There are many things to consider when designing a logo , from developing a concept, to the final production. Along the way, sometimes a logo will start to move in a bad direction. This is often down to either an inexperienced designer, or a client that just wants what they like, and doesn’t realize that what they want and what they need may be two completely different things.
Number 1: Simplicity
Don’t overload the imagery of a logo with unnecessary elements. Often, a client may struggle at first with realizing the power of a minimalistic logo design , but it is your job to communicate with them and discuss the reasons why simplicity is so important and effective.
When developing a concept, take a step back and think to yourself "Are there elements in this design that don’t serve a strong purpose?". If there is, get rid of them and work back to presenting the concept in a more simple, yet striking way.
Number 2: Filters and Effects
Just because the software you use gives you all of these lovely effects, doesn’t mean you are a great designer when you use them! When creating a logo, and moving from your sketches to digital, try keep your use of these tools to a minimum.
If your logo design is good enough, it should "pop" without the need for drop shadows, bevels and so on.
Number 3: Inappropriate Imagery
Believe it or not, but I have had to add a cross to a completed logo design for a company that had nothing to do with religion. They were a marine product manufacturer. Imagery like this in a logo is completely inappropriate. Why alienate potential consumers by using a cross in your logo? What is the cross trying to achieve?
Anything that could be offensive should never appear in a corporate logo. This goes far beyond obvious imagery like the "Virgin" example above, as there can often be sublte elements that can alienate potential members of society. For example, a real estate company using a large blue sky image in the header of their site, with large bright sun rays coming through the clouds could appear to be presenting "God-like" imagery. Coupled with some quotes from the Bible on the website and now you see where this is going….
If a client asks for such imagery in their logo design, simply discuss the potential negative side of this, and if they demand that you still do it, it’s up to you whether you agree to or not.
As a designer, have you ever been asked to add certain questionable elements to a logo design for a client?
Have you created wonderful simple logo designs and had to leave it behind because the client was unable to see the power of simplicity? I would love to hear your thoughts and past experiences.
Love it exactly the thing I do when designing something
Thats why I’m not a designer 
What Not To Do When Designing A Logo…
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Great post! I love all the talk about what the client wants vs. what looks good lately.
I’m working with a client at the moment wants a ‘globe’ in their logo and I can’t tell you how ugly it makes it look!
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“As a designer, have you ever been asked to add certain questionable elements to a logo design for a client?”
Yes I was! It was for a church logo.
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[...] victim of doing some of these? This is a look at some of the things not to do when designing a logoread more | digg [...]
Great article! I love the comparisons. There is a reason why all the top companies have simple logos. There is a bike shop near where I live who has a yin-yan sign in their logo. Wonder what that means? Spiritual bikes? Bikes and scents from the orient?
Maybe I can ask them, and propose working with them on a new one!
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Excellent point of focus, Brian
When you compare globally recognized and appreciated logos that present creativity and effectiveness, these are almost always simple logos.
The ability for a designer to notice, identify, and use simplicity to achieve the most memorable and effective design is what separates the amateur from the professional.
We love simple
Thanks for the article Brian, but may I just point out a typo..
Your post starts with the sentence “There are many things to when designing a logo”, instead of “There are many things to CONSIDER(?) when designing a logo”
Thought Id give you a heads-up
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Marnie,
I agree with the “globe” thing. I have had this request and I just really don’t like the thought of a globe as an element in a logo at all. There are ways to design an abstract version of something like that, but an actual full on globe image is just not good.
Keane,
What specifically was wrong with what they asked to have in the Church logo? That is one type of logo where it is ok to have that religious imagery, but I guess it could go over the top.
Eivind,
LOL, that sounds exactly like what this post is about! Logos like that bike shop. Thank for your comment
West,
Yeah, I agree. Most designers can create a visual representation of a message, it’s just how you present that message with simplicity that makes it high quality.
Andrew,
Thanks for the note. Fixed it and also found another typo just after the one you found! It was a weekend post so I may have been a little tired writing it! Thanks spotting it and letting me know
Looks like I’m taking my male worm out of my new logo then
haha! Loving the comparisons, great article
Nick | Resource Pile’s last blog post..IdentityWorks analyses identity
Great common-sense post. I’m always flabbergasted by clients that insist on having pointless additions or over-busy logos. Am I the only one that has trouble getting through to them, though?
