Does Your Logo Suck?
No one wants a sucky logo but we’ve all seen them. Sometimes a really awesome business or product has a logo that is so shameful we wonder, “How did this happen? How embarassing.” So, how do you keep from falling into the sucky logo trap? Familiarize yourself with these helpful design tips below and you’ll be well on your way to avoid the pit of logo suckage.
Ever Wonder What Makes A Great Logo?
Why are some brands more memorable than others? Why do some logos fail to communicate what the business is about? Here are a few easy points to remember when evaluating a logo design project. Keep these points in mind when you look to hire a logo a designer and you will find yourself walking around and looking logos in a whole new light.
Logo Design Appeal
Appeal is essential, it makes a logo memorable, it makes a logo likable, it makes a logo stand out. After all, isn’t that what all businesses want to achieve? They want to appeal to customers, be remembered, be liked and stand out from their competitors.
What Makes A Logo Design Appealing?
1. Logo Color
Color used in your logo design should resonate with your business. It should be appropriate for your target audience and it should help differentiate yourself from the competition.
2. Logo Typography (font usage)
The font selected for your logo design should work with any illustrations or colors present in the design. It should reinforce the message of brand and help define what your business does. An antiques dealer wouldn’t want to use a “technological” looking font — it just doesn’t “go” with the business model. Illustration should only be used when needed. Sometimes a font based logo design can be much more powerful than one that is accompanied by a graphic. A good example of this is IBM, Halliburton, Google and Yahoo!
3. Logo Illustration (graphic usage)
Illustrations or graphics in a logo can be a powerful addition to a corporate brand when executed properly. Graphics should work together with typography and never detract from the identity of the company.
4. Slogans, Tag-lines & URLs (avoid clutter)
Slogans or web addresses (urls) should be avoided as being part of your logo design. These elements only serve to take away the visual effectiveness of your logo design by causing the viewer to “read them”. Examples of how a good logo design would be ruined by the addition of a slogan, tag-line or web address: Nike, McDonalds, Starbucks, Ford, Apple.
5. Simplicity
The simpler the better. Complex fonts and graphics loose effectiveness when scaled down for a business card, favicon, or promotional item. Keep logo design elements simple and clean and they will not only be remembered, but will also make using them in your marketing collateral much easier.
6. Design (or should we say Designer) and yes, we know we said 5 tips above, consider this one a bonus. SCORE!
Working with a designer or design team that is not only talented, but also takes the time to ask questions, understand your business, your target market, your demographics, your brand positioning, and then listens to your answers is key. They need to be creative and business savvy. They need to understand the fundamentals of branding, brand equity and how you can leverage that to gain clients, sales and growth for your business. Our logo design team consists of not only award winning designers, but also logo designers who are trained to listen to you and help you meet your business objectives and goals through effective and creative logo design.
See some of the logos we’ve designed where we demonstrate exactly what makes a great logo.
So, how do we do it? Blueleaf Creative’s unique logo design process overcomes the common mistakes made by other designers so that you will get a logo that sets you apart from your competition and gets you recognized. We create logos that mean business. Still have questions? Take a sec and see for yourself how our logo design process works.
Does Your Logo Suck? 5 Powerful Tips For Logo Greatness originally published at Blueleaf Creative.
