You know your business needs a logo. It's a visual symbol of your brand — something you can put on your letterhead and t-shirts.
Logos may seem like a simple thing to check off your to-do list. But a logo is more than a pretty picture. It's critical to your overall brand integrity and positioning. And its design is just as important as the logo itself.
Logo design may seem like a tedious or unnecessary project when you're developing your business. Here's why it's worth your investment.
Logo Design Helps You Refine Your Brand
Logo design should be part of how you structure your brand identity. That's why it's important not to "phone it in."
You could just put your business's name in a fancy font and call it a day. This is called a wordmark, and plenty of big brands use them. (See FedEx, Dell, Canon, Disney, etc.)
But wordmarks are deceptively simple. Those companies invest a lot in the process. You'd be surprised by how much the choice of font or color can make a difference! For example, Coca-Cola's famous typeface became crucial for its survival.
Check out these companies' wordmarks rendered in their competitors' fonts and colors. Notice how the vibe changes.
Image by AuthorIn short, colors, typefaces, and layout shape how we perceive a brand image!
So, resist the urge to pick your favorite crazy font in Canva and type out your business name. That's not a logo. A logo is a cohesive, eye-catching symbol of your brand.
That means it must reflect your target customers' interests, lifestyles, and attitudes. A good logo expresses how your offering aligns with those. Plus, it expresses your key values and differentiators.
The logo design process complements your overall brand development. They work in tandem to help your business attract customers.
Good Logo Design Makes You Stand Out
Yoga studios have lotus flowers. Tex-Mex restaurants have chili peppers. Lawn care companies have grass blades.
At a certain point, all these logos start to look alike. If you rely too much on common symbols, you miss an opportunity to show what makes you unique.
Of course, your logo should illustrate what your business offers. Abstract designs won't do you any favors. We can't all be Nike or Apple! But we can learn from them, as you’ll see.
For example, if your lawn company's name doesn't contain the word "lawn," your logo can help. People respond to visuals. Green hues and grass imagery suggest "lawn care." You wouldn't want a candy-colored logo with balloons and sun rays. But a generic green triangle shape doesn't say much, either.
Strike a balance between overt illustration and subtle symbolism. Let's say your lawn care business uses eco-friendly methods. Add some blue to represent the water you're helping stay pollution-free. Or a butterfly to show that you don't use harmful pesticides.
Your values and key differentiators also play out in your typefaces and overall composition. Are you proud of your fast service? An italicized sans-serif font and angled imagery suggest speed. Or do you prioritize attention to detail, down to weeding by hand? Choose a sophisticated serif typeface with tight kerning.
Logo Design Creates Memorability
We’ve mentioned some of the world’s most iconic logos. Those also happen to be the most recognizable. But it takes more than repetition to make an image memorable.
Since ancient times, artists have developed aesthetic rules and symbols. For example, the golden ratio of ϕ defines a pleasing proportion of one shape to another. Sharp angles and curves imply movement, while symmetrical, straight lines suggest order.
Good logo design builds upon these principles. After all, you don't want your dynamic, fast-paced company to have a logo that seems static or formal. On the flip side, a design with soft edges and curling lines may look too organic for a sophisticated brand.
Most importantly, your logo should please the eye! Images with poorly balanced compositions or jarred lines are less likely to resonate with viewers.
Logos should adhere to time-honored aesthetic principles. They must also be fairly easy to understand. Confusing your viewers won’t intrigue them; it will drive them away!
But when a logo is both visually pleasing and discernible, it’s easier to memorize. Note: “discernible” doesn’t mean “known.” The Nike Swoosh became iconic thanks to its dynamic appearance and use of the golden ratio. Even though people had never before seen this shape, they quickly encoded it in their memory. The swoosh also aligned with Nike’s values of innovation and ambition. Because the aesthetics matched the message, the logo quickly became highly recognizable — and therefore iconic!
So, if you want your brand to be memorable, invest in good logo design. Cluttered or disproportionate compositions are easily forgotten or even actively ignored.
Well-Designed Logos Prepare You for Growth
If you rush a logo, you may end up with one that doesn't make sense as you grow.
First, poor design is notoriously hard to use on all your materials. Your logo must look good on your website, brochures, t-shirts, pens... the list goes on. That means you'll need colors and design elements compatible with both print and digital formats. Complex gradients or cluttered layouts don't work well for that (and they're definitely out of style).
The logo should also be adaptable. Let's say you need a partial version to use as a lettermark or favicon. Or you can't print it in color but still want it to be recognizable. A good logo design retains your brand integrity no matter where it appears.
Check out how Amazon's logo has evolved over the years. They realized their initial logo wouldn't look good wherever they put it. Their wordmark, lettermark, and "smiling arrow" can translate to everything from their app to their shipping packages.
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Finally, consider how your logo can accommodate you as you expand or pivot your business. For example, you start with lawn care but end up offering landscape design as well. Does your logo still capture what you do? If it features a mower and grass, you may need a complete redesign to show prospects that you offer more than mowing.
Rebranding is expensive and difficult. That's why it's so important to invest in a good logo design at the beginning. Ideally, you can tweak the elements to preserve your brand while showing your evolution. For example, you could reduce the lawnmower element and add a tree or flowers.
Wrapping Up
Logo design is a critical investment in your brand's overall appeal and sustainability. Don't take the easy way out by simply tossing together a name and clip art. Make your logo a compelling, cohesive symbol of your brand: one that customers will recognize in any context!
