How do you design a logo? How can you create a strong brand visual identity? Are there any common pitfalls in logo design?
When you start thinking about what makes a brand logo good, or how to design a good logo for your brand, you should first ask yourself: Why does a brand need a logo? What is the purpose of a logo?
So, what are the main purposes of a brand logo?
Brand Identification: A logo is the visual representation of a brand’s identity system. It appears repeatedly at various brand touchpoints, helping consumers recognize and remember the brand, distinguishing it from competitors. Effective logo design can make a brand stand out among many competitors and establish a unique brand image.
Brand Image: A logo reflects the core values and personality of a brand. Through design elements, it can convey the brand’s characteristics, ideas, and mission. Consistent logo design also enhances the brand’s credibility and reliability.
Emotional Connection: A good logo can create an emotional connection with the target audience, making the brand image more appealing and relatable.
Therefore, when designing a logo, we expect to achieve the above goals. A good logo must be identifiable, establish a positive image, and evoke an emotional connection.
How can this be achieved specifically?
Logo design can come in several forms:
- Text-Based (Wordmark/Logotype) or Initial-Based (Lettermark/Monogram): These logos directly use the brand name, showcasing brand personality through typography and color schemes. Examples include Google and Facebook.
- Graphic-Based (Symbol/Icon/Brandmark): These logos can feature abstract symbols, graphics, or mascots, using shapes and colors to convey more complex brand concepts. They are highly recognizable and flexible for use in different contexts. An example is Apple.
- Graphic + Text (Combination Mark): This type of logo combines graphics and text, often complementing each other. It’s ideal for new brands to simultaneously build recognition and reinforce brand imagery. Examples include Burger King and Starbucks. In some cases, the graphic and text can be separated for use as needed, such as with Tesla and Instagram.
A well-designed logo system can be evaluated by the following eight criteria:
- Simplicity: A good logo design must be highly recognizable, avoiding potential visual clutter in lines, shapes, and colors.
- Memorability: Well-arranged graphics and colors can enhance memory points, helping to establish an impression and facilitate dissemination.
- Originality: Logo design should avoid high similarity with other brands, as this would reduce recognition, cause confusion, or even damage reputation by being mistaken for a copycat.
- Timelessness: Logo design often symbolizes its era. Logos may be adjusted based on different brand strategies over time, but the design should avoid being confined to a brief period’s aesthetics or significance.
- Balance: The combination of symbols and text must be balanced, especially in terms of visual balance, to accommodate different scenarios. The design should work well in both vertical and horizontal layouts.
- Consistency: Highly integrated and consistent design can enhance brand credibility, repeatedly establishing a deep brand impression in the consumer’s mind.
- Versatility: The logo should maintain its effectiveness when scaled up or down and when the background changes. It should be adaptable for use in digital media, physical products, or environments while maintaining a high level of consistency. Consider color adaptability (e.g., how to stand out on dark or light backgrounds) and whether the graphic spacing remains clear in small sizes or simplified applications.
- Cultural and Market Considerations: Different cultures or regions have different aesthetic viewpoints or stereotypes. The design should take these into account to avoid negative impacts when entering different markets.
In a comprehensive brand plan, a good logo design can bring high-value communication for the brand, building an emotional bridge between the brand and its consumers.
So, most importantly, does the logo design reflect the brand’s spirit and values? In other words, brand strategy comes before logo design! If the logo design is just a beautiful symbol without conveying more messages or telling a story, it would be a missed opportunity.
