What is the logo. Logo design: how, what and why. How to choose a color for your logo

Logo, sign and emblem. Terminology. Alexander Shiryshev.

Sign, logo, emblem - everyone has heard these words, many actively use them, but most of them use them for other purposes. Why is a logo called a sign, but a sign is called an emblem? Why did the designer get lost in three birches and dragged the customer there? Let's figure it out. Let's start with the logo.

“Logo (from the Greek logos - a word and typos - an imprint) is an original outline, an image of the full or abbreviated name of the company or the company's products. It is specially developed by the company in order to draw attention to it and to its products. "- Raizberg B. A., Lozovsky L. Sh., Starodubtseva E. B. Modern economic dictionary. 5th ed., Rev. and add. - M .: INFRA-M, 2007 .-- 495 p. - (B-ka of dictionaries "INFRA-M").

“Logo (from the Greek logos - word + typos - imprint) is a hand-typed letter with the most common syllables or even words. Logos were used early on in typography to speed up the typing process. "- Milchin A.E. Publishing dictionary-reference book. - Ed. 3rd, rev. and additional, Electronic - M .: OLMA-Press, 2006.

“Logo (from German Logotype, English logotype - Stefanov SI Advertising and printing: experience of a dictionary-reference book. - M .: Gella-print, 2004. - 320 p.: Ill. - (Advertising technologies).

All of the above definitions agree on one thing: the logo Is some kind of indivisible combination of letters. Specifically in design - word mark... This can be the name of a company or product, typed in a ready-made font, or an original outline drawn by a designer for a given work, a calligraphic inscription, a monogram, a monogram. Obviously, it is wrong to call a trademark a logo in general, especially if it is some kind of image not associated with letters. However, you can often find an illiterate use of this term. Even at the end of the last definition, this situation is mentioned.

Logo. Alexander Shiryshev.

Sign Is a very broad concept. The simplest definition I have found explains it as "Something capable in some respect to act instead of something else, that is, being perceived by some living object, to have a meaning"(Russian Humanitarian Encyclopedic Dictionary: In 3 volumes - M .: Humanitarian Publishing Center VLADOS: Philological Faculty of St. Petersburg State University, 2002).

I dare to suggest that the "living object" here means a person. The latest philosophical dictionary interprets this concept even better.

“A sign is traditionally a material, sensually perceived object (event, action or phenomenon), acting in cognition as an indication, designation or representative of another object, event, action, subjective formation. Designed to acquire, store, transform and broadcast certain information (messages). "- The latest philosophical dictionary: 3rd ed., Revised. - Minsk: Book House. 2003. - 1280 s. - (World of encyclopedias).

Based on these definitions, anything can act as a sign. Therefore, for our specific applied case, it will be correct to clarify the concept. There are several options: graphic sign, brand name, signet, trademark, emblem, trade mark... Dictionaries are full of definitions of each of these concepts, somewhere overlapping in meanings, somewhere contradicting each other, demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of the compilers, what they are talking about, and why these terms are generally introduced.

The designer needs this term for one simple reason: it is one of his products. The client needs to explain why it is, how much it costs and how it is used. Obviously, it is not very convenient to explain these things using the term "this thing". What is the name of the original Nike face? We have already figured out - the logo. What is the name of the famous Nike Swoosh arc? While we can answer this question, guided by the method of contradiction - this is definitely not a logo. How do you describe the situation when they are used together? Another question that a designer should know the answer to, if only because there is a corresponding section in the passport of standards and it should have a name.

Before we continue terminology, let's deal with two harmful phrases: trademark and trademark... They are borrowed from the advertising industry, which has a very mediocre relationship to identity. For advertisers, these terms are enough for communication. For a designer, they are too rough and arbitrary. First, because anything can be hidden under them. Second, adjectives trading and commodity mislead about the design service application object. After all, not only a product, company or service can have a corporate identity, but also a non-profit organization, government or educational institution, city, country, TV show, film, festival, sports team, person and much more. It's hard to imagine the phrase Trademark of the Ministry of Education or the trade mark of the Grushinsky festival.

