8-25-09
Makespace! Tips & Tricks: 5 Secrets to Logo Design

A professionally designed logo is crucial to effective advertising & marketing. Here at Makespace we always use the following guidelines to design professional logos for Louisville buisnesses:

1) Wrapped in a Bow
A logo is the visual representation of a company. Every aspect of a company, from the mission statement to the product or service it provides, is wrapped up in a nice pretty package. Therefore, a company needs to be researched for its logo to be an accurate portrayal of it. The theme of the company, the business sector, the target market, the age and location, the people, the colors and of course the name are all pertinent pieces of information and should be evident in the company's logo.

2) One Glance Gauge
One technique used to judge the effectiveness of a logo is the One Glance Gauge test. Have someone who's never seen the logo take a single, quick glance at it, then describe it. If the description is not dead-on, the logo needs some work. For a logo to be successful, it must be immediately identifiable. This will make the logo memorable, and this increases brand loyalty. Most logos utilize both a picture and words, increasing the possibility of it being identifiable and memorable.

3) Keep It Clean
The best shapes for a logo are the basic ones: square, circle and triangle. These shapes are the most balanced, recognizable and attractive. Regarding color, a logo will sometimes have to be reproduced in black & white; therefore, gradients will be lost as will differences between two similar colors lying side by side. In this situation, the less colors the better. Most logos have no more than four colors, making them clean and professional. A logo should only utilize filters such as drop shadows, gradients and the like if the context of the logo requires it.

4) The Lapel Test
We’ve already stated that a great logo is simple, clean and uncluttered. One great way to test a potential logo is to shrink it down to the size of a lapel pin, about 1⁄2 of an inch in diameter. Is it still a strong and readable image? Is all necessary detail retained? If the answers are “yes”, it’s passed the test. If not, back to the drawing board.

5) Future Classic
It’s important to consider that one’s logo should weather the test of time. Your logo may need to be in use for decades, and you wouldn’t want it to look dated 5 or 10 years from now. For that reason it’s important to avoid fads and trends in design when it comes to your logo, and a designer worth their salt knows the difference and can create a logo that will be considered a ‘future classic’.