So you’re just starting out? One of the most important, and possibly one of the most difficult decisions you’ll have to make will be designing a logo. Your logo will come to represent your entire brand, your product or your services. It’s a lot to think about at the start, especially with so many other decisions to be made, but with these few tips you can design a logo that will stand the test of time:
1.Keep It Simple: Flashy logos are not the way to catch the public’s attention. Think of the most iconic logos in pop culture — Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola — they rely mostly on shapes and lines more than color, words or eye-catching features. In a society where consumers are constantly bombarded and overloaded with visuals, a sleek, clean design says far more than a tacky and cluttered logo ever could. Don’t go overboard with your design. Keep the colors simple or even just go with black and white. If you incorporate text, use a simple, straightforward font.
2.Words or Design: Deciding whether or not you want to use text as a part of your logo is a pretty big step. While either one can work well, as shown by successful brands, deciding which way to go depends on your business and what message you want to convey. While a tagline with a logo certainly isn’t necessary, having your company name as the logo itself could depend on whether or not you plan to place it on products. For instance, FedEx used their company name, since they don’t actually make a product, but rather a service. But Apple, a manufacturer of products rather than a service provider, opted for a logo design to be able to place on every item from laptops to iPhones. Consider the role of your company when choosing a text or logo design.
3. Essence over Function: Few companies have a logo that reflects what the company actually does. Apple’s logo doesn’t incorporate computers and Shell’s logo doesn’t incorporate gasoline. Design a logo based on the essence of your company’s goods or services, motto, culture or founding history instead of the product or service itself.
4.Don’t Get Caught Up On Color: Many of the best logos are black and white, or use only a few primary colors, like Google and eBay. Don’t use wild colors, or spend too much deliberating over which colors to use. Less is definitely more in terms of color choice. Rely on neutrals and primary colors, or ditch colors all together!
5.Don’t Change: Once you decide on a logo, be sure it’s what you want. Companies that change their logos usually suffer an embarrassing and unfriendly fate. Remember when Gap tried to change its logo? Not good. Sure, they rebounded because they were well established, but for a smaller company, logo change could spell disaster. If you absolutely have to change, do it as early as possible, before people come to affiliate your brand with the logo. Once it’s clearly established, don’t change it up. You’ve got one shot — so choose wisely. No pressure.
