Top 5 Design Principles for Creating a Great Business Logo
A logo can be one of the most important features of any business. A logo is what your business stands for, it’s how you show yourself to the world, and perhaps most importantly, how consumers will recognize and remember your brand.
In fact, a recent study by branding firm Siegel+Gale shows that logos are 13% more likely to get consumer attention and 7% more likely to make them want to learn more about the business.
However, creating such a logo is not an easy task. This article provides the top five design principles for an effective and unforgettable logo.
- Appropriateness
As is the case with most rhetoric (especially visual rhetoric), considering and adapting your message to your intended audience is key. Fonts, color schemes, images, shapes, these should all be chosen with your audience in mind.
A great logo doesn’t need to say what your company does–Mercedes’ logo isn’t a car and Apple’s logo isn’t a computer–however, it should stand out and allow your customers to connect with the logo.
- Simplicity
Simplicity is also one of the biggest characteristics when it comes to producing a first-rate logo. Examples of simple logos can be found is a majority of the most successful companies in the world.
Look at Nike, McDonalds, Target, FedEx, IMB, The North Face, etc. These are some of the most recognizable and memorable logos ever created. And the one thing they have in common besides being the face of a successful business: simplicity.
When creating your logo, just remember the K.I.S.S. Principle of Design: Keep It Simple Stupid.
- Versatility
In addition to creating a simple logo that is designed for your intended audience, a great logo is also a versatile logo. This means that it can work across a wide variety of media formats and applications, and can be scaled to any size.
Nike is another good example of a versatile logo, and reinforces the importance of simplicity. The Nike “Swoosh” can be formatted large and small, printed in black or color, turned in every which way, and you’ll still recognize it as the popular shoe brand.
Although this can be subjective, consider colors that may clash or images that people may have to strain their eyes to see if it’s scaled down.
- Timelessness
The best of the best in the logo design world are those that can stand the test of time. Try to avoid a logo that uses current trends or popular images. Ask yourself, will this logo be as popular in 50 years? If the answer is no, you may want to go back to the drawing board.
This doesn’t mean that it should be the same exact logo for the next few decades, however. Even large corporations such as Apple and Pepsi have tweaked their logo every decade or so. Just make sure yours can keep the same essential elements as it morphs.
- Originality
Developing a logo from a blank canvas is difficult. Creating one that is simple and connects with your audience, while also withstanding trend changes and being versatile significantly compounds the task. And while it may be easier to cut corners and use elements from other successful logos, the lack of originality eventually comes out, and your customers will take notice.
A logo that is creative and original shows that much like your business or product, it stands out from the crowd. An original logo will also show something to your customers that they have never encountered before. And this new design is what both current and future consumers will associate with your brand.
If designing amazing and effective logos were easy, every business would have one. We wouldn’t be able to point to the Nike’s, the Apple’s or the Gucci’s of the world. But as we all know, this isn’t the case. By following these five design principles in your logo, you can expect a design that will be striking yet simple; trendy yet timeless. And most importantly, it’ll be something you can be proud to showcase as your businesses brand.
