How to Design a Company Logo
Consider why the company needs a logo., Identify the company's values., Look at their history., Consider their colors., Factor in the budget., Write down your key words., Find objects representing your key words., Focus on the company’s "why"., Take...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider why the company needs a logo.
To get recognition? Memorability? Trust? Admiration? -
Step 2: Identify the company's values.
You need to understand the company’s brand to create a logo that will represent it. What emotions do you wish the customers to feel? What impression do you want them to have? What is the company story? You need to understand why the company does what it does and why people should care., Do the company has previous logos? If yes, looking at its current and former logos will tell you about its design style., Do the company have a color universe? If so, the choices have probably been made for a reason and you should reflect them in your logo.
Still, colors have a meaning in your customer’s mind and if you realize that another color can be added or that the company made a mistake, changing them is an option you can consider., Sometimes a company won’t be able to afford colors for printing costs.
Yet, a company’s logo is probably the first thing its customer will see so you don’t want it to look cheap., Jot down the company values, its slogan, what it makes you think about… Words can lead to logical ideas. , One way to figure out the company's brand identity is to create a mood-board.
For instance, a startup can be represented by a rocket or a unicorn, HR by people or a magnifying glass…, Decide what you want the company to tell the customers.
Decide what you want people to think when they see the logo., It will tell you what the design trends in the field are, and you can find inspiration from it.
Don’t forget that your goal is to make the company stand out from the competition.
Get inspiration from logos and designs but don’t copy them.
The human mind is powerful beyond measure.
Use your own creativity. ,, Our subconscious minds respond in different ways to different shapes.
Straight lines, curves and jagged edges all imply different meanings.
Circles, ovals and ellipses convey a positive emotional message.
Using a circle in a logo can suggest community, friendship, love, relationships and unity.
Rings have an implication of marriage and partnership, suggesting stability and endurance.
Curves of any sort tend to be viewed as feminine in nature.
Squares and triangles: straight edged logo shapes such as squares and triangles suggest stability in more practical terms and can also be used to imply balance,.
Straight lines and precise logo shapes also impart strength, professionalism and efficiency.
It has also been suggested that triangles have a good association with power, science, religion and law.
These tend to be viewed as masculine attributes, so it’s no coincidence that triangles feature more prominently in the logos of companies whose products have a masculine bias.
Vertical lines and horizontal lines: our subconscious minds associate vertical lines with masculinity, strength and aggression, while horizontal lines suggest community, tranquility and calm.
The implications of shapes also extend to the typeface chosen, jagged, angular typefaces may appear as aggressive or dynamic, on the other hand, soft and rounded letters give youthful appeal. , Just like shapes or fonts, different colors can reinforce your logo's message.
Each color has its own set of associated moods.
84.7% of consumers cite colors as their main reason for buying a particular product and 80% think colors increase brand recognition.Simplify your colors.
Some mediums only allow for two colors, and so should you in most cases.
You should also check how your logo look in black and white.
Some of the color associations are:
Red: energy, love, exciting, action, bold, passionate.
Blue: secure, calm, honest, strong, caring, trustworthy.
Yellow: logical, playful, optimistic, forward thinking, confident.
Orange: happy, sociable, friendly, affordable.
Purple: imaginative, creative, nostalgic.
Green: growth, organic, natural, caring, fresh, earth.
Multi-color: multi-channel, positive, playful, bold, boundless.
Black: sophistication, luxury, seductive, formal, authority. , Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are most commonly used, but you can also use Inkscape for free., You want the company to stand out from its competition.
Be imaginative.
Be creative. Logos can communicate something else than what a company does.
Nike’s logo is not a shoe, but it represents the will of the company to get things done.
Keep it simple. A logo needs to be easy for the company’s customers to understand and pleasant for the eye. , Your need to let your mind think and most often your first logo won’t be your favorite.
Most companies will probably ask you for at least 3 different versions anyway, so that they can choose what they like most. , Inspire people.
Be attractive and meaningful.
Create an aura around the company’s name.
Think about people’s emotional response. What do you want the company’s customers to feel when they see its logo? , You put trust in them.
Use it.
Yet, don’t rely only on them., Try to find potential customers and show them your designs.
Ask them questions about the key words you came up with from your brainstorm. , Be cautious with details.
You want everything to be perfect., You can use Illustrator to do it.
Otherwise, try an online image vectorizer.
Make sure that the design is scalable. Try it in different image size.
Some details might be lost in small sizes. , They have to make sure no one will use their logo.
It represents the company and its values, and the way to protect it is to apply for a governmental trademark.
It can cost over 250 euros (over $300)., If the company gets back to you with suggestions from its customers and ask you for a new contract.
If you accept the deal, press the customers for details. -
Step 3: Look at their history.
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Step 4: Consider their colors.
-
Step 5: Factor in the budget.
-
Step 6: Write down your key words.
-
Step 7: Find objects representing your key words.
-
Step 8: Focus on the company’s "why".
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Step 9: Take a look at the logos of other companies in the company’s industry.
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Step 10: Decide on a logo type: Font-based
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Step 11: illustrative
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Step 12: or abstract.
