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Logo Design
Brand Identity
Brand Consistency
Brand Messaging
Psychology of Logos
ARTICLE #2
Creating a lasting impression: The power of Logo Design
Logo Design
Brand Identity
Brand Consistency
Brand Messaging
Psychology of Logos
Written by:
3 Minute read
Updated on: March 23, 2024
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
A logo is the face of a brand, but its function is to speak up for more than just being aesthetically pleasing. Bad logos can confuse consumers and weaken your brand identity, while good logos develop trust, evoke emotions, and stay memorable. So, the realistic question that businesses should be asking is not how to create a logo but how to create one that will age well and connect with the people.
In this blog post, we will discuss the core principles of logo design and techniques for making your next logo stand out yet look consistent with your brand across all different platforms. From picking the appropriate colours and typography to a fusion of simplicity vs. creativity, we will explain every element to differentiate yours from others.
A logo is the face of a brand, but its function is to speak up for more than just being aesthetically pleasing. Bad logos can confuse consumers and weaken your brand identity, while good logos develop trust, evoke emotions, and stay memorable. So, the realistic question that businesses should be asking is not how to create a logo but how to create one that will age well and connect with the people.
In this blog post, we will discuss the core principles of logo design and techniques for making your next logo stand out yet look consistent with your brand across all different platforms. From picking the appropriate colours and typography to a fusion of simplicity vs. creativity, we will explain every element to differentiate yours from others.
A logo is the face of a brand, but its function is to speak up for more than just being aesthetically pleasing. Bad logos can confuse consumers and weaken your brand identity, while good logos develop trust, evoke emotions, and stay memorable. So, the realistic question that businesses should be asking is not how to create a logo but how to create one that will age well and connect with the people.
In this blog post, we will discuss the core principles of logo design and techniques for making your next logo stand out yet look consistent with your brand across all different platforms. From picking the appropriate colours and typography to a fusion of simplicity vs. creativity, we will explain every element to differentiate yours from others.
The importance of a logo in branding
The importance of a logo in branding
The importance of a logo in branding
A logo is a graphic representation of any brand that establishes and reinforces the brand image with an audience at a glance. It is one of the initial interactions that a potential customer interacts with, and it can possibly influence their perception of your business. An excellent logo creates trust, recognition, and a lasting impression within your audience—or at least it should if you have the right branding strategy.
Logos reflect the brand values and mission
A good logo conveys the essence of your brand. For example, Tesla has a smooth sci-fi "T" icon that not only looks cool but also signifies wide-ranging electric vehicles and new-tech experimentation in a way that's part of the cultural outlook.
Airbnb's "Bélo" logo also represents community and belonging, tying right back into the inclusive spirit of travel the company is known for. These logos are not only iconic and well-known, but they are deeply tied to what the brands stand for.
Effective logos impact the customer’s perception
81% of consumers said they should trust a brand logo before they think to make any purchase. That represents the power of a logo that contributes greatly to making consumers feel comfortable buying your product or service instead of the one sitting next to it on the shelf.
When a logo works well, it becomes a strong symbol that can be understood across different countries and cultures. It reflects the brand’s values in every place it's used. A well-designed logo helps the brand make an impact quietly, without being flashy and still earns appreciation and trust.
A logo is a graphic representation of any brand that establishes and reinforces the brand image with an audience at a glance. It is one of the initial interactions that a potential customer interacts with, and it can possibly influence their perception of your business. An excellent logo creates trust, recognition, and a lasting impression within your audience—or at least it should if you have the right branding strategy.
Logos reflect the brand values and mission
A good logo conveys the essence of your brand. For example, Tesla has a smooth sci-fi "T" icon that not only looks cool but also signifies wide-ranging electric vehicles and new-tech experimentation in a way that's part of the cultural outlook.
Airbnb's "Bélo" logo also represents community and belonging, tying right back into the inclusive spirit of travel the company is known for. These logos are not only iconic and well-known, but they are deeply tied to what the brands stand for.
