Logo design is one of the biggest challenges for designers. A good logo should sum up all of your ideologies in one single graphic, and it is the point of recognition on which your branding hangs. There are millions of logos in the world, good and bad, but successful logos are almost always simple. Here’s why:
1. Simple logo designs are Instantly recognisable
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘take time to smell the roses’, but unfortunately modern life rarely allows us that pleasure. Consumers will usually just take a fleeting glance at a logo, especially if they’re zipping past a branded lorry or a road sign at 70 miles per hour, so you need a clear identity to catch their attention. If for example a customer is looking at your packaging design on a crowded supermarket shelf, chances are they’re not going to waste any of their precious time trying to decipher what it is you’re trying to communicate. What’s more research has shown customers are more likely to gravitate towards simple design when selecting a product. A good logo designer will consider important aspects such as making sure text is legible, brand names are prioritized and the purpose of the product is immediately obvious.
2. Simple logo designs are crystal clear
If your messaging is cluttered and confused, a consumer is less likely to have confidence in your brand as it could look like you don’t what you’re talking about. You are the expert in your field and you need to convey that through a simple logo design which focuses on one core idea and avoids unnecessary visual noise and clutter.
3. Simple logo designs are versatile
Size does matter. Your logo design is going to be printed on your business cards, letterheads, perhaps even on vehicles and advertisements, it needs to have the same impact no matter how big or small. Simple logos are more practical. By sticking to one colour and not using unnecessary gradients, your logo will not only scale better, but it can be printed more easily.
4. Simple Logo design builds stronger associations
When it comes to logo design, less really is more. Colour is an intrinsic part of design, and by selecting just one colour, your brand is more likely to become synonymous with it (Think about Selfridge’s Yellow, Virgin Atlantic’s Red or Easy Jet’s orange) These companies have stuck consistently to one colour and as a result it has been absorbed into the consumer consciousness and has become part of their brand. When you see a Yellow shopping bag in the UK you instantly know where that customer shops. What’s more, a one-colour logo will work better when embossed or embroidered on company clothing.
5. Simple Logo design is more memorable
People are more likely to trust something they’re familiar with, so they need to be able to recall your logo easily. An intricately designed logo may look impressive initially but it’s going to be harder for a consumer to familiarise themselves with it. The simplest logos are able to embed themselves deeply into our minds so a fleeting glance is all that is required to recognize them. Think about driving past McDonald’s famous yellow ‘M’, we can even recognize it in our peripheral vision.
When you’re designing your logo, it might help to remember that while it is a representation of your business, it should by no means tell the whole story. Your logo design should be an impression or a suggestion of your brand. By approaching your logo design in this way, it should be easier to keep things simple.
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