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Guide To Logo Design
Guide To Logo Design
Guide to
Logo Design
Love your new logo
Everything you ever wanted
to know about logos and how
to get a design perfect for
your business.
Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 51
Introduction
Quick! Think of a famous logo. The Nike swoosh came to mind, no doubt, or the McDonald’s
arches, or the Starbucks mermaid, or the Mercedes emblem, or Chanel’s interlocking C’s, or
Facebook’s F, or the Olympic rings, or the Playboy bunny, or the Disney palace, or the CBS eye, or
the Rolling Stones lips, or….
We are awash in logos every day of our lives, and with good reason. In a mere glance, a good logo
tells us everything we need to know about a brand — what it does, what it stands for and what its
values are. A great logo gets firmly lodged in our consciousness and becomes inseparable from
the brand itself.
A logo is the cornerstone of every business’s branding strategy, no matter how large or small the
company is. Whether it’s a one-person lawncare service or a multinational conglomerate, a strong
logo conveys professionalism, quality and stability in one memorable glance.
In a world where busy consumers judge businesses in less than five seconds, where the first
impression is often the last impression, having a powerful logo is more crucial than ever before.
Customers grow to trust a brand the more they are exposed to it. A memorable, professional
logo that adorns a business’s signage, website, storefront, vehicles, stationery, business cards and
packaging is a solid step in building that trust.
Because it’s a central part of a business’s marketing strategy, a logo should never be a slapdash
affair, something hastily pasted together just to have something. The best logos are a smart mix of
the right graphics, typography and colors.
The good news is that obtaining a professionally designed logo that is perfect for your business
has never been easier. Read on to learn more about why your business needs a logo, what goes
into the creation of the perfect logo and what to do with your logo once you have it.
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Guide to Logo Design
Think of how we instantly recognize the golden arches of McDonald’s or the eagle of the USPS.
As the “face” of a company, logo design is critical because that graphic will be on every piece of
correspondence and advertising. A strong logo is simple enough to be memorable, and powerful
enough to leave the desired impression of your company.
A professional appearance builds credibility and trust. People are more likely to purchase from a
business that appears polished and legitimate.
Advertising is another component of your brand. Too narrow an advertising focus, and a company
risks being pigeonholed and losing their ability to expand into new markets. Too broad a focus,
and the company fails to make an impression in the minds of would-be customers.
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But creating a logo is about more than eye-catching pictures. There are many things to consider
when choosing the right logo for your company:
1. Talking text
2. Eye-catching color
You don’t need to have any color at all. A great logo should
look as good in black and white as it does in any color shade.
Think, again, of the Nike swoosh.
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Companies who publicly trade on a stock exchange are valued at many times the actu-
al hard assets of the company, often because of the branding of the company. A strong
brand can guarantee future business. The greater a company’s devotion to build its brand
value, the better the financial return from its efforts.
Many employees need more than just work — they need something to work toward. When
employees understand your mission, they are more likely to feel that same pride, and will
work to achieve the goals you have set. Having a strong brand is like turning the company
logo into a flag the rest of the company can rally around.
Branding enables your company to get referral business. Would it be possible for you to
tell a friend about the new shoes you love if you couldn’t remember the brand? The most
profitable advertising source, word-of-mouth referrals are only possible in a situation
where your company has delivered a memorable experience to your customer.
Three-second hook
A potential customer should be able to catch on to the meaning of your business logo design
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within three seconds of first glimpse. Making people work to decipher your logo creates a lose-
lose situation. Customers and suppliers lose interest, and you lose ground to competitors. Find out
if your logo communicates effectively by asking for honest evaluations of design options prior to
choosing one.
Pro-produced
Designing a simple logo that attracts your target customers and motivates them to buy your
product or service may seem like an easy enough task, but a professional designer can add vital
expertise and insight to your final design. The pros make a living by creating effective logos,
which means all the training and experience they gain from working on other projects can benefit
your business logo! Enlisting the help of a professional design team also ensures you avoid many
common mistakes that amateurs often make.
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If you’re just diving into logo design, you may be unsure where to even begin. Here are four types
of logo designs to consider:
Wordmark
OfficeMax, Home Depot and Walmart all
represent the most commonly used type of
logo — the wordmark. Typically, this type
of logo relies on text, typeface, and unique
typographic treatments to express the
brand’s identity. Because there are no graphic
elements to convey messaging, the text is
often exactly literal, stating the name of the
company and sometimes even what it does.
Wordmarks work best for companies whose names describe what they do, or for those with a
distinctive name, even if it’s not yet a household word. This type of logo can be cost-effective
for companies with limited marketing budgets that need to focus their efforts on building name
recognition. It can also help associate your brand name with products or services more concisely
than a symbol might.
Lettermark
Think of a lettermark logo as a monogram for
your business. Like a wordmark, a lettermark
is entirely text, but rather than the entire
name of a business the logo relies on initials
to represent the brand. Lettermarks can be a
simple monogram or an anagram. CNN is an
example of a monogram lettermark logo — it
uses the initial letters of the company’s full
name, Cable News Network, to create the logo.
