- What Makes a Good Logo?
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The importance of a good logo cannot be overstated: it’s the clearest distillation of your brand, the ultimate ambassador of your business’ values. With the right logo, you can convey a startling amount of information and emotion in a fraction of a second. But what makes a good logo, and how do you create it?
The most important element of a logo is—by far—its simplicity. Even logos with complex illustrations or flowery text have gone through countless iterations in order to shave it down to its bare necessities. Part of what makes logos work in the first place is their instant accessibility, so you want to clear as much clutter as possible in order to make that connection as quickly as you can.
For example, take the famous Nike swoosh. It’s so simple, a child could draw it. Nonetheless, it sticks in our minds. (It’s important to clarify that this style of logo may not be as effective depending on your company.) What looks like a mere swoosh was undoubtedly the result of hours and hours of revisions, some so subtle they barely seem like they would matter at all. But the end result is effortless, so much so that Nike’s logo is often held up as one of the greatest of all time.
Typography and color go hand in hand. Both can drastically alter the tone of a logo, whether that be professional or quirky or sporty or anything else in between. Since most logos rely on symbols and text, color schemes and type can truly make or break what you’re trying to pitch with your logo. Want to grab people’s attention? Use a bright color like red or yellow. Want to show people that you’re sleek and professional? Use a simple, refined font. You can create infinite variations, all with different messaging, through these methods.
Speaking of variations, consider alternate iterations for your logo. What looks good on a white background may look horrendous on a black background, and vice versa; you may also need to have different versions to accommodate for constraints like size or proportions. If someone else is designing your logo, be sure to communicate this beforehand.
Finally, a logo should bring all of these elements together in one cohesive package. Good logos are able to strike deep into our subconscious and evoke all the feelings you want associated with your brand. Knowing your logo captures the essence of your business, don’t overlook the foundations of creating a good logo—simplicity, typography, and the just-the-right balance of brand colors—in a way that conjures up the desired emotion from your audience.
Feel free to send me an email and I will send you a free copy of my logo questionnaire that will help you think through your logo design.