Now that everything has been memefied, is there any hope for visual marketers? Maybe—but they’d better have a great logo. Provided they’re done right, business signs are an affordable, effective way to grab and hold prospects’ attention. A signage provider like Butler Signs can help you bring your logo to life.
“In an increasingly saturated advertising market, the spoils go to those who make a lasting impression on their buyers,” says William Michael Keever, a seasoned venture capital executive whose Castle Venture Group maintains stakes in several digital marketing shops. “That impression very often begins with an arresting logo that breaks through the near-constant information assault and lodges itself in the prospect’s psyche.”
Keever isn’t the only venture capitalist placing bets on the future of digital design. Online logo marketplace 99Designs has attracted several eight-figure funding rounds, most recently in 2015 (per AFR). And DesignCrowd, an Australian firm with a similar peer-to-peer approach, is backed by VC heavyweights Grand Prix Capital and Starfish Ventures.
Every logo is unique. HubSpot’s Meg Hoppe calls out a slew of marketing messages that brands big and small commonly try to incorporate into their logos: “speed, authentic old-world craftsmanship, precision, attention to detail, reach, intelligence, variety, coolness, good health, power, innovation, elegance, efficiency…or one of a thousand other characteristics.” Once a logo has been designed and approved for your business, you may start ordering custom digital signs for retail stores and other promotional materials.
So let’s focus on the big picture. If your logo can follow these seven design tips, it won’t be perfect. But it’ll be well on its way.
- Clarity of Purpose – Confidence Is Key
First things first: Your logo needs a reason for being, a clarity of purpose. What does it stand for? What, by extension, does your organization stand for?
These are hard concepts to boil down to a few pen strokes, so take a page from organizations that do it well. Sierra Club’s logo depicts the silhouette of a giant sequoia against the backdrop of Yosemite Valley, all bathed in green—a clear, unambiguous statement of organizational origin and purpose.
- Simplicity – No Wasted Strokes
Sierra Club’s logo is crystal clear. It’s pretty simple too, though there are certainly better examples of super-simple logos that ably make their point. For instance: iPhone users, turn over your phones.
- Arresting, Memorable Design – Make a Mark
Apple’s logo is memorable precisely because it’s so simple. A photogenic bite out of a stylized apple—who could forget that?
It helps that Apple’s logo has been in the public eye for decades now. If you’re newer on the scene, there’s a case to be made for a logo that sacrifices simplicity for edginess.
No, your logo doesn’t need to drip blood or anything like that; it just needs to attract the eye. Think of Mercedes’ tri-pointed star encircled by an unbroken silver ring. Even if you’re not a car buff, you can probably close your eyes and picture that iconic symbol. So can millions of other people, even those not fortunate enough to be able to afford the company’s cars.
- Originality – Don’t Pull from Your Competitors’ Playbooks
Imitation is the highest form of flattery, as long as it doesn’t run afoul of copyright law. In most cases, it’s better to avoid imitation altogether. By all means, look to competitor designs for elements that you can “echo” in your own. Just don’t draw too many connections—you don’t need the heat.
- Timeless Quality – Avoid the Flavor of the Week
The best logos don’t need annual refreshes. The very best don’t even need decadal refreshes. Coca-Cola’s logo has been more or less frozen in time since the early 20th century, despite more packaging revamps than you could fit in your fridge. Timeless logos look, well, timeless—and they’re cheaper to maintain besides.
- Proportionality – Make Sure It Fits
You’re going to put your logo on a lot of stuff: posters, billboards, window stickers, mailers, phone screens, laptop screens, television screens, caps, pens, stickers—you name it. Make sure your logo is shaped to fit on all these media. Top-heavy logos tend to look funny on physical collateral with limited real estate, like pens. Keep solid graphics front and center and text to a minimum, if possible.
- Coherence – Speak with One Voice
Your logo needs to be more than clear—it needs to be coherent. Avoid clashing colors and jarring linear combinations. The Nike swoosh is a good example of a coherent logo that’s also super simple: The entire thing is oriented in a single direction and can be created with a single brushstroke. You can’t possibly argue that it’s not the product of a corporate hive mind.
How good do you feel about your company’s logo right now?
