Have you ever noticed that you can recognise a business by just looking at its logo? In fact, there are scores of trivia games and even a board game based on our knowledge of this branding.
Sometimes, you may even find you are able to able to guess accurately what type of product or service a business provides – just by looking at their logo. Though they appear simple, logos can be a sophisticated means of communicating your brand identity and image.
A logo is often the first thing a potential customer will notice about your business, and a great logo design will have a major impact in capturing the attention of your audience or customer base.
It is one of the most important investments that a business can make, so what considerations should you make when creating this branding for your company? Below, I outline six tips for making the most of this opportunity.
1. Consider your image
Your brand image should be reflected in your logo. What are your values as a company? What kind of adjectives do you want people to associate with your business? Prestigious? Fun-loving? Quirky?
Think about your logo as a symbol rather than a picture – this symbol is a distilled version of your brand personality so it’s really important that you can define what that is.

2. Colours count
For branding, it’s important to consider to colour psychology and cultural associations if you want your company to appeal. For instance, scientific studies indicate that the colour blue can calm us down – making it unsurprising that this colour is often used for institutions such as banks that wish to project a reliable and trustworthy image.
By contrast, the colour red is often used for food branding as it is thought to trigger appetite and spontaneity. Even if this isn’t true, the cultural association created by this belief is an aspect worth taking into account.

The impact of colour can be seen in the rebranding of Apple. The company started with a bright multi-coloured logo that has since morphed into a pale grey version, bringing with it a sleek and modern feel and demonstrating that it is a good idea of explore different colour options.

3. The weight of your words
Fonts and typefaces are as important as the pictorial element of your logo. Your typography should fit in seamlessly with your overall design, so you should think about how the font you choose fits in with your branding and company personality.
Avoid trendy or gimmicky fonts that will date quickly and consider more timeless options. Make sure you are in it for the long game and future proof your design as much as possible.

4. Usage and scale
How are you planning to use your logo? Is it primarily online, or will you be using it in print forms such as letterheads and business cards? Online, you should also weigh up the different devices it will be viewed on.
Many companies (e.g. Disney) take this into account by having scaled back versions of their logo, depending on the usage. For Disney, this means having everything from a full logo with the iconic Disney castle to a simple ‘D’ for use in different media.

5. Simplicity is key
With so much to bear in mind, it can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. But don’t forget that people may only be glimpsing your logo for a matter of seconds, so a clear and legible impression will be the most powerful.
The logo must be balanced with good contrast and room to breathe (negative space is your friend here) for it to really generate an impact.

6. Are you a little extra?
If it suits your brand, you might look at how you can use effects and animation to make your logo stand out from the crowd. This could range from a sleek metallic design for a car or audio-visual company to an animated effect such as the ones used by Fubiz to create a feeling of energy and dynamism.

Logo design is an essential part of creating your brand identity, reaching your audience base and establishing your company as a credible, professional brand.
For a consultation on logo or other graphic design services, feel free to drop me a line on here or adam@strelka.co.uk.