Create a Logo that Works For You, Not Against You
So, you’re looking for that perfect logo. Maybe you are starting a new business, launching a new nonprofit or redesigning an existing logo that just doesn’t work anymore (or maybe never did). Developing
the perfect logo for your venture is not one to be taken lightly. After all, your logo is a fundamental
element of your brand. A great logo can help propel your brand and your business. A bad logo can be a
source of frustration for you and, worse, confusion for your customer. Here some considerations to
ensure your new logo becomes a valuable component of your brand rather than a source of frustration
for years to come.
Distinctive
Your logo should be distinctively yours. Sure, there are some companies that may develop logos that
are similar to their competitors in an effort to leverage the competitor’s image and brand recognition.
Aside from the ethical issues, this is a very risky approach since it not only may open you up to lawsuits
over trademark infringement but also because customers are likely to find this approach deceptive and
misleading. If you’re serious about building a viable, long term business, develop a distinctive logo that
will be associated with your venture alone. This will help ensure that you benefit from your investment
in your logo and your brand. Likewise, protect your investment with a trademark, service mark or copy
write.
Brand Image
Whether you are developing your own design concept or hiring an expert, it’s important that your logo
is inspired by your brand image (or your vision of a new brand). If your brand is a feminine, sexy lingerie
boutique aimed at upscale women, you probably don’t want a logo that looks like spray painted letters
on a wall. On the other hand, a trendy and edgy graffiti concept might be perfect for a surf shop selling
board shorts, tanks and flip flops. While branding encompasses more than your logo, it will be an
essential part of your brand it appears (or should appear) on all your advertising, letter head, packaging,
website, logo products and signage. In many cases, your logo may even appear on the products.
If you’re paying an expert to help you develop a logo, they will likely ask about branding, image and
target market. If you’re developing a concept yourself or through collaboration with a graphic artist,
create a list of descriptive terms and items that are a reflection of your brand image. For example, a
lingerie boutique might include terms like: pastel colors (maybe even red for a sexier boldness), thin
and feminine lines, shapely and curvy lines, lace, frilly, sheer, shimmer, skimpy, revealing or even high
heels. Use these terms to help inspire your logo. This doesn’t mean that you have to incorporate a
high-heel in your logo (though you may), but the high heal may help inspire a font that gives the illusion
of a spiked heel or a long leg.
Text vs. Graphics
While logos can be comprised of text (e.g. company name) or graphics or a combination of both, there
needs to be a eye-catching graphic element of the logo even if it’s just a text. It’s widely known that
people don’t always read words by interpreting all the letters in a word like a child does when they learn
to read. Rather, people often interpret words based on the familiarity of their look and their context.
Based on this, it is wise to avoid text that are easily confused with other words. Likewise, it’s important
that text-only logos utilize a font style that includes graphic elements that make the word stand out in
some noticeable way. Picture the graphic style used by the widely popular Monster energy drink.
While the M alone is frequently used in advertising, it is easily recognized as Monster because of its
unique font style.
Adding a separate graphic element to accompany text can be an effective way to create a unique logo.
Another benefit of having a combination graphic/text logo is that it creates the opportunity for the
graphic and text to be used separately as well as together. Think about AT&T’s blue and white globe,
Nike’s Swoosh, or even Polo’s polo player. If you just see their graphic logo alone, you’ll still recognize
the company it belongs to. Keep graphics simple but distinctive. One way to do so is to integrate some
or all of your text from your name with the graphic like Dole does with a sunburst coming out of the “o”.
This can be particularly useful for established companies with long name that aren’t ideal for logos.
Consider the logo for United Parcels Service with its UPS acronym appearing in a graphic shield.
While including a graphic representation of your product in a logo, like an oil can for an quick lube shop,
may help customers understand what your business does, this can be risky. Customers may assume that
you only do oil changes even if you also perform other auto repairs. Too, if you decide to expand your
product and service offerings later, such product specific graphics can lead to a costly new logo and rebranding (consider costs of re-familiarizing your customers with your new logo in addition to cost to
develop, purchase new letterhead/business cards, update advertising, etc.).
