While it is true that good quality products and excellent services will be the best representation for a brand, nothing beats a memorable brand logo that creates lasting impressions. With more than a billion brands around the world (and on the internet), it takes quite a bit for one single brand to stand out.
The power of first impressions in Branding
From an almost infant age, the importance of first impressions has been carved into our minds. Studies have shown that we often make a judgment on someone or something within the first few seconds of seeing it.
The same goes for impressions in branding. Branding a company/product/service well, with the right colours and logo design, will decide whether it will impart a good and lasting first impression on its receiver. It sets the tone on how customers perceive your company, product or service.
What purposes does a logo serve?
Good logos say a lot about the business they represent, and they communicate on many different levels. Paired with an apt tagline, they speak directly to their desired customers. Here is what a good logo can do for you.
- Establish brand identity. A well-designed logo is the baseline to starting a brand. As mentioned, your logo should lead to customers linking it to your business and offerings.
- Giving your business a professional look. A good logo takes your business to the next level. It helps to establish the fact that the business and company is real, because it has a strong logo.
- Communicate what your business does. Potential customers who come across your logo should be able to tell what your business offers, and if it matches what they need.
- Build loyalty. Repeated exposure to your logo helps remind customers of your products and services. If you have previously created a positive relationship with your clients and customers, they will be reminded of that every time they come across your logo.
The basics of logo design
Highly successful companies have different approaches to logo design, and they fall into these basic categories. There is no single category that is inherently superior to any other.
- Type-face based. Many logos take on a typographical treatment of their business name. These are direct and in-your-face and work best with bold and unique brand names. Some examples will include Coca-Cola and Facebook.
- Illustrations. With products or services that are visually distinct, some businesses choose an illustration that best communicates who they are, or what they sell. Classic examples will include Shell Petroleum (with the logo of a shell) and KFC (with the illustrated face of Colonel Sanders).
- Abstract form. There are brand logos that are distinct, but don’t have a strong, initial correlation with the products or services but have become synonymous with the brand. The Nike swoosh doesn’t need any mention of the name of the company, but people can instantly recognise it. Or similarly, Starbucks’ Mermaid and the five rings of the Olympics.
- Hybrid logos. Often, typography will be combined with either a realistic illustration or abstract design to form a hybrid logo. And maybe with the addition of a tagline.
Colours make a splash (and an impression)
The colours you choose for your logo are as important as the design. Colours communicate on a very instinctive level, and you have to keep this in mind as you select your design.
Colour does more than make your logo look good, it also represents ideals through common colour associations. For example, green is linked with nature, and people generally associate it with ethical behaviour and affluence. Orange is a bold colour and carries with it a sense of adventure. Purple sparks imagination and creativity. And yellow is universally seen as a colour of cheer and optimism.
Many small and medium business owners simply go with the colours that they personally like. When you think you have a good basic colour you want to use, do a quick search for complementary colour schemes and find other colours that will go along well with it. Consider what is your message and if the colour choice speaks that language.
Consider your target audience, and the key idea you want your logo to convey. Be unique and timeless in your colour and logo design option. Entice your audience, and avoid cliches. And in today’s context, don’t be too busy with your logo, keep it simple and make it convey one single message.
Need a helping hand at creating a bold and unique brand for your business? I Concept’s team is readily on-hand to guide you through establishing your brand, logo and all. A leading brand consultancy in Singapore, we have years of experience in helping brands carve out a niche, building brand narratives and crafting data-driven brand strategies that produce results. With an understanding of your preferences and your business needs, a group of experienced strategists and designers will work alongside you to create a branding solution that best represents your brand. Get in touch with I Concept today.