Effective logos impact the customer’s perception
81% of consumers said they should trust a brand logo before they think to make any purchase. That represents the power of a logo that contributes greatly to making consumers feel comfortable buying your product or service instead of the one sitting next to it on the shelf.
When a logo works well, it becomes a strong symbol that can be understood across different countries and cultures. It reflects the brand’s values in every place it's used. A well-designed logo helps the brand make an impact quietly, without being flashy and still earns appreciation and trust.
A logo is a graphic representation of any brand that establishes and reinforces the brand image with an audience at a glance. It is one of the initial interactions that a potential customer interacts with, and it can possibly influence their perception of your business. An excellent logo creates trust, recognition, and a lasting impression within your audience—or at least it should if you have the right branding strategy.
Logos reflect the brand values and mission
A good logo conveys the essence of your brand. For example, Tesla has a smooth sci-fi "T" icon that not only looks cool but also signifies wide-ranging electric vehicles and new-tech experimentation in a way that's part of the cultural outlook.
Airbnb's "Bélo" logo also represents community and belonging, tying right back into the inclusive spirit of travel the company is known for. These logos are not only iconic and well-known, but they are deeply tied to what the brands stand for.
Effective logos impact the customer’s perception
81% of consumers said they should trust a brand logo before they think to make any purchase. That represents the power of a logo that contributes greatly to making consumers feel comfortable buying your product or service instead of the one sitting next to it on the shelf.
When a logo works well, it becomes a strong symbol that can be understood across different countries and cultures. It reflects the brand’s values in every place it's used. A well-designed logo helps the brand make an impact quietly, without being flashy and still earns appreciation and trust.
Essentials of a successful logo
Design elements play a key role when creating a logo. You should take a closer look at these design aspects, which can decide the fate of your design. Great logos are uncluttered but meaningful. They communicate the brand identity yet remain visually appealing.
Simplicity
A simple logo design is appreciated because it makes a logo highly recognisable and can easily be used on different platforms. Take Spotify's logo, for example, which consists of only three curved lines like waveforms. From a small mobile app icon to a large billboard, this minimalist logo says everything about music streaming. Its simplicity allows it to be adapted across different media platforms while ensuring the logo remains clear and impactful. This minimal yet meaningful design lets Spotify's logo convey its identity easily.
Relevance
A great logo will properly represent your industry and your brand's values. The SpaceX wordmark, designed with precision, minimalism, and professionalism, conveys a futuristic vision of the aerospace industry. The black-and-white colours only add to the no-nonsense appearance of a vehicle, hoping to make space travel routine.
Memorability
For a logo to actually be effective, it needs to really stick in people's minds. With its bold colours and playful font, the Lego logo is sure to make a strikingly recognisable and memorable appearance that perfectly aligns with the company's focus on creativity and childhood fun. It can instantly bring the brand to mind whenever someone looks at the logo, which represents the strength of its visual identity.
Timelessness
A logo is designed to last. Sometimes, it's very easy to give in to trending designs, but a good logo maintains relevance for decades. For example, over the years, Visa’s logo has been refined. Still, it has retained its core design elements: the blue and gold colours representing trust and reliability in financial transactions. This timelessness provides continuity in brand identity even in these fluctuating and evolving trends.
Versatility
A logo should function well in a variety of mediums, from print to digital. Let’s take Netflix as an example. Its wordmark can either be displayed in full or simply as an abbreviated icon named "N" for mobile applications.
Design elements play a key role when creating a logo. You should take a closer look at these design aspects, which can decide the fate of your design. Great logos are uncluttered but meaningful. They communicate the brand identity yet remain visually appealing.
