Brand Logo Basics

Brad VanAuken The Blake ProjectFebruary 26, 20081 min

It is at least as important for a logo to be recognizable as it is for it to be readable.  Often, people are only able to get a quick glance at the logo, and then only at a distance. In those instances, recognition, not readability, is all that counts. That is why it is so important to integrate recognizable icons, shapes, type fonts and colors into a logo’s design.

Some logos were created during the era of big department stores and were designed as signatures to fit on the side of buildings. So, these logos are more square in orientation than they are horizontal. Many of these now seem outdated (if they haven’t been updated). Hallmark’s logo belongs to this class. Others were designed as corporate logos to reinforce leadership and stability (AT&T, IBM).  Many of these now seem cold and sterile. Some logos are more fun – communicating more of a personality (Apple, MTV, Ebay).

Today, logos must be designed with the foresight that they will be used in multi-media environments (from TV to the Internet). That means colors, animation and sound sequences (like NBC, Intel, AOL, Harley-Davidson [engine sound], and Maxwell House) should be considered.

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Brad VanAuken The Blake Project

One comment

  • Julie

    February 26, 2008 at 9:26 am

    A logo being the foundation of a brand is the representation of the company’s visual values. A simple rule of thumb is that if you can’t look at a logo for just ten seconds and then draw it with a pen and paper – then indeed, it is too complex.

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