Looking for tips from a logo creation company? Vocal has plenty of tips and tricks for you. Our content creation agency has a wide variety of experience in multiple industries. Our designers know a lot about logo creation. So, we thought we should share some insider knowledge with you!
Firstly, let’s address some key elements that good logos should have. A logo creation company should know how to execute the following:
If you’re looking for a logo creation company to create your logo, then research is key. Look into the company and see which clients they have provided services for. You can use this to see if you think a logo creation company is the best fit for you. You should also see if they have testimonials from their clients and any reviews.
Whether you are using a logo creation company or creating your own logo, it’s crucial to understand the brand. When you know a brand’s goals and attitude, you can portray that through the logo. For example, many fostering/adoption services use logos of hands to represent help and unity. Building services will have logos consisting of literal buildings/homes. Being literal is actually a great point in logo creation, which we will talk about later.
Once you know what you’re trying to convey, you should find it a lot easier to come up with concepts. A logo is a visual representation of your brand. So, note down ideas when you consider what your brand is all about.
There are different types of logos. A logo creation company will usually collaborate with you and ensure they understand your goals and vision. There are 7 recognised types of logos, and they are:
If you want to use your company name as your logo, then you could use a logotype (or wordmark). Some popular wordmarks include:
If you want to use an image or a symbol instead of your company name, you could use a logomark. This can consist of a pictorial mark, a letter mark, or an abstract logo.
Oftentimes, companies will actually use multiple logos because they know it is important to make logos scalable. A logo creation company will know all about making your logo scalable. More on that later!
A lot of companies often adapt their logo as they grow. Apple and Pepsi are two great examples.
Apple’s original logo featured an image of Isaac Newton under an apple tree, with a scroll reading “Apple Computer Co.” Now, everyone recognises the famous Apple logo created in 1977. It is a simple apple icon with a bite (or byte) out of the side. It has become so recognisable that most people probably never knew they had a different logo when starting out.
Pepsi started out in 1898, with a logo very similar to Coca-Cola’s most recognisable red calligraphy text. Back then, Pepsi was also known as “Pepsi-Cola”, up until the 1960s. Pepsi was known to be at war with Coca-Cola given how similar they were. But after decades of success, Pepsi adjusted their logo to a more patriotic colour of red, white and blue. Pepsi continued to adapt its logo and colour scheme to stand out more against their competitor. Today, Pepsi is recognisable for its abstract logo. It consists of a red and blue circle, with a white line through the middle. Very different from its original.
Our point is that most companies will start off using logotypes because it is easier to remember. And a logo creation company will know it is effective. It could take years for a business to establish itself to the point that people recognise their logomark. So, to make things easier, a logotype is often a good way to start off. Once a company gains enough standing, its logo can be altered.
A logo creation company understands the importance of keeping a logo clean. You should prioritise simplicity. It should be clear, not a clustered mass that people have to dissect in order to make sense of it. You want your logo to be readable from a distance, and you don’t want it to feel chaotic. So, leaving a lot of blank space is actually a good thing. Many of the most recognisable logos are super simple.
This may be surprising to some people, but colours in the design are almost always selected with a goal in mind. And a logo creation company will know to consider this when designing logos for their clients. We sure do! Have you noticed a lot of social media sites use the colour blue in their designs? That is because blue is a calming colour, so people are more likely to spend more time there. Greens are often used to depict growth, energy, and nature.
Using different shades can also have a big effect on how your logo is perceived. Sometimes, monochromatic logos can be harsh on the eyes, like black and white ones. However, some monochromatic logos work really well. PayPal’s logo uses 3 shades of blue. It’s easy on the eyes, has a peaceful aura and the contrast is subtle. You should always consider the colours used in your logo, a logo creation company definitely will.
Have you ever seen a logo that makes excellent use of shapes? Shapes can be a massive asset to really making your logo stand out. Simply by putting your companies name inside a box/rectangle, you can achieve an elegant and professional look. What is also great is that boxed in logos often look awesome on letterheads, lanyards, and pens.
