The Tribune

Your logo is your company's first point of contact with the outside world. If people connect with your branding, the likelihood is they will be more susceptible to what you are offering. If your logo looks amateurish, so will your business.

Great logo designs require a complex mixture of skills, creative theory and skillful application. Like any design, it must share or impart a message that can be a story, an idea, an emotion or mood. Most designers can create a fit-for-purpose logo, but mastering all aspects of the craft takes time. Thus logo design still remains the centrepiece of most branding schemes.

Competition

Where there was once just a handful of companies operating within a particular market or niche, there are now thousands competing for attention, all wanting everyone to look at them first. This creates an increasing need for brands to visually differentiate themselves so that they are not confused with competitors.

Depending on the company, the identity can include uniforms, vehicle graphics, business cards, product packaging, photographic style, coffee mugs and billboard advertising, right down to the font choice on a website.

Symmetry

Differentiation is achieved through brand identity design, a range of elements that all work together to form a distinctive picture in our minds. In fact, the eye is naturally drawn to symmetrical images. Ultimately, when we look at something, we do not read first. We see shapes and colour, and if that is enough to hold our attention, then we will read thereafter.

Be guided that a logo is best designed in a vector graphics system such as Adobe Illustrator. This ensures the logo can be scaled to any size. Do not use stock art. Too often, small businesses use such images due to lack of funds, but they forget the many pitfalls. When the right logo is aligned with an excellent product for a significant amount of time, it can eventually become priceless.

Relevant

An argument can easily be made that designers not only design, but sell as well. The more appropriate the rationale behind a particular design, the easier it becomes to sell the idea to a client, which is sometimes the most challenging part of a project. Avoid designing for yourself, as the primary purpose of a logo is to convey a message to the target audience. It is OK to ask your client from the outset: What do you do? What makes you different? Who are you here for? What you discover in this phase of a project will help to determine the strongest possible design direction.

Simplicity

Complex logo designs are not essential. If there are too many visual elements in the design, the logo loses its effectiveness and the artwork can become a visual nightmare with myriad parts vying for attention.

A trademark has to be focused in concept. Have a single ‘story’ and, in most cases, be straightforward. This is important as it needs to work at a variety of sizes and in a range of applications. Always strive to eliminate as many elements as possible until you are left with something basic but powerful. You may be surprised that your simplest idea is often your best.

Broader identity

Do not blend in. Always aim to stand out. If your logo resembles another logo, it is time to start over. The greatest logos are those that people can recall and reproduce easily.

Another important factor is that a logo does not have to show what a company does. In fact, it is better if it does not, as the more abstract the mark, the more enduring it can become.

To conclude, when someone has impacted your life, it is almost certain you will remember what he or she looks like. We can easily picture the logo just by thinking about our experiences with the product, company or service.

Successful branding is about telling a story that influences customers’ emotions, and your logo design plays a massive role in ensuring recognition of the company's brand. It is the “most valuable” weapon for any company, so make every effort to get it right. Until we meet again, fill your life with memories rather than regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game.

NB: Columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

ABOUT COLUMNIST: Deidre Bastian is a professionally-trained graphic designer/brand marketing analyst and certified life coach with qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of The Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas.