Your Logo is the Silent Ambassador of Your Brand
7/6/2021
It’s no secret - your logo is the face of your company. Make the right first impression by investing in professional logo design, ensuring your brand identity is consistent and your message is clear and memorable.
I was so fortunate to have studied logo design with the brilliant designer, Paul Rand, at Yale. He designed the logos for IBM, UPS, Enron, Morningstar, Inc., Westinghouse, ABC, and NeXT for Steve Jobs. These logos express the essence of the companies they represent. They have become icons. In his book, A Designer’s Art, Rand wrote that “design is the silent ambassador of your brand” – this idea is applicable towards all components of branding; however, it is especially true for logo design.
A logo...
1. Makes you recognizable and differentiates your business from the competition.
2. Creates a mental picture that sticks and evokes emotion.
3. Immediately generates trust.
4. Triggers a response in your heart and mind.
5. Is a visual representation or symbol of your company.
6. Will help clients attach positive emotions to your organization.
7. Can make the right first impression
8. Will help you to project a professional image.
9. Can highlight your key benefits and bring attention to what your business offers.
10. Can boost employee morale and bring everyone on board.
Step 1. The process begins with research and discovery that is essential to creating a meaningful and effective result.
Step 2. The discovery process gives you the ability to create a strategy. This is a blueprint for taking your company to the next level.
Step 3. The strategy process is followed by the design process which requires an exhaustive visual exploration.
Step 4. The visual exploration is edited down to a final selection.
Step 5. The logo is initially designed in black and white, then color is applied. This step involves a color exploration to develop a compelling palette.
Step 6. The final selection of logo concepts is applied to a few key assets to see how they work across different media and applications.
Step 7. A presentation and explanation of the brand strategy and logo is essential for the key stakeholders. They should be involved in the process to gain acceptance and compliance of the logo. You want to make your valuable team part of the process, so they feel ownership and pride in your company.
Step 8: Once the logo is approved, guidelines should be created for its application and usage so that it will be used consistently.
Starting a new business? Creating your name and logo on your own also means you are responsible for taking care of all the copyright and trademark procedures, which is a task that must be done to protect your corporate identity from being copied or stolen. This legal process can be overwhelming and time consuming. Consulting a trademark lawyer is the best way to ensure that you can in fact own your name and logo.
If you are just doing a new logo and not changing your name, you can do a visual search online to make sure your logo does not belong to another company that might be in your industry already.
Anyone can buy and download a logo inexpensively, but be warned – this product may lack originality and relevance to your company, therefore preventing strong brand recognition. Once you are using a logo, it’s a challenge to go back to step one and make drastic changes. You want to give yourself the best chance of success right from the start. Designing logos is hard work and requires a lot of thought and experimentation to get it right and truly capture the essence of who you are and what you do. It’s the upfront investment that will start you on the right foot and give you the best chance at success.
Your logo should be designed with the creativity and strategy of a professional who understands what makes your company special. Your logo should send a clear message to your clients and prospective employees about your values, authenticity, and personality. A logo will make a visual association that will help everyone identify and relate to your company. Don’t you want to stand out and be remembered?
By Janet Odgis
Read this article on LinkedIn
Odgis + Co is an award-winning brand design studio based in New York City. We Make Business Beautiful.
I was so fortunate to have studied logo design with the brilliant designer, Paul Rand, at Yale. He designed the logos for IBM, UPS, Enron, Morningstar, Inc., Westinghouse, ABC, and NeXT for Steve Jobs. These logos express the essence of the companies they represent. They have become icons. In his book, A Designer’s Art, Rand wrote that “design is the silent ambassador of your brand” – this idea is applicable towards all components of branding; however, it is especially true for logo design.
10 Reasons Why Your Company Logo is Important
A logo...
1. Makes you recognizable and differentiates your business from the competition.
2. Creates a mental picture that sticks and evokes emotion.
3. Immediately generates trust.
4. Triggers a response in your heart and mind.
5. Is a visual representation or symbol of your company.
6. Will help clients attach positive emotions to your organization.
7. Can make the right first impression
8. Will help you to project a professional image.
9. Can highlight your key benefits and bring attention to what your business offers.
10. Can boost employee morale and bring everyone on board.
What Are the Steps to Creating a Perfect Logo Design?
Step 1. The process begins with research and discovery that is essential to creating a meaningful and effective result.
Step 2. The discovery process gives you the ability to create a strategy. This is a blueprint for taking your company to the next level.
Step 3. The strategy process is followed by the design process which requires an exhaustive visual exploration.
Step 4. The visual exploration is edited down to a final selection.
Step 5. The logo is initially designed in black and white, then color is applied. This step involves a color exploration to develop a compelling palette.
Step 6. The final selection of logo concepts is applied to a few key assets to see how they work across different media and applications.
Step 7. A presentation and explanation of the brand strategy and logo is essential for the key stakeholders. They should be involved in the process to gain acceptance and compliance of the logo. You want to make your valuable team part of the process, so they feel ownership and pride in your company.
Step 8: Once the logo is approved, guidelines should be created for its application and usage so that it will be used consistently.
Own Your Logo
Starting a new business? Creating your name and logo on your own also means you are responsible for taking care of all the copyright and trademark procedures, which is a task that must be done to protect your corporate identity from being copied or stolen. This legal process can be overwhelming and time consuming. Consulting a trademark lawyer is the best way to ensure that you can in fact own your name and logo.
If you are just doing a new logo and not changing your name, you can do a visual search online to make sure your logo does not belong to another company that might be in your industry already.
Don’t Try This at Home
Anyone can buy and download a logo inexpensively, but be warned – this product may lack originality and relevance to your company, therefore preventing strong brand recognition. Once you are using a logo, it’s a challenge to go back to step one and make drastic changes. You want to give yourself the best chance of success right from the start. Designing logos is hard work and requires a lot of thought and experimentation to get it right and truly capture the essence of who you are and what you do. It’s the upfront investment that will start you on the right foot and give you the best chance at success.
Your logo should be designed with the creativity and strategy of a professional who understands what makes your company special. Your logo should send a clear message to your clients and prospective employees about your values, authenticity, and personality. A logo will make a visual association that will help everyone identify and relate to your company. Don’t you want to stand out and be remembered?
By Janet Odgis
Read this article on LinkedIn
Odgis + Co is an award-winning brand design studio based in New York City. We Make Business Beautiful.
