In part 1 of What makes a good logo, we looked at some of the basic principles behind a good logo. To recap a good logo should be;
In this article, we will look a bit deeper into the science behind a good logo and how you can apply it to your brand. A logo is a lot like a gourmet meal, it doesn't have to be overly complicated to be good, but it needs to be well prepared and harmonise all of its ingredients to give your customers the right flavour for your business.
The shapes that make up a logo affect the way it is viewed and the overall feel. Lots of sharp edges and acute angles can give a direct, energetic feel but can also be intimidating if overdone. On the other hand soft edges and curved shapes tend to create a softer more playful feel, think of Twitter (prior to X) and The Early Learning Centre.
The shape of a logo also affects how it interacts with your other brand elements, a logo that has an awkward shape will be more difficult to integrate with the rest of your design, we'll talk more about unity in another article.
Closely related to the shape of your logo is the font you choose, a font gives a logo personality so choose your personality carefully based on the brand values you want to convey.
Adding colour is like adding that pinch of spice that really enhances the flavour of your logo, well-chosen colours should complement your brand and create a mood around your logo. A logo shouldn't rely on colour though as there may be instances when your logo is displayed in monotone. Different colours trigger different psychological responses in people so choose wisely. While red is a bold colour often associated with love and passion, it can also conjure up feelings of danger or anger.
There are many other factors that can influence the way your logo is viewed either for good or bad, a good rule of thumb is to keep things simple as often as is possible and if in doubt ask an independent person for their honest opinion. As always thanks for reading and feel free to get in touch if you need assistance, Jon.
