Logo. Design. Print. Promotion.
Logo Design Guide Book Jaimini Mistry.
Contents.
What is logo design? Why are they important? The logo design process. A good logo is... The evolution of successful logo design -Ford -Pepsi V’s Coca Cola -Shell 10 commandments of Logo Design
What is logo design?
A logo is the visual representation of a
include marks for masons, goldsmiths,
company or business, which forms the
paper makers, and nobility. By the 1700s,
base of its corporate identity. It is a name,
every trader and dealer had a trademark
symbol, monogram, emblem, trademark,
or stamp. The industrial revolution caused
or other graphic device designed for easy
a dramatic gain in the value and
and definitive recognition by the
importance of trademarks. By the 1950s,
company’s audience. Logos trigger
with the emergence of national and
people’s memories of previous
multinational corporations, trademarks
experiences with the company and other
began to move beyond symbols, using
implementations of the logo, leaving a
larger design systems to unify all
greater impact than words alone can do.
communications, to accomplish
This is the simplest and most direct way
identifiable goals. Today, company logos
of promoting a business presence; a logo
have become the faces of business and
describes a company or organization
our economy. The general public has
without a lengthy explanation. If a logo
become very responsive to logos, their
appears unprofessional or unoriginal,
meanings, and their implementations.
so will be the public’s perception of the
Because of the diversity of products and
company it represents. A well-designed
services available, the need for innovative
logo will help to increase visibility and, in
and well thought-out logo and corporate
turn, sales.
identity design is central to a company’s success.
and has its roots in Ancient Greece with the use of symbols consisting of one or more letters. These typically represented the initial letters of a person or place for use on stationery and signs. Many early Greek and Roman coins bear the logos of rulers or towns. During the Middle Ages, similar logos were seen in abundance in ecclesiastical and commercial use. By the thirteenth century, these simple letterforms had evolved into trademarks for merchants. These early examples of logo design
“ Logos
trigger people’s memories
“
Logo design started many years ago
Why are logos important?
“A logo describes a
company or organization without a lengthy explanation.
“
Logos trigger people’s memories of previous experiences with the company and other implementations of the logo, leaving a greater impact than words alone can do. This is the simplest and most direct way of promoting a business presence; a logo describes a company or organization without a lengthy explanation.If you think of such companies as Coca-Cola or FedEx without recalling their logos. These companies have established an identity with their logos, which greatly impacts their sales. If a logo appears amateurish or derivative, so will be the public’s perception of the company it represents. A well-designed logo will help to increase visibility and, in turn, sales.
The Logo Design Process.
The creative brief*
Refinement*
Most of the time, the designer and the
Through a process of three or four
client work together to outline the purpose
revisions, based on an analytical dialogue
and limitations of the company’s logo
between the designer and client, the logo
in the form of a creative brief. This will
is taken from a series of rough sketches
outline the design specification of what
to the final polished and cohesive logo
the company wants for their logo. Within
design. At this stage, colour is often
the brief, the user’s demography should
introduced. Colour specification decisions
be analyzed so that their individuality can
are based on an understanding of colour
be understood and seen by audiences.
psychology, colour theory, the contrast
This will create a set of rules for design
between colours, and the limitations of
decisions that can be made to target
available printing budgets.
particular groups. For the designer it is important not to input too much of your
Delivery*
own artistic preferences when designing a
Once the client has approved the final
logo because a logo’s key purpose should
logo design, the designer assembles a
be to communicate with the company’s
package containing an assortment of
audience, not to satisfy the preferences of
logo files for different applications and a
the designer.
manual outlining how the logo should be applied to different media. The strict and
Concept development*
consistent adherence to the manual is
The designer develops conceptual
crucial to the success of a logo.
pathways for the logo, transforming ideas into simple sketches. Then, these sketches are presented to the client and one or two pathways are chosen for further exploration. This is where the logo begins to take shape. In some cases a unique text treatment and a distinctive colour palette is sufficient however both text and image can also be used. A logo’s simplicity anddistinctiveness are the primary considerations in determining its form.
“The tradem embody in the the essential c of the product being adv
mark should simplest form characteristics t or institution vertised.�
Paul Rand
A Good Logo is...
Simple* A good logo is one that is simple. Trying to include too much information can have a negative impact and complex illustrations representing all aspects of the business and long taglines should not
of having a logo, and can even have a negative backlash among customers who might see the company as being derivative. Besides this, there are also copyrights and trademarks of companies which should not be violated.
be part of the logo. The type and imagery should be recognised instantaneously, up close and at a distance. There should not be a lot of colours used because these distract people from the logo’s central theme. Also the more colours used means a higher production cost. Versatile* Logos which use several colours, photographs or detailed illustrations may be difficult to use in certain applications. A good logo should consider all potential implementations. (Often, several versions of a logo will be designed to use in different contexts.) Distinctive* Logos should be unique and different from any other companies or organizations. Using familiar or common styles or typefaces defeats the purpose
Simple. Versatile. Distinctive.
