In a world that is generally capitalist in nature, there are a wide array of products and brands screaming in your faces, all with one goal – to make money. This is the fundamental assumption of economics – that all firms are profit maximizers, aiming to lessen the cost whilst increasing the revenue as much as possible. And the only way firms would derive their revenue is from customers. But again, in the wide array of products and brands, how can a firm make sure that a customer would pick their brand out of the multitude? Here’s where the logo comes in.
A logo is a company’s distinct emblem. It is the image that is supposedly drilled into every buyer’s head, that whenever the image would come up they would automatically associate it with the brand. Hence, a logo possesses great value. It is the face in the crowd – and naturally, it must stand out. Here are the factors that affect how you should design a Quality Logo:
1. Simplicity. The main reason why no one remembers Chemistry or Calculus is because of its complexity. The human brain just finds it quite difficult to grasp long, overdrawn equations; or basically anything that is long or overdrawn. The same goes for logos. As mentioned, the objective of a logo is to make for brand recall, and to be recalled easily, simplicity is the key.
2. Timelessness. The only thing constant in life is change. To create a logo that stands through the tests of time is a challenge difficult to overcome. Many brands have actually succumbed to this, redesigning their logo when it gets stale. However, to change one’s logo is to ask consumers to change their image of the company, damaging and possibly destroying the stability of the brand. A good logo should be adaptable despite the years that pass it by.
3. Versatility. A logo will not always be in environments controlled by the designer; it can be anywhere from billboards to banners, cups to shirts, or Russia to China. For this reason, a logo must not just be adaptable to times, but also to its milieu. Can the logo be displayed horizontally and vertically? Can the logo be plastered in a background of any color? Are the logo’s colors offensive or biased to any culture? A logo has to look good wherever, whenever.
4. Appropriateness. Of course, a logo must know what it is advertising. If it is advertising buildings, it must be linear and blocky. If it is advertising toys, it must be colorful and childish. Nevertheless, it is important to note that a logo does not have to display the good or service it is selling; Ford does not have a car in its logo, nor does Apple display gadgets – in fact, 94% of the top 50 brands in the world do not describe the product. What is important to note is the association of the logo to the brand, and the other way around.
5. Uniqueness. Finally, here lies the factor that trumps all others; after all, this is the ultimate goal of all logos – to be unique, distinct, and memorable. The subject matter or appropriateness of the content matters surprisingly little, as long as the logo gets stuck inside a person’s head – without any mix-up from any other brand, and with the understanding that that brand, is for this company.
Some challenges we face today would have been unbelievable in a different time setting. Imagine; the creation of a simple logo design has to follow a specific set of rules. Yet the fact remains, and logos have come and gone, both good and bad. But to make an original logo that is here to stay? Well, let’s just say that the challenge is one all brands embrace, and like many things, only time can tell.
About the Author: Alexis Thompson is a former Mountain Backpacker and a 26 year old mother of 2 daughters, Sophie and Rhian. She is into almost all types of Music especially The Fray and Hillsong. She also has a passion in Singing and Scrap Booking. Follow her escapades on her Twitter.