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As the worlds of digital and marketing increasingly intersect, the opportunity for a business to become visible to larger, more diverse audiences has also increased. Paradoxically, the amount of players vying for online real estate has inevitably increased and in the extremely accelerated world of the internet, where users often have the same attention span as the latest trending article on Newswhip or viral video, visuals that can explain a concept whilst being eye-catching are essential. A business’ logo is their primary calling card, and should conjure up its central branding messages in an instant. One of our leading designers with years of experience in logo design provides some insights on what your business, whether start-up or established multinational, should consider to achieve this balance, for your online marketing campaigns and elsewhere.

Image via Joanna Burns' blog.

 

When people try to imagine an example of a good logo, they tend to think about the most recognisable examples from history. This could include Coca Cola, Apple, Nike, IBM, Mercedes Benz, McDonalds; logos that everyone recognises. The fact is these logos, and most others you can mention of the same stature, have evolved over time with the companies in question. One thing you tend to find with the evolution of logos like these is that they get a whole lot simpler. It takes a lot more confidence and vision to pick a very simple logo right from the start. But nowadays, there are simply so many logos around that getting yours to stand out from competitors’ is the challenge, something which may not have been the case when Mercedes came up with their three pronged star.

 

 Image via Volunteer Ireland.
 

 

Designing a logo that defines your brand is a very personal journey. You have to ask yourself what exactly your branding message is going to be. Where are you starting from? Are you a huge corporation? Are you a small town family business? Do you want a logo design that will appeal almost universally, as is the case with the likes of Coca-Cola and McDonald’s? Is your message formal, dependable, trustworthy? Is it friendly, welcoming, playful? These qualities come across pretty clearly even without any language at all.

Using colours like blue, grey, black and white can convey a conservative, less exciting but probably more reliable feel. Red, yellow and orange can seem more friendly but maybe wouldn’t engender long-term trust in potential customers (although tell that to McDonalds). Taking the golden arches as an example; the looping curve of their M conveys a happy, carefree feel in contrast to the sharp, block layout of the IBM.

 

 

 

 

 

Coca-Cola has the perfect logo to fit into many media sizes, from billboard to Facebook. Billboard image from user Cangaroo Jack on Flickr

 

The fact is your logo design needs to work in silhouette as much as colour, so shape is maybe even the most important aspect. It should also be recognisable at all sizes. Logos now have to fit all sorts of media, from vast billboards to tiny Facebook photo spaces. A simple, clean, recognisable shape is a must in order to communicate your brand successfully across all media. The colours you use, the shape itself and what it says are all part of a branding process. Then, in the end, you’ll probably find, as IBM, McDonalds and Apple have, that as your company evolves, the branding will have to evolve with it.

 

Are you looking to design or redesign your business’ logo? Whether you’re a start-up or a fully established brand, Lucidity Digital can assist you in creating a stand-out logo or refreshing an existing one that will communicate your core messages effectively.