Lettermarks are great if your initials look better in graphics than your full company name. They
can also allow you to create a visual link between subsidiaries and parent companies. A word of
caution, however: Lettermarks often work best for companies that have sufficient existing brand
recognition; otherwise it can take time to educate consumers on what the lettermark means.
Brandmark
Departing from the use of text alone, a brandmark is a symbol,
often abstract, to highlight an aspect of the product or service the
business sells. The symbol represents the company by association
and relies on the design’s ability to evoke emotion in a viewer. For
example, the Nike swoosh implies motion, the perfect representation
for the company’s line of athletic shoes and athletic wear.
A brandmark logo works well if you need an emblem for your product, or if your name is too
long, generic or lacking in personality. From a business standpoint, a brandmark can be effective
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globally in areas where a company’s name may not translate well. It can also allow subsidiaries
to associate themselves with parent companies when they’re not able to use the parent’s name
directly.
Iconic
A marriage of a brandmark symbol with a
wordmark, iconic logos are also known as
combination logos. Elements may be used together
or separately, tied closely or loosely. This type of
logo can be very effective in communicating both
what a company does and what it stands for (its
corporate personality). Mastercard Worldwide and
Dunkin’ Donuts are examples of iconic logotypes.
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Closure
The World Wildlife Fund’s panda logo is an optical
illusion. The panda’s white head and torso are just
open shapes formed using negative space. But the
black positive space provides the viewer with enough
information to make sense of the image — through a
phenomenon called the law of closure, our brains fill
in the gaps and we see the curves of the panda’s back
and head even though they aren’t actually there.
Typographical
You can use those empty areas around and between
letters to stylize text. The white “S” in the USA
television network logo is actually curved negative
space between the black “U” and “A.”
Double entendre
A double entendre design highlights multiple
aspects of a company’s identity by carving out a
hidden element into positive space. The Guild of
Food Writers logo is a black fountain pen nib, a nod
to their profession. But, look a little closer and you’ll
notice that the negative space that forms the tip of
the nib is shaped like a spoon.
Now that you’ve seen negative space in action, you might be ready to experiment
with your own logo. But before you do, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
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professional, eye-catching logo, experienced designers like the logo design experts at
Deluxe have the technical know-how to ensure that the logo will function across every
marketing platform that you use. Whether you print the logo on merchandise or display it
on your website, emails and social media, a professionally designed logo will be something
that you can be proud of.
3. Fun!
Negative space logos are just plain fun! How great did it feel when you spotted that
Hershey’s Kiss? It’s important to nurture the relationship you have with your customers
and increase goodwill toward your brand. A fun, inviting logo is one way to do so.
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In the world of marketing, color is a key consideration for all visual materials. Corporate marketers
spend thousands of hours and millions of dollars evaluating the psychology of color and
marketing, for everything from the order buttons on the company’s online sales portal to the card
stock for executive business cards. Your small business may not have those kinds of resources, but
you can still incorporate some basic color sense into your logo design.
Making color choices is a foundational step of logo design. You want to foster an identity that will
be so easy to understand and so relatable that seeing the color alone will be enough to bring your
brand to mind for consumers.
As you provide your designer with initial direction in the earliest stages of the logo-design process,
keep in mind these five key color considerations:
1. Keep it simple
The most successful logos are simple in terms of colors. In fact, two of the most basic colors —
black and red — are used most frequently; 37 percent of top logos include black and 34 percent
feature red. Think of some of the most successful logos in the world, such as Pepsi, Coke and
Starbucks, which use just one or two colors. Would those logos be as memorable if they were
many-hued? Or would more colors detract from their visual impact?
2. Know what emotion you want to evoke and which colors will do that
What emotion do you want your logo to evoke in customers and prospects who view it? Identify
the key emotional message you want your logo to communicate and choose colors to convey
that emotion. For example, black communicates strength, elegance, simplicity and power — all
emotions that resonate when you’re marketing a luxury item. Blue is calm, strong and dependable.
Think of how many bank and tech companies incorporate it into their logos. Red is exciting,
youthful and daring — hence its role in so many beverage makers’ logos and packaging. Here are
some more snap emotions created by colors:
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3. Know your target audience and what colors are likely to resonate with them
Color relatability can be generational and gender-specific. While both men and women say blue
is their favorite color and brown their least favorite, women also like purple, whereas men don’t
care for it at all, according to some number-crunching by Kissmetrics. On the other hand, men are
slightly more partial to black. So if you’re marketing a line of luxury products aimed at men, black
and blue might be smart logo color choices, whereas purple and brown might create negative
associations.
5. Choose colors that will make your logo look good wherever you use it
To maximize its impact, your logo should appear everywhere — from your stationery and signage
to packaging and products. As you’re choosing colors for your logo, envision how those colors
will look in every channel where you might use it. Will the colors play as well online as they do
on a billboard? Or will that vibrant red you love in large format look like a ketchup smear on your
business card? Test-drive different logo colors in different real-life marketing situations.