The very object of the application of design services (company, product, organization, institution, country, event, etc.) will be denoted by the word the brand... In the context of this article, it is not important for us that the brand is the result. Hereinafter, we will mean that the object for which we are developing a passport of corporate identity standards will sooner or later become a brand.

So, we need to designate with a term such a phenomenon as a graphic brand sign. To be sure that we understand each other, I will give specific examples: Apple Apple, McDonalds arches, Nike swoosh, Mercedes star, MTS egg, multicolored Windows window.

Of the applicants for the designation of this proprietary element, the following terms remain: brand name, signet, graphic sign and emblem... Adjective branded concept sign does not specify, which means that the term remains as imprecise and muddy as without it. Signet- Anglicism (from English signet - sign, stamp), which also does not deepen the concept of a sign. Thus, as an exact term, it makes sense to consider graphic sign and emblem.

“The emblem (from the Greek emblema - insert, convex decoration), a conditional explanation of an abstract concept, idea with the help of some image (for example, a dove - E. movement of peace supporters); often viewed as a kind of allegory. In a narrow sense, it is a symbolic image. "- "Great Soviet Encyclopedia".

“An emblem (from Lat. Emblema - insert, convex image) is a conditional symbolic image of a concept or idea; unlike a symbol, it does not embody the content of a concept, but only points to it. "- Raizberg B. A., Lozovsky L. Sh., Starodubtseva E. B. Modern economic dictionary. 5th ed., Rev. and add. - M .: INFRA-M, 2007.

"The emblem (from the lat. Emblema - Stefanov S. I. Advertising and printing: the experience of a dictionary-reference book. - M .: Gella-print, 2004.

These definitions apply to the term graphic sign... However, the concept graphic sign mixes with concepts trademark, brand name and even trademark, and the phrase itself graphic sign in practice, it is simply trimmed to sign... Sometimes the designer uses the term sign, realizing what exactly is hidden under it graphic sign, sometimes not.

Emblem. Alexander Shiryshev.

By the title of the article, it is not difficult to guess which term the author is leaning towards. For many years, I have been using the term graphic sign or simply sign... But I gradually come to the conclusion that the amorphousness of these terms and the associated discrepancies are a significant obstacle in the work of an identity designer. Emblem more unambiguously emblem shorter, emblem easier to understand and easier to explain to non-design people. There are no barriers to using this term. Word emblem is familiar to everyone, can easily enter into professional use and be easily perceived by the customer.

Thus, we have two terms denoting two different entities: emblem and the logo.

Why did I delve into terminology with such tediousness? Terms are the basis for intra- and external-industry communications. Both in communication with the customer and in communication with colleagues one language should be used - the language of communication of professionals. And the more accurate and richer it is, the more effective communication will be.

As one colleague accurately put it: “Think about who complicates things: the seller giving different names to different sausages, or the buyer who wants to be understood when he only says that“ give me three hundred grams of sausages ””.

Interested in logo design and want to know more about the specifics of logo design? If so, we hope this post will help you. First, you need to find out what a logo is and what it represents. A logo is not only a mark on a website page, but primarily a commercial brand, where the shape, font, color, and picture have their exclusive meaning and convey certain information to the consumer. The logo is of great importance for the sale of goods and services on the market, and predetermines the success of a business. The logo attracts attention, makes it possible to recognize the product of one or another company among thousands, and serves as a kind of credit of users' trust.

What is a logo?

What is a logo and what are its features? A logo is a graphic design or emblem to identify an organization or product. The first logo appeared back in the late 19th century, but the era of logo design began in the 1950s. Today a logo is a business card not only for goods, but also for every site.

