You see them everywhere: on food, clothing, shoes, etc. – logos are constant companions in our everyday lives. Because we encounter them so often, we sometimes no longer actively perceive them. Nevertheless, great importance is attached to logos. In our magazine article, we will show you why this is the case, how to distinguish a good logo from a bad one, and what the first steps to designing your logo can look like.
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Nike Is The Logo Master.
When you think of the sporting goods manufacturer Nike, you immediately think of the sweeping hook that can be seen on every product, whether it’s sneakers, footballs or socks. In our everyday life, we encounter this logo umpteen times: on our clothing or other people. It is unimaginable how often the hook, also known as the “Swoosh,” is printed on products or posted on websites daily. This extreme example makes it clear that a logo becomes the face of the company and thus gives the company its personality.
Who Needs a Logo?
But does every company need a logo, or is a logo only intended for global players like Nike?
Does it make sense to develop a logo if the business area is primarily in the B2B area?
Small companies, in particular, think that they do not need a logo. They need to learn how to use the logo and think that logos only matter to big companies. But every big company started small. The urgency of a logo can be clarified by looking at the importance of one’s corporate identity.
Corporate identity describes the aspects of strategic corporate management aimed at creating a clear corporate personality that society understands and accepts.
A part of the corporate identity is the corporate design. This means the visual appearance of the company. Business cards, stationery, the website, and the interior design of office buildings are examples of the visual appearance of a company. From a strategic point of view, it makes sense to create a logo for a small company to develop a personality and position yourself clearly on the market. This applies to both B2C and B2B markets. If you position yourself as a strong B2B brand, the logo may also make an impression on the end consumer.
A famous example is the Intel company, which manufactures PC microprocessors: who has yet to see the framed, blue lettering on a computer, even though they’ve never bought directly from Intel?
The Effect of a Logo
The logo, as the face of the company, provides a first impression for various stakeholders, from customers to potential employees.
What values does it radiate? Tradition? Creativity? Innovation? Trust? Loyalty?
You automatically get a first impression of the company, which may be the critical point at which potential customers decide to favor the company or a competitor. A structural engineer’s logo that uses clean, angular shapes can convey more confidence to potential customers than a competing company’s logo that uses curved, playful shapes.
In the case of Intel, the logo is also a promise of quality for end customers, which the computer manufacturer likes to use to emphasize the overall PC quality. Suppose there was already initial contact with the company; the logo and thus the company should be recognizable, i.e…. In that case, the logo is imprinted in the customers’ minds and is associated with the products/services of the company. The logo is important not only for customers but also for employees. Whether on stationery, business cards or company clothing, the logo is omnipresent and, therefore, important for the sense of belonging to the company.
The logo opens up possibilities for new business areas and products in special cases. A well-known example from the recent past is the Lewis brand t-shirts, which printed their logo on shirts and had great success with it.
The Logo Design
But what makes a good logo? Logos are roughly divided according to their appearance: there are figurative marks (Nike), lettering marks (Coca-Cola) or a combination of both, the so-called word-figurative marks (Intel).
Which variant suits your company best depends on how you want to present yourself. Of course, you should also consider the area of application for which the logo is intended, e.g., it will be difficult for a shoe manufacturer to place a long logo on a shoe.
Also Read: What To Consider Before Creating A Logo
In General, The Following Points Should Be Considered When Designing a Logo
Identity
The logo should match the company.
Emotionality
The logo should reach the emotions of the target groups.
Individuality
The logo should be unique and unmistakable. A timeless design is also important here.
Simplicity
The logo should be simple.
Aesthetics
The logo should be aesthetically pleasing.
Reproduction
The logo should also be reproducible in one color.
Uniqueness
The logo should still work on a minimum area of 25 x 25 millimeters.
Use
The logo should correspond to the foreseeable reproduction techniques.
Conception
The logo should be developed with a comprehensible application concept.
