What is a logo?
In simple terms, a logo is a symbol made up of texts and images that help you identify a particular brand or company. To some other people, a logo is a simple visual mark that identifies a company. As a business owner, a logo is the cornerstone of your brand. It helps clients know what you do, who you are and your company values. In this article, you will learn everything about logos.
Importance of having a logo
A logo reveals your identity
In the past, cowboys used to brand their cows to mark ownership. In a business, your logo should serve the same purpose. Imprinted on your business cards, websites, and all your products, your logo communicates ownership. It can be able to inform the world and prospective clients who you are, the type of products and services you sell, or what benefits you provide to your clients.
First impression
In business, the moment you want to win new clients, first impressions matter. Keeping in mind that you are not the only provider of the commodity the client wants to purchase. Rest assured, the potential clients are also looking at your competitors. The first thing most clients get to see is your logo. Therefore, to make that client want to know about your brand, create an attractive logo that will grasp his or her attention.
Recognition
Normally, people react faster to images than text. The reason behind it is that the brain tends to process shapes and colors faster and immediately triggers emotions, thoughts, and memories. The more straightforward you design the shapes and colors in your logo, the faster the brain will process. Brand recognition is vital especially if you want existing and new clients to view your logo and think of it.
Professionalism
If you want your clients to view your brand seriously, you need to come up with a professional image. If you have design knowledge, take your time and design a logo that looks appealing, and professional. Do not copy a logo from elsewhere.
Separates you from your competitors
Certain symbols are used to represent specific industries and products. For example, most logos used by pizza places have an image of an Italian man with a white hat and holding a pizza. As much as your logo reflects who you are, it also distinguishes you from all the others. A good logo is one that is unique so know what makes a logo a bad one.
Consistency
In today’s world, most businesses exist on many platforms like your website, Facebook, Twitter and business cards. Maintaining consistency everywhere ensures that your brand is well represented clearly and correctly. One mistake some companies make is using a different logo for each platform. The disadvantage of doing that is the fact that you lose that professional look and effectiveness.
Representation
Your logo can speak to people in way words cannot. When you are not near your clients, your logo can talk on your behalf. As your logo speaks, it is your responsibility to ensure that it is speaking the right words.
How do you design a logo?
Keep it simple
The purpose of a logo is to tell people who you are and what you do. The moment you put too much information in that logo, things tend to look squeezed, which is not pleasant. Therefore, come up with a simple design and work with it.
Color is important
Once you come up with a simple design, you have to look for right colors that will match the product or service you are selling. The purpose of color on a logo is to carry meaning and communicate ideas.
Avoid the cliché
In some cases, designers use the same concept over and over again. It is advisable to come up with a design yourself and avoid duplicating. Go for something that is uniquely recognizable. Come up with a variety of sketches and select the best.
You need to know what your logo means
All logos have a story. A strong logo has an evident and hidden meaning. The moment you understand the business you are doing, you can easily come up with a logo that tells a story once someone looks at it.
What makes a good logo design?
Memorable
Your logo should make a serious statement about your company. The next time the client wants to get the products and services you sell, he or she will come back to your company because of brand recognition.
Simplicity
You are allowed to use some fancy features when designing your logo, but make sure it makes a quick statement. Avoid using taglines that are too small to read, keep it simple.
A good logo should distinguish your company from your competitors
Never try to emulate another company, be your brand. A good example is Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Pepsi became successful because they set themselves apart rather than trying to follow Coca-Cola. Therefore, make sure your logo is as unique as possible.
The logo creation process has now become easy with handy tools like The Extensive Logo Creator. This cool resource will help you to create thousands of logos. With help of this creator you can create logos for various categories like labels, badges, apparel, stickers, t-shirts and much more and get started with your creative project.
Logo Evolution of Famous Brands
“There’s no Apple without an apple. Even though it’s all about technology, you’ll forever associate your iPhone with an apple that has a bite on it. To be a recognizable brand, companies should create strong mental shortcuts for their audiences. But what urges them to change logos from time to time? Here are the most common reasons:
- Products change. Obviously, to stay competitive business should regularly expand its offerings. As a product evolves, it might end up not resonating with what you’ve communicated initially through your logo.
- Audience changes. While products evolve, a company might embrace a different audience. It’s important your logo resonates with people buying the product.
- Business model changes. Maybe your company embraces a new subscription model or merges with another business. It’s important the logo translates the change as effectively as possible.
We’ve decided to collect the major logo modifications associated with the brands you know and maybe even use on a daily basis. The infographic below provides a quick insight into what came out of it.”