Don't forget the five principles of a successful logo

Keep the logo simple. You shouldn't be fancy. A simple logo allows users to recognize the site faster. The logo should be memorable. Users browsing several dozen pages a day will remember only the simplest (but, meanwhile, unusual) logo. This is possible when creating a logo that will be directly associated with the theme of the site. The logo should last forever. This means that the logo should present the site and attract attention not only over the next year, but also remain as effective in 10, 30, 50 years. Every month there are some novelties and new technologies, priorities are gradually changing in society, and people of different generations perceive the same information differently. The task of a good designer is to create a logo so that it is understandable and perceived by different age audiences equally well today, tomorrow, and 20 years from now. In addition, the logo must match the site. For example, if you are creating a logo for a toy store, then it is advisable to use children's fonts and bright colors. And for a law firm logo, funny fonts and bright colors are inappropriate.

Learn from the example of other people's successful and unsuccessful logos

Successful logos

Now, knowing the basic principles of building logos, you can independently determine where is a good and where is not very successful logo. Knowing which logos have become successful and what their success is related to, you can find out how good logos are created. For example, Nike's famous Nike Swoosh was designed by design student Carolyn Davidson at the University of Portland back in 1971. For this emblem, the creator received only $ 35 in royalties, but one can only guess how much profit the Nike Swoosh brought to the company. The Nike Swoosh is an impeccably simple, memorable, effective, timeless and recognizable logo. The Nike logo is fully consistent with the style of the company, its products are comfortable, convenient, functional and stylish things. This logo is unobtrusive and clear. In addition, the Nike Swoosh logo is built in association with the ancient Greek goddess Nike and mimics the shape of the wings of the goddess of victory. Thus, an associative chain is formed in the user's mind: the goddess of victory, Nick, is Nike products. A potential buyer understands that in the end he will gain (quality, style, price) if he buys Nikе products.

The Nike Swoosh is just one of many examples of effective logos. Apple has chosen the "apple" logo. This is very symbolic, since it is directly related to the name of the company (“apple” in translation “apple.” In addition, it is worth clarifying that the company logo - “bitten apple” is immediately associated with temptation (Eve and Adam bit an apple in the Garden of Eden This logo is quite simple, transparent in meaning, memorable and understandable for all generations. Apple produces all the newest and most unusual, which, of course, tempts (thus, the symbolism of the logo is once again justified).

Loser logos

Unsuccessful logos are those that are poorly perceived by the consumer audience, are difficult to associate directly with the site, unaesthetic or simply ugly. Also bad logos include those that have some ambiguity (resemble existing logos) or that are difficult to read (due to fonts). Often, in such unsuccessful logos, several letters in the name are replaced with drawings that are vaguely reminiscent of letters in shape. These logos are often difficult to perceive and “read”. Thus, the user does not immediately guess the content of the logo, he will not be able to read the written correctly right away, and, therefore, most likely, he will not remember.

Your own algorithm of work

There is one more rule of successful logo design - work out your algorithm for working on logo design. Logo design is almost an intimate affair. Each designer treats this process in his own way, relying primarily on his own experience. However, every logo design process has a must. So, the first thing you need to do is write a kind of letter, which will collect all the information from the customer with all the wishes. Designer John Homes once noted, “You really need to understand what the client is expecting before you get started. Logo design is not about finding a dark cat in a dark room, but rather the other way around. " The logo should be a well-aimed shot and always on target.

Study and search

Another rule is to study your customers' business in more detail (about products and production in general, about the history of goods / services, about the history of the creation and operation of the company in the market, about its success and its main competitors). Visual searches. This is no longer the study of information about the company, its products, but direct integration into logo design. At this stage, you should delve into the study of new trends, innovations in styles, find out what are the most popular and successful logos at the moment, what the consumer audience is waiting for. In addition, your new logo should not resemble the existing ones. Sometimes it helps to study the logos of competitors. A designer can analyze the logos of competitors and, starting from criticism of the logos of rival companies, find a good clue for a new logo. The next stage is sketches and conceptualization. The logo should become perfect in the eyes of the designer and, of course, please the customers. Pay close attention to the reaction of customers to the logo, mark their comments. An important place is taken by the presentation of the logo, which is also worth working hard on.