Of course, if there’s one hard and fast rule of marketing, it’s that there are no hard and fast rules.
This is true of color selection in logo design, too. Sometimes the safe choice will be the wrong one,
destined to fail, and the risky choice — the one you’re just not sure about — will lead to success
beyond your dreams.
There are general cultural associations and assumptions that most of us make when we see certain
colors. Color psychology is the study of these general associations, and it examines how color
affects human behavior, moods and feelings. In logo design, color psychology is often used to
influence customers’ perceptions of a brand and also to support brand messaging.
To understand how color works in branding, let’s explore different combinations of colors typically
considered “holiday” colors: orange and black (Halloween); yellow and brown (Thanksgiving); and
red and green (Christmas).
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Orange is the color of traffic cones and safety vests for good reason — it stands out. Companies
looking to show off should consider incorporating the bright and vibrant hue into their logos.
Orange is thought to represent playfulness, creativity and excitement, which is why it is often used
by children’s brands and companies hoping to appeal to young people, such as the kids’ cable
channel Nickelodeon. Orange is also believed to stimulate an appetite or thirst — likely due to the
color’s connection to citrus fruits — and is accordingly used by food and beverage brands like
Fanta and Whataburger. Because it’s the color of sunsets and fire, orange can signify warmth. In
branding, orange is linked to good value.
Mystery and darkness are perhaps the most obvious associations with the color black — especially
during October. But black also signifies elegance, timelessness, sophistication and prestige. As
a result, you’ll frequently see black used for high fashion or luxury brand logos — Tiffany & Co.,
Chanel and Gucci are a few notable examples. Black is a strong color. It represents authority, and
can give customers a sense of power, which is undoubtedly one of the reasons why sports brands
like Nike and Umbro have black logos.
Orange and black are a striking combination — just look at a monarch butterfly or a tiger to
see how incredible this pairing can be. Exciting, energetic orange plays off of sophisticated and
reserved black. This type of contrast can be very powerful, conveying nuances of your brand’s
personality while evoking multiple emotions from your audience. Look at a few famous orange and
black logos to see how the two colors work together:
The orange arrow beneath the company name has a double meaning — it connects the “a” and
“z,” implying that Amazon can deliver everything from A to Z, and it’s a smile, with the tip of the
arrow being a dimple. According to a press release issued after the logo was unveiled, the Amazon
arrow-smile is intended to “communicate the company’s mission of being the most customer-
centric company in the world, most notably by depicting the ultimate expression of customer
satisfaction: a smile.” In this case, a playful color like orange emphasizes the customer-friendly
image the company wants to project.
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Looking at the examples of well-known orange and black logos, you’ll notice that they don’t
strictly or even overwhelmingly favor one industry. And yet, the color combination is a fitting
reflection of each brand because the designers paid close attention to what these colors signified.
Yellow is the color of sunshine and the classic smiley face, so it’s probably no surprise to learn
that it represents optimism and hope. But this stimulating color also signifies logic, confidence,
progressiveness and creativity. In darker, more golden shades, the color is said to embody luxury,
abundance and prosperity. Though yellow can be a good match for any brand — companies as
diverse as McDonald’s, Sprint and National Geographic have incorporated it into their logo designs
— it can be overpowering, and is often paired with a less intense, contrasting color. Too much
yellow, particularly bright yellow, can cause anxiety.
Brown is modest and neutral, but don’t write it off as dull. Brown is a stable color and, accordingly,
represents structure, dependability and support. While it may not be a natural choice for many
(or even most) brand logos, it is the perfect fit for a financial institution like J.P. Morgan, and other
businesses that need to be seen as reliable and secure. Of course, brown is more than just a no-
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Guide to Logo Design
nonsense color — it’s also warm, soothing and wholesome. Hershey’s and M&M’s use the color in
their logos to evoke both the delicious chocolates the companies produce and a sense of comfort.
Brown can convey an earthiness that works well for brands associated with the outdoors.
Yellow and brown probably aren’t the first two colors that pop into most of our minds when
thinking about logo color schemes. In fact, a recent color preference study showed that only
3 percent of people listed yellow or brown as their favorite colors. While that data may seem like
cause for concern, it shouldn’t be — remember that a color’s popularity has very little to do with
whether or not it’s appropriate for your brand. To see just how powerful and effective this color
combination can be, take a look at these famous yellow and brown logos that represent their
brands perfectly.
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Guide to Logo Design
coffee, and they intend to continue their tradition in America. So in addition to being the color
of coffee beans and a seemingly obvious choice because of that, the hardy brown of the logo
is a reflection of the brand’s history and staying power. Yellow serves a practical purpose — as a
brighter, contrasting color it helps the brown wordmark stand out. Yet symbolically, yellow could
be a very simple way of conveying a sense of optimism. Coffee is usually enjoyed first thing in the
morning, after all. And since the company is dedicated to developing the perfect cup of coffee,
yellow could also be a reference to innovation; Gevalia is always looking to the future.
