- 1. An effective logo is a reflection of the business it symbolises. It will certainly not ‘make’ a company, but plays a vital role for building an emotional connection with the viewer.
- 2. The logo should be clear and simple yet full of substance and significance. It may not immediately spell out what the company does, but should make absolute sense.
The logo that smiles from A to Z, revealing the personality of the worlds biggest online retailer.
An arrow between the E and x suggests speed and promptness. Subliminal for some, obvious for others the company has major kudos with designers.
- 3. As subjective as aesthetic appeal may be, solid design principles must be adhered to. There is such a thing as bad design, and bad grammar for that matter (apologies).
- 4. Timelessness (something that stands the test of time), staying with the company as it grows. Relying on trends, or what’s ‘cool’ will result in a logo that looks dated and most likely need replacing soon after.
Rob Janoff's iconic logo shape remains unchanged, an apple with a 'byte' taken out of the right side.
- 5. Meticulous research. The company, it’s industry, competition and of course the audience all need to be explored so that the end product is soundly designed.
- 6. Uniqueness that will keep the mark distinct and memorable. Instant recognition is, in the end, the holy grail. Lets not get lost in the crowd.
In 1972 Paul Rand designed what is now one of the most recognised logotypes. Horizontal stripes are used to suggest speed and dynamism.
The peacock was first introduced to indicate Technicolor and was later refined by Chermayeff & Geismar.
- 7. Ability to adapt; screen, print, light, dark, multicolour, monochrome, large and small the logo must perform under any condition.
There is no magic formula, nor one methodology. Original logo creation is not an easy task, especially when so many ideas have already been exhausted. Through experimentation and perseverance come flashes of insight. Above are some of my beliefs, motivations and strategies.