Designing a Company Logo There comes a time when every business owner decides they need a logo to help promote the company. They usually have two options, one is to have it contracted out to a graphic design agency, which can be quite costly. On the other hand, some people have enough confidence to begin tackling the project themselves. Logos are actually comprised of three basic elements: form, color, and typeface. This may seem overwhelming for someone who has not had any formal art training, but there are many things that are surprisingly easy to catch once you start thinking about them the right way. Designing a logo does not need to be frustrating or tiring, with these simple tips you will be on your way to developing an image for your company that gets the attention it deserves. What is a Logo and Why Should You Use One? A logo is simply an icon used to represent a company. It is most often used on letterheads, business cards, websites, catalogs and any other form of collateral material that is representative of the company. The forms and shapes of a distinctive logo often make a greater impact than words alone. As the saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words." Every company, no matter how small, can benefit from using a logo. By creating a powerful image for your company you will achieve not just name recognition, but also a brand. Over time, people will be quick to recognize your logo and associate it with your company. Types of Logos There are three major types of logos: brandmark, lettermark and wordmark. The illustrations below use Halstead Bead, Inc. to show the variety of graphic directions that a business can take. A brandmark logo is a simple but strong graphic symbol that complements an aspect of a business or service, like Apple Computer. You should consider a brandmark logo if your company name is too long, too generic, doesn’t translate well globally, or has no personality. Also a brandmark logo is good if you simply need an emblem on a product. A lettermark logo is a typographic mark usually involving initials or abbreviations, such as KFC Restaurant or CNN Newschannel. You should consider a lettermark logo if your initials are more graphically appealing than your full company name. A wordmark logo is text with a unique typographic treatment, such as a distinctive font or color, such as Microsoft, Sears, or Yahoo. In many cases, simple graphic elements are incorporated with text to create a clean and simple identity. Choose a wordmark logo if your name is reasonably distinctive in what type of product or service it provides and does not need to rely heavily on graphics. (i.e. Office Max, Home Depot). Wordmark logos are also best if you would like to focus on name recognition. Brainstorming Ideas The term brainstorming has become a commonly used word for creative thinking. Both individual and group settings are productive at generating ideas and new directions; however, once an idea has been born, a group may be better able to develop the idea and take it in more directions than can the originator. To get your creative juices flowing grab a pen and paper and find a quiet spot away from distractions. Read through the following questions and jot down every idea that comes to mind, no matter how silly it may seem. What are some adjectives or attributes that you would use to describe your business? Some examples would be: progressive, traditional, cutting-edge, global, fast, organized, or reliable. Discuss your target market. Who are your customers today? Who will be your customers tomorrow? Pinpoint what makes your company different. What separates you from the competition? Identify how you want your company to be perceived, and how you want customers to feel. What emotions do you want to evoke from people who look at your logo and products? Do you want to make them feel curious, safe, excited, happy, beautiful? How would your logo fit into your overall marketing strategy? Make sure it fits in with the other materials, communications and creative outlets you are using, and that it complements the overall spirit of the company. Now go back through your answers and highlight the items that are cohesive, complementary and repetitive throughout. At this time you should have a clearer idea of the creative direction you need to take for the style of your logo. Logo Sketching There are many choices to consider when deciding on the logo that best fits the image of your company. Never limit yourself to one option. It can be very easy to see an image you personally like yet it has nothing to do with your business or service. So which direction should you take? A company rooted in a strong history of tradition and stability might want to choose soothing colors, straight lines and subtle textures, while a new Internet start-up poised for rapid growth may go for bold colors, sharp contrasts and oval shapes. Create a strong black and white logo before even thinking about adding color; if your logo doesn’t look good in black and white, no amount of color will help it. Logo Colors Just because you favor a particular color doesn't mean it is right for your company logo. Colors often have a profound impact on viewers; psychologists agree that red and orange produce excitement, dark blue evokes comfort and relaxation, and so on. Visit www.colormatters.com for more