So, you need a logo… a good one of course, something clever. Like the FedEx logo with the arrow hidden in the negative space – so cool! Or maybe something like the jordan jumpman, so clean and iconic! In my book there are a 3 distinct characteristics an identity need to be considered GREAT… let’s have a look at a few examples.
- Is it doing it’s Job?
(examples: Girl Scouts of America, Fanatics, IBM)
Well, first things first, it has to get the job done. By that I mean, does the logo give an accurate representation of the good or service it symbolizes. This dosen’t necessarily mean that a shoe company must have a great shoe icon to be great. A logo can represent the characteristics of a brand though all sorts of visual ques.
- Simplicity
(examples: Apple, Mercedes, Nike)
This mark is going everywhere. It’ll be on the web and in print, big and small, black and white. To give it the ability to go everywhere we need to keep it simple. More complex or overly intricate designs will get jumbled at smaller sizes (like mobile and tablet web placements), complex color schemes can pose printing problems in things like screen printing or embroidery. The more you know about where the logo is going the more you can bend these rules.
- Memorable
(examples: Starbucks, Coke, Levi’s)
We need a mark that leaves a mark, you know? As shapes get refined down smaller and smaller a certain level of detail can be lost. This makes the task of standing out even more difficult as we can’t use granular detail to differentiate our logo from a competitor – we need an entirely unique execution. A good way to judge how memorable your logo will be is how unlike anything else it is. Standing out in any marketplace these days is difficult but, done right, worth it.
