12 Things To Consider Before Creating A Company or Corporate Logo
People who have a business venture in mind need to think about the visual identity of the company. For instance, a logo is one of the first things that people notice about any brand. The logo appears in all sorts of products, being a central component of the packaging. In addition, website headers often feature the logo at an optimal size.
Creating a business logo is one of the most crucial tasks that anyone can do when starting. With social media being a widely used platform these days, it is no surprise that people are familiarising themselves with applications that help them with creating a company logo.
However, one cannot simply put together text and illustrations and call it a logo. There needs to be care and planning put into the design. Here are a few tips on how to craft a logo that will make your company stand out.
1 - Conduct Your Research
Designing a logo needs to be grounded in science. While people often think about design and creativity when crafting an illustration, the logo needs to be reconciled with what your company needs to achieve. For example, there are specific colors that evoke mood and emotions, and you can use these to capture your audience. Researching what design elements work best will do wonders for the finished product.
2 - Create Something Timeless
Relying too much on what is currently "in" is not sustainable. Instead, you want to create a logo that is iconic and will be remembered. Sure, a rebranding every few years is not out of the question-but building a solid customer base start with name recognition. A logo can be part of this by not being too grounded in current trends.
Aim for a logo that will still look fresh in decades to come. For instance, the Coca-Cola and McDonald's logos are recognisable and appealing even if they were created long ago. If you can achieve this effect, then the illustration will have accomplished its purpose.
3 - Aim for a Logo That Will Look Good When Printed
Logos are the face of the company. Even though they are placed in small doses on the packaging, they need to look good when printed. One way to test this out is to craft them first in black and white. Your company's symbol will also appear in official correspondence and letters, so making sure they look good in any color is advisable.
It also prepares you for when you need to create variants for the holiday season. Remember that modern-day marketing relies on universality, so the logo needs to look good amidst a Halloween or Christmas backdrop.
4 - Make Sure It Looks Good in All Sizes
As stated previously, logos appear in almost every aspect of your products and services. From calling cards to paper, it is a reminder of the quality of your company. They need to look clean and fresh in whatever medium they are placed in, which is why you need to have an exportable version that is not prone to aliasing and noise.
If you want to achieve this, test how the logo looks in various formats. For instance, different social media websites have size requirements. Consider creating profile photos for each platform using your logo, and check if pixels are visible or not.
5 - Use Unconventional Design Elements
In the industry today, many logos look similar to one another. Looking into various design elements is one way to ensure that what you come up with is unique. Try not to go overboard using circles or straight lines. Curved lines and negative space can result in effective combinations. You may use them to create a character that will stand for the company's identity.
Quirkiness can work for your company when sued effectively. First, get feedback from your friends or co-workers about the draft of the logo. From there, make tweaks that will help your design be memorable and appealing.
6 - Embrace Simplicity
People tend to shy away from brands that have complex logos. You do not have to go overboard with the number of elements to leave a mark on people, which is why simple illustrations work best. If it looks too noisy, consider removing parts of the design for a more abridged output. Try muted colors and minimal shapes for a sleek and stylish look.
7 - View the Logo from Different Devices
People on various devices will view your logo. Some may use smartphones to browse their favorite websites, while some like to surf on their desktops or smart TVs. Make sure to check if the logo looks good on different devices. Some loud colors will not work on all screens, so choose a shade that is universally viewable.
You also want to ensure that the logo does not hurt the eyes. For example, some combinations can cause dizziness because of excessive dots, waves, or brightness.
8 - Tell a Story
Logos do not have to be literal. For example, a shoe company does not need to have a logo that has a shoe on it. For instance, you can aim for a similar element to represent the brand. Then, tell a story using the icons, much like how the Pixar lamp can mean creativity and ideas. You can let the audience interpret it any way they want, make sure that it is interesting enough to stand on its own.
9 - Get Inspired, But Do Not Copy
There is nothing wrong with using successful logos as inspiration. After all, these are iconic imagery that has stood the test of time. But it would help if you were careful about copying because it is never right to plagiarise one's work. Instead, study the elements that work for that logo and apply them to yours. Ask yourself questions about the techniques employed by other artists.
Do they use a lot of colors? What type of lines is present? Analysing them can help you figure out what is lacking in your logo instead of making a carbon copy of existing designs.
10 - Play Around with the Elements
Simply using unconventional design elements is not enough. So what if you have extensive use of wavy lines? Make sure you move them all around the space but remember that they still need to be coherent. Find the fine line between universality and weirdness.
11 - Remember that Text is Important
Do not go overboard on the illustrations. Text is also a vital part of any design. Many brands use similar fonts but use them to evoke the spirit of their company. For example, Helvetica is used by many businesses, but the way Panasonic uses it is enough to separate it from competitors.
You want to tell your audience that this is your brand. You stand for quality service, and you value their time and money. Having a poor font choice will automatically cross you out of some people's books because appearance is one way customers base their choices. On the other hand, if you have tacky packaging, then your product will likely be ignored.
12 - Make a Charismatic Logo
As weird as it sounds, images themselves have charisma. Much like a job candidate, it needs to possess characteristics that stand out in the crowd. It would be best if you branched out of conventions like simple shapes or cliché fonts. There needs to be something that makes your logo "pop." One way to do this is to test out how it looks on merchandise.
If it looks good on a shirt, then you might be onto something. Ask your peers and mentors if the design is eye-catching, and make sure to have a variety of opinions. You do not want to base your choices on echo chamber statements because it can lead to the wrong paths.
Also, if the logo already works, make changes sparingly. Switching to a more subdued variant might not always work. Some brands lose sales whenever they retire a symbol because it is no longer recognisable. As stated in the previous tips, make something timeless. A long-standing relationship with the crowd cultivates charisma, and a logo is a vital part of the brand.
In summary, designing a logo needs to be about your business goals. Do not see it as a simple task that you can accomplish by searching "how to design my logo" on the internet. Make sure you research design and customer behavior, reconciling what you learned with what your venture wants to achieve. A logo needs to be equally eye-catching and principled. It has to come from a place of inspiration and creativity, as well as accessibility
A business does not need to be a high-end, multi-million venture to be recognisable right away. By carefully curating your brand's visual identity, you can come up with a logo that will stick with the general public. Do not rush it since an iconic image is not created through sheer luck or an overnight session
Whether you are a small business or a popular one, Éire Graphic Design can help you develop a logo that will reflect your business identity. We value the input of all our clients, and we work together to create designs that are filled with pride and excellence.