Simplicity
A simple logo design is appreciated because it makes a logo highly recognisable and can easily be used on different platforms. Take Spotify's logo, for example, which consists of only three curved lines like waveforms. From a small mobile app icon to a large billboard, this minimalist logo says everything about music streaming. Its simplicity allows it to be adapted across different media platforms while ensuring the logo remains clear and impactful. This minimal yet meaningful design lets Spotify's logo convey its identity easily.
Relevance
A great logo will properly represent your industry and your brand's values. The SpaceX wordmark, designed with precision, minimalism, and professionalism, conveys a futuristic vision of the aerospace industry. The black-and-white colours only add to the no-nonsense appearance of a vehicle, hoping to make space travel routine.
Memorability
For a logo to actually be effective, it needs to really stick in people's minds. With its bold colours and playful font, the Lego logo is sure to make a strikingly recognisable and memorable appearance that perfectly aligns with the company's focus on creativity and childhood fun. It can instantly bring the brand to mind whenever someone looks at the logo, which represents the strength of its visual identity.
Timelessness
A logo is designed to last. Sometimes, it's very easy to give in to trending designs, but a good logo maintains relevance for decades. For example, over the years, Visa’s logo has been refined. Still, it has retained its core design elements: the blue and gold colours representing trust and reliability in financial transactions. This timelessness provides continuity in brand identity even in these fluctuating and evolving trends.
Versatility
A logo should function well in a variety of mediums, from print to digital. Let’s take Netflix as an example. Its wordmark can either be displayed in full or simply as an abbreviated icon named "N" for mobile applications.
Design elements play a key role when creating a logo. You should take a closer look at these design aspects, which can decide the fate of your design. Great logos are uncluttered but meaningful. They communicate the brand identity yet remain visually appealing.
Simplicity
A simple logo design is appreciated because it makes a logo highly recognisable and can easily be used on different platforms. Take Spotify's logo, for example, which consists of only three curved lines like waveforms. From a small mobile app icon to a large billboard, this minimalist logo says everything about music streaming. Its simplicity allows it to be adapted across different media platforms while ensuring the logo remains clear and impactful. This minimal yet meaningful design lets Spotify's logo convey its identity easily.
Relevance
A great logo will properly represent your industry and your brand's values. The SpaceX wordmark, designed with precision, minimalism, and professionalism, conveys a futuristic vision of the aerospace industry. The black-and-white colours only add to the no-nonsense appearance of a vehicle, hoping to make space travel routine.
Memorability
For a logo to actually be effective, it needs to really stick in people's minds. With its bold colours and playful font, the Lego logo is sure to make a strikingly recognisable and memorable appearance that perfectly aligns with the company's focus on creativity and childhood fun. It can instantly bring the brand to mind whenever someone looks at the logo, which represents the strength of its visual identity.
Timelessness
A logo is designed to last. Sometimes, it's very easy to give in to trending designs, but a good logo maintains relevance for decades. For example, over the years, Visa’s logo has been refined. Still, it has retained its core design elements: the blue and gold colours representing trust and reliability in financial transactions. This timelessness provides continuity in brand identity even in these fluctuating and evolving trends.
Versatility
A logo should function well in a variety of mediums, from print to digital. Let’s take Netflix as an example. Its wordmark can either be displayed in full or simply as an abbreviated icon named "N" for mobile applications.
The psychology of logo design
Strong logo design is rooted in psychology. Design choices, including colour, font, and shape, heavily influence brand perception. These are powerful emotional triggers that evoke emotions in the viewer.
Colour Psychology
You can use colours to set the mood and tone of the brand. Cadbury Chocolate's brand colour is Purple. The colour purple is commonly associated with luxury and creativity, so it seemed like the perfect fit for Cadbury to brand their chocolate in a way that captured indulgence and creativity.
In contrast, yellow makes us happy and light-hearted. That is why IKEA uses yellow as its main colour, which shows that it offers budget-friendly home furnishings. Similarly, red expresses passion and excitement and is used by “Target.”
