Often when designing a logo, designers and clients often focus on what their logo should be. In this article, I focus on the exact opposite: What a logo does not have to be or do. A logo does NOT have to…
…be overly complicated
Often times when designing a logo we tend to think too hard and incorporate as much as possible into a logo, thus over complicating it. Instead, try simplifying the logo — yes, sometimes less is more! Here’s what a non-overly complicated logo can provide your business:
» Flexibility: your logo will be easier to read and interpreted at various sizes, especially when scaled down to smaller sizes.
» Recognizable: the more elements your logo has the more the brain has to remember various elements that make it the face of your business, in turn making it less…
» Memorable: overly complicated logos tend to be less memorable. Think about some of the most successful logos: Nike, Apple, McDonalds… I bet I could give you a pencil and paper and regardless if you are a great artist you could reproduce them.
…be accompanied by a mark or symbol.
Often when many of us think of a logo, we often think of a symbol or mark, but this isn’t necessary for every logo. Try using a quality typeface or designing your own custom type from scratch.
Examples of successful companies with text only logos:
» Netflix
» Sony
» Johnson & Johnson
» Philips
» UrbanOutfitters
…have a tagline.
Sure it’s great to have a company tagline or slogan, but it’s typically best to leave it off the logo. Lengthy taglines typically require really small type to fit within reason of the logo size, making it illegible, while other times can make your logo appear cluttered and stuffed.
…be HUGE!
When designing any material that includes your logo, your logo does not have to be huge. When’s the last time you read an advertisement and decided to go with that companies product because they had a big ol’ logo that stood out more than anything else on the page?
If your brand message is intriguing enough a prospect will look for and acknowledge the logo that represents your brand. Here’s a funny (and very true) video for your viewing pleasure: Make My Logo Bigger Cream
…be neon colored.
Sure we all want our logos to be memorable and recognizable, but neon colors are not the answer! Effective and memorable logos are well executed and appropriate to your company’s message and brand. Use color to provoke feeling, not just to attract attention.
…the same.
As a logo designer, you’d be surprised by how many clients approach me with their competitors logo and ask me for “something similar.” I usually follow up with the question, “Why? Why would you want to look like something/someone you are trying to compete against? Why would you want a potential customer to mistaken you for another company?”
The goal of a logo should be to differentiate, stand out, and represent your business.
…follow trends.
When you think of trends typically the first thing that comes to mind is clothing and the fashion industry. Ask yourself this: What do you do with clothes that go out of style? You either throw them away or toss them far into your closet to never been seen or worn again.
A good logo isn’t cheap, so why would you want to reinvest your money into it next year? Good logos are timeless and should grow with your company.
…tell the entire story.
A logo is only the beginning for setting the tone for your brand. Your logo does not need to say exactly what your company does. Does Apple use computers in their logo? Does McDonald’s display cheeseburgers?
Recently I came across a great article on Brand Logic discussing content playing an important role in branding: “A symbol requires carefully constructed context for it to convey its intended meaning. Likewise, when seen under differing contextual circumstances, the same symbol can mean different things.” [Read the rest of the article] Another great resource on this topic is the book, Branding Gap.
If you have any questions, concerns or advice please share in the comments below.
Great post here, Brian. The biggest mistake that new designers make is over-complicating a design.
Your readers might also enjoy “22 Logo design mistakes you might be guilty of”
Cheers!
Amen about being accompanied by a mark.. some really good brands don’t have a “symbol”
Catchy!… Here is when we combine psychology with visual art concepts. Macdonald’s don’t have yellow and red for no reason.
Yellow= Hungry, Red= Fast!
Great read, thanks for posting!
Awesome post…
So true! Your post even follows the same rules … simple and to the point.
Great post. Clients asking to “Make my logo bigger” will be with us forever I fear.
Great post,,,I’m still trying to learn all I can after 30yrs in business,, and you have hit it on the head.
Sometimes ” Less is More “
Awww, all logos should be neon-colored. If it worked for Google…
Lol, great article.
Great write up. I especially like logos that are text-only, like Netflix, Sony and Microsoft.
Sometimes it is important to establish what a company does (if you can’t tell just by looking at the logo). In such cases a tag line can go a long way.
-dp
Very nice and useful post. Thanks Brian!
Good advice. It never really dawned on me that the most successful companies have the simplest logos and the logos have nothing to do with what they do. It just has to stand out…
Brilliant post.
We just have to articulate these points across to our stubborn clients who want needlessly complex logos, which can sometimes be the main challenge.
Here’s the thing - even if you have a brand new company trying to establish themselves, a logo is only part of the mix. You would never place an ad with just a logo and a web site and expect people to know what your company does. All elements of your marketing have to tell the story and do the sell. A lot of my clients don’t see that and want a logo to do everything - bless ‘em. That’s what we need to do as designers tho - show them the way
Yeah yeah its always easy to tell people what shouldnt be done as compared to what should be
And yet… the Coca Cola logo breaks most of these rules, and still manages to remain one of the most iconic logos ever.
So true!
Great article, just keeping it simple is always the best way.
Interesting but you write about these obvious logos outside of historical context. Some logos for short term strategies/campaign/ltd edition products have to be opulent, tell the whole story and above all follow trends. There are millions of articles about top 10 mistakes in logo design, do and don’ts of logo design etc and all of them are trying to make a logo design process standardized, as if it was making a sandwich. Context is the king. Read Gombrich and other useful information on perception, then do research and read RTFB - that is your recipe for visual communication, which logo is part of.
Great post, especially like the …be overly complicated bit, flexibility is key especially for global companies.
Great Post. True and very helpful, thanks for that.
More “Examples of successful companies with text only logos” :
-Google
-facebook
-twitter
@Bl0ke:
What are you talking about? The Coke logo breaks none of these rules.
though i agree 100% on everything that’s been said, you do know how much the nike logo cost right?
Sometime you want to simplify things and you advise the best you can, what do you do when the client is adamant on having their way? And you just become a monkey.
After all, they are paying the bills.
Yup, no doubt about it dude, it doesnt have to be crazy, just catchy!
RT
http://www.ultimate-privacy.cz.tc
I love the final pointer about ‘telling the entire story’ - I think it is easy to forget this or try something completely abstract but memorable.
I think remembering that the logo is just one part of the whole branding campaign as well; other elements can help influence or back-up the logo.
Great Article hitting some really good points, and also linking to some other great stuff as well.
Thank you,
Great writeup.
I would also like to add that a logo doesn’t have to be in vector. (j/k)
Thanks for this wonderful article!
I agree with what Cameron said - a logo is only one component of the branding strategy. Therefore, it’s unreasonable to try to communicate everything about your brand through the logo alone. Keep it simple, unique and memorable. Great post
-Rob
Clients often confuse a logo with an illustration and expect it to tell a complete visual story. Clearly, we as designers cannot tell an entire story with a simple logo. It’s an absurd presumption on the client’s part. A logo, by its very nature, has no inherent meaning. We imbue it with significance through use and placement. Think of the Apple logo. Nothing about it tells us anything that Apple is in the business of personal computers, but we know what the symbol represents. Like the Nike swoosh, these are all part of our cultural subconscious. That and the fact that these companies spend millions on advertising to build brand awareness is what makes logos stick. Does it have to be a brilliant piece of design? Nope (see Netflix logo). It just has to reach the desired audience.
My favorite logos are ones that are just pure text. They are easily scalable and can be printed on any medium and will look good.
Great read - thanks for the link to the book as well, I’ll be picking up ‘Brand Gap’ next week. Keep up the good work.
Good post, I think that the point about making things over complicated or trying to pack everything into a logo that the client has listed in the brief is a common mistake. Simplicity is key!
This is a great article and I love the way you organized it. I tried designing a logo for this start up that wanted so much in the logo that it over powered it. Wish I would’ve just sent them this article to explain to them why that was such a bad idea.
Really good post. Each scenario surely requires management of different trade - offs. Trying to integrate everything from the brief can be more destructive than constructive, but it can also be explorative. By exploring different core themes or contexts for a logo, the client can more easily accept or reject reasons to go forward, or not go forward with a certain route.
The client’s constraints often lead to creativity but so does helping them to escape the way they are thinking about communicating or building a brand.
At the same time, I agree with most comments here - that simplicity is key and the context within which the logo is placed is probably more important…
KISS
The Apple example is great - but there can be only one Apple.
This article comes at the right time, especially for our lead designer as we are in the process of working out our new brand, and I am keen to communicate our core services, and the areas they impact all in the logo - whilst also keeping it simple and memorable. Notably, FEDEX hide the only core meaning in the hidden arrow, but focussed on reatining continuity with the old logo. Another example that nothing needs to be said explicitly for the sake of it, but it can be fun trying.
deutsche bank logo representing sustained growth logo is great, and an example of a mark that ever so simply communicates a core context. Right? Just found this:
http://www.db.com/en/downloads/Logo_History.pdf
PS - Really liked your process of putting the design cubicle logo together. Hope to communicate our processes more effectively on launch. Thanks!
Here is an extract from the pdf above:
In July 1972, eight notable graphic artists were commissioned
to create a new logo for Deutsche Bank.
This logo should be able to unmistakably represent
the company.
From a choice of several
brand designs, Deutsche
Bank decided upon a symbol
created by the now deceased
painter and graphic artist
from Stuttgart, Anton
Stankowski; the “slash in a square” as the construction
was described.
The Logo fulfils all aspects of the quality criteria required
for a good brand:
With a simple yet striking form, the symbol has a
high attention-provoking and recognition value.
The logo supports the identity of Deutsche Bank:
– the “slash” stands for consistent growth and
dynamic development
– the square-shaped frame can be interpreted as
a sign of security and a controlled environment.
In summary, the logo square stands for consistent
growth in a secured environment.
It is striking and unmistakable as well as
timeless and thus free of any fashionable accent.
It can be applied almost without restrictions
and can be implemented in all media.
The logo can be clearly recognised when
reduced in size and at great distances.
The combination of the company name Deutsche
Bank and the square-shaped company logo as a
whole constitute since 1974 the Deutsche Bank brand.
The proportions of each element are strictly defined.
Can’t agree more. Look at all of the most recognizable companies and what do they all have in common…a clean, simple logo. It’s like nails scratching a chalkboard when I see start-ups with overly colorful and busy logo! I guess that’s what happens when your deep in the logo design realm
Great read thanks for sharing!
Amen. But, you’re preaching to the choir. (I hope all the clients out there are listening)
Very true great article!
I agree, simple is more but sometimes a company calls for an unconventional design. Look at the “Lever” company logo, very complex…
Some useful tips there on what not to do when designing a logo. We as designers know the right things to do but its normally our clients that want the overly complex, neon coloured, comic sans font logo. The struggle is convincing the client on the reasons why things are done a certain way and explaining the advantages behind them.
Justin - Big Click Studios
I agree with poster above… “…the fact that these companies spend millions on advertising to build brand awareness is what makes logos stick.” …and add, millions of dollars every year for decades on end… without this time and money your “iconic” logo will just be a squiggly thing. McDonalds can use the arches, and Nike can use the swoosh because they paid dearly for you to recognize their logos. So…
Your Client’s Logo = Squggly Thing.
Your Client’s Logo + $$$$$$$$$ + many years = iconic logo
Great article, as usual!
great article and advice. keep the tutorials coming.
Hi
This brings in such a wonderful fresh perspective. One could apply it anywhere - like writing. It’s like considering the “negative words” in a google search. It’s so important to look at “problems” from different angles. I suppose that is creativity.
Less is more as they say - you don’t have include everything on the list or check all of the boxes.
Juliet
I like this point of view.. In the end, it is easier said than done. Designers are a lot of time forced into convincing their customers of its simplicity. Good designers (or account managers) are able to, of course..
Nevertheless, great article and it is nice to think the other way around
There’s another rule.
Logos must be designed to read well on their intended display media.
One of our clients has a veritable zoo of logos, all of which trample on one or more of your precepts. Furthermore, they are designed for print, at a minimum resolution of 100 DPI. Guess what they look like shrunken down to fit in a 120×600 banner ad.
I have repeatedly pointed this out, but the idea of designing logos in *weights*, as one would for fonts, is apparently too esoteric for the marketing execs who decide these things.
I would ad:
“A Logo Does Not Have to be Overly Engineered”
Understandably logos and branding materials receive a great deal of attention and thought. But frankly I think that they should not be overly engineered. Granted, I work with a law firm and law firms rarely use logos or are creative, but I have seen many instances where analysis has caused paralysis.