We’ve worked with a lot of clients in our time – from large companies to those just starting out – and we know how important it is to create the right image and have the right logo or design concept for your business.
Whether you’re just starting out or are considering a rebrand, be sure to approach a professional designer before any change in image is made.
Most importantly, be sure you know exactly what you want before you begin the process. Your logo is the face of your company and the process behind creating a suitable logo design begins with understanding what your company is really about.
How to communicate your ideas to designers
In a post for StartupSmart.co.au, DesignCrowd chief marketing officer Dan Ferguson provides clues on what you should be aware of and how to communicate your ideas to designers.
Start with knowing your company and its services or products. Who are your potential customers? What do they expect from you? What are your company’s strong sides and what sides do you want to promote to potential customers? Even if the designer does his or her homework, they won’t know the answers to all of these questions so be sure to guide them through. This information is vital because it will determine what type of logo is perfectly matched to your company.
Creating your brand identity
Next you need to decide what kind of logo design you want. This can be determined by whether you’re a start-up, a relatively established company, or a really big player on the market. There are three main types of logos: icons, word logos, and a combination of the two.
An icon or a symbol is what an established brand will be most likely to adopt. Take Apple and Shell’s logos, for example. They’re both instantly recognisable. A business will need to establish itself as a global industry leader before being able to attain this level of recognition. Other established brands like Disney or IBM go for a word and letter-logo combination, using distinct and unique fonts to stand out.
If you are a start-up, however, the best option is to use a combination of the two. A symbol is always more special than a font and will make you stand out from competitors. Symbols also help people differentiate the company symbol from the text. This is one step toward being able to establish a symbol by itself as the visual representation of your brand, as companies can drop the text from a logo over time.
Then comes the issue of colour. This is determined mainly by your field of business and the market segment you are aiming for. Blue, for example, is associated with strength, dependability, security and cleanliness and is used by medical or law-based companies. Green, due to its link with nature and leisure time, is used by organic product brands in ecology and tourism.
Warm colours like red and yellow are associated with action and movement, but are also known to increase appetite. This is why they are both used by restaurant chains (McDonald’s, for example, uses both). Black, on the other hand, stands for luxury, precision and slickness. This is why it is the dominant logo colour for many high-end brands as well as ones in the financial services.
Next steps
When your logo is completed, remember that it isn’t set in stone. You can always perfect it, one pixel at a time, just like Google did recently.
Our creative design team has years of experience in developing strong brand identities across a variety of sectors. From producing initial concepts to delivering the final proof, our designers offer strategic, creative direction from start to finish.