Blue expresses trust and dependability, and Samsung uses it. Green represents sustainability and health and is used by Spotify. Black shows power and is usually more luxurious. Chanel uses it. Colour can impact a brand's perception, making it an important element in logo design.
Typography
Typography in logo design is not just for showing a brand name. It's a visual voice of the brand identity. The right typeface, when blended with other elements of the logo design, invokes an emotional response and associations.
Brands that want to communicate authority and sophistication are typically drawn to serif fonts, which have a more classical and ceremonial feel. This makes serif fonts ideal for law firms or luxury products. Sans-serif fonts, on the other hand, are more modern-looking and simple. They are highly popular among tech companies like Google and Spotify.
Typography is not just about font selection. It is more about the purposeful use of fonts. Of course, further customisation can certainly help make the identity even more unique by adjusting letterforms or even creating custom-designed ligatures. Doing this can definitely help align fonts with the character of the brand without sacrificing readability and scalability across different media.
Shapes and symbols
Shapes also have meaning. Circular shapes, like the one used in Spotify's logo, represent community, friendship, and connection. Meanwhile, the angular shapes in Adidas' logo suggest strength, stability, and endurance. Utilising meaningful symbols can add emotional power to a logo.
Strong logo design is rooted in psychology. Design choices, including colour, font, and shape, heavily influence brand perception. These are powerful emotional triggers that evoke emotions in the viewer.
Colour Psychology
You can use colours to set the mood and tone of the brand. Cadbury Chocolate's brand colour is Purple. The colour purple is commonly associated with luxury and creativity, so it seemed like the perfect fit for Cadbury to brand their chocolate in a way that captured indulgence and creativity.
In contrast, yellow makes us happy and light-hearted. That is why IKEA uses yellow as its main colour, which shows that it offers budget-friendly home furnishings. Similarly, red expresses passion and excitement and is used by “Target.”
Blue expresses trust and dependability, and Samsung uses it. Green represents sustainability and health and is used by Spotify. Black shows power and is usually more luxurious. Chanel uses it. Colour can impact a brand's perception, making it an important element in logo design.
Typography
Typography in logo design is not just for showing a brand name. It's a visual voice of the brand identity. The right typeface, when blended with other elements of the logo design, invokes an emotional response and associations.
Brands that want to communicate authority and sophistication are typically drawn to serif fonts, which have a more classical and ceremonial feel. This makes serif fonts ideal for law firms or luxury products. Sans-serif fonts, on the other hand, are more modern-looking and simple. They are highly popular among tech companies like Google and Spotify.
Typography is not just about font selection. It is more about the purposeful use of fonts. Of course, further customisation can certainly help make the identity even more unique by adjusting letterforms or even creating custom-designed ligatures. Doing this can definitely help align fonts with the character of the brand without sacrificing readability and scalability across different media.
Shapes and symbols
Shapes also have meaning. Circular shapes, like the one used in Spotify's logo, represent community, friendship, and connection. Meanwhile, the angular shapes in Adidas' logo suggest strength, stability, and endurance. Utilising meaningful symbols can add emotional power to a logo.
Strong logo design is rooted in psychology. Design choices, including colour, font, and shape, heavily influence brand perception. These are powerful emotional triggers that evoke emotions in the viewer.
Colour Psychology
You can use colours to set the mood and tone of the brand. Cadbury Chocolate's brand colour is Purple. The colour purple is commonly associated with luxury and creativity, so it seemed like the perfect fit for Cadbury to brand their chocolate in a way that captured indulgence and creativity.
In contrast, yellow makes us happy and light-hearted. That is why IKEA uses yellow as its main colour, which shows that it offers budget-friendly home furnishings. Similarly, red expresses passion and excitement and is used by “Target.”
Blue expresses trust and dependability, and Samsung uses it. Green represents sustainability and health and is used by Spotify. Black shows power and is usually more luxurious. Chanel uses it. Colour can impact a brand's perception, making it an important element in logo design.