The evolution of successful logo design.
Evolution is a process of change or development. It is when one version of a product is better than the previous one. This type of change was first catalogued by Darwin over a hundred years ago. But in the truest sense, evolution occurs in nearly every aspect of our lives, and especially in the business and consumer worlds. It seems that companies find themselves needing to be fast-paced, up-to-date and ever evolving to stay ahead of the competition. If you think about the world’s most prominent brands, Nike, McDonalds, Coca-Cola and others, it is easy to visualize their respective logos. Those designs have become the visual representation of the company brand, which is what people think about your
“It seems that companies company and their experiences with it.
find themselves needing to be fast-paced, up-to-date and ever evolving to stay ahead of the competition.
“
Ford.
Most people know that Ford was
Horace Dodge, who supplied parts.
What most people didn’t know was
investors and even convinced the
company. Ford experimented with
the
Edison, and left to found his first auto
Motor Company. Later, the Dodge
Company, which went bankrupt in just
car company (can you guess what?)
founded Henry Ford Company. Ford
In 1909, Childe Harold Wills, Ford’s
company later became Cadillac – see
also help to design the Model T), lend
founded by (who else?) Henry Ford.
Ford’s partner brought in a group of
that this was his third automobile
Dodge Brothers to accept shares in
cars while working for Thomas
company, which was renamed Ford
company, The Detroit Automobile
Brothers went on to form their own
2 years. He then built a race car and left that one after just one year (the
first chief engineer and designer (who
above).
a script font that he created to make
In 1902, Ford went on to create his
Ford logo. The famous blue oval was
Malcomson, Ltd., and almost lost that
remained in use until today.
third automobile company, the Ford & one when sales were slow. He was unable to pay his bills to John and
his own business card, to create the
added later for the 1927 Model A – it
Pepsi V’s Coca Cola.
Coca-Cola is the world’s most
popular soft drink. Sold in more than 200 countries, it is produced by The Coca-Cola Company and is often simply referred to as Coke. The
Coca-Cola logo, like the product itself, is rated among the most
recognized logos and brands in the
world. The first Coca-Cola logo was
created by Frank Mason Robinson, in 1885. Thinking that the two Cs would look well in advertising, it was Robinson who came up with the name and chose the logo’s distinctive cursive script.
The typeface used, known as
Spencerian script, was developed
in the mid 19th century and was the dominant form of formal
handwriting in the United States
during that period. The red and white coloured scheme in the Coca-Cola
logo was kept simple and distinctive
to lure young minds. The Coca-Cola
logo was first advertised in the Atlanta Journal in 1915. A Coca-Cola
dispenser with a Cola-Cola logo was later created by Raymond Loewy.
The Coca-Cola logo got registered as a trademark in 1887 and has since then become the brand’s
corporate identity.the most famous
The new Pepsi logo consists of a
world.In 1898, Bradham used a
ice blue background, with the
and well-recognized logos in the
scribbled logo script as the first Pepsi logo to brand the product. When his
business got established and people started enjoying his drink, Bradham
decided to modify the Pepsi logo into
three-dimensional globe against an inclusion of the previously designed Pepsi typeface. It has been the
official Pepsi logo of PepsiCo, till date.
a more customized version of the
Over the past century, the Pepsi logo
modified script logo was introduced,
designs with significant modifications.
previous logo script. Thus, in 1905, a followed by a second change in Pepsi logo in 1906. In 1940, Walter Mack
introduced the new bottle design with crown, labeled with the Pepsi logo.
has been evolved into remarkable
All in all, Pepsi logo is an exemplary
piece of creativity and innovation. No doubt, it is one of the most recognized logos, ever.
In 1941, the Pepsi bottle crown
Pepsi-Cola is one of the most
and blue, along with the Pepsi logo,
worldwide.
colors were changed to red, white
to commemorate the war efforts of
the country. Later, in 1962, the Pepsi
logo was replaced with two bulls-eye marks encircling “Pepsi”, and then again in 1973, into a boxed Pepsi
logo with minor typeface changes.
In 1991, Pepsi commemorated the
evolution of its scripted Pepsi logo by featuring a logo design with an italic capital typeface. Later at the
company’s 100 years celebration in
1998, Pepsi-Cola unveiled a new logo that symbolized the brand’s
innovation and global recognition.
famous soft drinks consumed
Manufactured and marketed by
PepsiCo, it was first developed and
produced in the early 1890’s by Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist in New Bern, North Carolina labeled as “Brad’s
drink”. In 1898, Bradham renamed his drink into “Pepsi-Cola”.
