Everywhere you look there are logos of well-known companies; as you brush your teeth, as you drive to work, when you open your fridge. But what actually makes one logo better than another, and how can you make sure that you have a good logo?
With all of these different logos confronting us daily it helps to go back a step and look at what a logo actually is.
An organisation is usually made up of a collection of departments, functions, products, objectives, etc. A logo ties all of these parts together into something that can be seen by people. But it goes beyond this, a logo also represents those indefinable elements of an organisation like values, culture, and heritage.
In short, a logo is a tangible link between an organisation and everyone else. Think of it like distilling all of your organisation's facets into one symbol. With this in mind, it's of utmost importance that your logo is professional and conveys your business accurately.
A logo can be a combination of shapes, colours and typography strategically arranged to create an emblem, how you arrange those elements will have a direct impact on how people view your organisation. Below are a few pointers to help you discern what makes a good logo, next time you are thinking of rebranding keep these points in mind and you'll end up with something that helps you stand out from your competition.
Memorable - A good logo should stick in people's minds, to do this it needs to be simple enough to remember but strong enough to stand out and catch their attention.
Relevant - In one way or another a logo should convey what your brand is about to people looking at it, this doesn't mean summing up every aspect of your organisation in your logo, rather it means that your logo should be specifically crafted to reflect your company. Don't leave anything to chance, good design is purposeful it doesn't happen by accident.
Simple - With so many organisations vying for attention in a bustling market place there's little room for ambiguity. An overly complicated, unclear logo could confuse customers and leave them wondering what you're about.
Adaptable - Finally your logo should work in whatever circumstances it finds itself. Whether it is shrunk down to the size of a thumbnail or blown up to fit on a billboard it should still be clear and legible. A good logo should also work well without colour in the event that it is ever displayed in monotone.
So next time you open your fridge or take a leisurely stroll through town see if you can spot the good logos from the bad ones. In the next article we'll look more into the science behind a good logo and how you can apply it to yours. Thanks for reading, Jon.
Check out What makes a good logo - Part 2.