So, you are scratching your head, trying to come up with an original, fresh design for your logo…Not so easy, huh? Have a look around at some of the famous brands like Nike’s swoosh, Adidas stripes, Microsoft’s wavy squares – what makes these logos great?
Milton Glaser, the legendary graphic designer best known for the “I Love New York” logo, says that it has to do with simplicity. The viewer needs to ‘get it’. There should be only a moment between viewing a logo and understanding it.
Keep the following points in mind when designing a logo:
- It must be unique – keep away from overused elements like arrows or globes. Also remember that the logo doesn’t need to say what the company does. Ferrari’s stallion does not say it’s a car. Polo’s logo doesn’t state it’s clothing.
- Make it adaptable to different media – will it convey the same message on both a bill board and a business card? It should also reproduce well in black and white.
- Keep the design appropriate – are you a lawyer? Then a fun font won’t work for you! Do you offer child care services? Then by all means incorporate some fun elements. Also keep in mind that different colours have different connotations to some people or cultures. Do your research. First find your target audience.
- It must be able to stand the test of time – even with changing trends and time passing and with only small adaptations, trademarks like Coca-Cola and I Love New York have remained remarkably unchanged. That’s what you should be aiming for.
