Ten rules of logo design (part two)

I've described about first five rules in my previous post, Read it here if you didn't read it. Today in this post, I’m going to explain you about the rest five rules, before get started I’ll remind previous post briefly,

Ten rules of logo design

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.

Let’s discuss about 6 to 10 rules,

Pose a question

"If you can't explain the idea in one sentence over the telephone, it won't work." - (Lou Danziger)

When we receive input from our senses, there is a question, "What is this taste?" and a response, "This is chocolate." We also do this when we watch television, listen to music, or read a book. This is part of our thinking process. The books and television programs we find the most unsatisfying are often the most predictable. If the viewer is given all the facts there is little reason for him to process the information. Alternatively, if the question is presented, and the viewer must provide an answer in his head, he will be forced to spend more time with the message and therefore become more intimate with it. There is a fine line, however, between posing a question that invites a response and asking an unsolvable one. A visual solution that takes hours to interpret, or needs accompanying text will not succeed, and will soon be resigned from usage.

Design for longevity.

Every hour we are barraged with an endless array of images and ideas. Our visual landscape is composed of billboards and signs, television commercials, magazine advertisements, messages on packaging, and other forms of visual communication. Almost every one of these messages is combined with a logo, but many of these have little impact and are quickly forgotten. The ideas that connect are the ideas that resonate with us emotionally. Style and trends may be enticing, but they rarely

have lasting emotional resonance. Marks that date quickly result from a concentration on "formal," rather than "conceptual" ideas. The logo must be able to convey its message over a long period of time and it must be able to adapt to cultural changes. It might be exciting to design a logo that is influenced by the typeface du jour, but it will quickly become embarrassing and will need to be redesigned in later years. Marks designed with a focus on current style and trends are often outdated in a short amount of time and soon become "quaint." There are very few clients who would like to be perceived as either outdated or quaint.

 Make the logo the foundation of a system.

Like the foundation of a building, the logo is the base for all other messages. When the designer is in the process of designing a logo, it will be the only item on his computer screen. Often, when presented to a client, it will be the only item on the page. This is a mistake. The audience will never see the logo in a void. It will always be in context, accompanied by other visuals and ideas. It may be seen on business

-cards. on vans, and on top of buildings. If the logo is the foundation, the visual system is, to keep the construction metaphor alive. The framing of the structure. A visual system is derived from the logo. It

does not copy the mark's form, but complements it. The visual system will include guidelines for usage of color, typography, imagery, copy style, and product usage. Without these guidelines, very bad things

can happen to the logo. Party hats could be put on it for Christmas cards, its color could be changed to something inappropriate, or it might be used as signage on the lobby floor, stepped on daily. The guidelines protect the mark and clarify the environment it occupies. This, consequently, protects the integrity of its message and the company it represents.

Design for a variety of media.

Until the 1950s most logos needed to work technically in only one medium, print. The expansion of digital, broadcast, and interactive media over the last fifty years has changed this. The logo should now be legible and clear on a one-color newspaper ad, a website, three-dimensional signage, and on television. Most clients will have a predisposed idea of the logo's usage. At the time of its inception they may only intend to use the mark in print. Given the constant evolution of media and information delivery systems, it would be very unique for the mark to exist only in one medium over its lifespan. Once again, it is the designer's responsibility to plan for the unplanned.

Be strong.

There is an often-told story about a well-known designer throwing a

leather office chair across the room when a client rejected his design.

Being strong is not about throwing chairs. That's a temper tantrum. Being strong is understanding your role, the client's role, and maintaining a clear vision. There is a fine line between intransigence and confidence, or between uncertainty and collaboration. The design process is often subjective, with

logos and identity at the core of a sense of self. A client's love of red, for example, may be irrelevant to the strategy, but rejection of that idea may become a deeply personal issue. On the other hand, the designer may fall in love with the style of a logo that is not conceptually relevant. In order to reach a solution that solves the problems with sustainability, the final logo must address the client's goals and messages. Sidestepping the emotional land mines and personal politics is one of the most challenging aspects of the design process. While every situation is different, the best solution is to maintain a clear vision and connection to the primary goal. The designer, as an outside consultant, will be able to see the larger picture without being distracted by day-to-day operations. Frequently reminding the client of the

desired outcome and central message is critical. As the design of a logo is burdened with emotional and political issues, the designer may find himself in the role of "the bad guy" to others in the company not involved in the design process. This is not a negative. No one likes change and the designer is the catalyst for change. Achieving "buy-in" from these other voices is important and can be done with updated information and patient listening to internal issues. Making people feel good, however, is not the designer's job; producing a viable and effective logo is.

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