A logo, short for ‘logotype’, is a graphical symbol that represents a set of ideas or entities, such as organizations, government bureaus, or business enterprises. A company logo is an important aspect for any business owner, as it conveys a message to customers, “This is me”. However, creating a logo for your business requires you to consider a few things.
Brand Vision
One of the most important things to consider before defining your logo is your brand vision. Brand vision is the main idea on what your brand is about and what it wants to achieve. When you have a clear goal for your business, that means you have defined a brand vision.
The difference between a vision statement and a mission statement is that it is an intention, while the latter is more of a set of actions. While both are essential for you to keep your business identity, they serve a different purpose. A vision statement is a tool to keep you focused on your endgame goals. Meanwhile, a mission statement is a route you take to arrive at those goals.
Another difference between the two is the way you convey them. Mission statements are usually expressed through written narratives. They are supposed to tell readers what the company wants to do. Vision statements can be expressed both through narratives and visual representation. One of the ways to express your vision, the core of your business, is to use your brand’s logo.
Company Logo as A Communication Tool
Overall, there are 4 main types brand logos:
- Lettermark. This kind of logo is typography that consists of characters or letters made up from the brand’s initials. Brands that utilize this type of logo include EA Games, CNN, and AMD.
- Wordmark. Similar to letter marks, this type is yet another typographical logo, but it’s made from the brand’s name instead of initials. Brands like Google, Yahoo, Intel, and Kellogg’s all use this logotype.
- Brandmark. Contrary to the previous types, a brandmark or pictorial mark utilizes shapes and ditches the texts entirely. Logos of this type include Apple, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among others.
- Combination. As the name suggests, this type of logo combines both shapes and texts in its design. Brands like Adidas, Duolingo, and Mastercard all using this kind of logo.
As logos are created to convey messages to the viewer, it is an effective communication tool for your company. Other visual media such as brochures, leaflets, or business cards can fulfill similar roles. Still, the logo is the most effective way to communicate your brand vision and identities, as it’s typically the first thing people notice from your brand.
A logo should impress and leave a long-lasting impact on its viewers. If it appeals to the customers, you will gain their trust. People are prone to associating well-executed brand logos with reliability and professionalism, so investing in good brand logo design will benefit your business in the long term.
Turning Your Vision into Visual Representation
Since the brand logo is a visual representation of the brand itself, it should have design elements that accurately depict its core values. Design aspects like geometric shapes, color compositions, typefaces, etc., should be chosen carefully. To achieve this, business owners often hire a highly trained, professional logo designer.
The designer would start by asking what kind of message you want to convey. You can explain your brand vision to the designer to explore various design aspects that can represent that vision. Each element, be its geometric shapes, colors, or even combinations of those different aspects, is associated with certain things.
For example, if you aimed to leave a bolder image of your company to viewers, the designer would recommend a simpler design with a more defined aspect to you. The color choice would also consist of more neutral colors, such as black, navy blue, or other darker colors. If you want to represent your brand identity in a more casual, playful manner, then the use of bright colors with rounder shapes would be recommended by your designer.
All in all, your brand logo would be the first thing people will notice from your business. It should accurately represent your brand’s core values and leave an impact on the viewers. So, grab a piece of paper, sharpen your pencil, and start creating the company logo of your dream!
