It can be difficult to figure out how a logo should look. When a creative logo designer has to sit down and make something that acts as the first and possibly the greatest piece of communication for a brand, it is important to make sure it comes out right as this could be a creative logo that endures for generations. E.g Coca-Cola and Twinings.
Coca-Cola has been around for a long time. Image source
So how does one go about go about designing a logo? What are the possibilities that could be explored to design a good logo? These are the questions that keep creative logo designers up at night. Luckily for you, these ideas should get you on the path to designing the perfect logo. A great example of an ever evolving yet maintaining its core is the Google logo design.
1.) Make the name look memorable
For most organizations, they want people to remember their name first because that creates top-of-the-mind recall. The name of the organization designed in a way that communicates the values of the company is a perfectly fine place to start. Remember how Coca-Cola and Twinings were mentioned earlier. Notice how Coca-Cola has mostly curves in their logo, that’s because curves are friendly and informal. They have a sense of dynamism which makes them approachable and exciting. Twinings though, in comparison have a logo that is mostly composed of straight lines, this makes them & their logo feel more prim and proper. Coca-cola is targeted towards the youth but Twinings has always been for adults who wish for their beverage to reflect their maturity and refined taste. The way their names have been written displays the same psychology.
2.)Hide a symbol or two
Do you see what is hidden? Image source
When a creative logo designer works on establishing an identity for a client, he or she will sometimes have to face the fact that a client wants their name to be seen and remembered but it also must showcase an offering of the brand. E.g. FedEx looks like a fairly straightforward logo but look closer and you’ll find an arrow in the space between the “E” and “x”. Those who see it feel delighted and those who don’t still appreciate the clarity of the name. Speaking of space, it brings us to our next topic.
3.) Negative space creates positive reactions
While FedEx simply has an element of what they do hidden in the space between their characters, your logo design can incorporate negative space in a way that forces a viewer’s mind to look at that ‘unused’ space in a new way. Eg. This logo uses the word “fit” in a way that forces a viewer’s mind to look for the “i” in the space between “f” and the “t”
4.) Choosing the right colours
When building a career for logo designer, it’s important to understand how your choice of colours will affect your logo. Different colours evoke different emotions and create different perceptions. This image from Fast Company will give you an idea about choosing the right colours to suit the offering and will be worth adding to logo designer portfolios.
However, keep in mind that if a logo will be used around the world, there may be different receptions to your choices. This image below shows you how different cultures see colours.
5.) Your style = Brand’s style
When companies post jobs for logo designers, they want to know that the candidate they are looking for is able to execute a style that feels similar to what a brand wants to communicate. Understanding the brand completely will allow a creative logo designer to make a logo that prepares a customer for an experience before it takes place. Eg. The Vodafone logo is a red open quotation mark on a white circle. As a telecommunication company, this style lets the customer know that conversations begin with them.
6.) Utilize recognizable imagery
Sometimes you might have the right colour and the right font but you don’t have something that makes people connect with what the brand does or what they represent. When thinking about what becomes part of logo designer work, researching how certain images connect with the names and products or services offered is necessary to build strong logo designer portfolios. Eg. This logo for Greenlabs utilizes a brain and a tree combined then it was placed above the name so that we see the imagery first then the name.
7.) Make a character
Certain brands need characters to communicate the kind of brand they are. We don’t see a shortage of jobs for logo designer in India happening anytime soon because historically, we have loved characters with our brands. Think about the Amul butter girl or the Air India Maharaja.
Both characters have endured and the style they were created in has been used to creatively communicate messages from their respective companies for many years now. It goes to show that making a strong mascot will ensure continuing projects for logo designers.
8.) Go literal with the design and try something new
A budding career for a logo designer might find itself growing by avoiding thinking out of the box… sometimes. Brands seek clarity and/or functionality to be expressed. For some brands, the way to go is to use symbols in your logo design that literally is the brand name. Eg. The Red Bull logo literally has red bulls running towards each other, Shell is an oil company that uses a red and yellow shell for their logo and Apple uses a bitten-into apple. See them for yourself below.
Image source for Shell and source for Apple logo
Now that you’ve seen our list, do you think you would be able to create a logo that would add serious value to a logo designer portfolio? If not, why not have a look at more inspiration and a few tips for logo designers on the buttons below.
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