If you use a circle with an icon inside, you could use a gradient effect to make a sleek logo.
A logo creation company knows that the purpose of a logo is to be recognisable. So, if your logo is a literal match to your company name, it is easy for it to be remembered.
Some literal logo designs include:
There is a reason so many of these brands use literal logos. And it’s predominantly because it is effective and easy!
The majority of us will be familiar with asking for the opinion of others. We sometimes get it even when we don’t ask. In this case, asking for advice from others can absolutely be beneficial. If you have some ideas for a logo, sketches, or developed or finished concepts. You should ask people what they think. At a logo creation company, it is almost a guarantee that the logo will be checked by multiple people.
There are many notorious logos out there that clearly were not checked before being used. Some just don’t work for the brand, some look terribly designed, and some look rude and even offensive! The last thing you want is for your design to end up like these. So, catching the bad ideas early can save a lot of embarrassment in the future.
See what kind of vibe your guinea pig audience get from your logo. Ask what impressions they get, and what they would assume your business is like based on the design. They are more likely to notice anything absurd in your design as they’re looking with a fresh set of eyes.
Their opinion matters because they’re the first people to see it before your actual audience. So, if they have a problem with it, it is likely your audience will too. But if they think it’s great, then you just might be set for success.
Now, if, for whatever reason, your logo isn’t working out, you should not be afraid to rejig it a bit. This can actually be really exciting! As we mentioned before, a huge company like Pepsi has seen many logo changes over the years. So, if it isn’t working, or you just fancy a change, you should dive right in! A logo creation company is also your best bet for making adjustments. This is because they probably have a better understanding of how your logo is being perceived. As well as how to freshen it up and give it some oomph.
A logo creation company will be familiar with this, but for those that aren’t, a logo must be scalable. This means that your logo should work at multiple sizes, or have variations depending on canvas size. For example, most apps on our phones use a downscaled logo. Pinterest has a “P”, Facebook has an “F” and Instagram has a camera icon etc. Disney uses a letter mark logo the majority of the time, but large-scale logos tend to have the castle. This added feature fills up some space and is a nice touch.
You should always consider scalability, especially if your logo has to be downscaled. You don’t want it to end up becoming unrecognisable and losing its crucial features, because then it no longer works.
Fonts essentially have their own personalities, so it is important to choose the right one for your brand! Legibility should always be the priority. A funky text may be fun but if it can’t be read unless up close, then you’ll run into problems.
Need a logo for a Greek restaurant? There are plenty of fonts designed in the style of an ancient Grecian inscription. If your logo needs to be suitable for kids, using a handwritten font is often the go-to. Some logos, mainly word marks, will opt for big bold and sometimes colourful fonts. They’re in your face but not obnoxiously so.
As we mentioned earlier about scalability, a detailed font won’t scale down well. So, you should also consider scalability when deciding on a font.
A logo creation company may offer to design a font specifically for your logo. But this won’t always be the case.
It is best never to exceed 2 or 3 different fonts in a logo. Using different fonts can look great, but too many are overkill. The fonts you use should also complement each other. Try choosing a main font that represents your brand. It should be eye-catching and relatively clear. The other fonts should then be more subtle. If you are using your slogan in your logo, this is a great opportunity to use multiple fonts.
A great thing to consider is the logos of your competition. Do they have things in common? How could you stand out in your industry? Your logo is essentially about being recognisable and standing out. So, researching your competitors is a great way to get an edge. A logo creation company will likely do this as well when they create for clients.
We hope our blog has offered you some industry insight and tips on what to consider when creating a logo. Since we are a logo creation company, among other things, we have a lot we like to share. We value learning, so we share our thoughts on all things creative, as often as we can!
We would love to hear about your business goals. So, why not contact us and speak to one of our team? We can brainstorm how we can produce the best content for you. Then, we will use our experience to make recommendations. We pride ourselves on delivering results. We will provide you with predicted outcomes so that you can make an informed decision. If you give us the go-ahead, we will provide you with a quote. Our team will then get to work on creating the logo of your dreams!