If you’re considering designing or redesigning your organization’s logo, there’s a lot you need to take into account. The most important decisions you can make when making the logo are based on the form, font, and color. These choices should be dictated by your organization’s industry, target audience, and brand.
Logo Form: Wordmark vs. Logomark
Source: Design Hill
The first important decision to make regarding your logo is whether to use a wordmark, logomark, or a combination. A wordmark is the organization’s name stylized while a logomark is an object representing the organization.
Source: Under Consideration
A wordmark may be the best choice if your business is not well-established and/or has a unique name. One of the most important elements of a wordmark is the font. This places your business’s name and identity at the forefront of brand identity. According to Design Hill, a wordmark logo can be designed with a fairly small budget as compared to a logomark.
A logomark is an object that represents the brand in some way. For example, a bird may indicate the organization’s tie to nature. While logomark creates a better brand identity, it takes time for consumers to associate the symbol with the organization. While this may take time for the logo’s benefits to take hold, brand association with logomarks is much stronger than wordmarks.
Logo Font
Sources: Fabrik Brands, Digital Synopsis, and The Logo Company
The typography you choose for your logo represents your organization and can solidify your brand identity and potentially brand voice. The font you choose shows off the brand’s personality. Font conveys organizational values, perceptions, and uniqueness. The five main font families, which convey very different images, are serif, sans serif, script, slab serif, and modern.
Serif: Serif conveys a more traditional, formal image. This is used in logos to show professionalism in industries such as financial services, law firms, and educational institutions.
Image SOURCE: BRANDS OF THE WORLD
Sans serif: Sans serif is a modern adaptation of serif which can be used for more modern, forward-thinking, but also no-nonsense brands.
IMAGE SOURCE: UNDER CONSIDERATION
Script: Script can be difficult, as it can often be hard to read. Depending on the script, it can convey elegance, creativity, and/or whimsy. Companies often use this in logos as an appeal to femininity.
IMAGE SOURCE: COCA-COLA INDIA
Slab serif: Slab serif conveys a brand centered on innovation. This brand is trustworthy and solid, but also creative and smart.
IMAGE SOURCE: CANELA PR
Modern: Lastly, modern fonts are simple. These fonts appeal to millennials and convey exclusivity and style while also creating the perception of an intelligent brand.
IMAGE SOURCE: WHEREYAT
Logo Color
Source: Exciting Red and Competent Blue: The Importance of Color in Marketing, Labrecque and Milne (2011)
Finally, logo color sets an organization apart from others and conveys a certain identity. Industry norms often dictate logo perception. Within color itself, hue and saturation are two essential elements that motivate brand personality. Two clear comparisons arise between red and blue. Red conveys excitement while blue conveys competency. Different colors can convey as many qualities as font, from whimsy to power.
Source: Canva
Final Thoughts
The first step to making important decisions regarding the form, font, and color of your organization’s logo is researching industry norms. Find a way to distinguish yourself from competitors in your logo design, while also maintaining industry traditions to bolster your brand identity.
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