Choosing a unique color palette for your logo may be the thing that makes your company stand
out, so don’t shy away from unlikely or unpopular combinations like yellow and brown.
Does your brand promote healthy living? If so, then you might want to consider going green when
designing your logo. As the color of plants and nature, green signifies freshness, health, growth
and renewal. Accordingly, companies like Whole Foods, MorningStar Farms and the Sierra Club
communicate their eco-friendly and health-conscious values, in part, through green logos. Green
is also linked to luck (think four-leaf clovers) and tranquility. In America, green is associated with
money and wealth, so it works well in logos for financial service companies like H&R Block.
With red being an appetite stimulant and green signifying freshness, this color combination has
historically been popular in the food industry. However, the colors’ food-specific associations are
really just a starting point for these companies. If you take a look at a few famous brands with red
and green logos, you’ll notice how the combination is able to communicate each one’s unique,
multifaceted identity.
What red and green say about Chili’s: This company knows
authentic Tex-Mex cuisine.
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Taking a page from the Chili’s playbook, red and green were also likely used for a more
straightforward reason: The creation of the submarine sandwich is tied to the Italian-American
community of the early 20th century, and the Italian flag is red, green and white. Red and green
were a great choice for the Quiznos logo because the combination emphasizes the brand’s mission
statement and the heritage of its product — a branding double whammy!
What red and green say about Mountain Dew: This company
walks on the wild side of nature.
PepsiCo, which owns the brand, calls Mountain Dew “the original instigator,” and Greg Lyons,
PepsiCo’s senior vice president of marketing, said in an interview with BuzzFeed that all
Mountain Dew products should deliver a “physical and emotional kick.” Taking all of this into
consideration, green works for Mountain Dew’s logo because it nods to the brand’s connection to
nature. However, it’s the red that brings the kick that’s so central to the brand persona.
When designing your business’s logo, you may find that a particular color scheme stands out as an
obvious fit for your brand. But that obvious choice becomes the perfect choice when the meaning
behind the colors reflects your brand’s voice, persona and values.
Have fun experimenting with common and uncommon color pairings, but remember to pay
careful attention to what those colors might suggest about your brand to current and would-be
customers.
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Guide to Logo Design
You’re tempted. It would save the company some money and a clip art logo will be good enough,
right? Unfortunately, if you chose that path, you’d be wrong on both counts. If you look at the idea
of using clip art for a logo objectively, you might find that it could cost you more than money. Even
if you only use it during the startup phase, you could lose brand equity, which could be costly to
your entire business.
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The development of your logo should be taken seriously. It is not a graphic that should be thrown
together with unoriginal visuals. It should be created with insight into what your business means,
yet be easily recognizable and memorable.
Logo design is not a simple process. Its foundation is based upon the research and understanding
of your company, which are then combined with the designer’s understanding of form and
function, the impact of negative and positive space, and the power of abstraction. When a
designer brings these elements together, the result should be extraordinary.
In many cases, clip art, whether free or paid for, is available for
use by anyone and everyone. Clip art provides a cookie cutter
solution for a design. Consider the following scenario:
You’ve purchased a piece of clip art from a popular clip art website. You use it for
your logo and everyone is happy that you’ve saved the company some cash. A week
later, you do an online search to see if you have any competitors. You scroll through
the results and click on a page. You can’t believe your eyes. They’ve stolen your logo!
But wait. They didn’t steal your logo. They simply went to a clip art website and found an image
that they thought represented their company. It just so happens that they chose the same one that
you did.
These examples are just a few of the issues you could run into if you decide to use clip art for your
logo design. Ultimately, using free clip art constitutes devaluing your own brand, with unforeseen
consequences that could devastate your business. So, if you think it’s cheaper to use clip art, you
may want to reconsider.
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When it comes to fonts, there are more to choose from than what Microsoft Word or
Google Docs offers. Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to pick a common font like
Times New Roman. You can even download new fonts right to your laptop. Check out
1001 Free Fonts to find fonts for every style.
You’ve heard that saying before but these days it seems a little dated. Why? Because we as a
society are very pro-crowd these days. Flash mobs were big for a while, reality shows love the
popular vote, and crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter and GoFundMe routinely launch million-
dollar projects. You can even get $50,000 just for trying to make potato salad if your timing
is right.
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And then, of course, we have crowdsourcing as a bidding process that allows a customer to see
work from numerous applicants before deciding which one will ultimately receive the contract and
the job everyone is vying for.
If you’re a small business looking to design or redesign your logo, you may be considering
crowdsourcing as an avenue to an affordable design. And you may think there are no negatives
involved with this pursuit. But before you start the big race, take a step back. Three or more are
still a crowd, and when it comes to redesigning your logo, crowds can be a bad thing. Here’s why.
And the idea that designers will bounce ideas off one another to help them grow and take shape?
