Logo Design – Why is a good logo important for your business?
The logo is a symbol that represents your brand, and probably the most important part of your visual identity. As soon as you name your business, start with building the visual identity; and, in most cases, start with the logo which will be the first point of contact with your customers, and the first association with your brand later on.
A good logo will help you build brand recognition and can become the foundation of an effective marketing strategy. It can also communicate some vital information about your product or business to your client – the industry you exist in, the service you provide, your target demographic, and your brand values.
Table of Contents
Discovery phase —
The process of creating a quality logo for your business
Design brief & Research
We’ve already talked about our design process, but bear in mind that the logo design has its own characteristics.
As you are the ones who know your business and brand the best, we will need your help at the beginning.
We need information, and the best way to start is getting to know your brand. Your answers will help us get a better insight into your industry, target audience, business, and wishes for the message you want your brand to send.
If you need help to define or better understand what your brand needs to be, who is your best audience and how to best communicate your value to them, we can help you with a brand strategy session.
Research phase
Take some time to think, but be aware that this information is crucial for our work, and the sooner we get your response, the sooner we can start working to deliver the most efficient solution.
It is OK if you don’t have all the answers. We can help you reach them and get a better understanding of the direction your brand should take, depending on the landscape surrounding it.
This is some of the information we will need:
• What are your goals, and why?
• What product or service does your business offer?
• Who is your target audience, and who is your most ideal customer?
• Who are your competitors, and how do you differ from them?
• What was the idea behind the business name?
Another important thing is that you make sure to provide us with the exact name of your business. Let us know whether it’s title or sentence case, if it has a specific spelling, do you want some other text included in the logo; does it stay within the logo or should it be removable.
Sketching & Concepts
Once we gather all the info and inspiration, we can start creating a logo that will present the best image of your brand and business to your target audience. To achieve this, we will make sure that your future logo has several important characteristics.
We aim to create logos that are simple and memorable. A logo needs to stand the test of time, and we will make sure that it stays durable and effective for several decades.
An effective logo will be versatile and thus able to work across a variety of mediums and applications. And most importantly, it will be original and recognizable.
Our designers will create 2 or 3 different versions of the logo so that you can see different directions and styles, and finally choose the one that suits you the best.
And now some info that can help you decide on the best options for your brand.
Types of logos and choosing the best one for your business
Every logo consists of some basic elements – typography, graphics, and colors. Combining these elements gives different types of logos that are more or less suitable for different kinds of products and businesses.
Each type of logo gives a brand different feel, and if you are not sure which one is the best for you, here’s a little guide that can help you.
1. Monogram logos (or lettermarks)
Do you know what the Home Box Office is? No? What about HBO? It’s the same thing, only the company used just the initials to make a more straightforward and more memorable logo.
Monogram logos or lettermarks are logos that consist of letters, usually brand initials.
It is a good option for businesses with long and complicated names. However, if you are in the process of establishing your business and want to get your name out there, you might want to consider a combination logo, and use the full name combined with initials.
2. Wordmarks (or logotypes)
A wordmark or logotype is a font-based logo similar to a monogram, although instead of just initials it shows the full name of the company. Google, Visa, and Coca-Cola logos are a great example.
The wordmark logo is a good solution for businesses with distinct and memorable names. Right font choice can make a difference and make your name stick to customers’ minds.
3. Pictorial marks (or logo symbols)
A pictorial mark, brand mark, or logo symbol is an icon or graphics-based logo. This is probably the most common type of logo, and it is based on the graphic representation of the brand name, like Apple and Twitter.
This type of logo is suitable for rebranding for the companies or products with an established name. The image representing the brand needs to be so recognizable and instantly connected with the name, so it is best to use it for established businesses with strong brand recognition.
4. Abstract logo marks
This type of logo is a geometric shape that represents your brand through specific colors and forms. Adidas and Pepsi use this type of logo for their brand. With this type of logo, you get a one of a kind symbol of your brand.
Just like symbols, this type of logo is better used for established, well-known brands.
5. Mascots
A mascot is an illustrated character that represents your brand. These characters are often used as ambassadors for businesses. They are colorful and cartoonish, and most appealing to families and children. One con is that they don’t always look good on printed materials.
This type is good for businesses that want to encourage interaction with the brand, and it is an excellent tool for social media marketing.
6. The combination mark
This is the most versatile, and thus most often used type of logo. It consists of a combined wordmark or lettermark and a pictorial mark, abstract mark, or mascot. There are many options for combining and positioning these elements to create a recognizable logo. The combination of elements is useful since it helps your audience connect your brand name to the symbol or mascot. At some point, you will have a recognizable symbol to use without the words.
Some of the companies that use combination logos are Burger King and Lacoste. This logo is suitable for any type of business due to its versatility.
7. The emblem
An emblem logo consists of text inside a symbol or an icon. These are usually badges, seals, and crests. Emblems have a traditional feel, so they are often used for educational or government establishments. If they are made with more detail, they can be hard to replicate on promotional material.
Emblems are often used for food and beverage businesses, and one of the most familiar logos of this type is the Starbucks logo. It is very suitable for drink labels and coffee cups.
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If you are in the process of building your brand or rebranding, pay special attention to the logo design. It will be one symbol that will be most associated with your brand so you want it to be unique, original, and recognizable to your audience.
You can contact our team at any time and we will help you make the best decision and create the logo that will create the connection between your brand and your clients.
*Written by Marija Jamandilovski (UX and content writer)
