LOGO - A logo (abbreviation of logotype, from Greek: λόγοςlogos "word" and τύπος typos "imprint") is a graphic mark,emblem, or symbol commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition.
A recent grad school assignment was to create a logo for a fictional
sports agency – Sacred Heart Sports Agency – in Adobe Illustrator using shapes,
texts and objects with techniques taught in production class. No other instruction or guidelines were
given. To best tackle this assignment,
research was conducted to determine the best practices for logos. Below are the
five main tenets.
Make it Simple
Milton Glaser, the legendary graphic designer best known for the
"I Love New York" logo: "You want to move the viewer in a perception so that when they first look at [the logo]...they get the idea, because that act between seeing and understanding is critical."
Make it Memorable
“Symbolize and summarize,” according to Saul Bass, creator of numerous
iconic logos such as Kleenex, Warner Brothers, The Girl Scouts, Quaker Oats and
more, is the key to making a logo memorable.
Make it Timeless
David Airey, graphic artist and author of Logo
Design Love, recommends that designers “Leave trends to the fashion industry – Trends come and go, and when you’re talking about changing a pair of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key. Don’t follow the pack. Stand out.”
Make it Versatile
Logos need to be flexible in size and color so they
can be used across a variety of media.
Patrick Winfield, graphic designer and author of the 10e20 blog, explains
why he leaves the choice of color to the end: “I like to work first in black and white to ensure that the logo will look good in its simplest form. Color is very subjective and emotional. This can distract from the overall design.”
Paul Rand, creator of iconic logos for ABC, IBM, and UPS, advises to
keep the product in mind when designing: “It is only by association with a product, a service, a business, or a corporation that a logo takes on any real meaning. It derives its meaning and usefulness from the quality of that which it symbolizes.”
In addition to the above best practices, it is vital to research your client. Look at past logos if available. Check out current promotional materials, their website, product/service description etc.
Inquire about mandatory elements and ask if the new logo should fit in with their
other products/services or stand out on its own. Then the arduous fun can begin!