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Yes we see all of these in our line of work, and we faithfully reproduce them without batting an eyelid. A large sector of our customer base have self designed their designs and logos and are very proud of them, we can sometimes negotiate more simplicity in a design for practical reasons without hurting anyones feelings. Our own logo is a very poor self design we are in the process of changing, I have been very suprised at how complex it is to render simple effective logo design, and beginning to appreciate the worth of a good designer.
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I’m not kidding with this: I once had a client give me a 5000 word dissertation on everything she wanted in her logo! (After I agreed to do the job.) After several rejections, I chucked all of my work (some quite good) and put together a couple of ideas I thought were just plain bad (including a lavender and brown color scheme!). Of course you know what comes next: she loved them!
True to form, one year later she hasn’t gotten the company going because she’s had to ask 500 people how they think she should organize it.
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What’s really annoying is when a client asks you to make their logo bigger on their website. What’s the best way to tell them that they’re an idiot and the size of their logo doesn’t dictate how successful the brand is?!
It’s really helpful to see those examples in the post, rather than just stating the guidelines. I think there’s an amount of consistancy and ’sticking to your guns’ that comes into play with logos as well. I remember Barclay’s bank moving away from its classic eagle design to a more bubbly and cartooned approach as there was talk that it was too ‘Teutonic’ as the media put it. Personally I think it was shame to lose such a classic design.
Any ideas what the earliest logo was?
Yeah, I think you should do that!
Nick,
Thanks for the comment
Crystal,
No, you are not the only one. It happens to me all the time!
Steve,
Do you mean that you use their logos when printing on t-shirts for them? Do you provide logo design services also for your customers?
Jack,
LOL, that’s great! I have had quite a few clients pick my least favorite concept in projects before. There has got to be a client provided brief, but 5000 words is just not normal!
You’ve probably got the coolest name of anyone that has commented on my site so far! lol
Joe,
This does seem to happen frequently. It’s just like a real estate agent that has access to edit their site. The font is always huge and all different colors. Oh and not to mention, ridiculous amounts of small banners all over the place , example: http://www.debjones.com/ lol
David,
Yeah, I don’t like the Barclays “bubbly” design they’ve got now. What do you mean by “earliest logo”? Like, the first logo that is recorded in history? You could open up an entire can of worms with that question! What exactly makes something a logo? Something that is intended to promote a server or product? Perhaps the caveman who invented the wheel had a logo for his stone wheel business?!
Brian
Your comment reminded me of something I think everyone will find interesting. I have a friend whom I trust completely to be honest about my work. Typically, I work up three logo concepts for clients. Invariably, my friend will have this response when looking at the concepts:
Logo A is the coolest and most creative. But the customer will choose Logo C because it’s the most conservative.
She’s always right. The only time she changes her choice (and the customer does too) is if the industry / profession is somewhat creative - artists, massage therapists, etc.
It kind of goes back to the simpler is better theory.
Jack McDaniel’s last blog post..SEO: From the Ground Up
Another one I’d add is:
A logo can’t just look good on screen. It needs to be able to used for other media as well: print, appeals, products etc. That’s why adding gradients in logo may look nice on screen, but terribly bad on others. Also when designing a logo, always check how it looks in B/W mode too.
Jin’s last blog post..Findings 9.26.08
Yeah, simpler is always better.
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Maybe Virgin should rebrand lol
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Great article! So true, especially no 1&2.
Great post! Love this logotalk. I totally agree with you!
You changed the logo’s quite creative lol
Have you created wonderful simple logo designs and had to leave it behind because the client was unable to see the power of simplicity?
i do suffer from that all the time, specially when i work with older clients. i think age, education plays a big role in that.
“As a designer, have you ever been asked to add certain questionable elements to a logo design for a client?
Have you created wonderful simple logo designs and had to leave it behind because the client was unable to see the power of simplicity? I would love to hear your thoughts and past experiences.”
I once spent 8 hours illustrating Michelangelo’s David, which I then converted into a bust and put into repeating green and yellow circles… …the idea was bad enough, but I was impressed with what I managed to salvage from it…. …then, when the client claimed to LOVE IT, they added the kicker… …give David a bowtie… Sigh.