10 tips to greater logo design
For the purpose of this post I’ll stick to guidelines to improve the standard and quality of your logos rather than how to design logos.
Tip number one:
Find out the different types of mediums on which the logo will be applied to, as this will also contribute to the restrictions on the logo’s complexity. It wouldn’t be good idea to have a detailed or illustrated logo that will be embroided on a uniform as it would not come out clearly.
Tip number two:
Research, research and do more research. This phases does not really entail any design skills but it’s critical as it ensures that you get to know and understand your client’s brand, their products / services and competitors more, which will also ensure that you don’t end up with a logo similar to those of your client’s competitors.
Tip number three:
Your top priority as a logo designer is to differentiate your client, brand A from brand B, C, D, E etc. So design to differentiate and communicate not to decorate.
Tip number four:
Make sure the logo works just as good in black and white.
Tip number five:
It’s NOT a must to illustrate the company’s products or services on your client’s logo, especially when their customers can tell from the name itself what your client’s company is all about. E.g XYZ Stationery doesn’t really need a scissor, ruler or pen etc. on their logo for customers to know what their trade is.
Tip number six:
Your logo should demonstrate more of your client’s ethos than their industry, this ensures a more custom-made and personalized logo. If the logo works well for company A and still works on company B (after just swapping the company names), then you’ve developed industry based logo rather than a brand personalized logo – which is as bad as using clipart.
Tip number seven:
The logo must be scalable without losing detail, it must still be recognizable when scaled down and applied to smaller mediums, i.e business cards.
Tip number eight:
Keep it as simple as possible, the aim is to create an icon not an artwork.
Tip number nine:
Try to shy away from using free fonts on logos all the time.
Tip number ten:
Don’t be a trend follower, as trends are short-lived and a good logo should be timeless.
Bell bottoms pants once rocked, emphasize on ‘once’. But a good pair of khaki pants will never look outdated.
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I would like for you to provide your input regarding the role of the designer in the educational book publishing environment. I am writing a thesis on it… Thank you.
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