A logotype or logo is an important component of a brand since it allows to identify and distinguish it from other competing brands, transmit its identity, and position it in the minds of consumers.
In this article we tell you what a logo is, how to create one step by step, and what are the requirements that a logo must meet to be effective.
In this article you will find:
- What is a logo?
- How to create a logo?
- Requirements for an effective logo
- Summary
What is a logo?
A logo (also known as a logo) is a graphic design generally made up of letters, symbols and / or signs, which is intended to represent and identify a brand or company, as well as distinguish it from other competing brands or companies.
Basically, there are three kinds of logos:
- those that represent the name of a brand and that are made up of letters (for example, the Google logo or the IBM logo ).
- those that represent the symbol of a brand and that are made up of symbols or icons (for example, the Nike logo ).
- those that represent both the name and the symbol of a brand (for example, the Adidas logo , which is made up of the word Adidas and a symbol with three bars).
In addition to representing and allowing the identification of a brand or company, and distinguishing it from other competing brands or companies, a logo also allows the concept, style, personality, essence or some important or differentiating characteristic of the brand or company to be transmitted, and So relate this in the mind of the consumer.
But in addition, over time, a logo can impact and remain engraved in the mind of the consumer, and thus make it so that when they decide to purchase the type of product they represent, there are more possibilities for them to choose their brand than competing brands.
A logo allows identifying a brand and distinguishing it from competing brands, but also transmitting its identity and positioning it in the minds of consumers.
How to create a logo?
Taking into account its importance and that once designed and made known to the public, a logo should not be changed except to make minor modifications that keep it current, the design of a logo is not something that can be taken lightly, but something that should be spent time and effort.
To create the logo of your brand or company, it is recommended that you hire the services of a graphic designer to help you with this task, which you could find, for example, on sites for freelancers on the Internet.
However, creating an attractive and professional-looking logo is not something that you cannot do yourself if you have basic knowledge in the use of any graphic design program, and follow the steps below:
1. Identify brand identity
To create your logo, the first thing you must do is identify the concept, style, personality or essence of your brand, so that you can then translate this identity into your logo.
If it is difficult for you to identify the identity of your brand, you could identify the message that you would like to transmit through your logo, which should correspond to what your brand represents, or to some important characteristic of it, especially that which differentiates it from the other competing brands.
2. Review logos of other brands
Once you have identified the identity of your brand or the message that you would like to transmit through your logo, it is recommended that you review the logos of other brands, in such a way that they serve as inspiration and give you an idea of where start with designing yours.
To do this, you could simply go to the Internet and especially review the logos of recognized brands that have endured over time, the logos of competing brands, or logos that convey the same message that you would like to convey.
3. Design draft
Once you have reviewed the logos of other brands and, thanks to this, you have an idea of where to start, and taking into account the identity of your brand or the message you want to transmit, you should design the draft of your logo.
It is recommended that you make this draft on a sheet of paper rather than on a computer, so that, among other things, you can quickly design, not one, but several drafts from which you can later choose the best one.
Something you can take into account when designing your logo draft is that most logos are made up of letters and symbols.
So you could start by writing the name of your brand, giving the text the typeface that best corresponds to its identity or what you want to transmit, and then enclose the text in a symbol or put one next to it, which also best represents it. .
For example, if your brand has a “classic” style and you want to convey prestige or exclusivity, you could write your brand name, put the text in a cursive font, and then enclose it in the symbol of a crown, or put the image of a crown on top.
If you find it difficult to find a suitable symbol for your logo, remember that there are also several logos that are simply made up of letters, such as the logo of our CreceNegocios site .
4. Move eraser to clean
Once you have designed the draft of your logo, the time has come to clean it up; that is, to capture the draft of your logo that you made on a sheet of paper on your computer with the help of some graphic design program.
In case you have designed several logo erasers, you must choose the most attractive one, and the one that best represents the identity of your brand or transmits the message you want to convey.
If it is difficult for you to capture the draft of your logo on your computer, at this point you could choose to hire the services of a graphic designer to help you with this task, which in turn could give you some ideas or suggestions for the final design of your logo.
5. Give final touch
Before defining the final design of your logo, you must make sure once again that it represents the identity of your brand (for example, that the letters used have the typeface that best suits their style, and that the colors used are the that better identify it), or to convey the message you want to convey.
Likewise, at this point you must ensure that your logo meets some requirements such as that it is attractive, simple (capable of being reproduced at any size, in any medium, and in both colors and black and white), and distinctive (capable to be distinguished from the logos of competing brands).
6. Register logo and include it in media
Once you have the final design of your logo and are convinced that this will be the one that will represent your brand for a long time, it is recommended that you register it in the trademark and patent office in order for you to legally protect it, and thus prevent other people or companies from using or copying it.
And once you have registered it, in order for it to have the desired effect, you must include it in all the promotional and communication means you use, such as posters, brochures, business cards, letters, web pages, emails, payment vouchers, uniforms, delivery vehicles, etc.
Requirements for an effective logo
To finish this article, below we tell you what are the requirements that a logo must meet to be effective; that is, so that it fully fulfills its functions and is able to easily position itself in the mind of the consumer.
Whether you send it to a graphic designer or design it yourself with the help of a graphic design program, if you want your logo to be effective, you must ensure that it meets these requirements.
Be memorable
For a logo to successfully position itself in the consumer’s mind, it must be memorable, capable of visually impacting the consumer when they first see it, and then capable of being remembered by the consumer despite the passage of time.
For a logo to be memorable it must be attractive, simple and distinctive.
Be attractive
A logo with an attractive design visually impacts the consumer when they see it for the first time; while a logo with an unattractive design conveys a poor image of the brand or company.
For a logo to be attractive it must have stylized shapes, make good use of colors, and have a concept according to the current era.
Be simple
An effective logo must also have a simple design, capable of being reproduced in any size (for example, that the included text is readable when it is small), in any medium, and in colors as well as in black and white.
For a logo to be simple, it must have simple shapes, include few graphic elements, and preferably be made up of few colors.
Be distinctive
The main function of a logo is to distinguish a brand from competing brands, so in addition to being attractive and simple, a logo must also be able to distinguish itself from the logos of competing brands.
For a logo to be distinctive it must be unique, original and novel.
Be consistent with corporate identity
Finally, for a logo to be effective it must be consistent with the corporate identity of the company.
For a logo to be consistent with corporate identity, it must transmit the concept, style, personality or essence of the company, use its colors and typography, and be able to easily integrate into all the promotional and communication media used.
Summary
- A logo is a graphic design generally made up of letters, symbols and / or signs.
- Basically there are three kinds of logos: those made up of letters, those made up of symbols, and those made up of letters and symbols.
- A logo allows to identify a brand and distinguish it from competing brands, transmit its identity, and position it in the consumer’s mind.
- To create a logo, you must identify the brand identity, design the draft, clean the draft, give the final touch, register the logo and include it in the advertising media.
- For a logo to be effective it must be memorable, attractive, simple, distinctive and consistent with the corporate identity of the company.
