Your Brand at a Glance: Logo Design Best Practices

Without a doubt, a logo helps to unify your brand identity. Could you imagine Apple without the bite out of the apple, Amazon without the smiling arrow, or The University of Tennessee without the power T? A logo is a branding tool that, plays a part in the decision-making phase of a customer’s purchase cycle. 

A logo is used on virtually every deliverable that stems from your brand. Business cards, press materials, products, apps, websites, etc.—a logo’s presence is ubiquitous within your brand. For this reason, it’s not hard to see why companies spend significant time and money to secure a well-designed logo.

Source: TypeEd.com

Here’s a few key considerations to think about when creating your logo: 

Consider your brand personality.

Build the elements of your logo around those. Remember that your logo will often stand alone from all other branding elements, underscoring the importance of conveying what and who you are in your logo.

Take your time.

The logo that you choose will represent your brand across all platforms and mediums. Don’t rush to pick the first logo that works—take the time to gain insight from all departments. Perform research on the effectiveness of certain logo elements and how they perform within your target market.

Color is key.

Consider what feelings specific colors convey. Perform market research on what industries typically use which color palettes. Remember that your logo needs to stand beside and in front of your brand, so choose your colors wisely!

Make it flexible.

When designing a logo, keep in mind where it will be displayed. If you are an organization that typically sponsors events, your logo may appear on t-shirts, banners, pamphlets, and more. If you are a highly digital brand, your logo may be the face of an application. Choose a logo that works in all scenarios.

Keep it simple.

Simplicity goes hand-in-hand with flexibility. Make sure your logo is simple enough to be used across various mediums. A logo that is too intricate and detailed will not be able to be manipulated for branding purposes. Think about what it would take to embroider your logo on a shirt – Would you still recognize your logo if it was reduced to 3 or so limited colors and embroidery capabilities?

If your organization has been around for a while, you may think a logo is not an option. Think again! Many brands have successfully redesigned their logo and maintained consistent brand recognition. Here are a few examples of notable ones.

Source: velvetshark.com

When jumping into a logo rebrand, here are a few best practices:

Evaluate your current logo.

What elements of your current logo are and are not working? By understanding how your current logo is performing, you can choose which elements to evolve and which elements to ditch. 

Consider the why.

Why is your brand looking to create a new logo? Did you expand? Looking to be more modern? Enter a new market? Consider what’s driving the re-creation and set goals from this. After a few iterations of your new logo come in, revisit your goals, and evaluate if the new logo is on par.

Plan a relaunch.

After all your hard work, you want your new logo to be noticed. To ensure this, your customers need to be aware. Plan a relaunch campaign around the new logo, speaking to your target audience about the goals backing the new design. Work together with other departments on a plan to implement your logo into branding materials and products.

Read about the key factors to keep in mind for implementing a rebrand.

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Whether you are a new organization or an existing one, it’s important to have a logo that works well with your brand. Don’t be afraid to refresh your logo if you feel it isn’t working anymore, a logo is an important factor in your branding process. Need help with this? Reach out to us!

Updated: Nov 15, 2024