Tips to Create an Effective Logo Design
What does Apple, Coca Cola, Facebook, McDonald’s, and Starbucks have in common? They all have famous logos. Even a kid would know them when they see one. Using a logo, these brands were able to market effectively. They help people sense what the brand is all about. Brands today should follow the same example. But at the same time, their logo should fit the modern world. There’s a long list of graphic art design software you can use but nothing beats the basic know-hows on creating a logo not only for aesthetic purposes, but for branding as well.
Let’s take a peep at their stories and learn how to create an effective logo.
Be Unique
Being unique means knowing your brand’s identity. It’s important to identify the target customers and market. An effective logo maker must fully represent the business. The logo should be something relevant, not just to the product, but to the company as a whole.
Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegel opened a store in Seattle in 1971. They originally sell bags of roasted coffee beans. When Alfred Peet taught them his signature style of roasting coffee, they started thinking of a name for a coffee house. Zev being a history teacher and a fan of Moby Dick, suggested the name “Starbuck.” It was the first mate of the ship Pequod in the movie. Jerry and Gordon wanted a name related to the locals. By coincidence, Zev’s suggestion is similar to Starbo, an old mining camp in Seattle. Thus, the three unanimously agreed to name their coffeehouse as Starbucks. As Seattle is a seaport, the trio crafted the logo from an image of a 16th century siren from an old marine archive. The logo evolved as Queen Esther at Sea World and became Starbucks ‘ symbol ever since.
Make the Logo Simple
Most logo makers emphasize the need for a simple logo. It’s because a complex one is difficult to reproduce and scale. A simple logo may just be the company name. It only uses one or two colors. Most importantly, a logo maker should create something memorable. It should be a logo that rings a bell and is relevant to the brand.
The McDonald’s brothers started the Speedee Service System in 1955. In 1961, Ray Kroc acquired a McDonald’s franchised store in Illinois. The two arches of the location have been a dominant marker in the place. Ray then incorporated them as the McDonald’s “M” logo. This remained the brand’s identity for fifteen years. The said McDonald’s franchise had been a boom until today.
Make the Logo Scalable
Remember that you’ll use your brand logo in different types of advertisements. It may either be featured on a billboard, flyers, your website, etc. This means that your logo should look impressive even in small and large sizes. An effective logo maker designs a logo that looks good both in portrait and landscape formats.
Apple was a strange name for a computer company. It was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. The company’s original logo featured Isaac Newton under an apple tree. Since the logo was classical, it’s somewhat hard to reproduce it on a computer. So, Jobs commissioned Rob Janoff to create a new logo in 1977. The new logo turned out to be the iconic bitten apple in rainbow color. The bite distinguished the fruit from a cherry tomato. It’s also a nerdy play on the words byte and bites. For years, the logo has evolved in colors, but its name is still in fame.
Match Colors with the Brand’s Personality
A brand’s logo must align with its personality. Colors represent it. Red is a powerful color; blue is the most visible, green means health, yellow brings warmth, while black exudes elegance. The psychology of colors has a significant influence on buying patterns. At the same time, an effective logo maker designs an impressive logo even in its colorless version. The trick is to make sure it looks excellent when sketched in black and white.
From a local student website to a social giant, Mark Zuckerberg brought Facebook into fame since 2014. Its original logo features a straightforward design. The company name was based on blue and white color purposely because Mark was color blind. And blue is the color he could best see. To Mark, the blue and white represent optimism and purity. It shows Facebook’s pure intention to connect the world through innovation.
Choose the Fonts Carefully
The typeface also speaks about a brand’s personality. If a company’s logo features its name, a logo maker thinks of the fonts carefully. Serif fonts are classical, Sans Serifs have a modern look, and Script fonts look handwritten, while Display fonts are peculiar. You should use the font that reflects your brand. To get an idea, check what others are using. One or two fonts work best for a logo. Too many styles may not look good. Avoid using trendy fonts as they are short-lived.
In 1886, Dr. John Pemberton nailed a formula from coca leaves and a kola nut. He decided to sell it as a fountain drink. He wanted to make a drama on its name. This resulted in the Coca Cola logo in the Spencerian script. Since then, it has been known as the happiness drink.
The Bottom Line
A brand’s logo design must be unique, simple, and scalable for it to become effective. Moreover, its colors and fonts should match the brand’s personality. Always remember what Paul Rand, a renowned graphic designer, and art director, noted: “A logo doesn’t sell (directly), it identifies.”
