INTRODUCTION

Looking at the logic it seems rather strange but for some reason we website owners, designers and entrepreneurs appear to be obsessed with our logos. Logos, it seems, are extremely important to us. They tell the world who were are and why people should do business with us. Logos are extremely personal. They make a statement about who were are and what we stand for. We seem to be somehow emotionally attached to them.

For website owners and designers the truth is that our time would be better spent focussing on matters to do with page layout and usability than on how nice our logo looks. However, in order to quench the desire to come up with the perfect logo we thought it might be helpful to offer some practical and useful advice.

Our assertion, in this free internet marketing tutorial, is that logo design (like web design) is something that should be approached in a logic and methodical manner. And by just observing a few key rules you should be able to easily come up with a fantastic logo for your business or website. Read on!

THE KEY INGREDIENTS FOR THE PERFECT LOGO

So, “What makes the perfect logo?”, I hear you ask. Well, we've came up with four key ingredients that your perfect logo ought to have. If your logo has all of four ingredients then we reckon you're onto a winner. It's quite a straightforward list but have a look around the net and you'll be alarmed at the amount of logos out there which do not have any of these very basic ingredients, which are as follows:

Key Ingredient 1: Simplicity

Your logo has got to be simple. There are practical reasons for this and psychological reasons too. If your logo is overcomplicated then you are going to run into big problems if your company expands and you need to have your logo appearing on a shop sign or billboard. You should make sure your logo has no more than three colours. There are exceptions to this rule (you're about to see one) but broadly speaking you should avoid using chrome, complicated patterns and anything which involves lots of detailed, intricate graphics.

Have you ever noticed that logos for massive, multi-national organisations are extremely simple? Consider the Olympics logo, the Microsoft logo and the BMW logo. Look at how simple they are!

Well, we've got news for you- the converse version of this rule is true! In other words, whilst simplicity tends to be associated with large successful companies, complicated logos on the other hand tend to send out the message that the company we're dealing with has not yet hit the big time ...and the owner has probably got his mate, Archie, to come up with the logo because he's got a GCSE in art and design.

Below is a perfect example of a logo which is far too complicated. Notice how it has lots of shading, chrome and a very detailed picture of a speedometer. Just image the problems that this company will run into if they ever try to have their logo embroidered onto some kind of work uniform. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

Cynics among you may observe that the Merc Logo and the BMW logo, as shown above, actually do use shading and subtle hues to create 3D somewhat complicated looking logos. But those effects are incidental. The essence of the Microsoft and BWM logos are simple, coloured shapes which can be easily reproduced on practically any medium.

 

Key Ingredient 2: Appropriate Colour(s)

Your logo has got to use colours which are appropriate for your line of business. Different colours send out different messages. The colour of your logo should not conflict with the nature of the business that you are in. So, if you own a security firm then pink would not be a good colour for your logo. It sounds obvious but you'd be surprised at the amount of people who get this wrong. Have a look at this logo:

The logo above belongs to a company which assembles computers. However, they have erroneously used brown and a somewhat dark orange. Those colours would be perfect for a timber merchants or a fast food restaurant, but in the hi-tech realm of computers and microchips colours like blue and purple would have been a much better choice.

Key Ingredient 3: Conveys the Essence of Your Business

Ok, so let's assume that you've seen the light and you've decided to come up with a logo that is really simple and you are ready to use appropriate colours. Well done! The next thing you need take on board is the idea that your logo should convey the essence of your business. In a nutshell, this means your logo should say something about the nature of your business and also something about the values that your business stands for.

So, that means that you should try to create something that is more than just a symbolic image of what you do. In other words, if you are a plumber then you could have a symbol of a tap. That's not a bad idea for a logo. However, if your unique selling point is that you respond to calls really quickly then an arrow might be a more appropriate image for you to have on your logo.

Have a look at the fantastic McDonalds logo. Not only have they came up with a logo that is easily recognisable (especially when it's being beamed across the city in the evening) but the McDonalds logo also uses a somewhat cartoon like font which reinforces the message that this is a place that is fun and child friendly.

Key Ingredient 4: Makes You Distinct from Your Competition

Our final ingredient for the perfect logo relates back to our second law about using appropriate colours. For instance, I've already said that blue would be a more appropriate colour for a company involved in computers than brown. But if there happens to be a very strong market leader who is already using blue then you should aim to use an alternative colour. In this case, that might mean using purple, yellow or red. Ultimately your competition should help you to decide.

So, what I'm saying here is that your logo should make you distinct from your competition. That means that the colours, fonts, symbols and images (if there are any) should send out a message that your business offers something that the others have missed or not delivered as well as you.

Here's an example of another disaster logo:

Notice also how the odd silver/chrome shape and font says nothing about the company at all. It's boring and unmemorable. Against the predominantly grey background the logo becomes a mushy grey mess. It doesn't tell us anything about the company's values or levels of service. It doesn't give us any hint whatsoever about what makes this company distinct from their competitors.

IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT SYMBOL

Isn't the Mercedes logo wonderful? The image of the three pointed star is easily reproduced. It looks great either on a car, a billboard or an item of clothing. A three year old could draw it! It also seems to convey signals of success and luxury. Wouldn't it be great if we could all have logos like this?:

The trouble of course, is that Mercedes was founded in 1881 – long before branding experts were invented! Sadly, most of the good shapes have already been used in one form or another. Your chances of coming up with an original logo which is as simple and distinct as the Mercedes logo is virtually zero. BT seemed to be aware of this when they came up with a new logo that is an assortment of obscure, colourful blobs. Hey, it might not look as good as the Mercedes logo but as least it's original!

FONTS SAVE THE DAY

So, you've spent ages trying to design the perfect logo. Maybe you've been up all night with Photoshop, trying to draw the perfect picture or symbol that somehow encapsulates everything that your company stands for. It's not easy is it?

Well, here's some good news for you. Your perfect logo doesn't have to be made up of an original picture, shape or symbol. In fact, lots of very successful companies out there get by with just a font. Yes, that's right – just a font.

Consider the ASDA logo. Just look how simple it is!

This logo is just green Arial Black (or some similar font). You would not have to be Leonardo Da Vinci to come up with a logo like this! And yet, in spite of its simplicity it contains all of our four key ingredients that we've discussed. Look at how the bold text conveys a message of trust and reliability. Consider how the green suggests nature, health, wholesomeness and perhaps even a strong association with the farmers who supply their stores. Also, the colour green is very different from the colours red and blue - which is used by their main competitor, Tesco.

It might seem like an overly dramatic claim and perhaps it might sound too good to be true. But sometimes a font alone, without any pictures or symbols at all, can be enough to make up the perfect logo. Perhaps you think the idea of just using a font is a boring cop out – some second best alternative to the wonderful Merc-type logo that you really wanted to have. Think again!

One of the best and most easily recognisable logos in the world is the Coca Cola logo. In essence it is little more than the word “Coca – Cola” in a particular font (the font style is called 'Loki Cola', if you're interested in searching for the font and downloading it onto your computer). But what a font! It seems to instantly tell us that this is a product that is fun, funky, hip, cool and everything that an aspiring Fonzy should aim to be! Notice how the red colour seems to symbolise excitement and energy. They've even sneaked in the word "Enjoy" to give us a strong positive (perhaps subliminal) association. It's brilliant!

Another example of a logo which uses a very distinctive font very well is the Fender logo. It's really just little more than a signature but it works very well indeed.

Once again, however, the point ought to be stressed that your logo font does not have to be as fancy or artistic as the Coca Cola or Fender fonts. You can easily take a very simple font and use colours and very simple visual elements to make up your perfect logo. Just look at the logos of these two very successful supermarkets:

Both logos use very simple fonts with nothing more than simple underlines delivery a little touch of artistic flare. Once again, you wouldn't have to be an artistic genius to come up with logos like this!

However, a key word of warning here is that your logo font has got to be appropriate for the business that you are in. So, if you own a bank (lucky you!) then you should avoid flowery, thin lettering. Instead you should use a font which is bold and strong (conveying reliability and security). If you sell perfume for a living then a flowery font might be perfect for you.

In summary, our proposition is that logo design is not some dark and mysterious art. Nor is it a skill which necessarily requires you to be a fantastic, naturally gifted artist. If you are trying to come up with the perfect logo for your business then our advice is to approach the challenge in a logical and sensible manner. Have a look at your competitors and think about what makes you distinct from them. Think about what the key values of your business are. If that's too difficult then just think about what your unique selling point is. If that's too much then just have a think about what you do. If you can come up with a unique symbol or image which encapsulates everything that you're trying to say then great - well done! But if you can't come up with a perfect symbol or picture then RELAX. Fonts are your friend and they're ready to save the day if it all gets a bit too stressful.

I'll end rather egotisically with an example of my own. Here is the logo that I use for my website maintenance business, Webupdaters:

As you can see, it's a very simple logo. We've only used two colours - black and orange. So that means that our logo will reproduce easily on just about any medium. The arrows are basically a redrawing of the refresh arrows on Internet Explorer, which represent a webpage being refreshed. However, we've used the colour orange to (firstly) make us distinct from our competitors and (secondly) to symbolise the idea that the service is based on a new, non traditional and somewhat unique concept (red and blue would have been a more obvious and traditional choice). The all important font that we used is Coolvetica, which can be easily downloaded free of charge. The font is meant to symbolise the idea that the business is modern and somewhat youthful in its' approach.

Hopefully you'll be in no doubt by now that you do not have to be an artistic genius to get this. It's easy! All that's required is the observation of a few simple rules and a little common sense. So, good luck with your logo design and stop trying to be so artistic!

-David Connelly

© copyright 2008 | web development by Rachael Wilson