Your logo is the face of your company. It's the symbol by which you are recognized. Therefore, the logo should be well thought out to fulfill its purpose optimally. Nowadays, logo design is a science of its own - rules have been devised that should not be disregarded. These rules are not just pulled out of thin air; they have been thoroughly tested, and their significance has been proven.
What are these golden rules of logodesign?
Simplicity - the rule to rule them all
Rule number 1 to follow is simplicity. All other rules are built on this foundation. But why is simplicity so important? Creating something unique becomes much more challenging with simple designs.
Simplicity is crucial because it is focused; it catches the eye and stays in the memory. A simple logo is understandable and a simple logo remains fresh over time.
Perhaps you've heard people complain that company logos are becoming increasingly minimalist and simpler over time, losing their character.
The problem arises from the fact that people are creatures of habit, and embracing changes can be challenging. However, companies must fit to an environment that is moving towards minimalism.
Imagine if Apple used their first logo on their products today...
Memorability
A good logo should be memorable because you want people to form associations about who you are, what you offer and what you stand for, just by seeing the logo. This rule heavily relies on the simplicity rule, as simple shapes are easier to remember.
How do you test if a logo is memorable enough? Show your logo to someone for about 3 seconds and then ask them to draw it from memory on paper. Don't evaluate their drawing skills; instead, see if the ideas of the logo stayed with them and are understandable.
Timlessness
A logo should endure for as long as possible. As mentioned earlier, people can be resistant to changes, so updating a logo should be postponed as far into the future as possible. How to achieve this? While it's true that times and tastes change, through simplicity, it's possible to create a result that withstands changes in trends quite well.
Furthermore, these fleeting trends - they should be avoided. In the grand scheme, they erode your uniqueness, and once the trend is over, you're already behind the times.
Versatility
A good logo must be versatile. This means the logo should work well in all environments - it should fit on giant outdoor screens, and it should work when printed on a pen.
Additionally, it should also work in black and white. That's why designers often start logo design without any color (more about it in a later article).
Uniqueness
A good logo stays as far away from trends as possible and instead carves its own niche and style. It leverages brand concepts and ideas to its advantage. A good logo doesn't rely on overused icons to convey its message but takes it a step or two further.
Imagine if the Nike logo were something like this:
Relevancy
A good logo is not just a random symbol or a nicely written company name. A good logo embodies the values and essence of the company in a symbolic form. If there's a gap between the logo and the company's activities, we have a problem.
I doubt that anyone would ever associate baby food with a logo like that.
Fit
Just as you wouldn't pair a suit jacket with sweatpants, you shouldn't combine a logo with materials that don't complement it. Whether it's a business card or promotional material, logo design should draw inspiration from the existing brand and, if necessary, you must enhance it. You can learn more about brand design in my brand design article because it's a science of its own.
And thats it
The rules themselves are simple and logical, but implementing them can be quite challenging. If you feel that you may need assistance, Arter is always ready to help. Feel free to contact us!