Logo creation is an inevitable task for every business and its marketing efforts. As much as everyone is hoping to create the famed Nike swoosh, unfortunately, not all businesses can reach that legendary status. But you can educate yourself on features that have the power to shape an internationally recognisable trademark.
A logo is vital in distinguishing your business from competition and is seen as an invitation for a customer to get to know your brand better. It must be an effective pictorial representation that encapsulates the ethos and nature of the business in one.
Here are my top five tips on creating a powerful logo:
- Understand the brand – Logos communicate your brand identity so the initial steps in creating one is by discovering your brand values, voice and unique brand attributes. You need to view the logo as a storytelling opportunity because it is essentially the first impression for a customer.
- Colour – Use a maximum of three colours at most and pick these based on the mood you want to create. This isn’t a superficial decision – each individual colour carries meaning and communicates certain ideas so know the psychology behind it.
- Symbolism – Don’t be too cliché with symbols. You should explore visual double entendre, various proportions, play with symmetry and highlight negative space.
- Simplicity is key – What do the most recognisable logos have in common? Facebook’s ‘F’, Apple’s apple and Netflix’s ‘N’. They are all extremely simple. The idea is to have a simple design but with an added twist that circles back to brand ideology but yet still has the ability to communicate that ideology concisely and quickly.
- Use a professional – If you want to be taken seriously, use a professional. Logos are a key pillar of your business’s brand development. It sits on your website, your signature, business cards, products, stationary and the list goes on. A logo needs to look professional and have an everlasting and powerful impact.
Melissa Haywood, Head of Vistaprint Australia
