Clear logos – fashionable versus concise

Logos are difficult things to create. Yeah, anyone can make a logo, but is it effective? Does it send the correct message? Do your customers ‘get’ it? Does it truly reflect your corporate image? What is its target audience?

And above all, is it clear? Logos in the past were fussy, old fashioned things, following tradition and spawned off coats of arms, etc. Now they have to be instantly recognisable, snazzy, fashionable, easy to produce, look good in black and white, powerful yet unassuming. That’s why logos are difficult things to create.

Everyone’s talking about the new London Olympics logo. And above all, how much it cost. Does it do anything for you? It certainly has benefited from the ‘yuk’ factor, as bad press can create good publicity. But is that a good thing? Is it sending us the right message? Do you ‘get’ it? Is it clear, concise and uncluttered?

Take a good look at your logo and put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Consider if it could be made clearer, more recognisable, simpler even. Are the colours right? Is the font fashionable? Does it consist of meaningless initials, or would an image be more appropriate? And, for photocopying purposes, does it still look good in monochrome?

And then all logos should be accompanied with a catchy strapline, but then that’s a subject for another blog…