Well, good luck with your logo design! And for successful work it is worth being inspired. Here is a whole list of logo galleries to get some interesting ideas from.

Comments (1)

1. Konstantin
   August 17, 2011 at 10:31 AM

   Nike Swoosh logo is built in association with the ancient Greek goddess Nike (Nike) and mimics the shape of the wings of the goddess of victory

   It reminds me of a wave and is in no way associated with Nika. Nonsense (I'm talking about nike).

   Ekwo Answer:
   August 18, 2011 at 1:14 pm

   brendyatina.rpod.ru/153484.html Here listen about how the Nike brand was created, about the logo, naming.

2. 
   August 17, 2011 at 11:54 AM

   I ask all claims to Nike)) in any case, the company was hardly named after the wave;)

3. Zoryanka
   January 3, 2012 at 02:21 AM

   Personally, it reminds me of a golochka - well, like a test, or something :)

4. Kirill
   January 14, 2012 at 08:58 AM

   very cool hand, thanks

   by the way, I'm inspired by this page

   every day a new designer and his logos. very informative

   vkontakte.ru/three_one

5. advertisio
   October 17, 2012 at 08:38 AM

   www.advertisio.ru - the best logos from all over the world. if you need to develop a logo, write - [email protected]

6. Basil
   May 16, 2013 at 10:59 AM

A logo is much more than just words, an icon, a color. A good logo tells the story of your company: who you are, what you do, and what you stand for.

Creating a logo is not an easy task: there are many nuances that need to be taken into account when designing it. Luckily, you don't have to do this alone. With this step-by-step instruction, you can do it easily and simply. But enough words, let's get started!

What is a logo and what is it for?

But before we go directly to the recommendations, we want to advise you on the online service from Turbologo that can create a logo for you all in a few minutes. Just enter your company name and the site will create some logos for you!
Now let's move on to the article :)

Every day we constantly come across logos.

For example, the average US resident sees 16,000 advertisements, logos and labels per day. If you look around, you will probably also notice dozens of logos around you.

Why are there so many of them and why do many companies spend thousands, hundreds, or even millions of dollars to create this small element?

What do we, first of all, understand by the word “logo”?

A logo is a symbol or emblem that is used
to identify services, products and the company itself.

The logo presented in the form of a stylized corporate font (letters). In addition, small graphic elements are often used: for example, a smile on the Amazon logo.
The advantage of this logo is that it is easy to remember and helps to stand out from competitors, especially if they use other types of fonts.

Verbal elements can be:
- existing words in the name of the company;
- artificial words;
- abbreviations;
- letters;
- numbers.

This logo uses both text and symbols. This look takes advantage of the two previous ones: the graphic element makes the logo memorable and helps to make the company name special and attractive.

Emblem

Logos of this kind enclose a company name within a special art form. This is one of the most difficult types of logo designs.

Alphanumeric

A symbol is used that represents the name of the company using the initials or first letters of the name.

Many companies choose to use this type of logo because their initials better illustrate the company name than the full name (if it is too long or difficult to pronounce). These are the logos of such well-known companies as Hewlett-Packard, Chanel and General Electric.

Below are examples of the most popular forms of logo creation, as well as the associations that each form evokes.

The Target logo is a great example of a versatile logo.

How to check the versatility of a logo?

Ask yourself if a logo is great if it:

Printed in one color?
Printed in postage stamp size?
Printed like a big billboard?
Printed in black and white?

If the answer is “yes” to all the questions, congratulations! You've created a universal logo!

I like to work in black and white from the beginning to make sure the logo looks good in its simplest form. Color is very subjective and emotional. This can detract from the overall design.

Patrick Winfield.

Compliance with the scope of the company

The logo must correspond to the field of activity of the company.
For example, if you are designing a logo for a toy store, it would be wise to use a “fun” font and icons associated with toys, children, etc. On the other hand, a logo doesn't have to literally represent what the company does. For example, the BMW logo is not a car at all, and the Hawaiian Airlines logo is not an airplane.

