Designing a logo for a new company does not happen overnight. Large companies spend a great deal of money on market research in order to create a valuable new brand for their company. One of the most important things one needs to consider before either creating a logo yourself or contracting another company to create one for you is that your company name must indeed be registered.
The company name must be approved during the company registration process and it is advisable that one receives this official documentation from CIPC before having a new logo designed. If this confirmation is not received, you may have to spend more money on re-designing the logo of your company to display the registered company name – a costly and avoidable mistake.
One should never underestimate how much the corporate identity of a company influences the way consumers feel and relate to the business. The logo is therefore the most important corporate identity an organisation will have, as it will appear on virtually all communication and branding.
When deciding on the design of a logo, there are a few things one needs to consider from an aesthetic point of view. The text of the logo needs to be clear and legible. The text also needs to be applicable to the nature of the business. For example curvy or cursive text may not be appropriate for a plumbing business or used car dealer, but may work very well with an exclusive boutique or restaurant.
The colour of the text in the logo also plays an integral part in the branding of the company. Some people have negative connotations with certain colours and may associate certain colours with certain emotions. It is a good idea to do some research on how people react to certain colours before deciding on one for your logo. One should rather not simply go with the colours you like, just because they have a special significance or meaning to you.
Most brands have a small image or icon alongside their logo. Efficient graphic designers will be able to create a logo using both images and text in a creative way. Ideally they should include your company name and some sort of symbol in your logo to make it recognisable.
Ensure that the colour of the logo and image work well together. One should avoid colours of a similar same tone that may compete with each other. One should also stay away from having an intricate image or photo as part of your company’s logo.
This is simply because one needs to consider the many places where one would want to have the logo displayed. For example, business cards do not have a great deal of space and the intricate designs in a logo may not look attractive. A simple, well designed logo is far more effective that an over the top or overdone design.
The logo must be clear and should be able to be reproduced in a number of sizes with ease. Having restrictions in a logo could become problematic when you want to advertise on various media. Your logo should be equally attractive and visible on larger advertising materials such as billboards and posters as what it is on your website, email or print stationery.
It is a good idea to research the finished logo before having it displayed in all your company’s belongings. This is important in order to determine whether there is another logo that looks similar to yours. You may be infringing on the intellectual property rights of another company if your logo is not unique.
Remember that new companies have to compete for a space in the current market. A good tip is to include your logo on almost everything you do, such as packaging, communication, marketing items and so forth. Over time people will start to recognise your company’s logo and start associating it with the product or service it is associated with.
Trademark24 