Take that with a grain of salt. Remember, a crowdsourcing model only allows for one winner, and
that means all of the other designers involved in the competition are doing what will ultimately
become free, wasted work. It’s unrealistic to expect designers to reach out to one another and
offer ideas that will help their competitors oust them from the competition.
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There’s also a chance you may be offered secondhand work. Designers who lose out on another
logo design project invested time and effort into the bid and, because of that, may be hesitant to
let that go. So what do they do? Some of them keep their old work and offer it up as new ideas for
the next company looking for a logo design. Companies like yours.
Again, your company’s logo deserves more than some simple cast-offs from other design efforts.
Start by avoiding any designer, whether through crowdsourcing or some other channel, who
exhibits the traits mentioned above. A professional logo designer will effectively communicate
with you one-on-one to understand your brand and its needs. Your designer will also help you
define your target market and analyze any early attempts at a logo that you, or someone else, may
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Guide to Logo Design
have already designed. Most importantly, an experienced professional designer will take the time
to listen to you and gauge your intentions for the design before rendering concepts that satisfy
those wishes. Expect your designer to meet your needs, instead of your having to choose from
their offerings.
Throughout the drafting process your designer should communicate with you early on, introducing
concepts when they are basic enough to be to your liking but advanced enough to show a
definitive direction. Lastly, they should offer you multiple options for your selection as the final
logo, each one incorporating your vision in a distinct way.
An experienced logo designer will have an advanced understanding of the connotations that
colors carry. They will know that blue is associated with trust, loyalty and dignity, while red is
associated with passion and power. They also know how to establish visual balance and alignment,
proximity and contrast in their designs. When searching for a true design professional, make sure
their website offers plenty of information about their skills.
Lastly, nothing speaks louder than the final products a professional designer creates. A quality
logo evokes emotion with its text as well as its image, representing your brand creatively and
accurately. A professional logo designer will use the right kinds of fonts, colors and imagery
to permanently and positively reinforce your brand in the minds of prospective customers.
These traits make a professional designer the perfect companion for your business, without the
headaches of all those crowds.
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After designing more than 70,000 logos for businesses, Deluxe has identified the most crucial
interactions between the logo designer and a business owner. Here are four steps to getting the
best results.
While answering these questions, think about the important elements you want to convey. Also,
think about how you plan on using your logo — both now and in the future. It’s important to
consider, at the beginning of the process, how your logo will appear on different applications (e.g.
websites, promotional materials, T-shirts, billboards, checks, invoices, etc.). Your logo should be
created to be suitable for every use while building lifelong brand recognition, no matter its size or
color. We discuss creative briefs in greater detail below.
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When reviewing the initial concepts, choose the elements from each design that appeal to
you most. Conversely, elements that are truly against your brand image should be called out
immediately. This will allow the designers to create unique combinations of the best elements from
each concept into something that really reflects you and your company.
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An experienced business logo design company will have more than one designer working on
a project. Simple jobs require two to four designers, and complex jobs require a larger team of
designers. A team is necessary because each custom-made logo needs fresh ideas. If one designer
were working on a large number of logos daily, he or she would eventually run out of ideas. With
multiple designers, a company can produce quality logos and concepts continuously — a great
perk to keep in mind when choosing a logo company. In the end, a high-priced company with one
designer is no match for a reasonably priced company with multiple designers.
And finally, consider the reputation of the designer or logo design company. Look for guarantees,
samples of previous work and positive reviews. Also, find someone who is willing to hear about
your unique business — whether it’s via an initial phone conversation or by completing a helpful
creative brief, you want to be sure you designer cares about what sets your business apart.
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Guide to Logo Design
Before starting a creative brief, however, you need to have a clear idea of what your brand is.
Here are a few questions to help you determine if you currently understand your company’s brand
and the impact that day-to-day behaviors can have upon it.
Here’s an exaggerated example: If you were an investment advisor who is responsible for taking
care of your client’s financial future, would you want this to be your font?
Or this?
If you, as a potential customer, saw these, would they inspire you to trust them with your
retirement fund? No, unless you’re really in search of a “funky financial advisor.” (No one is.)
On the flip side, if you are trying to brand yourself as the low-cost alternative to your competition,
having really fancy letterhead with a stodgy or prestigious looking font can actually work against
you, such as:
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Simple elements such as fonts and colors can inspire or devalue your brand. Do you want to be
more corporate? More fun and fanciful? Creative or trustworthy?
A moderately informal brand will often refer to their clients by their last name, unless directed
otherwise by the customer: “Hello, Mr. Smith,” or “Hello, John.”
An informal brand will usually refer their clients by their first name: “Hi John.”
Beyond that, what do you call the people who buy things from you? Are they customers, clients,
patrons, etc.? A simple wording change can impact how formal the relationship is between you
and your “customer.”
Think about how “One of our premier clients” has a completely different feel to it than “One of our
favorite customers.” Which is more appropriate for you and your company?