The question arises - should a logo correspond to a business area? The answer can be found in a recent study of one online logo maker.

Chinese brand BYD, whose logo suspiciously resembles the logo of the German car giant BMW.

11 questions to ask yourself before creating a logo

This section is the cornerstone in the development of corporate identity. So take it seriously.

Before starting to create a logo, it is very important to conduct a preliminary analysis of your business, niche, competitors.

What is it for?

The analysis will help pave the way for the successful creation of a company logo, better understand what the features of your business are, what idea and qualities you want to convey to customers, and how you differ from your competitors. Therefore, we recommend that you answer the 11 questions below:

Analysis of your business

How would you describe your company in 1-2 sentences?
What are the long-term goals of your company?
What are the keywords to describe your business?
What is the value of your products and services?
What is your target audience?
What qualities should your logo convey to your customers?

It is very important to answer questions 5 and 6. Because the more you know about your target audience, the easier it will be for you to create a logo that they can fall in love with.

Competitor analysis

Who are your main competitors?
Why are they better / worse than you?
How would you like to be different from your competitors?
What logos do you like and why?

The analysis of competitors should help to find out why the logos of competitors work or, conversely, do not work and, to prevent the creation of a similar logo. You want to be original, right?

Analysis of the use of the logo

How and where will the logo be used most of the time?

You need to answer this simple but very important question.

For example, airline logos should look great on the tail of an airplane.

If this is not the case, the company is unlikely to be noticeable against the background of others.

Another example.
A company that does most of its business on the Internet.
In this case, the full spectrum of colors can be used for the logo, because digital devices have no problem with reproducing colors.

On the other hand, it would be a very bad choice for a company doing business offline, and the logo will be used more often in print.

For this reason, you should always think carefully about where and how the logo will be used most of the time so that you do not waste time on ideas that cannot be implemented in practice.

How to choose a font for your logo?

The typeface is one of the most important elements of a logo. The readability of the logo, its perception, and the transmission of the main meaning depend on it.

Before we move on to the basic rules for choosing a font for a logo, let's look at what categories of fonts are and their psychological perception.

Font categories

1. Serif fonts
2. Sans serif fonts
3. Handwritten
4. Typewritten
5. Decorative

1. Serif fonts have small dashes at the ends of each element of the letter and transition from thicker to thinner.

4. Typewriter fonts mimic text typed on a typewriter.

How to choose a color for your logo?

Color, color and color again! This is the first touchpoint and most memorable object, ”says Leslie Harrington, CEO of The Color Association.

Understanding how color affects human perception is very important when creating a quality logo, says Martin Christie of Logo Design London.

Color can help you heighten the feelings you want and create a strong emotional connection. Use the infographic (large size) to choose the color you want for the logo.

How to choose the right logo color?

To get an answer to this question, you should ask yourself 3 questions:

What color highlights your brand's personality?
What colors characterize your products / services?
What color is your competitor using?

Colors are not tied to any particular industry, but certain colors are better for some services / products than others.
You should strive to choose a color that will highlight the personality of your company. The color should make the right impression on customers who see your logo for the first time.

What to do when you've figured out the colors of your competitors?

One option is to use the opposite color to the main competitor's logo. It will help you stand out. But take into account the colors of your industry so that the opposite color matches the industry. For example, pink for a bank logo or a legal company looks out of place and ridiculous.

Consider color patterns in different cultures. For example, in the Western world, white is considered the color of purity and peace, and in some Asian countries it is the color of death.

One color or several?

In order to convey the desired feelings and emotions as much as possible, one color is usually used when creating a logo design. However, there are many successful logos with multiple colors - Google, eBay.

Therefore, you can safely use one color, or several. The main thing is that they are combined! But, of course, do not overdo it and use a large number of colors.

- Pamela Wilson.

How to choose multiple colors for your logo?

The easiest way to find the right colors for your logo is to use color schemes.
There are many online services for finding great color schemes. You can find several in this one.

