10 rules of logo design (part one)

1. Answer who? What? Why?

2. Identify, don’t explain.

3. Understand limitations.

4. be seductive.

5. Make mnemonic value.

6. Pose a question.

7. Design for longevity.

8. Make the logo the foundation of a system.

9. Design for a variety of media.

10. be strong.

01.   Answer who? What? Why?

I've described this step briefly i my previous post,if you didn't read it click here, Before start anything most critical thing you should know is “Who is the Client?” “Who is the audience?” ‘’What is needed?” A logo should grow according to those details. Rather than imposing an idea onto the problem, the problem should dictate the solution. This is a statement repeated by every design teacher, unfortunately it’s often ignored or misunderstood, if you can collect this information’s clearly, you’ll be able to get better result finally.

Brief questions you should ask,

•      Position

Compared with other companies, what is client’s current position?

•      Purpose

What is the client’s business?

What is the client’s purpose?

•      Mission

Beyond the economics, why is it worth doing? What is the client’s mission?

•      Composition

What is the client’s internal structure?

•      Culture

What are the client’s distinctive shared behaviors that best support the purpose and mission?

•      Personality

What is the client’s chosen style and manner?

•      Client goals

What are five key goals over the next year/five years?

•      Growth

What are the greatest opportunities for the growth of the client and its image?

•          Promises

What promises does the client make?

•       Current audience

Who is the client’s current audience? Who, Where, When, Why?

•      Audience Goal

Does the client wants another kind of audience? What is the desired demographic?

•      Perception

How does the client's target audience currently view the brand?

• Desired perception

How does the client want the audience to view the brand?

•      Competition

How is the client different from its competition?

•      Response

What response does the client want the target audience to take away with them?

•      Objective

What is the marketing objective?

02.   Identify, don't explain

We are identified, in good company, with names like John, Maria, or Frank.We prefer to not to be called "the guy who lives on Maple Street and works at the pharmacy" or "the woman who has a beehive hairstyle and runs a trucking company." This is long-winded, confusing, and forgettable. In the same way, a logo should not literally describe the client's business; a logo is an identifier. Many clients would like their logo to describe every aspect of their company. This is natural. they're proud of their achievement. It is problematic, however, and may lead to a restraining identity. The logo is a signpost that identifies the company and reflects its attitudes and values. There are many companies who use illustrations, but have been convinced by well meaning, but under equipped designers that these are logos. A logo is a shortcut, a visual language that is quickly recognizable and memorable.An illustration is a drawing or photograph that helps to explain text.Speaking with the most straightforward and clear voice is always more successful than the convoluted or overwrought.

03.   Understand limitations

Here is the bad news: A logo is not a magic lantern. It can't make a bad product successful or save a poorly managed corporation. This is the good news: A well-designed logo will always help a good product realize its full potential. Smart design, along with the power of repe tition, can make an enormous impact. The logo gives direction and attitude, while the product informs the meaning.

04.   Be seductive (Make more from less)

There is an enormous amount of dialog in design education and design oriented critical thinking about the irrelevance of pleasurable aesthetics. Over the past fifty years, the idea of logos as visually satisfying forms has been minimized. While this may play into fashionable cynicism, most people would prefer to be seduced by a mark than repulsed by one. The message must be the most important part of the identity's design, but the form must draw the viewer into it. Making visuals aesthetically seductive is another book, but logos are most successful when they are simple and dynamic. Unfortunately, there has never been a client who considered their company simple. Products, services, and companies are inherently complex. Multiple personalities interact, natural evolution changes the internal culture, and society at large is constantly shifting. The logo, however, must remain a clear expression of the client. Because the logo will be seen only for a moment the use of forms that are easily recognizable is important. The logo will also be subjected to abuse, either by production processes or designer creativity. A simple form will survive these violations, while a more complex form may not. Being direct is powerful. Many logos fail from their own cleverness

or overproduction. Let something be what it is.

05.   Make mnemonic value

When we deconstruct how memory is made, we find there are four critical attributes of the process:
 (1) We see shape and color. All our visual recognitions are based on this. 

Is something square and red, or round and yellow? From the way we read letterforms, to the way we identify faces, shape and color form the basis of this skill. Once the shape and color of a form have been determined, 

 (2) we position it within our understanding of historical continuity. We ask ourselves, 

"Does this look contemporary, Victorian, or Medieval?" "Does this have relevance to me at this time?"

(3) We then use the information we have from learned responses to form meaning.

 We are taught very specific ideas: blue is masculine and pink is feminine, a red light means "stop," a green light means "go." 

(4) Mnemonic value is linked seamlessly with emotional association. 

This is the "wild card." It is personal and difficult to predetermine. If a green car hit you when you were a child, you may have an aversion to green. If your mother wears Chanel No. 5, you may feel warm (or other more complicated emotions) when seeing the Chanel logo. Being aware of and utilizing these four attributes provides the tools to produce mnemonic value.

I’ll describe about rest five things in my next post. Hope this article was helpful. If It was, feel free to share this with your friends.