An emblem, a symbol with which the activity of a company, product, service, or person (team of people) is associated, is called a logo. It is he who influences the recognition of the brand, therefore, so much attention is paid to the creation of a logo, taking into account all the technical and visual characteristics.
The main functions of the logo:
- distinguishes from competitors.
- Builds trust.
- “Catching” the eye of a potential client – in 7 seconds the user decides whether he is interested in this product/service or not.
- Develops value – strengthens authority, helps to increase expertise.
“Competent” logo design – popularity, profit, and loyalty of the target audience. The logo becomes a kind of “visiting card” for a company, an individual, a team striving to conquer the market.
Requirements for logos
The symbol must be:
- recognizable – evoke clear associations with a certain brand;
- simple – better remembered, overloaded logos can be “read” like pictures, illustrations and not be identified by potential buyers;
- unique – today it is difficult to create a logo without “referring” to the corporate identity of a particular company, but you should still avoid visual stamps, copyright symbols, fonts, graphic elements of well-known brands;
- relevant – the “shelf life” of the emblem is, on average, 10 years – for example, the American sports channel ESPN has skillfully changed its logo several times since 1979 in accordance with visual trends, but without losing recognition;
- easily scalable – the logo should look aesthetically pleasing and read well both on a billboard and in a catalog, a business card, a shopper, or a page on social networks.
How to create the perfect logo: tips and tricks
The type, shape, color of the logo are chosen for a reason. Emblems can be textual, graphic, or a combination of fonts, graphic elements – the main thing is that they reflect the concept of the brand.
For example, a square is associated with something stable and unshakable, a circle symbolizes cyclicality, consistency, completeness. A bright “flashy” red is more suitable for an advertising agency or a fashion house, but a “calm” blue, green is better left for law firms and fitness studios.
For example, the Cincinnati Bengals logo of the American football team from Ohio – the letter “B” painted in black, orange stripes. Designers played on the color scheme and type (association – Bengal Tiger).
Before creating a logo, you need to answer the following questions:
- what image is to be formed;
- on the basis of whom the logo is designed (target audience);
- what will “stand” behind the symbol – professional activity, travel, sports, entertainment, etc.
The emblem should clearly and concisely convey who you are, what you do, and why to the target audience. All components of the corporate identity work effectively only in combination, without a unique logo, the efforts spent on creating the brand image will be nullified.
What else to look for when developing a logo:
- a good logo is when one “picture” completely replaces a voluminous verbal presentation. Better to see once than to tell 100 times.
- Visual contrast should be used for accents, highlighting the key elements of the symbol (as in the aforementioned “Cincinnati Bengals”), it is recommended to choose calm pastel shades for the background.
A modern logo will be considered when it matches current trends. Today it is:
- minimalism – simplicity, brevity, lack of bulky graphic elements;
- “air” – free space in the design, elements should not “shout over” each other;
- geometric shapes – stylish, symbolic, for example, for lawyers, doctors, psychologists, coaches;
- unusual, author’s gradients;
- neon – the best option for logos viewed on tablets, PCs, smartphones;
- monochrome – application of several shades of the same color;
- absence or minimum of small details.
To create a unique logo, you can contact a freelancer (more budget option) or entrust this important task to a design studio. In any case, it is necessary to clearly convey the specifics of the niche, the characteristics of competitors, the needs of the target audience, the idea, mission, values, and other features of the brand in the TK. A modern logo is not only a perfect form but also “full” content.