What Makes the Best Company Logos Look Real Good?

1. What Makes the Best Company Logos Look Real Good? Red Rider Creative 510 S. University Ave Suite 200 Provo, Utah 84601 United States (801) 226-1289

2. When talking about the most iconic company logos of all time, there are two things at play: aesthetics and overall recognition. For instance, people recognize Nike‟s famous „swoosh‟ logo the moment they see it, and how it looks real sleek plastered on their athletic gear. Apple‟s half-eaten apple logo is unmistakable in every instance possible, while exuding a sense of being youthful, minimalist, and hip. The same thing goes for virtually every iconic company logo out there. In essence, a company‟s logo is its signature. It serves as a visual cue that embodies the story of the brand‟s culture, behavior, and values. It‟s important for a logo to have an instant and lasting impact, since it often only has as little as a second to tell the brand‟s story. This is why logo design is usually the toughest facet of branding, as most experts will agree. That said, what makes the most iconic logos look real good? Simplicity is Beauty The man behind the iconic „I Love New York’ logo, Milton Glaser, firmly believes in the power of a logo‟s simplicity. A designer‟s foremost goal is to move the viewers in a perception that makes them understand the logo‟s idea at first look. Making this work puts considerable focus on connecting “seeing” and “understanding.” Viewers must not only “see” the logo outright, but understand whatever it is conveying right away. That is how the concept of simplicity works in logo design.

3. The Importance of Figurative Meanings New York-based brand designer Su Mathews-Hale recounted the time when she and her team reworked Wal-Mart‟s old logo. To them, Wal-Mart‟s old all-caps logo projected images of the big bad corporation trampling small businesses in its path. To make it radiate a far-more “human” image, the team ditched the old logo‟s all-caps design in favor of correct capitalization. They also changed the old font‟s sharp edges to rounded ones. A quick look at Wal-Mart‟s new logo makes it apparent that Mathews-Hale‟s team did well. Uniqueness Is Critical In logo design, there is such a thing as an overused element. Experts agree that certain design elements like globes and arrows are too stale to make an impact nowadays. It‟s also important for designers to remember that the logo doesn‟t necessarily need to say what a company does. For instance, Mercedes-Benz‟s logo doesn‟t feature a car, and Starbucks‟ logo doesn‟t feature anything related to drinking coffee. Evolution Starbucks‟ logo is a prime example of how company logos can evolve. Its old logo is recognizable enough, but it “restricted” its foray into niches other than selling coffee. The logo redesign called for simpler visuals not tied to the word “coffee.” Since more and more people now patronize Starbucks for its offerings other than coffee, the redesign is a much simpler all-green version of the siren (the color green is the most recognizable design element in its logo), so the designers made use of it. Furthermore, they took the text outside, since the siren is already recognizable. Company logos have their own qualities that make them look good. What matters most is that a good logo helps link “seeing” and “understanding” for it to be effective and remembered through time.

4. Sources: http://www.redridercreative.com/ http://www.businessinsider.com/what-makes-the-best-logos-so-good-2014-4 http://www.inc.com/ss/4-characteristics-of-great-logo-design