We all know the typical 5 things that make a good logo: simple, versatile, timeless, memorable, and appropriate. But what I feel people don’t emphasize enough are these things:
HAVE A BRAND LOGO THAT USES COLOR WELL
You probably heard a lot about color psychology and the importance of using color well, especially when combining 2 or more colors, not just using 1 color and different shades of it. While I’m not going to elaborate on the so-called “color psychology” (which we’ll tackle in a future post), I will tell you that you should be mindful of the visual and emotional effect that your color use or combinations have on your viewer. Avoid using colors that clash and don’t look good together and go for ones that compliment each other for your benefit.
Take a look at the following examples:
HAVE A BRAND LOGO THAT LOOKS GOOD IN BLACK & WHITE OR GRAYSCALE
If your logo isn’t just in black in white or grayscale, but color, try converting it without color to see if it stays the same, or if it loses meaning or context. Normally looking at a logo in color and black and white shouldn’t have any negative effects, but if your logo looks worse once color has been stripped, then you may want to reconsider the role color plays in your branding.
HAVE A BRAND LOGO THAT IS QUICKLY RECOGNIZABLE
This is pretty much self-explanatory, isn't it? Nobody today can look at these three logos and not instantly recognize them or know what brand they belong to. Your brand and logo should strive to achieve the same instant recognition, because a good logo is one that sticks to people’s minds and can be quickly remembered.
HAVE A BRAND LOGO THAT IS DYNAMIC / FLEXIBLE
This is what makes a logo most fun in my opinion, as it allows the logo to display itself in the same way, but with different associations. If you look at the examples below, you will notice how the USA Today logo has several “categories” like NEWS, MONEY, SPORTS, etc. Each category has its own color, but also not one or two, but three interchangeable icons or visuals to represent it. The main font remains the same, but the use of colors, iconography and visuals make it dynamic, engaging and flexible. Unicef’s “Voices of Youth” logo also applies this in its own way, by changing not only the text (categories like “CONNECT, CITIZENS, MAPS, etc.) but also the color and icon within the V speech bubble. If you manage to do this successfully, your logo should remain on-brand even when incorporating different languages, like shown in the example below.
HAVE A BRAND LOGO THAT IS RESPONSIVE
A responsive logo is a logo that adapts for multiple formats, devices and screen resolutions. This works by looking at what constitutes a the logo itself, how much detail or lack of is included, and seeing what elements can be eliminated in order to achieve a gradually increasingly minimalist look, that would be legible and most appropriate for the related screen size. Responsive logos are all about adaptability, so say goodbye to fixed, rigid guidelines.
HAVE A BRAND NAME THAT IS EASY TO PRONOUNCE
If you want your brand name, aka the name that goes with your logo, to be easily remembered, then one thing that helps is obviously making it easy pronounceable by everyone. Now nobody is going to dictate the amount of syllables or words that compose your brand name, and no name is too short or too long, but the right choice definitely helps make your brand stick. A brand logo that is easy to pronounce is easy to remember, and a brand that is easy to remember is one that people will go back to when they need it, so it’s a win-win!
HAVE A BRAND NAME + LOGO THAT IS LEGIBLE
You may find this confusing or think this is the same thing as having a brand logo that is easily pronounced, but they are actually two different things. You can have a logo with a name that is easily pronounced, but designed with a font in a way that is hard to read, like when the text is too condensed, or too bold with bad kerning, or simply written with a cursive text that makes it hard to read it correctly. On the other hand, you can have a logo that is really well designed, but the brand name is too long or has a combination of vowels and consonants that make it hard to scan or quickly say it out loud (which is usually the case with foreign logos named after places or people). Opt for a logo that is easy on the ears, mouth and eyes.
HAVE A BRAND NAME + LOGO THAT IS CLEVER
It's no doubt that logos with a surprise element to them hold an extra special place in our hearts. Ok maybe not our hearts, but our minds. If you can make that "aha" moment happen when someone notices something creative you did with your logo, it's bound to go viral in no time, and keep people talking. When did you realize or notice yourself the "hidden" arrow created with white space between the letters E and x to represent their direct, speedy delivery service. Baskin Robbins has a "31" in their "BR" initials, which refers to their 31 flavors of ice cream. What can people discover in your logo?
and last but certainly not least...
HAVE A BRAND NAME THAT DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING NEGATIVE, OFFENSIVE OR INAPPROPRIATE IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE
This goes without saying, but if you are planning on promoting your product or service in a country other than your own, with a different language, then you may want to think of a name that has a positive connotation in general, or at least pick a name that does not have a hidden meaning or "bad" word in the destination country's language. I know this is hard, but the more considerate and thoughtful you are with your brand, the more people you attract and the more you gain!
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