A great logo design should be able to sell the product within 3 seconds. In order to do that it will need to have some very basic strategies that the graphic designer must follow to distinguish it as a professional logo from an amateur one. The five main qualities that a great logo designs would have needs to be: – simplicity, memorability, timelessness, versatility and appropriateness. By looking at these various qualities and explaining in a little more detail with some examples we can see how the features of a great logo design improve the quality.
1. Simplicity
The logo needs to be absorbed by the average brain within 3 seconds so it is vital that its content is uncomplicated but ‘hits’ the concept immediately. It must be eye-catching, with appropriate lines and colors and an easy association must be made to the company. If the customer has to work at the logo to understand it they are much more likely to give up and move on to another competitor. It must be easy to remember so that links can be made with good service, quality later on. An example of this would be the London Transport underground symbol. It is a round red circle with a red line going through it with London Transport in white. This symbol can be seen at fast speed as you pass through the stations on the underground with the name of the station and is instantly recognized by Londoners and visitors alike.
2. Memorability
The logo needs to be retained in the brain so that it can be instantly recalled at a later date. This can be achieved by originality, and with clean and clear lines that are distinctive and unique to that particular business. An example of a particularly memorable logo would be the ‘I love New York’ symbol: very simple very straightforward in its messaging, distinct and clear. The entire message is in red creating an illusion of an exciting and passionate place, throbbing with the life force of a big city. The throbbing is further created by the use of a heart symbol also in red which underlines the whole meaning of the message.
3. Timeless
The importance of the great logo design is that it must leave the trends to those of the fashion industry and look for a design that is enduring through time, which can be versatile through the ages and adapt to the moving of the seasons. A brilliant example of this is the difference between the Coca Cola logo and the Pepsi Cola logo. The Coca Cola logo originated in 1865 and still remains the same today. It is a red elaborate slanting font; the red color again creates the illusion of an exciting drink that is forward thinking and progressive, even though it is the same brand from all those years ago. The idea is enduring. However, the Pepsi-Cola logo, whilst still a very similar drink in the same industry has changed its logo eleven times to keep up with the times. One of the reasons is the colour blue. Blue associated with food and drink puts people off. Try adding blue dye to your food and you can guarantee you will not finish your meal.
4. Versatile
The flexibility in the design logo is important and can distinguish the differences between the logo an amateur logo designer versus that of a professional designer will offer you. The logo must be able to be at ease through all marketing formats for example on a business card through to the side of a lorry. An amateur can produce logos but they will often use cheaper methods which will produce a logo that gives jagged edges when made larger. A professional will know that good logos need to be in vector form to enable this versatility.
5. Appropriate
The logo design must be completely appropriate to the message that the business is trying to convey. For example, the Toys R Us logo is entirely appropriate for a children’s toy shop. It has bright, lively colours. The letters and uneven and as such create the illusion of building bricks – one of the first toys that children will start to learn. The reversed R creates the room for development – the partial literacy.
However, if a similar approach had been put to, say, a solicitor’s firm the firm would not be in business for long. No-one is going to go to a firm to discuss important decisions like writing a will if the logo is in multi-colours, and shows lack of literacy! A solicitor’s firm would have to have a basic sombre logo, most probably with the colour brown as its base, indicating dependability.
With these key elements a good logo can go to a great logo and achieve the purpose for which it is intended.
