New Things I learnt recently about Design: Elements of an Iconic logo

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Has this ever happened to you before? That you started a book to pass time and you ended up reading the book in 4 hours and have also written up to 8 pages in your journal. That was exactly what happened to me. So, since I learnt a lot from the book, I will like to share with us same things that I have learnt. Or maybe I should call it mistakes I realized too late. It’s just both. Don’t worry, I will definitely tell you the name of the book so you can get for yourself. I can also give it out if you reach me privately for it. So, let’s move.

1.   Keep it simple

Hello 'Brander', when creating a logo, one of the things that should be ringing in your head is that it should be simple. Or why do something that when people see it, even at a glance, they will find hard to remember. Always use the two seconds rule, the time to make an impression. What is it about? Let me tell you. Remember when you are driving on a road and you are looking at billboards. Do you take your time? Well I don’t, I don’t think you will too. Are there things you remember on some billboards after you have passed through? Yes, and there some not simple enough to remember. I have had to practice that thing especially when I am taken to pass through a new road. I have to make sure there are signages that are simple that I can recognize as we drive through.

Now imagine it is a potential customer, you want to have had an impression, want him to remember so that your logo can pop up in his mind when he needs your product. FedEx’s logo is one of the simplest logo I have seen. Check it out with me. Look at NHS too, very simple.

 








2. Make it relevant

Do you know that it is not every time that you create a logo that it has to show what the company is about? Okay let’s take some examples for better understanding.  Apple’s apple, does it show that apple is all about laptops? No. BMW’s logo is also not a car remember? But they are definitely relevant. A lot of logos are like that, while some are not. Please note that if the logo you created is not going to show what the company is about, it shouldn’t show what the company is not about, that will be complete misrepresentation and murder of the company.

 


3.      Strive for the best

The toughest person to please by your work should be you, the one who creates the mark. This will help you not to settle for less. You can’t afford to have done the job well and your client will insist that it’s a no. Strive for excellence, look for ways the logo can be better, more representative, more easily remembered, simpler and still passing the right information.

 

4.      Aim for distinction

Do you know your logo can be distinctive in white and black? You don’t have to use multiple colours to make your logo distinctive. Do you know that the shape or outline of your logo design is more important than the colour? This is why you should focus on it as much as possible and ignore the colour. Ever heard of this company, Talkmore? Let’s look at their logo. Mostly black…makes it easy to remember, yeah?

                             

5.      Think small!

I think I need to scream this more, Think small!!! What do I mean you ask? Not all logo you create is meant for billboards alone. Not everything is meant for only websites. Some of your clients might have to go as big as billboards and as small as the smallest surface you can think of, I can think of a zipper. The logo you created have to be able to stay on that surface without you distorting it. That’s why you need to think small.

6.  Focus on one thing

We have said that the logos you create should be simple. But even with simplicity, it should still be distinctive. You wouldn’t want your logo to come out looking like someone else’s own. You don’t want to give your client a logo that looks similar to another company’s own. This is why you have to focus on one thing to make it personal. One thing to make it different, one thing to make it your creation. Don’t make it two, then it will stop being simple. Just one thing, a tweak in a text, an adjustment in position, anything. This will make your logo personal.

 

So, these 6 things are what we will learn today, about Elements of an iconic logo. Remember I said I learnt them from a book, and this is just page 1 out of 8 from my journal. So, watch out for more. And please note that, all I wrote is based on my understanding.

 

Do you have questions? Sure! You can ask them. Comments? Please…I will love to hear/read them. Topics you wanna learn about?  Send me a mail here! My mail notification is on #winks

 

See ya!

 

 

 

 


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