Sunday, August 15, 2010

Elements of Good Logo Design

Auer Agency | Charlotte, NC | 704.236.0568 | mariellen@aueragency.com

Logos are what represent your company, product, business, or even yourself. They are the primary way to communicate to the world your business’s personality, identity, essence, and individuality. There are two types of logos: logomarks are symbol-based logos, and logotypes of logos that are made up of typography. or a unique font.
The latter has become increasing more popular with the explosion of Web 2.0. But, no matter what type of logo it is, it must abide by certain essential elements that make a logo exceptional, and these elements should be considered in the planning and executing process of the logo design. A successful logo should encompass these elements in order to effectively do its job. 
In this post, we will briefly recap the elements of a superior logo design, and since football season is in full fling, and everyone love sports, I have selected a few sports logos from Football, Baseball, and Basketball that I think abide by these essential elements. Enjoy looking at examples of exceptional sports franchise logos! 

The Elements of a Good Logo Design

Timeless
The logo must be timeless, meaning that it should not be designed with any sort of fad or style that is likely to go out of style. When you are designing a logo, try to make the logo as enduring as possible through the many years and many styles of “in” it will pass through. The best logos are the ones that looked good fifteen years ago, and they still are extraordinary today.

Simple
A great logo design has to be simple. Many designers think that you must make ornate and complicated logos for it to be good, but actually the most successful ones are the most simple, straightforward, and sharp. You can see the logos below are generally very simple, but they really captivate and appeal to the eye.

Unique
Being unique is key to a successful logo design, because the logo is the identity of your company. Therefore, you must take the time to be creative, imaginative, and original. Notice the logos below are all uniquely different, and all have their own personality and flare.

Consistent
Nothing is worst than an inconsistent logo design. I have seen on many occasions where the logo in one part of the world looks one way and in another part of the world looks differently. In addition, I have seen where companies have too many different logos that can confuse the target audience. Even if the look is slightly off, it is noticeable and it makes it look poorly designed. Try to be consistent with the logo, so make sure it is not manipulated even slightly.

Immediate and Lasting Impression
A logo must make an immediate and lasting impression with the audience. A successful logo is one where a person sees it once, and will remember it forever as associated with that business or entity. All of the logos below possess that quality; in fact, I do not even need to label these logos and I am sure that the high majority of readers will be able to recogonize the majority of the logos! That shows that they have created a lasting impression on the viewers!

Appealing
Another element of good logo design is the audience appeal element. The audience must find the logo interesting, appealing, and alluring for it to truly be successful. I always suggest that designers do a test run of a logo with a select target audience to see the reaction; if it is not a positive reaction, change it.

Shows Proper Image
A successful and effectual logo will properly and accurately convey the image and personality of the business or entity it is representing. Some logos are great in all other aspects, and I find them very exceptionally designed and constructed, but they do not properly express the business’s personality, so I think I would rule it unsuccessful. It must do its job of representing the general company image.

Comprehensible and Logical
This one may be last, but it is equally as important. The logo must be understood by the target audience; therefore, you must not use symbols, colors, or ideas which your audience will not understand. Also, try not to go overboard with the hidden message or clever logos, because many times, though original, may not be understood, thus are worthless. So, try to make a logo that can be understand by the average person to make sure it will be successful! This is why we spend so much time doing research of your industry, service and competition.

Sample Sports Logos that Encompass the Elements of Good Logo Design

Denver Broncos
Broncos
Houston Texans
Texans
Indy Colts
Colts
San Antonio Spurs
Spurs
New England Patriots
Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Saints
Oakland Raiders
Raiders
Pittsburg Steelers
Steelers
Seattle Mariners
Mariners
Los Angeles Angels
Angels
Baltimore Ravens
Ravens
Atlanta Braves
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New York Nets
Nets
Green Bay Packers
Packers
Miami Heat
Heat
Boston Red Sox
Red Sox
Oakland A’s
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Indiana Pacers
Pacers
Chicago Cubs
Cubs
All Star Game
AllStarGame
Major League Baseball
MLB

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