When you think about computers, what logo template comes to mind? When you hear the mention of the word ‘burger,’ which food place do you imagine? If you read the word ‘bank,’ which institution comes to mind?
We usually associate an image of a bitten fruit, a business name sandwiched between two buns, and an institution’s name when asked the questions above. If you find yourself agreeing with one or more of the answers above, that is because these companies invested time, money, and resources in a logo that effectively sticks in a consumer’s mind.
What Your Logo Needs to Stand Out
A logo can be descriptive, as it tells you what their business is all about, or non-descriptive, it uses an element that requires explanation regarding the design. Regardless of the type, your logo should have these ten elements to make it as effective as possible:
1. Information
According to Casy Roop, owner of Pink Ink Designs, “You need a logo that gives as much information possible through a visual aid.” As shown in the examples above, a logo design should be more than just fancy colors.
A well-designed logo is a combination of information, ranging from the company’s products or services, company direction, and target market, to name a few. The design must incorporate the most vital of these factors to be visually compelling and give the consumer all the essential information about the company at first glance.
2. Identity
For a logo to be effective, elements of the business should be integrated into the design. These elements can range from required patterns mandated by corporate branding guidelines, to highlighting the business’ products and services.
The design may include items or events in a company’s history, or everyday objects that relate to the business’ principles. These elements help make the company logo stand out over competitors. Creating an identity based on the items mentioned above is essential, especially for on-brand logo designs.
3. Communication
Another important factor is that a logo design should have the ability to send a message through effectively. A well-designed logo tells a story at one glance. Take, for instance, the creative logo below:
Thanks to its descriptive design, one can immediately relate it to animals, particularly elephants. One can infer right away that the establishment using this branding has something to do with animals. When creating a logo, one has to be firm in the message it is trying to convey. The easier it is to understand the design, the more effective it is.
4. Creativity
Sometimes a logo design is governed by existing market trends, target audience, or simply confined to a set of rules. These rules may require a design to use particular colors, specific fonts, and restrictions that may go against company values and beliefs.
This limitation is where an artist’s imagination and creativity come in. In the case of the modern gym logo below, the current trend for fitness center logos showcases muscled human figures or a set of lifting weights.
This logo deviates from that by redesigning the letter “M” into a geometric representation of flexed biceps. This design approach makes for a unique brand that stands out in the market.
5. Clarity
In the first point, we mentioned that a great logo design must provide as much information regarding the company or business possible. However, this does not mean that it has to have too many details on it.
Take, for example, the business logo design of a famous computer company. Their original design depicted Sir Isaac Newton seated under a tree with their company name fully spelled out on a ribbon going around the design, making for a very visually messy icon. Their more recent logo designs depict a particular fruit with a chunk taken out from the side. This change created a clearer, more memorable, and iconic logo design. Another example is this fashion logo design:
The design is straightforward, simple, yet elegant. Right away, one can tell that the business is a clothing shop, mainly catering to couture services. The more that a logo’s design is direct to the point, the easier it is for a consumer to identify.
6. Harmony
Well-designed logos, especially ones made for companies, have one thing in common: harmony. For a design to be visually appealing, the elements within it have to be cohesive and complementary.
Harmony does not mean that a logo should not have clashing or contrasting elements. Many successful logo designs employ this technique to help their design stand out. Harmony in design binds all other elements together to give a clearer picture of the message the logo intends to convey. An example of harmony is illustrated in this calming logo below:
The design uses a water drop, wavy lines within the water drop, and a font that has soft edges to provide an overall vision of flowing motion, solidifying the message that the business is related to water.
Company logos have to take harmony a step further as its design conforms to all other aspects of the company. These include details outlined in their corporate branding manuals, mission, vision, industry, and the like.
7. Visibility
The main task of a logo is to announce the business’s presence. With all the elements mentioned above, the next step is to make sure that your brand easily stands out.
The decision to go with a monochrome or colored design depends on its effect in sending the message through. Looking at this logo example, one can see all the details of the design regardless of tone or background.
A hallmark of a highly visible logo design is its ability to be the first item seen in a clutter of images. The bottom line is to make sure it is noticeable, intelligible, and visible from up close as it is from viewing it at a roadside billboard.
8. Versatility
Similar to the concept of visibility, a logo has to be robust and versatile. It should have the ability to be able to maintain its clarity and visibility regardless of tone (monochrome or colored), placement, and background.
Another clear test of a logo’s versatility is its ability to stand out regardless of medium. Imagine your logo displayed on a website, printed on company collaterals, and giveaways or embroidered on any fabric. If the logo design stands out regardless, that is a clear indication of the design’s versatility.
Another way to ensure your logo’s versatility is to create the design using vector graphics. Whether the size of a dime or a billboard on Times Square, your logo design will maintain its smooth lines compared to jpeg images reduced or enlarged in the same manner.
9. Timelessness
Treat your logo design as you would your business; make it relevant and significant for years to come. Iconic company logos have withstood the test of time and have made little to almost no changes over the years.
If you look at a famous soda company’s white, Spencerian script logo, little has changed since they launched the brand over a hundred thirty years ago. The design looks and feels as relevant as it was back then as it is now. The trick is to stay away from current trends or fads. Don’t fall into the trap of looking good for one generation. Stick to the vision you put forth for your company, and you’ll never go wrong.
10. Portability
The rise of the digital age brought about a changing of the guard. Media exposure shifted dominance from print to online. This trend evolved further with the introduction of multiple operating systems (Windows, iOS, Unix, Android, etc.) for different electronic devices.
A well-designed logo must be able to transcend various platforms and be just as visible and understandable to achieve maximum exposure and flexibility.
Read More: 10 Logo Design Trends for 2020
Conclusion
Keep all those factors in mind when you begin planning your logo design. Make your logo design as iconic and memorable as those that have made their mark in the market. Make the logo your most effective marketing tool. Let your logo be responsible for carrying the rest of your business to great heights.
The best way to achieve this is to talk to industry professionals like Template Monkey, the premier destination for exclusive templates. The design professionals at Template Monkey are ready to assist you with coming up with a unique, well-designed logo that suits your business.
When you sign up with TemplateMonkey, you gain access to hundreds of unique and easy-to-customize templates covering multiple industries. Each unique logo design comes with a brief description to help you decide if that template has the elements you want. Once you’ve chosen your template, personalizing the logo comes easily. Each template is fully customizable (change text and personalize content in seconds!), comes in different formats (ai, PSD and Docx), and all file formats are yours to keep forever. And the best part about teaming up with TemplateMonkey, support is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
All the designs seen in this article are from TemplateMonkey.com. If you like what you see, sign up now and begin showcasing your business to the rest of the world!