For example Adobe Kuler or the Russian-language Colorscheme service.

Designers often use the 60-30-10 rule. It consists in choosing 3 different colors and using them in a ratio of 60%, 30% and 10%. This rule provides an easy way to create a professional color scheme for your brand.

- Jared Christofferson, Yellowhammer

Where to find logo inspiration?

It is often very difficult to take the first step when we are dealing with something unfamiliar. For example, with the creation of logos. You can spend a day, or even a week, thinking and making drawings of the logo, which is very exhausting.

Fortunately, there is a good way to get rid of the stupor as soon as possible and make the first step less painful. For example, get inspiration from other logos and design work.
For this we have selected Top 10 Sites where you can spy on ideas for your logo.

Logo pond

Step 1: create some drafts

Early on in logo design, you may have several ideas that you want to express in your logo. Do not neglect them, it is better to write them down, perhaps some will be useful for you when creating the final version of the logo.

Step 2: sketch out the logo design

A sketch is a quick and easy way to put ideas on paper, where you can evaluate them more easily.
Do not erase or discard your sketches. Design is not a linear process. All ideas can be valuable, even if you don't think so right away.


If you can't draw, don't be upset. You can try to sketch the logo using screenshots. Go to the sites of several online generators, icon galleries, etc. Try to find the images you like that you want and save them. You can then use them to create your unique logo.

Step 3. Choose the tools to create your logo

You can create a logo using:

- graphic programs - Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Photoshop;
- platforms for ordering logos - 99Designs:
- online services and constructors -, Turbologo ... Very helpful service, I advise!

If you are comfortable with graphics programs, no doubt use them to create your logo.
But online services should not be neglected either. They can be used to find inspiration or test ideas.

Step 4. Create a logo

Step 5. Test the logo

Have you created a logo and decided it's perfect? This may not be the case. It will be more effective to show the logo to colleagues, friends, some clients and get feedback. Ask them a few questions: what do they think of the logo, do they like it? If you are satisfied with the answers, then you did everything right.
However, they are wary of reviews from friends and family. If they are not professional designers, their advice may not be entirely helpful to you, or even false.

Step 6. Test the scalability of the logo

Check the logo image in different ways - in newspaper ads, on a business card, on your website. The logo should look good whether it is reproduced in large or small format.

A few tips:
- If the logo has a lot of detail or lines that are thin, then the logo may look too fussy at small sizes.
- If a logo is created for a business card or website, then it will, as a rule, look awkward at large sizes.
- Use graphics programs like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, they allow you to test the scalability of your logo.

Step 7. Create multiple logo formats

Perhaps you created the logo from the beginning in a graphics program like Adobe Illustrator. If this is not the case, you need to transfer the logo sketch from paper to electronic form.

A few tips:
- Save the logo not only in.
The latter will allow you to easily scale your logo without losing quality. If you already have a bitmap logo, you can convert it to vector using vectormagic.com.
- Use logo in PNG, JPEG for web and PDF, EPS, SVG for print.
- Save your logo in black and white for printing your logo on, for example, bags, pens, stationery.

Step 8. Keep getting feedback

Even after you've created your logo, you still need to remain open to feedback. Use a variety of tools like social media, customer comments, expert opinions to make sure your logo looks perfect.

Is your logo really great? [Check list]

And so, you probably already created a logo. Congratulations!

But is he really good? Will it look great in different sizes? Well, let's check the effectiveness of your logo with our checklist.
Go through each question and answer yes or no.

1. The logo looks attractive for at least three people
2. The logo looks good in black and white
3. The logo is recognizable in an inverted position (form)
4. The logo is recognizable if its size is changed
5. There are no complex details
6. The logo is visually balanced - the icon, font, color look harmoniously together
7. Not used too many fonts, colors, effects
8. The logo is visible among other logos

As we already wrote, it is very important to stand out from the background of other companies, especially competitors.
Collect your competitors' logos and place yours somewhere in between.
Is it noticeable? Noticeable against the background of others? If yes, everything is great!

