We’ve all seen those ‘10 worst logo designs’ listicles; some are harmless and funny, while others are downright PR nightmares. Don’t fret if you’ve never seen them, there’s at least one for every year.
A bad logo is more than just a branding faux pas, it’s a mistake that reflects on the whole business, often followed by negative consequences that include decreased brand recognition and loyalty, which can impact a company’s revenue. A poorly designed logo usually indicates a breakdown that occurred much earlier in the branding process, where the brand’s values, mission, and offerings are not clearly defined and effectively communicated.
To explain what brand identity agencies consider when designing logos, we’ll explain 2 overarching visual communication principles and how working with a brand identity agency (aka corporate identity agency) can help companies by creating well-designed logos that accurately represent their brands.
Legibility: Is the Logo Recognisable at a Glance?
While legibility often refers to the ability to read and understand text-based materials, a legible logo is one that the audience can easily and quickly recognise, whether it’s the brand name, message, or other important information.
Clear and simple typography is the name of the game. The size, weight, style, spacing, and contrast of the typeface have a big influence on its readability at any size or distance. But what if simple isn’t your style? If you’re looking for something with more personality, an experienced creative designer with a good understanding of type anatomy will be able to customise type creatively to communicate the intended message effectively and leave a lasting impression while still maintaining legibility.
We’ve all seen those ‘10 worst logo designs’ listicles; some are harmless and funny, while others are downright PR nightmares. Don’t fret if you’ve never seen them, there’s at least one for every year.
A bad logo is more than just a branding faux pas, it’s a mistake that reflects on the whole business, often followed by negative consequences that include decreased brand recognition and loyalty, which can impact a company’s revenue. A poorly designed logo usually indicates a breakdown that occurred much earlier in the branding process, where the brand’s values, mission, and offerings are not clearly defined and effectively communicated.
To explain what brand identity agencies consider when designing logos, we’ll explain 2 overarching visual communication principles and how working with a brand identity agency (aka corporate identity agency) can help companies by creating well-designed logos that accurately represent their brands.
Legibility: Is the Logo Recognisable at a Glance?
While legibility often refers to the ability to read and understand text-based materials, a legible logo is one that the audience can easily and quickly recognise, whether it’s the brand name, message, or other important information.
Clear and simple typography is the name of the game. The size, weight, style, spacing, and contrast of the typeface have a big influence on its readability at any size or distance. But what if simple isn’t your style? If you’re looking for something with more personality, an experienced creative designer with a good understanding of type anatomy will be able to customise type creatively to communicate the intended message effectively and leave a lasting impression while still maintaining legibility.
However, it’s crucial to strike the right balance – overly stylised or complex typography can make your logo difficult to read and recognise, as demonstrated by Kia’s 2022 logo redesign. The stylized “KN” monogram sparked a lively discussion on Reddit in 2022 when an anonymous user asked if anyone knew anything about a “KM” car. Turns out, the person had seen the Korean carmaker’s new logo on one of their new models.
We think Kia’s new logo is a much-needed refresh for the brand and appreciate what it tries to accomplish. However, there’s tremendous potential for the new logo to succeed the old logo smoothly, and it could be more recognisable with a touch of legibility improvements, especially for quick recognition on the road.
Memorability and Consistency: Does Your Logo Reinforce Brand Recall?
These are actually 2 separate design principles, but we’ll combine them to illustrate our point here.
For starters, a good logo design is memorable, leaving a positive and lasting impression on consumers. It should be unique, distinctive, easily recognisable, and doesn’t require major revisions to help to build brand recognition and recall.
Now, memorable logos aren’t built overnight; iconic brands spend decades building a relationship with customers through impactful advertising campaigns, a unique tone of voice, and messaging that’s relevant to the audience it’s trying to reach. These positive experiences form a personal bond between the brand and its loyal customers that can withstand the test of time.
Even then, it doesn’t mean that brand logos can afford to rest on their laurels – memorable or not. Revisions are necessary to keep the logo up-to-date aesthetically, but that should be all they are – improvements on what was already done well… which leads us to the principle of consistency.
When brands use and build upon their logos with consistency in mind, consumers will be able to recognise their logos with ease. By maintaining similar type, colour, and visual elements over the years, brands get to keep the goodwill and positive memories that they have formed with their consumers.
Coca-Cola is a classic example of logo memorability and consistency over multiple generations. Their logo has essentially remained the same since 1891, which is one of the contributing factors to its crowning as an iconic brand. This lasting impact demonstrates the power of a well-crafted brand identity, often best achieved through collaboration with experienced professionals.
At this point, you must be wondering, “Okay, we get it. It’s a good idea to invest adequately when conducting a branding exercise with a brand identity agency. But why do they do a better job?”
Industry Expertise
Brand identity agencies (like us!) bring a wealth of experience to the table. Their exposure to diverse clients and industries gives them a broad perspective and deep understanding of what makes a logo successful. As a result, they can ensure that your logo follows design industry standards, and is adaptable as your businesses grow and evolve. This forward-thinking approach ensures your logo stays relevant and impactful, even in a rapidly changing market.
Brand Consistency
One of the biggest challenges of branding is actually what happens after everyone has signed off on an impeccable new logo design: consistency in application. It’s easy to let things slip – different versions of the logo might pop up, colours might be slightly off, or the logo might be used in ways that don’t align with the brand guidelines. This inconsistency can dilute your brand identity and confuse your audience.
An agency can create templates and guidelines to help businesses maintain a cohesive visual identity across different collateral applications, from your website and marketing materials to your social media presence and physical products. This might even include providing social media content services to ensure your online presence aligns with your branding. This meticulous attention to detail helps build a strong and recognisable brand.
Better Communication
As we have seen in the two case studies above, the vision and execution of a concept don’t always match up. It takes experience, skill, and a deep understanding of design principles to bridge that gap. Hiring corporate identity experts can help you clearly communicate your brand message and values through design that makes sense both on paper and in execution.
Reputable agencies have seriously strict quality control processes in place. As a common practice in our industry, every artwork gets examined rigorously by senior graphic designers, creative leads, art directors, account managers and creative directors before the client ever sees them. This ensures that the final product not only meets but exceeds your expectations, delivering a brand identity that truly represents your vision and resonates with your audience.
Crafting a Brand Identity that Lasts
Your logo is often the first impression customers have of your brand. Investing in a strong logo, and ensuring its consistent and effective application, is essential for building a lasting and recognisable brand identity. While it may be tempting to DIY, partnering with a professional brand identity agency can provide the expertise and guidance needed to navigate the complexities of logo design and brand development. From understanding your brand values to ensuring consistency across all platforms, a skilled agency can help you create a visual identity that truly represents your business and resonates with your target audience.
So, to answer the question posed when we started this article: yes, businesses can get their logos right. But only when they have the right help.
And that’s something we’re more than happy to do here at Mutant.