First and foremost, before starting operation within a business entity, the logo becomes one of the most top priorities of business owners after creating its brand name. Probably due to the demand and significant impact of logo towards the company’s public perception make it more critical to any business holders. Undeniably, the emblem of a brand is the most vital branding investments of all businesses which are already in the market. It is because the logo serves as the face of the company towards its audience.
Mainly, the purpose of a logo is connected to the visual representation of you’re the company’s brand. In a simple sense, the logo design must be unique with high impact, eye-catchy, and draws attention and leaves impression towards purchasers. Once the company has effectively conveyed the message and image of the brand through the logo, it hints the logo that it is valid and efficient. Creating a logo is critical because there are things you need to consider to make your brand stand out. Further, design and presentation are the essentials in pursuing farther the endeavor of building a creative logo. With this, this article will give you an outlook of the possible design you may employ upon creating your business logo.
Outstanding Fonts
It is a crucial decision to pick the font you will use in your logo. Some businesses have chosen only the use of a typeface within their business logo just like for example the Charles and Keith, Forever21, Mark and Spencer, and the likes. Some also have used the combination of logo and a symbol, for instance, Starbucks, Nike, Adidas, Regatta, and other else. The chosen fonts within your logo speak more within your business brand.
Accordingly, the use of strong typography is the main tip in making an award-winning type logo design. It is because fonts work visually by themselves. The correct use of the power of typeface should sync towards the personality of your brand to foster coherence within your company. Whether you believe or not, the font you will use for your logo tells a story towards the audience already. Upon choosing the font style, refer first to the message and impression you wanted to receive upon the audience’s first glance towards your logo.
And it was researched, there are standard fonts which are used by business companies which were deemed outstanding within the brand’s logo. These are also commonly used by designers within their font collection to create impressive logos.
- Garamond: The font belongs to the family of old serifs typefaces. It is readable and elegant. The publication in Germany had rated this type of font as second best among all other fonts. The typeface includes the Adobe Garamond, Stempel Garamond, EB Garamond, Sabon Next and ITC Garamond.
- Helvetica: The Helvetica becomes the most used fonts in a variety of graphic designs. Many professionals have used this font because it looks formal. The font is style too tightly.
- Bodoni: The Bodoni type of font is best for headlines, logos, and decorative text. It is un-bracketed serifs and flat and has a fine underlying structure. There are both thin and thick strokes of this font. The font itself looks aesthetic because of its geometric construction. Example of the brand that uses this logo is Vogue.
- Didot: This font is a Didone and serif typeface. It came out with different versions. The font creates a lasting impression mainly when it used with high contrast colors. This type of font is quite a common one in the fashion industry. Just like for instance, in America’s Next Top Model logo.
Expressive Symbol
“The soul never thinks without an image.”
– Aristotle
In many cases, companies have chosen a representative image or icon that represents the totality of the business logo. Just like for example the logo of iPhones, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and other related logos. Fortunately, they have achieved the wordless corporate logos and thus, successfully delivered the message they wanted to convey in their audience. These logos already are noted and remarkable in the market. Other companies had produced their image that serves as their symbol, and also, there are some who have patterned it from an inspiration.
For the symbols or images which are initially produced by your company, there are certain things which were followed upon its process. Once a symbol is used for the logo, the clarity of the figure must be relevant to the story that needs to be told. If necessary, embed in the sign a touch of information, emotion, nuanced meaning, and history or story. In terms of the symbols which are patterned to inspiration or even metaphoric, the following may help you realize the appropriate icon you need to include in your business logo.
In figurative symbols, these may be helpful for you in deciding which is to pick as the appropriate one. Always do note that the chosen symbol is not due to its beautiful meaning but to the connection of your business message, purpose, and endeavor and your upcoming business logo.
- Owl: Upon creating a story specifically visual story, an image of an owl can be a representation of a person’s intelligence. Or, it can also be seen as a lesson to be learned.
- Cross: The cross is a symbol of healing and spirituality. It was also explained that the four points of the cross have historical representation: the self, wisdom, nature, and higher power.
- Circles: The circle embodies wholeness or a natural sense of completion. It signifies constant movement and eternity.
- Infinity Symbol: For some people, the meaning of the infinity symbol is a modern interpretation of everlasting love and eternity. However, within the ancient understanding of such, the symbol means perfection, empowerment, and duality.
Aside from symbolic symbols, there are also metaphoric symbols which are used by some companies. The making of this icon is a little bit tricky. However, if you delve into your customer’s wants which serves as your product, the brand name, and a symbol that connects these two, the logo can be packed tightly to one concept already. With this, it is 100% distinct, unique, and original already. Here are the examples:
- Musicjet: A logo in which the combination of microphone and jet are combined. Resulting in an image of the microphone as the head and body of the plane instead of the usual one.
- Marine Café: From the word “Marine,” the first symbol used is the anchor that signified marine. The edge of the anchor was changed into utensils in the kitchen. The left corner of the anchor is a fork, while the right side of the anchor is a spoon.
- Canadian Shopping: The symbol of Canadian is its maple leaf. The emblem of shopping is the shopping bag. Upon combining these two, the maple leaf that symbolizes Canada was used. And then the tips of the blade were clipped by a shopping holder.
Mystifying the meaning of a logo
The intention of hiding the meaning of the other parts within your logo is not to bluff your customers. It is mainly used for the mysterious element within your brand. Just as long as it is hidden, people may think it’s for nothing but design or art. However, whenever people knew the mysterious meaning of the design or any, just as long as it is within your logo, the brand becomes more mystifying in the sight of the customers which in return, it will give you a chance to show off unto them.
Do not worry about doing this within your logo; there are already famous logos that have used this technique to boost their marketing strategy as well as their image in the market. You may get an idea on these examples in coming up with an original way to keep a meaning within a visible logo. Take note that the goal is to go beyond what is visually seen in the logo.
- Amazon.com: In the Amazon logo, there is a yellow arrow in their logo that starts from the letter “a” and then points out to the end of the letter “z.” The gesture is giving a meaning that everything is sold in Amazon from a-z. Also, the arrow represents smiles. The arrowhead is styled like a dimple or smile line.
- Picasa: Picasa is an image organizer and editor of Google. This logo has an interesting hidden meaning. In the first glance of the logo, it looks like a camera shutter, simply as that. However, when you look at it closer, the negative space in the center of the shutter, there is a house which was formed to it already. It is because Picasa considered the “home” of the users’ photos. At the same time, Casa means home in Spanish.
- BMW’s logo colors: The BMW logo came from the Bavarian flag which is white and blue. It is the Rapp Motor Works’ logo was the logo is derived from. It is thought that the colors blue and white have something when closely looked at. Thus, it represents blades of a spinning propeller. It is due to their aviation history and the ad which they have created way back 1920s.
Complementing Colors
The brand’ logo may appear in black and white alone. However, there are some companies still that venture out in putting color towards their logo to have a better appearance towards the public audience. Part of the part that you need to consider is the color because it was shown already in other famous and notable logos that there are sharp impacts unto the people who have seen it.
Further, it was researched already that people tend to judge a person, environment, or product within their subconscious after an initial viewing of 90 seconds. And within this initial viewing, it is in between 62% up to 90% assessment of the color alone. That is how great color works. It is because colors speak for by themselves too. So, before selecting a color, find out how colors give an impact on the most prominent logo in the industry.
- Red Color: Red attracts attention and evokes strong emotions from customers. Although in universal, it was seen as a representation of romance, but in business, it increased heart rate and appetite, as well as a sense of urgency. Also, this is recommendable for companies which are a restaurant or any food establishment because it was proven to increase appetite and thus, a necessity. There are so many fast food companies who have used red color within their logo already. Examples are the McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, and many local brands.
- Blue Color: Blue is universally well-liked by men and women because of calmness. It is not attention-grabbing, but the meaning of the color stands for professionalism and logic. The color also creates a sense of trust and security in your company. It is not ideal for businesses that deals with food but, with furniture, appliances, and the likes may be applicable. The famous brands that have used this color that makes them notable in the industry are Subaru, Ford, Oral-B, Microsoft Word, Dell, GE, and more.
There are more colors to choose from, but these are the commonly used colors. Just do not settle for this because many colors are meaningful with its context.
Takeaway
The combination of these best designs on each part in making a logo had sustained the appearance of other brands in the market. Grabbing these ideas to take with you is not too much. The making of your logo never becomes successful once you only have settled for less.
As you create your own, remember that the logo will be your trademark to all other business which means, you need to consider on how you look once printed and enlarged to a larger scale or reduced to a smaller one in a papers, t-shirts, 3D Custom Metal Business Signage, Outdoor Signage, personalized pens, mugs, and the likes. Never take making a logo for granted because wherever the brand reaches, the logo is the face that appears visually first in the eye of the customer.