9. The logo is adaptive

Responsiveness means the logo will look great on any object or surface - a T-shirt, website, road sign, etc.

10. The logo is memorable

Show your logo to friends or anyone and ask them to draw an image of it in a few hours or days. If he can roughly accurately sketch your logo, then everything is fine and your logo will be memorable.

11. The logo is universal

The versatility of a logo means that it is perceived the same way by a wide range of people. All people are different and the main thing is that the logo retains a single meaning for all of its viewers.

12. The logo is easy to read

Imagine that your logo is on a banner, and you are driving a car at a speed of 70-80 km per hour. Could you read the text of your logo? If so, everything is fine. If not, it might be worth working on the fonts.

13. You have vector logo formats

It is very important to have vector logo files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF). This will allow you to print the logo at any scale without loss of quality, as well as edit it. For example, make a logo in a different color.

We hope these tips are helpful and you can create a great logo!

Everywhere we are surrounded by company logos. Take a look around - everything that has been done by mankind is labeled on behalf of the manufacturer in order to advertise this product, to spread information about it among as many consumers as possible.

We will devote this article to the question “what is a logo”, what is its role and why so much attention is paid to it.

Logo concept

So, if we turn to the origin of the term, it will become clear that in translation from ancient Greek this word means a combination of “word and imprint”. Accordingly, logos are used to verbally or graphically designate any information (in particular, about a product, company or organization).

It is believed that the first brand logos appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. This was due to the growth of production in the United States. Moreover, what is most interesting, the creation of logos carried a purely practical function - they were developed in order not to re-print the established graphic signs. These were, for example, the original inscription, an image with the name of the company, and the like.

Kinds

There are three common types of logos. They have been used all over the world for over a century. These are: company logos in the form of graphic signs (a picture representing the emblem); text logos (presented in the form of inscriptions), as well as a combined version, in which a picture and text are mixed.

It is characteristic of logos that all symbols, both graphic and text, are designed according to a single well-established pattern, which is repeated every time as soon as it is required to reapply the logo.

The role of the logo

There are several roles that the logo of a company plays. Firstly, it is informational - which consists in informing the consumer about who produced this or that product. Or, for example, the logo performs the same function when designating the office of an organization.

Secondly, the logo conveys a certain message from the company to the consumer, consisting, for example, of a mission or designation of the values ​​that the manufacturer adheres to. Thirdly, the logo is designed to create a kind of feedback in the consumer's imagination; an association that aims to create a link between the product itself and the name of the company that released it. Finally, fourthly, we can say that a corporate logo can also play an aesthetic function to the extent that it will simply have an attractive appearance for the buyer.

The meaning of logos

So, what is a logo and what is its purpose, we figured it out. Of course, there are other functions that are performed by trademarks and company logos. How organizations or companies themselves apply them depends on the nature of the product and its mission, values.

It should also be noted that each logo is designed to match the company it belongs to. For this reason, the manufacturer tries to include in the design of his logo elements that characterize his activities or, for example, something related to his products. Thus, the connection between the product and the company that produces it is maintained.

The most famous logos

Understanding what a logo is is easier if you see clear examples. Since each of us has seen hundreds, if not thousands of logos in our lives, remembering some of them will not be difficult for you. Take, for example, the world's largest companies such as McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Apple ... Even now, sitting at a computer, you see at least three or four logos - the manufacturer of your device, the logo of the operating system, as well as the brand name of your favorite search engine or email service. Perhaps all of them have already become so familiar to us that we do not even notice most of the logos presented. However, this is their mission - to be remembered for us at the subconscious level, in order to appear in the memory in the future. This is a peculiar form of "self-promotion" that our brain creates for itself.

Own logo

At first it may seem, when you learn what a logo is, that it is necessary exclusively for some transnational companies and the largest manufacturers around the world. In fact, this is not the case - even a small chain of grocery stores can (and should) afford to have its own trademark, a logo that will distinguish it from competing points.

