What Is A Logo?
Logos are everywhere. It is on the bread, you made for toast this morning, the shampoo that you used to wash your hair, the shoes that you are wearing…on this very website, is a logo. We are able to spot a logo without even seeing the actual name of the brand. That is the power it has. People are able to identify your business with that little mark, symbol, or emblem. Once people see it, it instantly connects them with your brand. It is a visual shorthand to identifying your company or business.
What Makes A Good Logo?
Because of its powerful impact on consumers, we want to make sure we get it right when we are looking into creating a logo. After all, it will be everywhere – on print, social media websites, marketing platforms and more. So, we have to ensure it looks good and explains who you are, what you are and how you make people feel. So, what makes a good logo?
Choose A Logo Type
Firstly, you want to be able to choose a logo type. Once you can narrow it down to the type of logo you want, then you can focus your attention on the meaning you want it to portray to ensure that you are appealing to your audience. Keep reading to learn more about the logo types and how they impact your business.
1. Emblems
Emblems are those logos that have the font, mark, or symbol in a geometric shape like a badge, crest, or seal. It is often used by government bodies, schools, sports clubs, and the auto industry. It is also the oldest type of logo but it gives a traditional and official look to the brand. However, because of the intricacy in its design where its elements often cannot be separated, it limits its multi-use capabilities as it may not print well in all contexts.
Examples of Emblem Logos
2. Lettermarks
Lettermarks or monograms are those that are normally made up of letters, usually taking the initials of your company or business’ name. It is especially very clever when the initials can spell actual words too. If your business has an especially long name, you can consider using a lettermark logo to simplify the design. H&M short for Hennes & Mauritz, International Business Machines also known as IBM, Cable News Network more recognized as CNN, the British Broadcasting Corporation better known as BBC are all examples of lettermark logos.
Examples of Lettermark Logos
3. Brandmarks
Brandmarks or pictorial marks are logos that have no other information than an image to represent your brand. It usually depicts real-life images of things that we can recognize. Be careful with this one as it can be risky to use if you are a new business on the market because of the lack of recognition. On the other hand, it can provoke curiosity, and having people think about your brand is always good. The iconic Apple logo and the Twitter bird are some examples as shown below.
Examples of Brandmark Logos
4. Abstract Logos
Abstract logos are types of pictorial marks but do not have a simple image that we can recognize like the apple in Apple’s logo or the bull’s eye for Target. Adidas’ flowery design and Pepsi’s logo are some of the popular known abstract logos.
Examples of Abstract Logos
5. Wordmarks
Wordmarks are texts or fonts that are creatively stylized to evoke your brand. They are the most popular form of logos especially for those starting a new business. Since the focus of this logo is on the name, you will have to choose a font that will capture the essence of your brand so you can still connect with your customers. Some well known wordmark logos are Fedex, Calvin Klein, Facebook and Google.
Examples of Wordmark Logos
6. Mascots
Mascot logos are those that involve a character often a cartoon who sort of becomes the brand ambassador for the business. They are normally fun and colorful and are created to appeal to children and families. If you would like to present a wholesome brand for your business, you could consider a mascot logo. Sports teams (hence the mascot) and food companies are well known for using mascot logos. Think about Tony the Tiger for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and KFC who also has the Colonel, Wendy’s has Wendy, Planters has Mr. Peanut and the list goes on.
Examples of Mascot Logos
7. Combination
Combination logos are exactly what they sound like. They include a wordmark or lettermark along with a brandmark, abstract logo or mascot. They are also commonly used amongst new businesses as they are versatile. They can represent the brand with just the brandmark in some settings while in others, the lettermark or wordmark can be used, while still being able to use the combination logo as well. Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, Taco Bell and Red Bull are a few examples.
Examples of Combination Logos
Hopefully, you have gotten some inspiration so far from some of these popular logos to help you with the selection of a logo type. Once you can do that, then you can focus more on creativity and bringing it to life. But let’s explore a little more and continue with what makes a good logo.
Keep It Simple and Relevant
A logo should be simple and have the ability to be used in different settings. Let’s look at the simplicity aspect of logo creation by reviewing some popular brands. Take Nike for example, an established sports brand with a swoosh for its logo and the name in plain black text. It has nothing excessive or exaggerative yet when we see it, we can instantly recognize it. We do not even have to see the name to be able to associate the swoosh with Nike. In Greek mythology, Nike is the Goddess of Victory and what inspired the brand’s name. The swoosh is supposed to be the wing of the goddess that evokes speed and movement. The swoosh is also the sound we hear of something moving at a fast pace. Likewise, the swoosh that can also be a tick, symbolizing positivity. Sure, there is a lot of work that must be put in to your brand identity from the start to get to that point but if such a plain mark can provoke such emotions then this proves that less is more.
