Tips for Creating a Good Logo
The McDonald’s golden arches, the Nike swoosh, Volkswagon’s VW. All of these are corporate logos known around the globe that define the brand. Many of these logos are even more recognizable than the company name itself. Other times, the company name is written as the logo, think FedEx, Coca-Cola, or CNN.
A great company logo doesn’t have to be complex or grand. Oftentimes, simple and sleek is the best strategy. This doesn’t mean, however, that careful thought shouldn’t be put forth when choosing a logo. After all, your customers are going to associate your logo with your brand — for better or worse.
So what makes for a good logo? We see a lot of logos at White Rhino and here are some key trademarks we’ve picked up on when it comes to creating a killer logo.
Connection
Your logo should have a connection to your business. Some logos have a connection to the company name. Take John Deere tractor company for example. Sure, they could have made the logo a tractor, but instead, they went with a deer as a nod to the founder’s last name.
Other times the logo ties into the product or service the company offers. Like many corporate logos the American Airlines logo has evolved over the years, but it’s always involved a bird, symbolizing flight. Again, connection.
Simplicity
Like we mentioned above, the best logos are often quite simple. A logo that has too much going on and is all over the place with five different designs is going to get lost on the customer. Goodyear Tires, Apple, Ford — all of them have very simple logos with just a few colors.
Think of it this way, if a logo idea is so complex you can’t sketch it out in just a minute or so, it’s probably not a winning design.
Placement
While designing or updating your logo, consider where it will be used and how it will look. Will it get lost when shrunken down for a business card? Will it look strange when blown up for a billboard? These are all factors to consider.
Try your mockup logo in different placements to get an idea before committing to it. Your logo should look just as good on a company uniform as it does on the building.
Color Choice
Color choice is something that consumers process more on a subconscious level, but brands choose very carefully. Take Major League Baseball for example. They could have gone with any color in the rainbow, so why red, white, and blue? Because baseball is the American pastime!
And what about the McDonald’s logo, why is it red and yellow? Well, red is stimulating which can awaken your appetite, and yellow is associated with happiness. Pretty clever, right?
Now not all logo colors have such psychological undertones, sometimes it’s just about choosing colors that go well together and are pleasing to the eye.
Whatever logo design you choose, White Rhino can put your new logo on anything you can imagine. Contact us today.
