The basis of visual identification - how to create a good company logo?

Certainly, you could easily recall a few or a dozen logos of well-known companies and brands. The company's logo is one of the first points where the customer meets the brand or company. It is important that the logo is easily remembered by the recipient and evokes associations. An effective logo is a huge benefit for the company - so it is worth spending a little more time and attention on its creation.

What does the company logo consist of?

A logo is a graphic symbol of a given company, organization, event, movement, etc. It may consist of two elements:

• a signet ring, i.e. a graphic representation, e.g. the head of an eagle in the Orlen logo or a bird's nest in the Nestlé logo,

• logotype - typographic presentation of the company - that is, for example, a white inscription "Orlen" in a red rectangle.

In the examples mentioned, both a signet ring and a logotype are used in the logo. However, the company logo can only consist of one element. Only the signet is used by, for example, Google Chrome or Volkswagen, and only the logo is used by, inter alia, Canon or Colgate.

It is worth remembering that the logotype does not mean the same as the logo, especially since these two terms are often considered synonyms.

What is a good company logo?

Almost every company has its own logo and it is not an easy task to create a graphic sign that will stand out from the rest. It is worth noting that their creators also used specific guidelines and acted in accordance with the rules of the art of creating this type of signs. Therefore, it is very important that the logo is original and ambiguous. These two features should be considered the overriding guidelines in creating a company logo.

Originality in the creation of a logo is, above all, a departure from the usual patterns. Try to make a list of the most common colors, typefaces and symbols used in graphic signs. Such a list will allow you to easily analyze what to avoid in creating a company logo.

Ambiguity means the multi-level symbolism of the logo. Your company logo should adapt to different contexts, recipients, etc. Its meaning may be different in each situation - after all, the logo will not only reach the client from the target group.

What other features must a good logo meet?

1. Legibility - the logo should be easily read by the audience. It should be taken into account that it will often appear in a rather small format. That is why it is worth creating a graphic sign, all elements of which will be legible, even in a small size. The easiest way to improve readability is to simplify the logo - leave only what is necessary. You will improve the strength of the reception of a graphic symbol and the ease of remembering it.

2. Easy to remember - you should take care of typography and color selection, so that the company's logo can be easily remembered by recipients. In typography, dedicated typefaces turn out to be effective, but the often used Helvetica is also successful. It is of paramount importance how a given typeface fits with a specific inscription. When selecting the colors, it is worth specifying at least to a small extent who the company's logo is intended for. Then check what the meaning of the color is. Remember one more thing - when creating a logo, make sure that it does not fall easily to the test of time. Frequent changes to the company's logo negatively affect its remembering by recipients.

3. Coherent concept. If you start designing a company logo, you should remember about a few important points. Make sure that the recipient, when they see the logo for the first time, knows the industry in which a given company operates. Second, we live in a pictorial culture, so it would be good if the signet would represent the company's name (e.g. a seashell in the Shell logo). Third, if there is something that makes your company associated in some way, include it in the logo. Fourthly, the logo should show the nature of the company, be adequate to what it does.

4. Fit and usability. Your company logo will appear in different places, sizes and circumstances. In each of these situations, it must look similar and be easily adapted to it.

The benefits of a good company logo

However, a good company logo is not everything - it should also be used skillfully. Be aware that it will take time and consistency before your audience starts recognizing them. If it is aesthetic and meets the requirements of a coherent concept, sooner or later it will be remembered by people who see it.

A logo is often an element that makes the first impression on the recipient about a given company. From this first moment it depends on how your company will be perceived later and what association it will evoke. Therefore, it is worth focusing on preparing a logo at a really high level - it is the basis for the visual identification of your company or venture.