Therefore, it is best to avoid cluttered, elaborative, and overcrowded designs. Sometimes trying to be cliche and trendy also adds to the confusion. Because you are carpenter, it doesn’t mean your logo has to have hammer and nails in its design. Apple doesn’t have a computer for its logo neither does Mercedes Benz have a car to represent them. You also don’t want to create a design that will only last three to four years because it is outdated. Instead, simply aim to make your logo clear, clean, and to the point, just like the message you want it to portray.
Know Your Brand
As we saw with Nike, it is important to pay attention to the details to ensure the logo aligns with your brand so that it is memorable and recognizable. But before doing that, you also have to know your brand. Think about your favorite restaurant- every time you see the logo, you can taste the savory goodness of your favorite meal, you smell the aroma lingering in the air from the meals being prepared in the kitchen, you feel the ambiance as you remember what a calmness it brings you to be there. All of that experience makes up the brand. So questions such as what does my business offer? What experience are you trying to create? What feeling do I want my customers to have when they see or think of my business? Who would be my ideal customer? These are some questions that you can answer to help in separating you from your competition and getting to understand what your brand is all about especially when you have so many other brands competing for attention.
Let’s now look at Amazon who has a clever visual. The arrow starts from ‘a’ to ‘z’ which means they sell everything and conveys that they can meet every customer’s need. the arrow show progress and movement which is in line with their delivery service. The arrow is also in the shape of smile which depicts the joy people get from shopping with Amazon. The smiling face also depicts a feeling of positivity, trustworthiness and friendliness. Again, the logo showcases the emotion that you want the brand to represent.
Choose the Right Font
Another aspect that contributes to keeping it simple and relevant is the font. The font must be fitting to the ideas and activities of the brand. So, a sleek, elegant typeface or font would suit a high-end, classy restaurant more than it will a children’s toy store. Helvetica and the variants of it is the most popular font used amongst the brands.
Brands Using the Helvetica Font
Color Is Key
In looking at logos, color is definitely an important component for your logo design. Again, it helps with communication and making a good first impression. As I explored further, I was introduced to the term, color psychology which is the influence of how color affects human behavior. Color causes certain emotions. Your brain also registers color before the images and shapes in a design. Color also highlights your business and helps with attracting the right customers.
With my limited knowledge of color psychology, I did a little survey of my own just to see what people thought.
I asked 20 individuals the following question; (other than black or white) what do you think is the most used color in logos? The winner among all the colors? Blue. When I asked the reason, they felt that blue had a cordial feel to it, it was also warm and inviting. Then coming in a close second was the color red.
Canva reported a similar find among the Fortune 500 companies. They found that blue was the most popular choice amongst these companies because it was an inoffensive, safe and sophisticated hue. It is mostly featured amongst the Security, Health, and Insurance industries- a highly corporate color. Red was also widely used but was a bolder choice, especially in the Food and Retail industry.
That led me to research just what these colors meant in logo designs and came up with this:
Color is crucial in communicating your brand so use your colors in a planned way. Red, for the range of visually stimulating emotions it can portray like passion, aggression, joy and energy. Think of brands like Nintendo, ESPN and Youtube. Blue is the sophisticated, safe, trustworthy and confident color. Financial and tech companies tend to use this color like Chase, Visa, PayPal and IBM. Alternatively, it promotes togetherness so social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter incorporate it in their brand. Obviously when you think pink, you visualize warmth, softness and femininity like Victoria’s Secret so you wouldn’t think to use pink for a hardware or video game store. By now, I’m sure you have gotten the idea of how color works.
To summarize, you want to choose a simple logo, nothing too elaborate or cliche. Use colors and font that depict the energy you want to portray. Ensure it is integrated with your brand. With that said, in starting out, I would keep it to a maximum of three colors and one font unless your brand calls for more.
How Long Does It Take To Make A Logo?
In looking at this topic, I found that many logos were also created based on a company’s history or quite a few have a clever pun or hidden meaning. Canva has an incredible list here.
Toyota has one of the most interesting hidden meanings. The iconic emblem was designed in 1989 with the main horizontal oval and two smaller overlapping ones inside. The ovals do have several meanings but the most intriguing is that they form every letter of the company’s name. Simultaneously, it exudes style, confidence and has a futuristic look to it.