Typography
Typography in logo design is not just for showing a brand name. It's a visual voice of the brand identity. The right typeface, when blended with other elements of the logo design, invokes an emotional response and associations.
Brands that want to communicate authority and sophistication are typically drawn to serif fonts, which have a more classical and ceremonial feel. This makes serif fonts ideal for law firms or luxury products. Sans-serif fonts, on the other hand, are more modern-looking and simple. They are highly popular among tech companies like Google and Spotify.
Typography is not just about font selection. It is more about the purposeful use of fonts. Of course, further customisation can certainly help make the identity even more unique by adjusting letterforms or even creating custom-designed ligatures. Doing this can definitely help align fonts with the character of the brand without sacrificing readability and scalability across different media.
Shapes and symbols
Shapes also have meaning. Circular shapes, like the one used in Spotify's logo, represent community, friendship, and connection. Meanwhile, the angular shapes in Adidas' logo suggest strength, stability, and endurance. Utilising meaningful symbols can add emotional power to a logo.
Some examples of successful logo designs
With these examples of successful logo design, we can understand the value of a simple brand logo and how much it contributes to overall brand recognition.
Zoom
Zoom’s rebranded logo reflects simplicity and clarity. It retains the signature blue palette while introducing elements that align with its expanded services, like Zoom Team Chat. The design emphasises trust and professionalism, reinforcing Zoom’s role as a collaborative communication hub for hybrid workspaces.
Mastercard
The Mastercard logo was redesigned in 2016. The brand name was removed completely, leaving just the iconic red and yellow interlocking circles. This showed the strength of a logo that was so recognisable that it didn't need any accompanying text. The interlocking circles suggest global connectivity and financial inclusivity associated with Mastercard's mission.
With these examples of successful logo design, we can understand the value of a simple brand logo and how much it contributes to overall brand recognition.
Zoom
Zoom’s rebranded logo reflects simplicity and clarity. It retains the signature blue palette while introducing elements that align with its expanded services, like Zoom Team Chat. The design emphasises trust and professionalism, reinforcing Zoom’s role as a collaborative communication hub for hybrid workspaces.
Mastercard
The Mastercard logo was redesigned in 2016. The brand name was removed completely, leaving just the iconic red and yellow interlocking circles. This showed the strength of a logo that was so recognisable that it didn't need any accompanying text. The interlocking circles suggest global connectivity and financial inclusivity associated with Mastercard's mission.
With these examples of successful logo design, we can understand the value of a simple brand logo and how much it contributes to overall brand recognition.
Zoom
Zoom’s rebranded logo reflects simplicity and clarity. It retains the signature blue palette while introducing elements that align with its expanded services, like Zoom Team Chat. The design emphasises trust and professionalism, reinforcing Zoom’s role as a collaborative communication hub for hybrid workspaces.
Mastercard
The Mastercard logo was redesigned in 2016. The brand name was removed completely, leaving just the iconic red and yellow interlocking circles. This showed the strength of a logo that was so recognisable that it didn't need any accompanying text. The interlocking circles suggest global connectivity and financial inclusivity associated with Mastercard's mission.
Adaptability and logo evolution
If a business expands, its logo should evolve with it without losing the company's core identity. An example of evolution is Microsoft's logo. The wavy window icon was evolved to a more modern square window in 2012 to mark the move into the digital age. This became a bit more modern with design, but since it represented the core windows concept, this went quite well with the original brand identity.
Your logo must be adaptable enough to align with mobile apps, website headers, and social media profiles. Both Spotify and Twitter have logos that are scalable (while preserving design) for screen display, which also works great.
Logos should be responsive in terms of scalability and complexity based on where they are used. For example, Mailchimp uses a detailed monkey character on its website, but when it comes to app icons, it uses a simple and minimal version of that same monkey.
