Your logo is the face of your brand and should reflect some aspect of the brand in terms of values and beliefs. Every time someone visits your website or encounters your brand, they are going to see your logo. Make sure it’s one they remember.
Your logo should be simple and clean enough in its design that it is easily recognizable (think Nike). It needs to make a good first impression, and it needs to make a lasting one.
If you are falling short in either of these last two areas, here are a few points to remember.
Your logo should be timeless, not tired or trendy reliant.
Have you had your logo since the early days of man? Or are you looking to update your logo following the hottest new trend? A logo should not be so old that it becomes stale and unappealing. Or, so trendy that when the trend fades out, so does your logo. And an outdated logo is easy to spot. Even for those who don’t have an eye for design.
Consider your colors and type.
Color and type go hand in hand with the logo. Consider what attributes your colors represent or what colors are generally associated with your profession. With font choice, avoid gimmicky fonts and stick with two or three font families to keep a cohesive look throughout your marketing materials. San serif fonts are also a better choice digitally and display with less distortion.
Give me a V for Versatility.
An effective logo should work across a variety of media and applications. How does it look when it’s shrunk down to the size of a postage stamp? How about a large billboard? The point being, make it scalable so it doesn’t lose its sense of proportion.
One way to ensure it works in every application is to first design it in its simplest form, which is black and white.
Once you’re happy with how it portrays your brand, work from there.
Whatever your plans for your logo redesign, it must be relevant, recognizable, scalable and most importantly, saleable. Think of it as a facelift for your brand: it’s a delicate operation and you don’t want to botch it.
logo development • logo relevance • making a memorable logo • what makes a good logo