To practice this take a look at everyday items such as furniture, artwork, even coffee cups and ask,
“If I had a waiting room, would I want this to be what my potential customers saw?” As you get
better at answering that question, you will get better at instinctively knowing your brand.
This also applies to any part of your business that your customer will encounter: your storefront,
your logo, your vehicle, your employees and so on. Everyone and everything that connects you
with your customers needs to match with the image you are trying to convey.
Take a few days and pay attention to everything that your customers see and hear during your
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Guide to Logo Design
interactions with them. Now play a game of “Which of these things are not like the others?” to find
the points of contact that might not fully support the image you’re trying to create.
The overall benefit of having a strong brand is that your customers and potential customers will
know what to think of you and, more importantly, when to think of you.
Every small business owner can become his or her own brand champion. You probably already
know most of what makes up your brand — you just need to give yourself time to think about it,
and then get used to taking it with you every day.
Once you have a thorough conception of your brand, you’re ready to fill out your creative brief.
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Guide to Logo Design
You want a logo that represents your business’ best face: the trust customers should invest in
your brand, the fun they should have with your product. Discuss these goals of your business in
your logo design creative brief and you’ll be surprised just how far your mission can affect the
successful design of your logo.
So it is with your own brand. You can easily specify things in your logo design creative brief that
make your company’s logo unique — even among competing brands in the same industry. You can
select colors that are different from those typically seen on most brands, and you can choose a
font outside the norm to really draw attention. It’s all in how you want to do business and who you
target.
It’s a good idea to have in mind just how you want your business to come off. Have you been
around a long time and want to convey that to your customers? Or, do you want to indicate that
you’re something different — more fun, more agile, and ready for the 21st century economy? Fonts
and colors can convey these things quite effectively.
Your primary business might be done online, or it might be done via paper mailings. It could even
be based out of a brick-and-mortar retail or office location. These things all affect how a logo
is designed, so you’ll want to indicate on your creative brief just how this design will be put to
use once it’s finished. This will help to ensure that it doesn’t look out of place on the company’s
brochures — even if it looks great on the website.
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Guide to Logo Design
A creative brief gets the ball rolling on really great logo design, and any professional logo design
service will establish this document and agreement with you before they get to work on your
company’s new branding and logo. What this brief means for your company’s future is entirely
up to you: It depends on what your business does, how it does those things, and how it wants to
communicate with customers about its services and image.
Be prepared to discuss and document all of these things, and you’ll end up with a beautifully
designed logo that takes your business to the next level and lasts for a long time to come.
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Guide to Logo Design
1. Animal Planet
Animal Planet’s classic and very popular logo featured
an elephant under a small planet earth in the upper
corner. When the channel rebranded, they changed
their logo to feature their name with the “M” in animal
turned sideways. Viewers saw the text as a jumbled
mess that, ironic for the station, looked unnatural.
Despite the criticism, Animal Planet has so far stuck
with their rebranding.
2. SyFy
The Sci-Fi Channel attempted to be hip by changing its logo
to the text-friendly SyFy and asking people to “Imagine
Greater.” Unfortunately for the channel, no one could imagine
why a company would change its name to the slang term for
syphilis. Many viewers walked away from the station, hurting
the ratings for several shows.
3. Tropicana
Tropicana is known for its iconic straw in the orange,
and when the company replaced that logo with a glass
of orange juice and its name running sideways along the
carton, customers were outraged. The backlash was so
severe Tropicana’s sales dropped 20 percent. After just
one month, the old logo was restored. Customers said
the new packaging was ugly and Tropicana President Neil
Campbell said he “underestimated the deep emotional bond”
consumers had with the previous logo.
4. The Gap
Letter size matters, as The Gap found out. After two decades
of using a logo that featured the word GAP and a blue
box, the retailer decided to lowercase its name and use a
smaller, offset box in the upper corner. The response was
swift. Critics called the rebranding effort uninspired, and
consumers had more choice critiques to offer on social
media. The Gap returned to its previous logo just two weeks
later.
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Guide to Logo Design
5. Capital One
The swoosh may work for Nike, but not for Capital One.
When the company decided to rebrand its logo, it opted to
add a swoosh in 2008. Capital One sought to appeal to a
younger generation, but the element was seen as a fad from
a decade earlier and made Capital One look more dated than
ever.
6. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut’s business has expanded beyond pizza, and
the company tried to alter its branding to reflect that
by shortening its name to The Hut. Customers were
unimpressed and critics pointed out that by dropping Pizza
from the name, Pizza Hut failed to show customers what it
offered them. Pizza Hut reversed the decision shortly after.
“Pizza Hut is not changing its name,” said Brian Niccol, Pizza
Hut’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We are proud of our name
and heritage and will continue to be Pizza Hut.
7. Radio Shack
Add Radio Shack to the list of brands that failed when
trying to shorten its name. Like Pizza Hut, Radio Shack
attempted to become The Shack to reflect its wider
product offerings. The company also eliminated the formerly iconic R with a circle around it, but
the change was met with backlash. The new logo did not draw in customers who were already
turned off by the company’s history of high prices and poor customer service, and the new name
and logo did not last long.
