Logo Tips – Keeping Your Identity

Have you ever had the same question come to you from several different sources and thought – I outta post about that! Well, this is that. *cheezy grin*

I want to share some tips on how to use your logo… keeping your identity, what to do and what not to do with it. I’m sure there is much more to be said, but I just want to touch on a couple of topics that might interest you.

Take a look at some of the popular and recognizable logos out there. Chick-fil-a, Coca Cola, Walt Disney, Facebook, Twitter, etc. You won’t see the logo’s primary (or only) font in any aspect of their advertising. Keep your logo’s main font restricted to the logo alone. If you have a secondary font then by all means use that, along with one other font to promote a consistent look for the other aspects of your brand, like advertisements and stationery. This creates consistent branding.

2) Frames and borders. This gets a bit tricky. If your logo has a frame as part of it’s design and is always seen with it, then it should not be altered from that to include other information or artwork. Again, this is to keep your identity (branding) consistent. Think of the Superman diamond logo. It was designed with the frame. If you were to add the word Superman inside that it would look illegitimate. (Can you imagine the batman silhouette in the sky with words inside the oval? lol)

On the other hand, if your logo is designed to be used without the frame then you would be ‘allowed’ to add to the area within the frame, maybe a web address, as long as it didn’t interfere with the logo. You’d also be able to use the frame in other places, with and without what is considered the logo. Just. Be. Careful.

3) Colors. Coca Cola, the soft drink, is always red and white whereas Nike often uses a variety of colors because they have a variety of products. With that being said, the Nike logo employs a simple swoosh icon that is recognizable regardless of it’s color. In most cases, colors are also subliminally connected to a design especially when you’re trying to establish your identity. If you’d like to vary your logo’s color there should be a legitimate reason. For instance – you’re doing a St. Patrick’s day theme on your blog and it would be fun to change your logo to green. Take Google’s logo for an example of that. They have established their identity well enough that changing the design doesn’t throw people off.

3a) It’s really good practice to have no more than 3 colors in a logo. Again, think of the big guys. Their logos usually work in one color. The more colors you introduce, the ‘busier’ the design can look, making the business name or icon hard to recognize. Your customers will recognize you by your colors, your font and the overall look. The more you vary from that, the less recognizable you become. There are exceptions, as there are with everything, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind.

4) Icons and Emblems. These are the parts of your logo that can be used with or without the text. The Nike swoosh, for instance, can be used with or without the word NIKE and it is completely associated with it. The Batman oval and bat shape is well known without it’s varied “Batman” text. An emblem or icon can reinforce your brand and often takes up a fraction of the space. Make sure it’s good design though. Something with too many details often detracts from your identity.

I would say that the key word to remember with branding and identity would be consistency. All 4 points above boil down to that. Keep your logo consistent and you’ll be recognized instantly.

One last thing. I often like to think of this: “If I were one of many sponsors of an event and my logo (or one I design) is among the other 20 sponsors’ logos at the bottom of an advertising piece, what will make mine stand out and be memorable… in a good way?”