So you want to design a logo for your company or organization. If you have the resources, our first suggestion is to hire or hire a designer. Designing a logo may seem easy, but ask any good designer and he or she will tell you otherwise. The design process is unusual.
Also, you get what you pay for, and we want you to have the best.
But if you need to start building a personal identity for your product and hiring a designer is not an option for you, we are here to take you through it. We asked three designers with 25+ years of combined experience to share with us how they designed the logo.
What they say may surprise you.
Get your free toolkit
Want to unlock successful social media platforms in 2022? Check out these five resources designed to promote dynamic content, campaigns and customer care.
What is a logo?
This question is reminiscent of vivid images of the famous swoosh or bitten apple. After all, we all know what a logo is.
A logo is a mark or design used to identify a company or organization, as well as its products, services, employees, etc.
In its simplest form, the logo identifies it. It is the way your company is recognized and remembered among others. It also serves as the face of your business.
Your logo can be an opportunity to make a statement about your organization. Take the Amazon, for example. A smiley arrow indicates that the company sells everything from “A-Z” and represents how happy customers are when they shop with them.
Another caveat is that although the logo can convey a deeper meaning, it is not necessary. In fact, many companies that struggle to decide on a logo simply ask for more. All three of our designers have admitted that many people put too much stock in logos (intended with a nerdy design pun).
So keep in mind, the logo may play a significant role, but not everything.
Logo is not:
Your brand
This is a common confusion, but your logo is not your brand. And your product is not your logo. Your mark is unstoppable; your reputation — what people think of you when they hear your name, what they tell others about you, and how you make them feel. Your brand is made from thousands of contact points with your customers — not by logo.
Your identity is visible
When new companies or organizations ask for a brand, a good designer will say, “You don't just need a brand, you need a brand.” Logos are part of the image, but not everything. They are a single image within a large viewing system that combines your colors, typing, photography, visuals, layout, etc.
An indicator of success
Your logo will not make or break your business. Enron's logo was good, but the company's code of conduct was not. Two Men and a Truck is a multibillion-dollar company, and its trademark is a woodcut painting by the founders' mother of cloth. The best brand in the world cannot save a bad business, nor can the worst brand fail to keep an honest person.
Now that we have figured out what the logo can and cannot do, let's start the design process.
How to design a logo
Here are two things to keep in mind as we dive into:
The design has many strategies. Yes, you will need to create something tangible at some point. But the lion’s share of the work is strategic, especially in the beginning. Be prepared to do more thinking and decision-making than drawing.
You are not just designing a logo. Keep in mind that a brand is part of a larger visual system, and each of its pieces needs to be integrated.
To do this properly, you will need to work in stages. Although the whole design process seems different, the one we are going to cover has five stages:
Find out
Check
Design
Explain
Each category has its own purpose, process and presentation. We will explain why each step is important, the series of actions or steps you need to take, and the final delivery you are working on — which will be needed in the next section.
Step 1: Find yourself
Goal
The adoption category is the "question" category. Designers use this time to explore the context as much as possible to fully understand their company's company or organization, its values, business, product features, etc. This is also the time to ask the first design questions about the look and feel you want, all possible use cases and any special items you have or special requests.
For you, this will be a phase of self-discovery. Your goal is to have a solid understanding of who your company / organization is, what you believe in, what you want to achieve and how you want to get there. Remember, you are not just designing a logo. You shape the identity of the product.
Although you may think you know these things, I encourage you to keep writing your answers. My guess is that there are things you can't think of.
The process
Ask yourself:
Why do you want and / or need a new logo? What is the catalyst for this project?
What is the meaning / story of your company name?
Who is your target audience?
Who are your biggest rivals?
What are your goals for this new logo? How will “success” be measured?
Who are your “role models” of type 3-5? Who do you like with your looks?
What do you want people to hear when they see your sign?
What prices do you want your product to display?
What are the unique characteristics of your product?
Example: Is your brand refined, curious, nostalgic, healthy, etc.
You must be logged in to post a comment.