Although logos are probably the most important element a company has as a commercial strategy, most businesses forget about them. The truth is that most people do not really know what a logo is, or simply forget how important they really are.
Logos are basically designs, which allow for immediate recognition. Logos are stylized symbols that represent a company and should inspire trust and admiration. A logo is a trade mark that should suggest the company’s superiority in a certain domain, a bit like the seal that was used once in royal families, a recognizable element that distinguishes a company from all the others.
A logo must not be represented by a simple image or photograph, it really has to represent the unique character of a company and set it apart from all the others. Neither is it a clip art, as it should always be created in vector format, which means you can re-size it to fit in with any format without being distorted.
A logo should not be considered as a brand in itself, it simply represents the company’s name. You can take the example of the brand name Mac Donald that has not chosen a hamburger as its logo, but the internationally recognizable M.
Although a logo does not have to depict the exact nature of your company, it does have to remind people what it is your company does. This means that the logo should remind people of your industry and what you specialize in. A logo has to be a design used to provide immediate recognition when people see it, and should be memorable and not necessarily elegant.
As a web designer you should carry out necessary research when developing a logo and not simply stick to the creative aspect of the final product. This research work should also be carried out by the actual company, as although it is the designer’s job to create a logo, the company knows what their business is all about and who its likely customers are.
It is always best to check whether or not your logo is authentic, by researching on Google images or Tineve. Make sure it is original and not copied or too inspired by other logos, and also check on the copyright laws, especially if the designer is located in a different country than your own. You do want to avoid going against the law and make sure you have carefully checked whether the logo you have is indeed an original and not a duplicate.
The main issue is, that the logo should not look like any other, it should be unique, otherwise it will not stand out amongst others and provide no particular mark or sign people can easily recognize. You may also risk that people confuse your brand name with another if the two are similar. If your logo is not special and unique, it will simply join the thousands of other similar symbols and images and your products will be confused with all the other unexceptional ones out there.
