logo design

I like to think of your logo as your avatar, working for you out in the world at all your touchpoints when you’re not there.

what is a logo?

Before people could read, a pictorial mark would be used to identify say a fishmonger from a baker or who owned that particular cow (brand-ing). So, a logo is simply a unique graphic mark, emblem, or symbol that is used to quickly identify and remember a company, organisation, product or service – a ‘brand’. Because they help consumers recognise and remember a brand, they are especially useful in marketing and advertising.

There are basically three types of logo:

• Wordmark or monogram:  the name of your company or organisation written in a distinctive font
• Symbol/logo mark: images or symbols that represent your company or organisation
• Combination mark: a combination of a wordmark and symbol

Having a good logo is an important part of your branding strategy, as it can help to create a strong visual identity for your company and make it stand out from the competition, build brand loyalty and so increase sales.

I like to think of your logo as your ‘avatar’ because it is working for you when you’re not there on your touchpoints – your stationery, brochures, website and social media.

Your logo needs to:

• Reflect your business, your ‘brand’ identity – your values, mission
• Resonate with your target audience. For example, a logo to appeal to pre-school children or salsa sauces would each be different from a logo for a solicitor or biotech company – although they might not be for a disruptor!
• Be versatile enough to be used in a variety of media, usually print, web, and social media.
• Have ‘staying power’. Something too ‘on trend’ will date quickly
• Most of all, you need to love it, because you have to live with it!

the sum of a good logo

• Simple makes it easy to remember
• Unique so it’s easy to remember that it’s yours
• Mirror the values and personality of your brand

All these will ensure that your logo remains relevant and resonant.

what colour?

Unless I’m instructed otherwise (it happens!), I will design a logo in monochrome first. Because colour is a powerful ingredient in a logo and can have a big impact on how you are perceived by your target audience.

Different colours evoke different emotions and associations. For example, red is often associated with excitement, passion or danger, while blue is often associated with calmness, peace and trust.

So the colours you choose for your logo should reflect the values and personality of your brand. Along with ‘red’ or ‘blue’ there will be tone and shades to nuance the colour personality, a bright blue has a much younger happier ‘feel’ to a more serious dark blue and can take on a whole new dynamic when paired with another colour, or seen with your brand colour palette.

Colour is the first thing you see in a logo, before shape and typography. It’s important.

which font?

Your font or typeface is an essential part of your logo, as the typeface you choose can have a big impact on the overall look and feel of your logo.

When choosing typography for your logo, there are a few key things to keep in mind:

Your brand identity: The typeface you choose should reflect the values and personality of your brand. For example, a children’s clothing company might choose a playful and whimsical typeface, while a law firm might choose a more serious and professional typeface.

Your target audience: The typeface you choose should appeal to your target audience. For example, a logo for a tech company might use a different typeface than a logo for a luxury fashion brand.

Readability: The typeface you choose should be easy to read, even at small sizes.

Versatility: The typeface you choose should be versatile enough to be used in a variety of different contexts. It should be able to be used on your website, marketing materials and your products.

Once you’ve considered these factors, you can start to explore different typefaces. There are a number of different typefaces available, both free and paid. They fall into a few basic categories, but then each font has it’s own personality which will add to your visual branding.

• Serif – like Times Roman
• Sans Serif – Like Arial or Helvetica
• Slab serif – sort of a mix of serif and sans serif
• Script – can look a bit like handwriting, or really look like handwriting. Only useful for big titles and party invitations!