But Toyota didn’t start there. They did several revisions and rebranding before getting to that point and a lot of brands have done so. Again, this is why it is essential to understand your brand and what you want it to communicate. So your first logo does not have to be the one you stick with forever. Things constantly evolve and customers needs can change and that call for a rebrand. Let’s look at Toyota again to see where they began.
And here are a few more famous brands that made changes
1. Apple
2. McDonald’s
3. Google
4. Puma
5. Lego
So how long does it take to make a logo? There is no straight answer for this one. The length of time a logo will take is dependent on the vision you have for your logo and what you want it to represent. So coupled with your colors, font and whether or not you decide to be witty about the structure of the design will contribute to that timeline. It also depends on whether you are the one creating it or whether you have paid a designer to get it completed.
How Much Does It Cost To Make A Logo?
Making a logo does not have to cost a fortune. At the same time, the amount of money you spend on a logo does not determine its effectiveness on consumers. Twitter paid $10 for their first bird logo and Nike at the time paid $35 for the swoosh logo that represents them today. In contrast, Pepsi’s new logo cost $1,000,000 and BBC redesigned theirs for a whopping $1,800,000 while Cadbury spent £1million for their new one. Google and Coco-Cola’s price tag is $0.
What this means is that the cost of a logo can cost anywhere from $0 to thousands of dollars and still have an impact on your brand. Here are some free and paid apps that you can use to help with logo creation.
Best Logo Maker Apps
1. Canva
Canva is a graphic design platform that helps with creating visual content such as presentations, business cards, instagram posts, infographics and more. Their logo design tool doesn’t ask you any questions about your business but you have access to a host of templates to help with the process. The service is free but there are paid options like Canva Pro and Canva Enterprise that offer access to premium content.
2. Wix
Wix allows users to use their tools to build websites, mobile sites, logos and more. The service is mainly free but they offer several plans that come with a charge.
3. DesignEvo
Their website says “DesignEvo is a free online logo maker with 10,000+ templates that anyone can use to bring to life a compelling, unique logo in minutes.” Need we say more?
4. BrandCrowd
Making a logo is easy with BrandCrowd. They offer free logos that are easy to customize and their tools are super simple to use. When you are happy with the final design, you can download it for $45.
5. Tailor Brands
Tailor Brands boasts that they will enable you to make stunning, eye-catching designs; no matter the industry. If you also need some inspiration, you can browse their catalogue to see which one speaks to you. You are asked several questions regarding your business and preferences before the logo is created. However, you will be required to sign up before seeing the results of the designs that they came up with.
6. Fiverr
If you are looking to pay a designer to do the work for you. Again, Fiverr doesn’t disappoint. You can narrow your search results based on logo style, budget, delivery time and more. I compiled a list based on my search results of the top five best-selling recommendations with my budget being $20-$50. These were the results:
| Vendor | Services Offered | Cost | Reviews (out of 5 stars) | Fiverr Rating (out of 5 stars) | Turnaround Time | Response Time |
| blackholeworld | 1. 3 Initial Concepts 2. Source File 3. Logo Transparency 4. High Resolution 5. 3D Mockup 6. Vector File | Starting at $35 | Seller communication level ★★★★★ Recommend to a friend  Service as described | ★★★★★ | 1 Day | 1 Hour |
| nadia_younus | 1. 2 Initial Concepts Included 2. Logo Transparency 3. High Resolution 4. 3D Mockup 5. Vector File | Starting at $50 | Seller communication level ★★★★★ Recommend to a friend Service as described | Fiverr’s Choice* ★★★★★ | 2 Days | 1 Hour |
| liontd | 1. One Basic Logo Concept 2. JPG & PNG with Unlimited Revisions. | Starting at $25 | Seller communication level ★★★★★ Recommend to a friend Service as described | | 2 Days | 1 Hour |
| design_blaze | 1. One logo 2. Unlimited revisions 3. PNG file + basic designs | Starting at $30 | Seller communication level Recommend to a friend Service as described | | 1 Day | 1 Hour |
| borydesign | 1. One Initial Concept Included 2. Source File 3. Logo Transparency | Seller communication level ★★★★★ Recommend to a friend Service as described | | 5 Days | 1 Hour |
Will A Logo Help You?
A logo is like the first impression you want to make on a first date. You want to ensure it is simple but eye-catching, not too over the top but memorable and keeps coming back for more dates until you have fostered a long and loving relationship with each other. I have put together a list outlining the tips we have highlighted so do some brainstorming, conceptualize and get started today!
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