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Tips to create the perfect logo for your brand

Tue 1st Mar 2022

Blog / Tips to create the perfect logo for your brand

Tips to create the perfect logo for your brand

Define your brand identity

You want your logo to convey the individuality of your company. And in order to accomplish so, you must first comprehend your brand's core personality. It will be lot easier for you to make design decisions that complement and complete that picture if you have a clear sense of what makes you special and what your brand is all about.


To get to the bottom of your brand identity, ask yourself the following questions:

  • 1) Why did we create this company in the first place?
  • 2) What are the principles and beliefs that we hold dear as a company?
  • 3) What do we excel at that no one else does?
  • 4) What makes us unique?
  • 5) What three words would you use to characterise our company's brand?

 

Importance of colour

The colour palette is one of the most significant aspects of logo design.

You may be bound by a brand's colours at times, but you will also have the opportunity to experiment. The rich hue utilised in the Zion logo below is one of my favourites.

The colours here entice you in, bringing life to the artwork and providing further context for the landscape's structure. However, keep in mind that a good logo is adaptable and will still work in grayscale:

I like to present clients with a real single colour version, employing only black and negative space, in addition to a grayscale version. With the logo above, it could be a little challenging, but it's surely doable.

 

Think outside the box

Every few years or so, a new vogue in logo design emerges. I enjoy researching design trends and may even advocate jumping on a few bandwagons to be current, but when it comes to logos, I despise it when multiple designers utilise the same concept over and over.

Should you be aware of the most recent logo design trends and their benefits and drawbacks? Absolutely. Should you adhere to their instructions to the letter? Certainly not.

Right now, the fundamental archetype mentioned above is being used over and over in logo design, and it's getting old fast. Instead of copying off what everyone else is doing, why not utilise a design that you came up with yourself?

 

Own it

Although I don't believe "ownable" is a legitimate word, it is used frequently in marketing (marketers love to make up words). The concept is crucial and connects to the preceding point.

Rather than following the crowd and selecting a generic design, go for something that stands out. I

Consider whether your logo is generic or unique when designing it. Is it probable that others will follow suit? Remember that your initial concept is always the most generic (and everyone else's first idea, too). Before deciding which ideas to take further, fill a notebook page or two with preliminary sketches.

 

Don't overcomplicate it and keep it simple

Let's face it: not everyone can whip up a lovely, hand-drawn script on the spur of the moment. Just because you're a designer doesn't mean you're a fantastic illustrator or typeface designer (though it helps). If this describes you, don't worry; there's nothing stopping you from creating fantastic logos.

Keep these four powerful words in mind in this situation: keep things simple, idiot! Logos that are simple yet strong are ubiquitous in the commercial world, and they consistently prove to be the finest emblems for weathering the test of time.

It's the missing bite that elevates it to new heights. It gives the logo personality, distinguishes it from others, and deepens the message (computers and bytes, anyone?). The apple is dull without the bite; nevertheless, with it, the apple becomes instantly iconic.

 

Consider Proportion & Symmetry

Some people get carried away with talks of proportion and symmetry (see the new Pepsi logo proposal), but even if we ignore the craziness, there are some valuable lessons to be learned.

Despite the fact that the bite appears to break the harmony of the Apple logo above, a closer examination reveals that a great deal of thought went into proportion and symmetry.

 

Don't forget to use negative space

The age-old method of employing the negative space in a logo in some smart way is similar to a double entendre. The FedEx logo and its hidden arrow are an industry standard example of this method.


You haven't seen it yet? Keep looking; it'll eventually appear. That's what I like about this logo: the subtle use of negative space. Most individuals in the United States have seen the FedEx emblem on the side of countless trucks for years and have never seen the arrow.

 

Make sure it tells a story

A good logo tells a narrative. Strong logos are more than just a lovely drawing; they're packed with significance, both evident and hidden. We've already explored this in a few instances. The arrow in the FedEx logo suggests that it is going forward and delivering deliveries, the Apple logo is missing a "byte," and the Twitter bird is soaring skyward.

I'm not sure if logo designers come up with the meaning after the logo is already created, but nonetheless, it's amazing when you can show a customer how much care and logic went into the logo you created for them.