Brand Design Logos & Identity Systems

What is a logo? Logo is a distinctive symbol of a company, publication, person, service, or idea. “A logo is a point of entry to the brand.” – Milton Glaser, Designer

What is identity? The logo + visual system (typeface, color, imagery) + editorial tone, etc. James Farrell & Co.: Identity system for a global marketer and distributer of food and feed ingredients. Design by “Y Art Works”.

What is visual identity? “Starbucks” Coffee

What is a brand? The brand is the perception formed by the audience about a company, person, or idea. -a designer cannot “make” a brand -only the audience can do this -the designer forms a foundation of the identity system

Products are created in the factory. Brands are created in the mind. Walter Landor, Founder, Landor Associates Brand is not what you say it is. It is what they say it is. Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap

Logos - Historical Context Using marks to claim ownership: 1.Egyptian hieroglyphs 2.Medieval coat of arms symbols (9-11 th cent.) 3.Symbols used to mark manuscripts (15 th cent., European printing press)

4.Factory symbols. Ex: Sevres company, France – 1740.

5.The Industrial Revolution increased the value of identification. After 1950, trademarks and visual systems became especially critical for recognition. ABC logo by Paul Rand, 1947

6.In the same way that contemporary business practices have changes, so has the role of the logo: strong emphasis on teamwork and creative process logo must not only talk to the external audience, but also to the internal audience a clear message has to be conveyed to a wide and diverse audience over an extended amount of time

Which logo do you like better?

What qualities should a good logo have? The Nike “swoosh” was created in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson.

A successful logo should: 1.Differentiate from competition 2.Provide clear identification 3.Create a focus internally 4.Create credibility 5.Bring order to chaos 6.Communicate the message logo design for an educational company based in Korea

Other things to consider… 1.A good logo should be bold, memorable and appropriate 2.Immediately recognizable 3.Able to provide a clear and consistent image 4.Able to communicate the company’s persona 5.Legally protectable 6.Able to have an enduring value

7.Able to work well across media and scale 8.Able to work in both: black & white and color

8 Steps to a Better Logo Design: 1.Know your client 2.No idea is too stupid. Brainstorm! 3.Consider the competition. 4.Start designing in black & white. 5.Design at business card size first. 6.Less is more. Keep it simple! 7.Use appropriate colors, fonts & shapes. 8.Consider the customer’s budget.

1. Know your client. Ask questions: What is the client’s business and it’s purpose and mission? What are the client’s 5 key goals over the next year/5 years? What promises does the client make? Who’s the client’s current audience? How does the client want the audience to view the brand? What is the marketing objective?

Example: Is the target market over sixty? Or twenty something?

2. Design, Sketch and Brainstorm! Brainstorming: write down words that describe client’s business or product (as many as possible) Ex. #1: “Meadows Renewable” (energy company that sells solar panel systems) Meadows – path, grass, green, environment, nature Nature – renewable, sustain, recycle, global, etc. Sun – panel, light, heat, solar, sunrays, round Ex. #2: “Above Systems” Above – sky, flying, up, space, sky, wind, astronaut…

2. Design, Sketch and Brainstorm! Mind Mapping: Write a word in the center of a sheet of paper (it could be customer’s name). Then begin writing the main images/words this brings to mind, and connect these words to the central thought.

Mind Mapping Example:

3. Consider the competition. A good logo should stand out! Do research. Look at the competitors.

4. Start designing in black & white. B&W logo will be mostly used for fax or copying purposes. You can add shades or gradients in the final version.

4. Start designing in black & white. Focus on a design that is recognizable. So recognizable, in fact, that it’s shape or outline gives it away. Martin Newcombe Property Maintenance FreemanWhite logo by Malcolm Grear Designers

4. Start designing in black & white. Elefont logo by Logo Motive Designs The Waterways Trust logo by Pentagram

5. Design at business card size first. Logo should be legible at a small size Should be easily scalable – vector art (Adobe Illustrator format) is the best! Small logo is easy to size up, unlike a large logo that might becomes too busy. Consider where and how it’s going to be used, at what resolution, etc.

6. Keep it simple. Less is more! Simple logos are much easier to remember. Logo for “The Guild of Food Writers” Logo for a cell phone company

Simple logos can be adopted more easily to a wide range of media.

Don’t use more than 2 fonts and too many colors!

If your logo has a tagline, it should be short and catchy.

7. Use appropriate shapes… Example: solidity, securityexcitement, power, aggression connection, community, movement, safety

7. Use appropriate colors… Example of some common color associations: heat, passion, danger, power trust, loyalty, water, relaxation, power, dignity life, growth, money, jealousy, nature, fertility energy, joy, light, hope

7. Use appropriate fonts…

8. Consider client’s budget! Do they have $ for full-color printing, a 2-color job, etc.? What kind of paper will be used? Do they have $ for a die-cut business card, two-sided business card, etc.? # of versions, revisions? Include all info in the contract.

Logo Design Process from Start to Finish (Great examples!!!) go-design-creation-process-from-start-to-finish-by- expert-graphic-designer-mark-misenheimer/ go-design-creation-process-from-start-to-finish-by- expert-graphic-designer-angela-ferraro-fanning/

Compare the logos below:

Examples of good logos below: How to create a professional logo: how-to-create-a-professional-logo/

Steven Heller The Anatomy of Design

What is a Logo? (Video by Steven Heller):