Greek goddess of victory. It is so recognizable, that Nike solely uses the icon for its branding.

Be Iconic

Ultimately, this is the endgame for a logo. It should be iconic. It should convey what your brand is. The logo should be carefully designed, as it is the face of your brand. So, if you still have questions about logos or are looking to have one designed please call or email us and set up an appointment to meet with one of our designers. We will make sure you’ll end up with a truly memorable part of your brand.