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Step 13: Think about what shapes to use.
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Step 14: Think about what colors to use.
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Step 15: Learn a graphic design program.
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Step 16: Find a unique selling proposition.
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Step 17: Make at least 3 logos.
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Step 18: Make your logos memorable.
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Step 19: Show the design to your friends and family.
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Step 20: Get feedback from people in your target market.
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Step 21: Consider the feedback you gathered
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Step 22: and incorporate it.
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Step 23: Vectorize the design.
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Step 24: Tell the company to trademark its logo.
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Step 25: Keep listening.
Detailed Guide
To get recognition? Memorability? Trust? Admiration?
You need to understand the company’s brand to create a logo that will represent it. What emotions do you wish the customers to feel? What impression do you want them to have? What is the company story? You need to understand why the company does what it does and why people should care., Do the company has previous logos? If yes, looking at its current and former logos will tell you about its design style., Do the company have a color universe? If so, the choices have probably been made for a reason and you should reflect them in your logo.
Still, colors have a meaning in your customer’s mind and if you realize that another color can be added or that the company made a mistake, changing them is an option you can consider., Sometimes a company won’t be able to afford colors for printing costs.
Yet, a company’s logo is probably the first thing its customer will see so you don’t want it to look cheap., Jot down the company values, its slogan, what it makes you think about… Words can lead to logical ideas. , One way to figure out the company's brand identity is to create a mood-board.
For instance, a startup can be represented by a rocket or a unicorn, HR by people or a magnifying glass…, Decide what you want the company to tell the customers.
Decide what you want people to think when they see the logo., It will tell you what the design trends in the field are, and you can find inspiration from it.
Don’t forget that your goal is to make the company stand out from the competition.
Get inspiration from logos and designs but don’t copy them.
The human mind is powerful beyond measure.
Use your own creativity. ,, Our subconscious minds respond in different ways to different shapes.
Straight lines, curves and jagged edges all imply different meanings.
Circles, ovals and ellipses convey a positive emotional message.
Using a circle in a logo can suggest community, friendship, love, relationships and unity.
Rings have an implication of marriage and partnership, suggesting stability and endurance.
Curves of any sort tend to be viewed as feminine in nature.
Squares and triangles: straight edged logo shapes such as squares and triangles suggest stability in more practical terms and can also be used to imply balance,.
Straight lines and precise logo shapes also impart strength, professionalism and efficiency.
It has also been suggested that triangles have a good association with power, science, religion and law.
These tend to be viewed as masculine attributes, so it’s no coincidence that triangles feature more prominently in the logos of companies whose products have a masculine bias.
Vertical lines and horizontal lines: our subconscious minds associate vertical lines with masculinity, strength and aggression, while horizontal lines suggest community, tranquility and calm.
The implications of shapes also extend to the typeface chosen, jagged, angular typefaces may appear as aggressive or dynamic, on the other hand, soft and rounded letters give youthful appeal. , Just like shapes or fonts, different colors can reinforce your logo's message.
Each color has its own set of associated moods.
84.7% of consumers cite colors as their main reason for buying a particular product and 80% think colors increase brand recognition.Simplify your colors.
Some mediums only allow for two colors, and so should you in most cases.
You should also check how your logo look in black and white.
Some of the color associations are:
Red: energy, love, exciting, action, bold, passionate.
Blue: secure, calm, honest, strong, caring, trustworthy.
Yellow: logical, playful, optimistic, forward thinking, confident.
Orange: happy, sociable, friendly, affordable.
Purple: imaginative, creative, nostalgic.
Green: growth, organic, natural, caring, fresh, earth.
Multi-color: multi-channel, positive, playful, bold, boundless.
Black: sophistication, luxury, seductive, formal, authority. , Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are most commonly used, but you can also use Inkscape for free., You want the company to stand out from its competition.
Be imaginative.
Be creative. Logos can communicate something else than what a company does.
Nike’s logo is not a shoe, but it represents the will of the company to get things done.
Keep it simple. A logo needs to be easy for the company’s customers to understand and pleasant for the eye. , Your need to let your mind think and most often your first logo won’t be your favorite.
Most companies will probably ask you for at least 3 different versions anyway, so that they can choose what they like most. , Inspire people.
Be attractive and meaningful.
Create an aura around the company’s name.
Think about people’s emotional response. What do you want the company’s customers to feel when they see its logo? , You put trust in them.
Use it.
Yet, don’t rely only on them., Try to find potential customers and show them your designs.
Ask them questions about the key words you came up with from your brainstorm. , Be cautious with details.
You want everything to be perfect., You can use Illustrator to do it.
Otherwise, try an online image vectorizer.
Make sure that the design is scalable. Try it in different image size.
Some details might be lost in small sizes. , They have to make sure no one will use their logo.
It represents the company and its values, and the way to protect it is to apply for a governmental trademark.
It can cost over 250 euros (over $300)., If the company gets back to you with suggestions from its customers and ask you for a new contract.
If you accept the deal, press the customers for details.
About the Author
Kimberly Roberts
Creates helpful guides on DIY projects to inspire and educate readers.
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