These seven examples show how important it is to design a logo that works the first time — and
then stick with it. While each of these companies failed in their logo redesign, part of that failure
can be attributed to the immense popularity of their initial logo.
They got their logo design right the first time. Working with a professional designer can help
ensure your company gets its logo design right the first time.
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Guide to Logo Design
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Guide to Logo Design
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Guide to Logo Design
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Guide to Logo Design
However, once you’ve established yourself in the industry it’s a good idea to update your logo. We
recommend putting your logo in the hands of professionals who will take your existing logo and
transform it into something that truly reflects your brand.
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Guide to Logo Design
As a small business owner, it’s important to assess your logo after your business is up and running.
If any of these considerations ring true to your small business, it may be time to consider hiring a
professional logo design team to update your existing logo.
With professional logo design services, revamping your logo for the holidays is a simple process.
Even if you do the revamp yourself, a well-executed seasonal logo maintains the recognizable
brand of the original, but with added touches that reflect your business’s approach to the season.
It lets your customers know you’re celebrating, without alienating customers who may not
celebrate in the same way.
The altered logo immediately clues them in that something special is going on with your brand,
creating excitement and a desire to stick around to learn more. In this way, seasonal logos go an
extra step in helping advertise your promotions during the busiest time of the year.
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Guide to Logo Design
For your business, a Christmas-themed logo could lead to an announcement of your charitable
giving to organizations like Toys for Tots. Or a patriotic revamp for Veterans Day could culminate
with a charity drive for veterans’ services. Seasonal adjustments to your logo draw customers’
attention to the change, and give you the perfect reason to announce something about your
company that might not be obvious from the logo’s original design.
Building a strong brand, a brand anchored by a strong logo, is a key component in running any
successful business. Even after that brand has been established, a company that evolves with the
seasons — while remaining true to its core image — stands out among the competition.
LEARN MORE »
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Guide to Logo Design
Logo inspiration
The Dallas Cowboys logo — Still kicking after 50+ years
In 1960, the Dallas Cowboy football team joined the NFL as an expansion
team. Since then, the Cowboys have racked up five Super Bowl
Championships, more than a dozen Hall of Fame players, three stadiums, and
eight different coaches at the helm. One thing that hasn’t changed is their
iconic lone star logo.
Jack Eskridge (right), one of coach Tom Landry’s first hires, redesigned the
existing logo in 1964 by adding a white border around the blue star, giving it a
3D-effect. It has stood ever since. Jack Eskridge
In an era where most NFL teams are changing their logo every decade — and
reaping the benefit in merchandise sales — the Cowboys are an anomaly worth
noting. Let’s take a look Mr. Eskridge’s logo to better uncover its four enduring
qualities.
1. Simplicity
While not a completely solid shape, the lone star’s
singular image is one everyone instantly recognizes
and identifies. Even preschoolers are able to master
drawing a five-pointed star at an early age. And like
any great logo design, the less complex it is, the
longer it will stand the test of time.
2. Color
While blue is one of the most popular colors in the
NFL (half the teams use it in their logo), the Cowboys
are only one of two teams who use it for their entire
logo. With emotional associations such as power and
dependability, blue was certainly a great choice for
the team to position them more firmly in the minds of
their fans...and foes!
3. Symbolism
Representative of Texas as the “The Lone Star State,” the Cowboys’ logo is a symbol that pays
homage to Texas’s history and unifies all citizens of the state. The lone star is a great example of
the power of symbolism in logo design: It resonates with a large market and rallies those people
together around a shared vision. Rooted in history, it is a symbol that is both timeless and relevant
for all generations, ensuring that it can withstand another 50 years.
4. Shape
Used on everything from helmets to football fields to storage facilities, the blue star logo is
as versatile as it is dynamic. Its star shape can be expanded to the size of a football field or
contracted to the size of a collector’s coin without losing its proportions. No matter its size, its
shape is easily recognizable from all sides and viewing angles, and perfect for TV viewing.
So how long will the Cowboys stick with their lone star look? Only time will tell. Until then, let’s
marvel at the longevity and memorability of “America’s team” and their enduring logo design.
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Guide to Logo Design
Case study:
Deluxe helps the Akron Honey Company’s logo evolve for growth
Wesley Bright is not the kind of guy to watch the world go by — in fact, he wants to change it.
So, in 2013, he purchased a long-empty lot in his Akron, Ohio, neighborhood, with the vision of
transforming the space into an urban apiary. Committed to the goal of bringing more business
to Akron, and the desire to educate children about the benefits of bees and their honey, Wesley
bought two hives and launched the Akron Honey Company. Three years later, his honey
consistently sells out in local stores. Recently, he competed on the CNBC show “Cleveland Hustles,”
and he received an investment offer that he turned down because it meant taking his business out
of Akron, the place he was committed to helping.