Keep It Simple
A key element of a great logo is that it’s simple. If you think of some really great brands and look at
their logo, they’re usually very clean and uncomplicated. Each of the examples we’ve already
mentioned, from AT&T’s globe to UPS’s shield and most especially Nike’s Swoosh include relatively basic
graphic elements. People can recognized them at a glance. Create a clean, simple logo and avoid
adding too many different components to the design. A realtor doesn’t need to show a street with 14
houses and for sale signs in each yard to get the message across that they sell homes when one house or
for sale sign will do. In fact, it doesn’t even have to include a house; it might just be a roof or simply a
roof line. Of course, realtors routinely use various versions of a home in their logos, so you may need to
be a bit more creative with the individual graphic elements (lines, colors, shapes, etc.) and font style if
you’re a realtor who is set on using a home concept in your logo.
Colors
Colors are a key element of a logo. While traditionalists may suggest that logos must use the same
precise color(s) in every form and presentation to support brand recognition, that is not always the case.
Rather, it really dependant on the logo’s reliance on color for its distinction. Consider, for example, the
Ford Motor Company logo. Ford’s very simple logo comprised of a blue oval outlined in white is widely
recognized even without the word “Ford” across it. Without the precise blue color, it would likely loose
it’s distinction as the Ford Oval. On the other hand, Google routinely deploys special versions of its logo
using varying colors from its standard blue, yellow, red and green. The uniqueness of Google’s name
and their font make it easily recognizable regardless of the color even at a glance. In fact, a change to
the Google logo colors likely draws more attention to it. Too, Google’s willingness to temporarily modify
their logo’s colors supports their creative and adventurous brand image.
A Key Point: If you have a multi-color logo, it’s important to also have a one-color version of the logo in
addition to the full color version. Many marketing options support only one color imprints (e.g. news
papers, some logo products like pens and pencils, etc.). A one color version of your logo can also help
control marketing costs. Full color ads are usually more expensive. Similarly for promotional products,
there are typically additional set up and run charges for each color. Also, items which are engraved or
etched utilize a one-color design. Note that if a white background is used as part of the logo, it will
constitute a second color.
Ensure that your graphic artist provides you both a full color version of your logo and one color version.
For logos with several colors, it may be beneficial to also obtain a two color version.
Size and Shape Matter
When it comes to a logo, size and shape matter. Logos are applied on a variety of marketing material
including promotional products with widely varying imprint areas. Logos with large graphics or many
words may not be suitable for printing in smaller imprint areas such as on pens and pencils. In addition,
logos with a great deal of detail and/or fine print may not be suitable for embroidery on hats, shirts and
other logo apparel items. Likewise, screen printing of small fonts and fine designs can lead to ink filling
letters or fine detail areas. For logos containing both graphic and text elements, it may be possible to
utilize these elements separately to address these situations with text only on pens and embroidered
graphics on apparel, for example. In many cases, a reliable promotional product distributor can help
make necessary adjustments to existing logo to make them suitable for the desired product.
Nonetheless, when designing a new logo, it’s best to address these consideration upfront and head off
issues and potential costs later.
Get Feedback
Once you’ve gotten a few logo design options laid out, solicit input from others (friends, suppliers,
Facebook fans, etc.). Don’t just ask “what do you think”. Also ask what impression they get from the
logo. What does the logo tell them about the company and brand. If they say that the logo gives them
the impression of a day at the race track but selling sexy, feminine lingerie, you probably want to get rid
of that checkered flag in the background. Seriously, it’s important to get feedback from those who
weren’t intimately involved in creating the logo as well as from those who have different backgrounds
and experiences to pull from. This can be particularly important in very diverse communities where
cultural differences may influence interpretation of words and design elements.
Artwork Format Required
It’s important that your logo is created in a format that is usable for reproduction. While PowerPoint,
Microsoft Word and other applications may have drawing capabilities that can be used for initial mockups, these applications do not create artwork that is suitable for a final logo. Final artwork must be
created in a Vector format using applications such as Adobe Illustrator. Vector artwork supports color
separation and maintains graphic quality when resized unlike Raster artwork (e.g. JPEGs, etc). Raster
artwork is not suitable for professional printing. The preferred vector format is a ESP format for artwork
files. Ask your graphic artist to provide you with each version of your artwork (e.g. one color version,
full color version, etc.) in the .esp format. This will not only help you avoid having to pay to create a
vector version later but will also make minor updates to your logo less expensive.
In addition, it’s a good idea to also have a rasterized version of your logo(s) with a transparent
background (e.g. .png format). By having the logo with transparent background, you’ll be able to use
the logo for newsletters, proposals and other documents that you and your staff produce. The clear
background will enable you to add your logo regardless of the color of backgrounds. Also, because it is
rasterized, it cannot be easily edited or modified so it may be more suitable to provide to employees for
routine uses.
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