A brand's visual identity has a
significant impact on its success. It is a tool that lets a brand
introduce who they are, what they do, and what makes them unique.
There is no wonder why brands like
British Petrol have spent over $211,000,000
for a graphic mark. It takes a lot of work and effort to develop a
design that condenses your brand with a single mark.
But you don't have to spend big bucks to
get an impressive brand logo. You just have to take time to know the
basics.
Today, we are talking about what makes a
good logo in 2021. Let's take a deep dive and discuss the following
matters with surgical precision.
- Importance
of logos
- Qualities of a good
logo
- Parts of a logo
- Logo design tips
Importance of logos
A logo plays two roles. First, it makes
your brand appealing and, at the same time, allows you to have a fully
functioning design that you can use to grow brand consistency.
This visual communication tool will let
you grab your audience's attention and give them an idea of what you
have to offer.
For example, if you run a cafe, you want
to make sure that you have a logo that instantly informs the public of
your offer. Its self-explanatory nature will help you make the right
impression and catch the attention of your target audience.
Plus, it can help you build brand
awareness and loyalty among your audience. Having a logo that you can
display on different platforms will give your audience an easier time
trusting you. It is a crucial aspect of any brand identity, as studies
have shown that brand consistency allows brands to drive revenue growth
by 33%.
The logo is one of the essential parts of
any brand identity, without a doubt. Any brand must make sure that they
compellingly present themselves. Learn more about it below.
Qualities of a good logo
It is common for brands to have a hard
time figuring out what makes a good logo in 2021. In a changing market,
you want your company's identity to have a couple of things.
Ensuring that your design possesses these
qualities will help you make sure that you create an image that will
stick to your audience and help you create a distinct brand. So let's
tackle these qualities below.
Remarkable - You want
to have a logo that is easy to recognize. It is best to have a design
that is simple with little to no visual distractions. Keeping away from
a busy logo creates a brand identity that will be easier for the
audience to understand.
Possess the qualities of your company
- If you create a generic design, your brand isn't going to appear any
different. You want to have a brand identity that helps you capture your
personality not just for the audience but also for everyone in the
company. This element applies to the CEO up to every employee. The logo
must resonate with them and help them to connect with the brand even
more.
Should be easy to use and scalable
- Brand logos must serve two functions of having a good form and
function. It is also essential to have a usable logo. A practical design
will help you have a brand emblem design that looks good on any
application and different dimensions.
Parts of a logo
Logo design concepts can go a million
different ways, from illustration logos to abstract logos. But they all
have one thing in common. They essentially share the same elements. This
section will show you the basics of logo design and teach you how to ace
each one.
Once you're familiar with how they are
composed, you can mix and match them to create the logo you have in
mind.
Color
When looking at any brand mark, one of
the first things you notice is color. Just think about McDonald's and
how you've known it for its golden brand mark. This design element can
drive brand recognition by 80%.
When choosing your brand color scheme,
you want to choose something related to your industry. For example,
gardening brands often have nature-related colors like green, yellow,
and brown as this helps passersby get an idea of what their store
offers. You can also use color psychology
as a way to express your brand personality with this element.
Typography
Text says a lot about your company. Like
color, there is a lot of thought about picking the right font for your
logo. Apart from representing your personality, it must also suit other
fonts you plan to use for your brand assets.
One of the most significant factors that
can transform your band is picking the correct font. You have the choice
to choose between serif and sans serif fonts, which are two distinct
styles that let you capture your brand's essence. Serif or tailed
letters are great for brands with traditional and authoritative traits.
On the other hand, san serif fonts are better suited for contemporary
and friendly companies.
Icon
Illustrations or icons are the symbols in
your logo design. This element is optional, but it is commonly used in
the logos we see today. Some of the popular ones are Apple's logo or
Target's red bullseye brand mark. This symbol is a self-explanatory mark
that allows you to communicate with your audience in an instant. It can
be an advantage as you broaden your audience internationally.
You can choose illustrations or vectors that are related to your brand
and business name. However, it is also an option to use your brand mascot
as the logo's focal point. Using a mascot or a personification of your
brand will help you create a consistent and engaging brand image.
Frame
This element is completely optional, but
it helps your brand mark get more attention. It provides visual
prominence and lets you have an easier time applying it on different
materials like business cards and event posters without being outshined
by other elements. You can use basic shapes to surround your design and
make it pop.
Logo design tips
Now that you are familiar with the
different design aspects, some tips are handy to keep in your back
pocket. They will help you improve any brand identity design and the
connection it forges with the audience.
Here are some final tips.
Be mindful of legibility
- Some typography may be pleasing to the eyes. But it would help if you
were wary of sacrificing legibility for aesthetics. You want to have a
legible design that will give your audience an easy reading experience.
It is best to keep each letter of your logo clear to help make sure that
people won't confuse it with other letters.
Keep originality in mind -
The last thing you want to happen is to have your logo design looking
too similar to your competitors. But, on the other hand, you could end
up dampening your brand's authority and risk yourself for trademark infringement.
To prevent this, you can research competing brands and familiarize
yourself with their logo. This way, you can avoid using the same design
style and elements as them.
Trends are your friends
- Every year, design movements change in the form of trends.
Trends are a valuable resource for you to get inspired and create a
brand identity that is up to date. However, you must tread carefully and
use only two to three trends in your design to keep it timeless.
Conclusion
Being familiar with the components of
logo design will help you create a brand identity that will get you
closer to your objectives. Each element plays a hand in helping you
become a reputable name in your industry.
Are you now feeling well-informed and all
set to start sourcing your logo? Learn how you can achieve that below.
DesignCrowd is a platform that lets you
run a logo design contest and receive up to 50 submissions to choose
from. You can also use the platform for other projects like business
cards and t-shirt design. Learn more about it today.
On the other hand, the BrandCrowd logo
maker lets you create a DIY design in minutes. It has a massive library
of designs for different brands, including tech logos to construction
logos. The maker also lets you create business cards, flyers, and other
brand collaterals in one place. Try it right here.
Read more articles on design and inspiration below:
Written by DesignCrowd on Tuesday, June 15, 2021
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.