On June 16, 1903, the title Pepsi-
Cola was trademarked and had since
remained unchanged. But one aspect of Pepsi-Cola that witnessed many
transformations over the years is the Pepsi logo. The Pepsi logo is one of
the most famous and well-recognized
logos in the world.
ice blue background, with the inclu-
logo script as the first Pepsi logo to
typeface. It has been the official
In 1898, Bradham used a scribbled brand the product. When his
business got established and people started enjoying his drink, Bradham
decided to modify the Pepsi logo into a more customized version of the
previous logo script. Thus, in 1905, a modified script logo was introduced,
followed by a second change in Pepsi logo in 1906. In 1940, Walter Mack
introduced the new bottle design with
crown, labeled with the Pepsi logo. In 1941, the Pepsi bottle crown colors
were changed to red, white and blue, along with the Pepsi logo, to
commemorate the war efforts of the country. Later, in 1962, the Pepsi
logo was replaced with two bulls-eye marks encircling “Pepsi”, and then again in 1973, into a boxed Pepsi
logo with minor typeface changes.
In 1991, Pepsi commemorated the
evolution of its scripted Pepsi logo by featuring a logo design with an italic capital typeface. Later at the
company’s 100 years celebration in
1998, Pepsi-Cola unveiled a new logo that symbolized the brand’s
innovation and global recognition. The new Pepsi logo consists of a
three-dimensional globe against an
sion of the previously designed Pepsi Pepsi logo of PepsiCo, till date.
Over the past century, the Pepsi logo has been evolved into remarkable
designs with significant modifications. All in all, Pepsi logo is an exemplary
piece of creativity and innovation. No doubt, it is one of the most recognized logos, ever.
Shell.
For more than a century, the word
Over the years, the Shell logo has
the Shell brand and endorsed the
the shell graphic has stood
‘Shell’ has immensely acknowledged commercial character. Undoubtedly,
the Shell logo, highlighted in red and yellow since
decades, has played a vital role in the promotion of the company. Shell logo holds distinctive qualities that draw audience’s attention to itself. It
projects an emotion of professionalism and defines the company’s
outstanding position and stupendous products.
been renovated quite a lot of time but courageously to benefit the logo
design. The current Shell logo was
sketched by a pre eminent designer
Raymond Loewy in 1971. Shell logo has proved to be the most impressive design by the
contributions of the great designer.
Shape of Shell Logo:
Color of Shell Logo:
which has served the emblem since
fully adopted in Shell logo. Red and
opted after the company name. It
enhance the beauty of the Shell logo.
Shell logo consists of a shell image
The use of highlighting color is grace-
decades. This illustration was ad-
yellow are the colours utilized to
certainly
narrates the company’s high corpo-
rate reputation and class. The image
of the shell in Shell logo has been redesigned quite some times but it still continues to hold supremacy, power and strength.
Font of Shell Logo:
A very simple and easy to remember typeface is employed in Shell logo
to enhance the characteristics of the company and its high quality products. The
alphabets are done in bold font to
impose a high status of the corporation market position.
The 10 Commandments of Logo Design.
1. A logo doesn’t need to say what a company does
Restaurant logos don’t need to show
food, dentist logos don’t need to show teeth, furniture store logos don’t need to show furniture. Just because it’s
relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do better.
The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The
Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an aeroplane. The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc. Etc.
2. Not every logo needs a mark ometimes a client just needs a
professional logotype to identify their
business. Don’t be afraid to ask what they think.
3. Two-way process
Remember, things might not
always pan out as you hope. Your
client might request something you disagree with. If that happens, try giving them what they want, then
show them what you believe is an
improvement, and why. They’re less
likely to be so resistant if they already see how their thoughts pan out.
4. Picasso started somewhere
You don’t need to be an artist to
realise the benefits of logo sketching. Ideas can flow much faster between a pen and paper than they can a mouse and monitor.
5. Underpromise, over-deliver
If you’re unsure how long a task will take to complete, estimate longer. Design projects are like
construction work — you piece lots of little elements together to form a
greater whole, and setbacks can crop up at any time.
6. Leave trends to the fashion industry Trends come and go, and when
you’re talking about changing a pair
of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s fine, but where your brand identity is concerned, longevity is key. Don’t follow the pack. Stand out.
7. Work in black first By leaving colour to the end of the
process, you focus on the idea. No amount of gradient or colour will rescue a poorly designed mark.
8. Keep it appropriate Designing for a lawyer? Ditch the fun approach.
Designing for a kid’s TV show? Nothing too serious.
9. A simple logo aids recognition Keeping the design simple allows for flexibility in size.
Ideally, your design should work at a minimum of around one inch without loss of detail. Look at the logos of large corporations like Mitsubishi, Samsung, FedEx, BBC etc. Their
logos look simple and are easier to recognise because of it.
10. One thing to remember
That’s it. Leave your client with just one thing to remember about the
design. All strong logos have one
single feature to help them stand out.
“Don’t follow Stand
w the pack. d Out�
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