The Five Essential Elements of a Good Logo

Hello!

Terri Muscat from Bizee Body Promotions again.  This week we’re going to discuss the importance of a good logo.   From my 20 years working in promotional marketing, I’ve seen many logos.  I’ve seen how they are used, what makes them effective, and what could possibly go wrong.

Everybody can think of creative logos and the most interesting logo, but what makes an effective logo?  What are the key elements of a good logo that should be applied when making a logo? 

Memorable:

There is no point in having a logo if you don’t intend for it to be memorable.  When developing your logo, you need to think of a way to make your logo stick.  This doesn’t mean it needs to have neon colors and a dancing elephant, but it should be something that will leave an impression.  For example:

This logo is memorable, yet very simplistic.  It’s a silhouette of an apple with a bite missing and a detached stem.  

Versatile:

Your logo should also be versatile – meaning that you can use it for many different purposes.  You should be able to stretch it for a billboard, slap it on a mug or even in some cases, synchronize it with some cute pattern to be printed all over a bag into a trademark symbol.

 

Well done, Louis Vuitton.  

Appropriate:

This one is obvious.  Is it appropriate for your audience?  You want your logo to speak to the client that you are appealing to.  If you are trying to appeal to children, then have a fun and whimsical logo.  If you are trying to appeal to professional adults, you want a streamlined and clean logo.  Keep your target in mind.

You can’t have a more fitting logo than a cup of coffee for a place that sells coffee.

Timeless:

You want a logo that will stand the test of time.  If your logo is constantly changing with the trends, then you will constantly be working to get your brand associated with the new logo.  Logos don’t have to last forever, but they should last a minimum of 5 years.  Pepsi has changed their logo 10x since its creation in 1898 with each logo being used for at least five years.  Coca-Cola has never changed their logo.  How’s that for timeless?

Simple:

The last key element is simplicity.  This might be the most difficult to master because there are so many ideas that you could use for your business.  It’s always better to have too many ideas and simplify than to have a shortage of ideas.  Apply all the elements and you might end up being as successful as the company below: