Logos are an essential part of defining the identity of a company. As Debbie Millman, designer and host of Design Observer podcast 'Design Matters' says: "Words, though important in conveying a specific message, suffer from misinterpretation - literal, or illiterate audience; symbols tell a better story and solicit an audience's imagination."
For this article, we'll explain the rules of logo design and describe the most common reasons for logo failures.
Before we explore the top five logo design rules, let's outline what makes a "bad" or futile logo.
Top seven rules for logo failure
1) A logo that does nothing to market your brand
Logos do not on their own enhance the reputation of a company, but in context they can complement a good company by boosting the perception of its brand. That said, a cliché logo on its own can be damaging to a company, and immediately spark negative connotations.
The logo should sell the brand within seconds. If it is too generic, then it is boring and will fail to stand out from competitors.
The world's most valuable company, Apple, doesn't just have a silhouette of the fruit, there is also a bite in it. Despite the potentially bland reasoning for why the designer added this detail, it has sparked plenty of debate, and subtly adds intrigue. What is without doubt, is it is way more successful than a generic whole apple.
2) Global logos that do not consider a specific audience
Steff Geissbuhler, a well-known graphic design consultant, states that logos should be based on principles of clarity, simplicity, and universality. When a logo can be interpreted, regardless, of culture differences, it provides a greater audience and hence a greater interaction with the company.
That said, you can't always aim to please everyone. There does need to be a specific market you are trying to engage with, even if on an international level.
Every design element of a logo should be considered and be appropriate to who the brand is targeting. Keeping it simple and clear will mean it can be recognised and interpreted by all audiences, but for example, a corporate brand wouldn't use a descriptive typeface as it would likely not be taken seriously.
Design elements such as, colour, shapes, type, layout etc. are important to consider when going into the market, as well as the icons you choose to use, as they could immediately ostracise you to a whole group of customers.
3) Logos that need an explanation
When logos are simple and understandable, there's a friendlier interaction with it and hence, less misinterpretation occurs.
Sean Adams, a co-author of the series, Masters of Design, said: "If the logo is simple, the context it inhabits can be as complex or minimal as it needs to be. You can combine it with anything and it still holds up."
Creating any confusion around the logo mark is going to have an embarrassing and at worst, detrimental, impact on your business.
4) Overly "trendy" logos
Fritz Gottschalk says a logo must be timeless in thinking and appearance. Yes, a logo must be in with the times and must be kept in line with the vision of the company and its entity - but too flashy or too fashionable are attributes that are common to logos that fail.
When you take a look at the big companies that have withstood a logo evolution, you see a common denominator in their designs: consistency and familiarity. In the words of Steff Geissbuhler, "simple logos are still the most memorable and iconic." Look again at the Apple logo - it has developed to stay on trend, but it hasn't really changed to match a fashion.
Even logos that are abstract will not be as memorable, make sure the logo is understandable to point but not generic (see point 2).
5) Logos that require complicated production techniques and 6) Logos that require in-depth training to educate users
Two separate points, but they share the same theme. If the logo is too complex, it is likely to be forgettable. Customers need to register it quickly, while designers need to be able to replicate it easily.
If a logo design requires a high level of professional skill to re-do, this correlates with a large amount of time, money and audience interaction going into making it fully effective.
Obviously brands want customers to interact with them, but they want that time spent buying their products and services, not critiquing a logo. Sean Adams puts it this way, "A logo can be beautiful, clever, and well made, but if the audience forgets it, it fails."
An audience can remember a logo easier if it's familiar and easily replicated.
7) Logos with multiple taglines or messages that are not always in sync
Just as a company's mission statement allows people to get an idea of the company's identity, a company's logo further defines and emphasises what the company is all about.
For example, a corporate law firm company would use colours such as navy blue, or somewhat neutral colours for their logos. If a company wants to imply humour and fun, they would normally use colours such as yellow, orange, or red.
As Kit Hinrichs states, "A logo is an empty vessel. It has no meaning until a company fills it with the quality of its products, services integrity, and character."
A logo is the hallmark of the company; a visual explanation defining the company. If a logo requires multiple taglines to explain the messages, the strength of the logo is lost.
We have said to be cautious of cliché logos, however in the opposite spectrum if you add an element that does not relate to your company, the logo has no meaning.
Sometimes clients will ask for multiple taglines or messages. If this is the case make sure the logo is legible and proportionate. You want the logo to be successful at a glance.
Top five logo design rules
Be harmonious
A great logo is created when there is a keen eye on detail.
Each design element should have a relationship with each other and should be balanced. If the logo has a focal point the other elements should support it and not over power.
Consider scaling elements or toning down colours.
Look at the logo's composition and make sure everything works together to create a visual harmony.
Be concise
Your target audience might only see your logo for a split second, and they will either remember it or forget it.
Being concise with your logo will give a lot of information as quickly as possible.
Your logo should be direct, clear, and in tune with the brand of your company.
Contain a cognitive element
The logo should avoid overloading too much information.
An element from your logo should be memorable even at a glance.
At least one design element should allow people to react. Understand how we all perceive things visually, this will help you to communicate your logo better using visual processing
Be versatile
A logo should be as strong on a business card as well as a billboard.
The logo should just be as comfortable on black and white as in color. You should not rely on colour being the basis of your logo.
Be timeless
It takes practice (and time) to create a timeless logo.
To make sure your logo is timeless try the studying the evolution of logos, such as Google.
Sometimes a logo has to change and adapt, make sure certain elements are unique and withstand wear and tear, whether you choose to evolve the design or not.
Here are some examples of well-known logos and the elements that make them "iconic".
NBC Logo
The logo depicts a shape of the peacock with the colours of NBC's network divisions: news (yellow), sports (orange), entertainment (red), stations (purple), network (blue) and productions (green). The colours used are familiar to the TV audience.
The NBC text font is kept timeless - similar to the iconic Arial font. Its kept simple, not too many details are seen on the peacock - though there are enough for the viewer to make out it's a peacock.
Nike Logo
The Nike logo is another timeless logo that is globally known. The Nike logo started off with the text 'Nike' above the swoosh symbol as part of their logo but as everyone got familiar with the 'swoosh' symbol, they kept it simpler and removed the 'Nike' text.
The timeless shade of black and the simplicity of the logo have made it known to customers internationally.
This logo is an example of one that's able to withstand wear and tear - though a different colour or pattern of the swoosh symbol may be used; consumers will still know that it's the logo for Nike.
Want More?
Starting up a company and getting the right branding is no easy task. Thankfully we're here to offer guidance along the way. Check out these articles for more helpful hints:
5 Common Free Logos to Avoid
How Crowdsourcing Design Helped Me to Kickstart My Business
The 10 Decisions You Will Make When Designing Your Logo
Written by Danielle Tarroza on Monday, July 11, 2016
Danielle is an aspiring writer with a penchant for design. She has completed a Biomedicine degree and is a self-confessed fashion eclectic. Her creative and stylist skills are matched by passion for coffee! Follow her on Twitter: @__daniellegrace
