Creating a Logo

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.”

Make it Appropriate

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!

Taking the above into consideration, eight logos were submitted for the logo design assignment.  Colors, fonts and objects were based on the school’s sports team website.  Several of the logos utilized current shapes and designs while others deviated purposely to give the fictitious sports agency its own identity.

In the end, which one(s) will be selected will be determined by the client as to which best suits their needs and represents their brand.