The Science of Logo Design and Creating an Effective Logo

science of Logo designHoning Your Brand Identity to Cement Your Company and Increase Your Customer Base

You see them everywhere: when you watch TV, when you scroll through social media feeds, even when you drive down the street. Logos are that key piece of a business synonymous with the brand name when done effectively.

Logos are a major part of brand identity. A good logo is synonymous with the company or brand it represents and is instantly recognizable. That’s what every business strives for: a logo that’s memorable and easily identifiable.

But how do you get that perfect logo? And what goes into designing an effective logo?

What Constitutes a Good Logo?

A logo is a graphic symbol or emblem representing a brand, company, organization, or product. It’s crucial to brand identity and meant to be memorable. Logos can consist of different elements, such as text, shapes, and images, and serve several key purposes:

  • Brand recognition
  • Symbol of trust and loyalty
  • Communication tools
  • Consistency markers

Parts of an Effective Logo

Creating an effective logo combines several elements, blending art, psychology and design principles. It’s important to understand what each part of your logo design means to understand how elements work together and how consumers perceive your identity.

Shapes and Colors

The base structure of logos, as well as the colors and shapes, all mean and influence different things to consumers. These things affect how people feel and evoke various responses.

Different shapes can evoke various psychological responses. For example:

Circles and ovals: Represent unity, community and protection
Squares and rectangles: Convey stability, reliability and professionalism
Triangles: Indicate power, direction and progress

Using different colors significantly impacts human emotions and perceptions. Even certain shades can change someone’s mood. Some basic guidelines for colors are:

  • Red: Energy, passion and attention
  • Blue: Trust, calmness and professionalism
  • Yellow: Optimism, clarity and warmth
  • Green: Growth, health and tranquility
  • Black: Elegance, sophistication and authority
  • White: Simplicity, cleanliness and purity

Typography

Another key part of your logo to decide is the font you use. While legibility can be a concern, it also communicates your brand’s personality. Each font says something different and can quickly tell consumers about who you are as a company. For example:

  • Serif fonts: Traditional, reliable and formal
  • Sans-serif fonts: Modern, clean and approachable
  • Script fonts: Elegant, creative and classic
  • Display fonts: Unique, impactful and often playful

Simplicity and Memorability

As you choose the design elements, it’s important to strike a balance between the logo's simplicity and its memorability. A simple logo is more versatile and recognizable, and keeping it simple allows you to adapt it to different uses, like social media.

You also want to ensure that it’s distinct enough to be memorable. A memorable logo sticks in the audience's mind. This can be achieved through distinct shapes, unique fonts or clever design elements.

Versatility and Scalability

Another key thing to consider while designing your new logo is its versatility. Can you adjust the size to use it in different places? Your logo should be able to work on a social media account as well as on your company website and a letterhead – as just a few examples.

Relevant and Appropriateness

The logo should be relevant to the business and its industry. It should align with the company's values, target audience and overall brand identity.

Balance and Proportion

Balance and proportion refer to design elements. When your logo is symmetrical, it’s typically viewed as more harmonious and aesthetically pleasing. The same goes for when your design is proportionate and balanced.

Uniqueness and Distinctiveness

One of the most important aspects of effective logo design is its distinctiveness and uniqueness. Your logo needs to stand out from competitors' logos. Avoiding clichés and overly common designs helps in creating a unique identity. It also helps with the memorable aspects of it.

Timelessness

A good logo should have a timeless quality, meaning it remains effective and relevant for many years without looking outdated.

Note: This doesn’t mean you won’t need to refresh your logo once and a while.

Cognitive Load

Considering the cognitive load of your logo involves thinking about your logo in a different way – considering how it looks with only a quick glance. Reducing cognitive load means making the logo easily recognizable and understandable at a glance. Overly complex designs can be difficult to process quickly.

Use of Negative Space

Another design element to consider is your use of negative space. Clever use of negative space can add depth and interest to a logo, making it more memorable and engaging.

Designing Your Logo

Once you understand the elements of a good logo and have considered how your logo will be used, it’s time to start designing!

With the ease of tools like Canva and the introduction of dozens of AI tools, it might seem really tempting to use these resourcesto generate your logo. There are even websites that can generate a logo based on inputting a few simple words, but that is not where you want to get your logo from. 

With these tools, you run the risk of getting a logo that is:

  • Unoriginal and not unique
  • Poor quality and unprofessional
  • Hard to scale and isn’t versatile
  • Inconsistent with your brand
  • Infringing on copyrights
  • Effective only short-term

These tools can’t get you the same unique, creative results a designer can. It’s worth spending a little money to have a truly original logo that represents your brand and is wholly your business’s.

It’s worth it alone in avoiding potential legal battles about a logo pulled from an AI platform that violates copyright laws.

How Do I Design a Logo?

You can do it yourself using various design tools like Adobe Illustrator or any other similar software.

Or, you can pay a team of designers and branding experts to help you find the perfect design to make your business stand out.

Choose ThreeSixty to Complete Your Logo Design

At ThreeSixty, we have skilled designers that are experienced in logo design. We can help you hone your brand and leave you with a logo that helps you grow your business