After some discussion, the logo design team isolated it to three key factors:
The team also discussed the lack of association to honey in the logo design, noting there were
no shapes or visual cues. Establishing a stronger connection would be even more critical when
expanding the product line beyond raw honey. Not only was it important that the new logo feel
more feminine across his skincare line, it needed to communicate the product feature — honey —
at a quick glance.
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Guide to Logo Design
So the team got to work exploring new shapes, icons, font weights and palette colors, keeping in
mind the need to stay true to the visual familiarity of the original logo.
Round 3a
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Round 3b Round 3c
After landing on the right color combination with Round 3c, the team played even more with
varying line thickness until they got it just right with option B below:
Read the full case study about Wesley’s Akron Honey Company.
Final Logo
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Guide to Logo Design
A good logo is based on instant recognition. For instant recognition, your logo must become a
familiar sight to your customers. The familiar is welcomed by our subconscious before we ever
even realize it. This is why logos are such an important part of effective branding and one of the
most efficient flashes of advertising!
Later on down the line, a well-established logo can be played with a little, if it’s branded enough
to be recognizable with the changes. A perfect example is the ever-changing Google logo. Clever
little design changes reflect seasons, holidays and other notable events, yet the Google logo
remains undoubtedly recognizable.
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Guide to Logo Design
Any wearable promotional product, like a T-shirt or jacket, is a worthy opportunity to have
someone else brand your logo for you. This is a great way to get free advertisement and branding,
as well as show your customers and employees your appreciation. Any chance to brand, and at the
same time offer a gift, is a win-win situation.
Ultimately, every form of advertising must include your logo. Marketing material, business listings,
special offers — anything that you use as a way to communicate with customers should have the
logo. Take every opportunity you can to creatively apply your company’s symbol and watch how
your brand starts to grow.
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Guide to Logo Design
Companies should consider giving samples of their product to a targeted group of people
who will likely become repeat customers. Exhibiting at trade shows and handing out free
items generates good word-of-mouth. Those who receive your free samples will happily
use and share them with their friends or colleagues. While advertising in magazines or
newspapers can be expensive, promotional items provide the benefits of reusability, lon-
ger lifespan and low one-time cost.
A promise is made by the advertisements we see and on the products we use; the cus-
tomer relies on the business’s brand to deliver quality, value and competent service. The
logo is a symbol of that promise, and is endorsed by those who wear it.
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Guide to Logo Design
Putting together a brand guide doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are seven elements to think about
when developing your own.
2. Logo
Your logo design is the visual heart of your company’s brand identity. It establishes everything
from your color choices to the overall feel of the brand. Your style guide should include several
versions of your logo in different sizes and file formats, as well as any guidelines dictating how and
where the logo may be used. For example, if you have multiple taglines for your company, the logo
might only be used in combination with specific ones.
3. Logo limitations
Often, brand style guides have a number of restrictions on what can be done with the logo. Some
aspects to think about include changing the color, stretching the logo, changing the size, using
the logo with specific background colors, changing the edging or cropping the file. Be clear on
which modifications are allowed, and which ones violate brand guidelines. This helps reinforce
consistency in the way your logo is used and displayed publicly.
4. Fonts
A brand style guide outlines which fonts and sizes are considered the company standard.
Sometimes multiple options are given, and in some cases there may be a list of forbidden fonts.
5. Voice
For any copywriters or marketing professionals
working with your brand, voice guidelines are
helpful. For example, a financial institution
might choose to describe its brand as
“Extremely formal and conservative, with
data-heavy copy and an academic tone.” This
would be very different from a small business
that chose to describe itself as “A down-home
brand that uses simple sentences, storytelling
and country language to appeal to a rural
lifestyle audience.” Take the time to clarify the
tone and voice of your brand copy.
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Guide to Logo Design
6. Colors
Brands typically have an associated color palette. These may be general, such as “our colors are
green and gold” or more specific referring to standard RGB color numbers. In some instances,
certain colors may not be used: “Our company never uses the color white in any of our materials,
either as background, font color or imagery.”
7. Images
Are there certain types of imagery that fit with your brand style? For example, you may wish to
avoid stock imagery. If your business does work primarily in urban areas you might wish to limit
the use of images in rural or suburban landscapes. Provide clear guidelines to simplify selecting
photos for creative materials.
Establishing consistency
Developing a brand style guide is an important step in establishing consistency with your brand.
Over time, this consistency both builds brand recognition among your target customers and
enhances trust with the market. Once you’ve developed your brand guide, share the final version
with all your employees and revisit the document annually to see if any revisions or updates are
required.
For more on style guides, check out our five-step process for creating one.
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Guide to Logo Design
Conclusion
Starting the process of logo design is exciting! You’re making many important decisions
that lay the foundation of your unique brand story. We hope our Guide to Logo Design
helps you consider not only all the elements of a logo, but also how to communicate
your likes and dislikes to a designer. The more clear you are on what you want, the more
successful you’ll be at getting a logo you love.
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Guide to Logo Design
Additional resources
Stop, thief! Eight steps to help protect your logo design and brand
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