Let’s talk about logos. While your logo is not your brand, it is a prominent part of your brand identity that has the ability to create a lasting impression. Research shows that 75% of people recognize a brand by its logo. Your logo should be identifiable and connect your brand with your ideal clients.
Your brand is the way others perceive your product or service. Or as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos put it, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Your brand identity is how your brand presents itself. The elements that make up your brand identity are powerful tools that help you create the narrative, build connections, and generate interest in your business. One of the most prominent parts of your brand identity is your logo.
Your logo acts as the face of your company. It’s the first thing people often see and can positively or negatively impact your audience. Often your logo is a symbol that connects your brand to the values behind it. Once you have determined your brand’s core values and the why behind your business, you can use a logo to communicate your message clearly to your ideal client.
In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with logos from the moment we wake up to when we go to sleep. If you were to keep track, how many logos do you think you would encounter in one day? Clinical tests show that Americans are exposed to anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 ads daily. Think about how many logos you see just when you go to the grocery store. With the amount of information consumers are taking in, it’s important for your logo to stand out, create a connection, and generate interest from your target audience.
There are many aspects and details that go into creating a logo for your brand. Whether you are in the process of creating your logo or you are evaluating your existing logo, there are four qualities of an effective logo to keep in mind.
Simple
A logo should be easy to recognize and easy to remember. Some of the most memorable logos are ones that have simple forms and shapes. Busy logos can often make it hard to identify the brand. Paul Rand, a well-known corporate logo designer, once said “The primary goal of a logo is to identify.” When you strip down all the fluff and simplify, you can focus on the real end game - to make your brand known.
Simple does not necessarily have to mean minimal, but it should be concise and clearly identify one idea. Too much clutter makes the identity confusing and your logo is less effective at identifying your brand. Focus on your brand’s core values and strive for quality over quantity. Some of the most well-known brands are the most simple. Think about the Apple logo, the golden arches for McDonald’s, and the Nike swoosh. All simple, but effective!
Memorable
Your logo should capture attention and leave a lasting impression. Remember, impressions can be either positive or negative. One study found that "60% of consumers will avoid a brand with a logo they find odd, ugly, or unappealing, even if the brand has positive reviews”. This same study also found that “73% of consumers said that they were more likely to trust and buy from a brand they recognized.” Make sure the impression you want to create is clearly communicated and something that can be remembered. Strive for the right balance between the visual and textual aspects to create a clear, unique picture of your brand. The more simple and more distinct your logo can be, the more memorable it will be.
Legible
You could have a perfect idea, name, or tagline, but if no one can read it then it doesn’t really matter. If your ideal client can’t easily identify your logo, they won’t know who or what to look for when they want to buy the product or service you are offering later on. In fact, if they can’t easily read your logo, you risk misrepresenting your brand and not building connections. If you are creating your own logo, try taking a step back during the process and ask for an outsider’s opinion to gauge legibility. If you’re looking for more guidance, check out some of our past work (link to logos), and let’s chat!
Versatile
Your logo should be scalable (think vector files) so that it can easily be resized for different uses. Ideally, you want logos that are going to look great and be useful in multiple forms of media, whether it’s online or in print form. Along these same lines, your logos should translate well in both color and black and white. Your logo should allow for flexibility in placement and uses. This is where variations and submarks can come into play. These are not completely different logos, but instead, they act as extensions of your primary logo, often with slightly different formats to suit different needs. For example, if your primary logo is horizontal text, a variation with the text stacked allows for different logo placements without compromising legibility while keeping a consistent and cohesive appearance in line with your brand. Submarks are just simplified versions of your logo that can be used on a smaller scale in places like social media pictures, smaller merchandise, watermarks, emails, etc. Using variations and submarks allows for flexibility and cohesion throughout your branding. Don’t limit yourself to only one logo - give yourself options with variations and submarks and then use them strategically.
Your logo by itself does not create the meaning or personality of your brand; it gains meaning and significance by association with the ideals and values that you already chose to define your brand. Understanding your brand personality, values, and dream clients is key to creating the perfect logo. If you need help discovering your brand personality and how to connect with your dream clients, check out our free goodies here to get started!
So much goes into creating a truly effective logo and brand identity. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and need some guidance, we can help you create your perfect logo (and more) to elevate your brand and create a cohesive identity that will make you stand out in all the good ways.
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