Logo design – Fra Sitepoint

Logo Design 101: Six Tips for Creating Iconic Logos

Logo design is undoubtedly one of most challenging aspects of graphic design. It may seem easy at first glance, but successful logos tend to have several characteristics in common. Those features are:

• simplicity
• uniqueness
• relevance
• memorableness
• focus
• tradition (or not following trends)

Here’s an overview of the characteristics with well-known brand examples to illustrate the point.

1. Keep it simple

A frequent mistake made by new designers is to overcomplicate, or overdesign. Simplicity is a good thing and when in comes to design, less is definitely more.

2. Make it unique

In a world full of swooshes, arcs, leaves, and other logo clichés, this is easier said than done. The Nike logo is a tick or check mark, yet is instantly recognizable and unique.

3. Keep it relevant

When you’re designing a logo, think about the appropriateness of the symbol or typeface you use. For example, a skull and crossbones just won’t work for a wedding planning business. The Lego logo uses bright primary colors and a child-friendly font—perfect for its intended audience.

4. Make it memorable

Your logo design is a visual representation of what the company stands for. The logo will often only receive a quick look, so it needs to make a fast impression.

5. Keep the focus, using one idea to make the design special

The FedEx logo features an arrow between the letters E and X, representing the idea of moving parcels from one place to another.

6. Aim for longevity

While many logos will be updated over their lifetime, its probably a good idea to produce a design that won’t look dated after a year. Avoid "trendy" fonts and symbolism. The Coca-Cola logo is among the most recognized brands in the world. Its distinctive cursive script has only changed marginally over its long lifetime.

These are, of course, guidelines and pointers. All rules are made to be broken, but it helps if you know the rules before breaking them. What other rules or guidelines would you add to this list?