We all have that friend who got a logo designed for $15 on fiverr. They’re ecstatic with their small investment - the logo looks great, and very professional. No one has the heart to tell them they’ve seen the same logo design template 1,000 times before. Hopefully your friend doesn’t try to trademark it - it’ll never happen. Or worse...they may have been sold someone else's trademarked design. That $15 logo on fiverr - your friend most likely chose it because they subconsciously recognised it from elsewhere. Logo design has evolved quickly from a clipart style cartoon illustration and cringe-worthy comic sans font.
For too long information in design was expressed too literally. Thoughtful simplicity in logo design is what really sets a brand apart. To achieve that, there is a process.
Every great logo design began with a research brief
More than expressing what you do, your logo should represent the core values of your company in a way that appeals to your target. A deep understanding of your business should be acquired and deconstructed. If your designer hasn’t asked unexpected targeted questions about your history, goals, mission, competitors, customers and market position, they’re likely to slap up a design much like others in your industry - your competitors.
Memorable - for the right reasons
A logo design needs to be memorable sure; but on more of a subconscious level. We absorb colour, shape and typography within nanoseconds and form an opinion about a brand before we realise. There’s a delicate balance between creating a logo that is memorable because it’s appealing, or downright weird. Remember the London 2012 Olympic logo - yes you do; doesn’t exactly conjure positive vibes towards the Olympic committee does it? But the nike tick; we don’t know why we love it; but we do. It doesn’t bother us - doesn’t shout at us; but it’s well and truly implanted in our minds. Wouldn’t it be nice if you too had a logo so iconic, you don’t even need to accompany it with your brand’s name.
Simple and appropriate - sounds straightforward
Research and creativity combines to construct a design relevant to your industry; but pertinent to your brand. Powerful enough to catch the eye, and simple enough that it’s easy to understand. Your audience needs to be able to connect the dots with ease. Creating a logo that is both simple and appropriate takes deep consideration. These inspiring logos are not knocked together in five minutes, they are the product of hours, days, weeks of research and adaptation. Except for AngryFile - not sure how that made the inspiration list. Colour plays an enormous part in whether a logo is appropriate within an industry and for the target. Bright red works well for coca cola; but isn’t an appealing visual for the local dentist.
Original and for the most part timeless
The best logos are the ones that can withstand the test of time and still look amazing. Almost every logo will need a modern tweak and refresh as we glide into new era’s; but a great initial design will need little adjustment - think BMW, Disney and Virgin. It can be challenging to dream up a unique design that doesn’t look like it’s trying too hard to be different.If you want to test how unique your logo is, run a Google search by image. Click the camera icon in the search bar and upload an image or paste the image URL. Google will quickly return the visually similar images it can find online.
Visual identity versatility and adaptability
Once you’ve settled upon a beautiful design, it’s important to ensure its versatility across all digital and traditional marketing mediums. What looks great on a business card mockup could be hideous on social media. This is where a brand style guide is constructed. Your guide should include logo and layout variations for print and digital, dark backgrounds, light backgrounds, and guidelines that ensure your brand is consistent.
- Define CMYK and RGB primary and secondary colour palette
- Outline typography - including weight and stroke limitations
- Explain the do’s and don'ts of alteration allowances
- Logo size and positioning requirements
If your logo looks a little wacky and inconsistent across various marketing channels, that’s precisely how your company will be perceived. Express your brand identity with the same confidence in which you conduct your business.
Multiple file format delivery
Your friends’ Fiverr JPEG with the white square background isn’t going to look pretty online. Your logo should be delivered in multiple file formats to support every application imaginable. Never accept only a raster file format - JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF. A vector file is required by printing companies, and can be edited by another designer in future. AI, or PDF. It’s exciting what we can get done online, that’s for sure! It’s a marketplace brimming with bargains. If there are two things we suggest you don’t try to achieve on the cheap, it’s your digital marketing and the visual identity of your business. Your hard work, your career, your bread and butter deserves a unique nike tick style representation.
Anchor Digital are a crew of strategists, creatives, coders, account managers and techs. We are full service digital agency powered by your business goals. With Anchor in your corner you can expect tailored expertise and measurable results. Our business model is simple: Consult, Create, Convert. Through close collaboration, accountability and total transparency, Anchor combine the forces that set your digital brand sailing. From the ground up, we’re your partners in climb. Drop us a line.
