What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say the word coffee?
I am sure, the love-bomb of Dalgona Coffee fills your senses with utmost pleasure.
To be very honest, it’s yet another coffee. But one thing that sets it apart is its texture.
I see people keep talking about it all the time. Do you know that branding does the same job for your business?
When you do it correctly, you give people something to talk about. And anything that becomes the talk of the town wins the game.
Do your branding the right way, and you will readily have the edge over your rivals, having a direct impact on the profitability.
In the recipe for branding, the logo is a paramount ingredient. It serves as the first impression as it grabs the first seconds of the attention of a customer to instill an image in his mind about the brand.
According to research conducted by the University of Minnesota, the human brain prefers visuals over text. It processes images better and almost 60000 times faster than words.
What Qualities Make A Logo Outstanding?
Let’s have a quick memory test here:
Can you recognize this brand after seeing its logo?
I am sure 99% of you must have recognized “Coca-Cola.”
Doubtlessly, it falls in the zone of memorable logos. I have cut it into half, but you recognized it without any trouble.
This is the exact purpose a logo serves:
- It is memorable enough
- People recognize it even if they are not shown the complete logo.
Let’s talk about this one…
Some of you must be guilty of taking a mirror selfie just to show the logo. (Wink: I have done that too.)
You see it, and the first word that comes out of your mouth is “iPhone.” How amazingly, this logo has set Apple apart.
Now people take pride in buying it as a status symbol. (The apple logo behind your iPhone and Macbook can be seen clearly by everyone, and people might admire you or feel envious for that, right?)
So, are you planning to have a logo for your business? As per the reports of 99designs, Over 50% of small businesses create their own logos.
The majority of small companies are designing DIY logos due to fewer resources. Thankfully, many capable logo design companies are still offering competent work at minimal rates. They have made it possible for small companies to acquire a first-class yet affordable logo design.
Read on to know the essential attributes a logo must have and then plan your logo according to them.
Adaptable Design
While designing a logo, you need to ensure its versatility.
Remember 3 things here:
- It won’t be used only in one corner of your website.
- It will be used in your apps, social media handles, and ads.
- In addition to it, it will be printed on your business cards, products, brochures, and any merchandise.
Keeping the broad usage in mind, make sure that the logo is adaptable to various sizes and shapes. It is a challenge for the logo designer to make the logo look equally good in all sizes and on a variety of materials.
Simple and clear
Design a highly attractive logo, but do not fall into the trap of over-complicated ones for the sake of looking unique.
The last thing you want to do to your customer is to shoo him away by creating a puzzle for him in the form of your logo.
Instead, go for a simple, straightforward design that will interpret your business model in some way or the other.
For instance, Best Buy has assimilated a yellow tag in its logo, which immediately lets everyone knows it is a shopping platform.
If you want your customers to recognize your brand in a short period, make a clear, simple logo so that they can remember it easily.
Simplicity in the design also assists adaptability and portrays the brand as approachable. Avoid cheap, complicated shapes and patterns at all costs(a big no to clip art, for heaven’s sake!)
Keep the color choices to a minimum while branding your business. Use only one or two colors in your logo. It helps the onlookers to comprehend your brand much easily.
According to Imeetcentral, 5% of the top 100 brands use only one or two colors in their logo.
Relevant to the core ideology of the business
Relevancy brings the wow factor in a logo. If a logo smartly depicts the business idea, it will definitely impress the onlooker.
David Craib rightly says that design should never say ‘look at me,’ it should always say ‘look at this.’
Your logo should either give a hint of your service, or it should portray a symbol that matches the ideology of your business.
The Starbucks logo shows the siren, which depicts that their beverage is just as inviting, sweet, and captivating as the famous mythological creature.
Effectual and memorable
Do you know that your brain has a habit of joining the dots?
Just like it gives names and meanings to several experiences we encounter in life, it fills the missing pieces of the puzzle when it sees a picture. Designers often play with the gestalt principle, known as “closure,” to create remarkable logos.
Aim for crafting a logo that stirs the customer’s thoughts (positively). In the cutthroat competition, be playful and come up with something that gets etched in the mind of your consumer.
Who doesn’t remember the panda that features on the World Wildlife Fund’s logo? It is an endangered animal that immediately brings our attention to the cause behind WWF.
If you look closely, you will see that the picture is incomplete, yet you don’t face any difficulty in recognizing the animal. This is because your brain is good at solving the missing pieces of the puzzle.
When you are to craft a logo, try “closure,” perhaps it will do wonders for your brand.
Everlasting
Logos should be timeless. They should go on to represent a company in every era. Sometimes, certain logos become synonymous with a brand like the classic three-pointed star in a circle that represents Mercedes-Benz since 1909!
Talking about being timeless, it is best to refrain from adding a trending element to your logo that may seem outdated a few years later.
Distinctive from competitors
While creating a brand identity, one should conduct thorough research on competitors’ logos.
You must avoid any similarity that may be perceived as copying. Being distinct will work a long way for your brand’s recognition.
Using the same shape, color, or even font as your competitor is a cheap tactic to camouflage the consumer and deceiving him into buying from you. Nothing can arm your brand identity more than this illogical mistake, even if it is done unintentionally, so be careful.
Associates with the target audience
A logo that is created, keeping the target audience in mind, can attract way more customers than an ad.
“People ignore designs that ignore people.”
Frank Chimero
Not saying that you need to have an obvious logo that shows your product, but it should appeal to the target customers. Refer to the logo of Toys R Us, which is designed in vibrant colors and catchy font so that kids can get attracted to it.
Parting Thoughts
While creating a logo for a business, keep asking yourself whether it is appropriate, and represents the company well or not.
As concluded by the Business Design Survey, about 80% of small businesses consider designing a vital element to their success.
An impactful logo will assist the customers in building a connection with your business. They will be able to rely on your products and services once the faith factor develops via visual branding.