information. To decide on appropriate colors for your logo, think about the personality you want to convey for your business. If your logo is more conservative try using navy blue, maroon, or dark teal. If your logo is more edgy and free-spirited try light green, peach, or magenta. Also keep in mind how the colors will look on various backgrounds. They might look great on a letterhead with a white or pastel background, but not so great if your website uses grey or dark blue. Typographic Considerations Making the right typographic choices for your logo is absolutely critical to successfully capturing the look you want to project. The skilled application of typographic element is equal parts of science and art. Type options today are virtually limitless and continue to grow at a rapid rate. While the options may seem overwhelming, a few rules of thumb combined with a keen sense of what works will help to narrow the field. The following are a few of the most common type of fonts used today: A serif font has fine lines finishing off the strokes of each letter. They connote stability, timelessness, classicism, elegance and a sense of history. When used for multiple line documents, such as books or letters, they are much easier to read because the serifs help guide the eyes along each line of text. However, they are usually not recommended for logo design because the serifs can disappear when the type is reduced to a small size. Meaning "without serif," sans serif fonts have no finishing lines on the strokes of a letter. They are harder to read in multiple line documents, but work well for wordmarks and lettermarks. They suggest a contemporary, innovative, and more forward-thinking brand or idea. Heavyweight fonts project a more industrial feel; they lend themselves to carrying a weightier, more solid feel to the message. Lightweight fonts give a clean, crisp look. They are most ideal for architects, consultants and analysts. Script fonts are often seen as romantic, elegant, and a bit historical. They have a personal touch and are often graceful in nature. Italic fonts are more relaxed, and may suggest an image in motion. They also connote aggressiveness and forward-thinking. Proceed with caution. A trendy look is great if you're a dot com, a restaurant or a hip-hop recording label, but it is not advisable if you're an association interested in building credibility over the long haul. Last year’s hot look can easily become passé. Having chosen a suitable typeface, look at it in different ways. All caps, all lower case, upper and lower case, etc. Look for interesting letter pairs or combinations that can be emphasized to make the logo more distinctive and memorable. Less is More Simplicity of design makes a logo easier for customers to remember and recognize. A great logo will contain only one graphic idea or gimmick. The more unique the name, the simpler the graphics can be. Think clear contrast and simple shapes with limited colors and tones. Simple logos will also be easier to resize and recolor for various design uses. Evaluating Your Logo Design After you have come up with a few sketches, ask yourself the following questions. Also get opinions from family, friends, and consumers in your target market instead of merely relying on your own intuition and taste. Is it practical? Can it be printed small or large, on paper and on the web? Will it work in black and white as well as in color? Some logos become incomprehensible when reproduced in newspaper ads or sent through a fax machine. Try enlarging and reducing the logo to determine its readability at different sizes. Is it distinctive? You want your logo to be unique, but not too off-the-wall. A design idea doesn't need to be unique to the world, just distinctive enough so you can "own" it in your particular marketplace. Is it understandable? You should not have to explain or decipher the logo for people. A great logo will communicate purely in graphic terms and doesn't depend on verbal interpretation. The choice of fonts, shapes and color should effectively communicate the essence of the company. Is it appropriate? Is the design relevant to your business? Is it consistent with the personality and tone you wish to convey about your business? Does it convey ONE message? Great designs express no more than one attribute and support only a single message to the reader. Is it too trendy? Think of the future and avoid being overly trendy. A good logo will last your company 15 years or more and give your customers a chance to quickly recognize your logo and associate it with your company. In the end, it's not about what you want your logo to look like, what is important is how your audience will perceive your logo. Remember to keep it simple and inline with your company image, but most importantly…be creative and have fun! Suggested resources: "Design It Yourself Logos Letterheads and Business Cards: A Step-by-Step Guide" by Chuck Green "Idea Index: Graphic Effects and Typographic Treatments" by Jim Krause "Logo Design That Works: Secrets for Successful Logo Design" by Lisa Silver "The Non-Designer's Design Book, Second Edition" by Robin Williams "What Logos Do: And How They Do it" by Anistatia R. Miller & Jared M. Brown www.dafont.com www.fontsnthings.com www.linotypefonts.com www.fonthaus.com

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