5 Tips for a Successful Logo

There are two ways that your company or brand will stand out in customer's minds - by the excellent service or product you provide, or the logo that represents you.

Both are not easy. Providing outstanding service or an impressive product is hard enough. Creating a logo that represents everything that your brand stands for, while making a lasting impression on your customer- that's quite the feat. Most of the time, the design process can go in one of two directions - an abstract symbol (ex: Apple) or stylized type of your company/product's name (ex: Coca-Cola). Whichever route you take, consider these tips for making your logo successful.

1. Keep It Simple.
   There's a reason people follow the KISS Principle. Studies show that people make a subconscious judgment about a product in less than 90 seconds. That's not a lot of time to give your pitch on what your product is, who it is for, and why it's the best. Your logo needs to be understood and interpreted quickly. Avoid complicated or over-elaborate details that will confuse the viewer.

2. Your logo doesn’t have to be the product you’re selling.
   Let's go back to that example of Apple. Their logo is recognizable around the world. But Apple doesn't sell apples. They sell technology. This doesn't always work with every design. It takes a long time for a logo to become recognizable, especially by the general population. Keep this in mind when coming up with your logo design. On the other hand, if you sell coffee, you may want to consider incorporating coffee into the logo, whether it be coffee beans or a cup of coffee. Be careful- you want your logo to stand out, so make sure it's unique and not too similar to existing logos. I'll elaborate in Tip #5.

3. Does it reflect your company or product’s values?
   It's been proven that colors evoke certain emotions in consumers. You will want to keep this in mind if you haven't already decided on the colors that represent your company or brand. Make sure you know what values and feelings you want to embody in your logo ahead of time. Plan ahead.
   
   Not sure what colors will represent your company/product/brand best? Consider the emotions and other feelings related to colors:

   

   Here are some famous logos that rely on these colors and their meanings to consumers to convey their message:

   

   

   

   

    

4. Will it translate well?
   The world isn't just about print media anymore. You'll need to make sure that your logo will translate to several different media forms- from billboards to business cards, and mobile to favicons. Will it retain its design and meaning despite sizing? This is very important, as even the greatest logo in the world can't be effective if it's unreadable.

5. Consult a professional designer.
   Designing or creating your own logo can be a cost-effective approach, but unless you have some good years of design background, trust the professionals. Not all designers are expensive. And not all logos are expensive. For example, Twitter's famous bird logo was purchased from iStock Photo for $6, then modified. Nike's co-founder Phil Knight offered a graphic design student the opportunity to create a logo for his fledgling company in 1971 so that the student would have money to purchase oil paints. The cost? $35.
   
   Be sure to find a designer that understands your product or brand. To fully visually represent you, they need to understand what you're selling. Submit any ideas that you may have, but remember to be open-minded. What you originally sought out in the beginning may not be the end result. And that can be okay.
   
   Did you know that Quadsimia offers Logo Design services? It's one of the many Graphic Design & Multimedia Services that we specialize in. Interested in finding out more? Contact us today!