If a business expands, its logo should evolve with it without losing the company's core identity. An example of evolution is Microsoft's logo. The wavy window icon was evolved to a more modern square window in 2012 to mark the move into the digital age. This became a bit more modern with design, but since it represented the core windows concept, this went quite well with the original brand identity.
Your logo must be adaptable enough to align with mobile apps, website headers, and social media profiles. Both Spotify and Twitter have logos that are scalable (while preserving design) for screen display, which also works great.
Logos should be responsive in terms of scalability and complexity based on where they are used. For example, Mailchimp uses a detailed monkey character on its website, but when it comes to app icons, it uses a simple and minimal version of that same monkey.
If a business expands, its logo should evolve with it without losing the company's core identity. An example of evolution is Microsoft's logo. The wavy window icon was evolved to a more modern square window in 2012 to mark the move into the digital age. This became a bit more modern with design, but since it represented the core windows concept, this went quite well with the original brand identity.
Your logo must be adaptable enough to align with mobile apps, website headers, and social media profiles. Both Spotify and Twitter have logos that are scalable (while preserving design) for screen display, which also works great.
Logos should be responsive in terms of scalability and complexity based on where they are used. For example, Mailchimp uses a detailed monkey character on its website, but when it comes to app icons, it uses a simple and minimal version of that same monkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the strengths of logos?
Logos help people recognise a brand quickly and create an emotional connection with them. They make a company stand out and communicate its key message or values in a simple and visual way.
What does a logo symbolise?
A logo represents what a brand stands for, including its values, personality, and purpose. It's like the brand's face, helping people instantly associate it with trust, creativity, or innovation.
Why are logos better than ethos?
Logos are more powerful because they communicate visually, which works well across different languages and cultures. Unlike ethos (which relies on ethical appeal), logos use images to evoke emotions and create a memorable impact.
Conclusion
A good logo design is an integral part of your brand identity that leaves a lasting impression and creates brand awareness. The logo is not just a piece of art but a powerful visual and straightforward way of communication that tells a brand's story, values, and mission. The use of simplicity, adaptability, relevance, and psychological principles while designing logos helps businesses create something that aligns with their audience preferences and is remembered for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the strengths of logos?
Logos help people recognise a brand quickly and create an emotional connection with them. They make a company stand out and communicate its key message or values in a simple and visual way.
What does a logo symbolise?
A logo represents what a brand stands for, including its values, personality, and purpose. It's like the brand's face, helping people instantly associate it with trust, creativity, or innovation.
Why are logos better than ethos?
Logos are more powerful because they communicate visually, which works well across different languages and cultures. Unlike ethos (which relies on ethical appeal), logos use images to evoke emotions and create a memorable impact.
Conclusion
A good logo design is an integral part of your brand identity that leaves a lasting impression and creates brand awareness. The logo is not just a piece of art but a powerful visual and straightforward way of communication that tells a brand's story, values, and mission. The use of simplicity, adaptability, relevance, and psychological principles while designing logos helps businesses create something that aligns with their audience preferences and is remembered for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the strengths of logos?
Logos help people recognise a brand quickly and create an emotional connection with them. They make a company stand out and communicate its key message or values in a simple and visual way.
What does a logo symbolise?
A logo represents what a brand stands for, including its values, personality, and purpose. It's like the brand's face, helping people instantly associate it with trust, creativity, or innovation.
Why are logos better than ethos?
Logos are more powerful because they communicate visually, which works well across different languages and cultures. Unlike ethos (which relies on ethical appeal), logos use images to evoke emotions and create a memorable impact.
Conclusion
A good logo design is an integral part of your brand identity that leaves a lasting impression and creates brand awareness. The logo is not just a piece of art but a powerful visual and straightforward way of communication that tells a brand's story, values, and mission. The use of simplicity, adaptability, relevance, and psychological principles while designing logos helps businesses create something that aligns with their audience preferences and is remembered for a long time.
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