Whether you’re updating your company image or simply evaluating how memorable your logo is, sometimes boiling it down to basics can help.
I wrote about brand perception and brand image before over on Fedorable, and some of that thinking applies here. Brand perception is how customers see a company, and brand image is the actual stuff that the company creates. There’s usually a big gap here, even when it comes to something as simple as a logo (which is not in itself a brand, but rather a small part of it).
Very few people have photographic memories, and when a brand is brought up in the customer’s head, there’s usually an associated logo. This thought is where brand perception and brand image meet. It’s the thought that you need to be designing for.
Try it. Think of the logos for these companies.
Nike McDonald’s Facebook
Got some images in your head? Good. Do you think you could draw them? How about pick them out of a lineup of similar logos?
Keep this simplicity in mind. Most people could produce a semblance of these logos with a pen and piece of paper. The same can’t really be said for complicated logos involving large sketches, gradients, or multiple elements. State flags make for great examples. Here’s Florida’s:
If a logo is as complicated as the seal in the middle of this flag, then it’s got problems. Here are a couple methods for simplifying a logo:
Simplifying an existing logo
I don’t feel like picking on anyone else’s logos, so I’m going to go ahead and use the Match Strike logo for this example.
It’s already pretty simple. But if we wanted to simplify it more, we could. The method I typically use here is trying to recreate the logo, using only two colors: Black and white. This brings out the shapes that will stick with the audience best. If the logo you’re working with relies heavily on color, you can cheat here and use a third color, 50% grey. Here’s my Match Strike result:
The flame and match are still easily identifiable, even though I had to cut out a few color distinctions. If your logo is still recognizable in this state, then it’s probably simplified enough to really stick in someone’s head. If it looks like a muddy mess, then consider throwing out the same elements that make it hard to recreate in two colors.
If it looks okay, then try working forward from this point. If you can simplify the logo, consider just using the simple version as your new logo.
Creating a new logo
The best advice I can give for creating new logos is to start off with a rough, black and white sketch. You can evoke a lot of emotion and get a lot across in a single sketch. They’re also quick, letting an artist produce multiple logo concepts in a short amount of time.
Limiting yourself to two colors also keeps you from expressing too much, keeping the logo simple. I’ve used this process for a while now– here’s one of my earlier logos (below is a suggested color palette, and the finished logo on the right):
Even though the end result is a pretty complicated logo, it didn’t go too far in my mind because it was easily represented in the concept. I should note that I used the “cheat” method here of 50% grey. If it’s something that we learn again and again in the logo design world, it’s that rules don’t exist– just suggestions.