Firstly, such a move will give more weight in the eyes of the consumer, because a well-designed logo is already a sign of a serious company, whose activities have a long-term perspective, since it is developing its own logo. Secondly, if we are talking about stores, having your own logo will make it possible to distinguish a point of sale from competitors. Thus, if the buyer knows that your products are cheaper, he will look for your trademark, bypassing competitors. Thirdly, having worked on the market for a long time, it will be possible to talk about the recognizability of the logo, about the habit that the consumer will develop towards it.

Information, information, information anytime, anywhere. How to quickly find what a particular consumer needs? Moreover, it is not only the search for a product of a well-known manufacturer that matters. It is equally important for the target audience to immediately penetrate the essence of the very idea of ​​a company playing its game on the market. The decisive role in this matter belongs to the logo, which is nothing more than an individual graphic sign in one or another display. And it is not so important whether it will be a drawing, a font writing, or both in one combination. The most important thing is the fulfillment of the assigned functions.

What is a logo: types, functions and their implementation

The work on the logo is not cheap, because, with its appearance, the customer company intends to solve the following problems:

1. Providing a distinctive, associative function. With a successful logo, its owner will have no problems with recognizing his products and the company itself against the background of any number of competing enterprises.

2. The protective function consists in the ability to bring to justice negligent competitors who illegally use someone else's designation. The whole secret lies in the right of ownership, which implies the legal protection of the marked goods and services. Violation of the rules of ownership is fraught with administrative, civil and criminal liability.

3. The guarantee function lies in the fact that the presence of a logo is the prerogative of companies that have earned popularity by their responsible attitude to the production process and the ability to guess the needs of the market. Only self-confident manufacturers allow themselves to spend money on the creation of a logo and, through its application, sign up as a product.

4. Aesthetic function. A beautiful logo that combines harmony of color and shape will make the product design even more visually attractive. Moreover, the special aesthetic effect is only enhanced by the awareness of quality guarantees and security against counterfeiting.

5. One of the most important functions of this kind of designation is the advertising purpose. Such an icon contributes to the formation of the image of the company at the level of the consumer's subconsciousness. Moreover, the effect of product recognition increases, associative links with the quality and reputation of the company are born, which cannot but serve its reputation.

Not sparing labor costs and financial investments for the creation of a logo, thereby, its owner creates an attractive image for himself. In addition, it is worth mentioning the informational and psychological value. Only with such a marking, the buyer receives the maximum information about the manufacturer of the in-demand product. Based on this, a positive attitude towards the company of interest is formed.

So, questions about the expensive pleasure of creating a logo should not arise. The symbol, which carries a huge amount of meaning, is born in the throes of highly professional efforts, accumulated experience and deep knowledge of different sides of the market and human psychology. Playing a primary role in the individualization of the company-owner, the logo does not stop performing the assigned functions throughout the entire period of its use.

Components of a professional logo

1. Style appropriate for years to come.
2. Extreme clarity of subtext and visual perception.
3. Ability to attract consumers.
4. Legibility.
5. Excellent visibility.
6. The greatest possible simplicity.
7. Ability to remember.
8. Descriptiveness.
9. Colors.

Types of logos

At the time of creating a logo, you can give preference to one of the well-known types, or stop at their combination. There are such symbols for a similar purpose:

1. Illustrative, allowing you to get an idea of ​​the company's activities.

2. Graphic, indicating the activities of the company in general or abstract. In this regard, graphic elements will serve.

3. Text based on the text that gives an understanding of the activities of the customer company.

Regardless of the choice of this or that type of logo, the main purpose is not only to attract the attention of potential buyers, but also to retain and extend it.

Creating a reasonably effective corporate label is a step towards brand building. Examples of world famous logos include:

McDonalds, recognizable in any country;

Nike, the lion's share of the production of sports shoes and apparel;

Nokia is a symbol of quality and reliability;

Coca Cola - an icon that confidently holds the leading position in the ranking of the most expensive;

Lacoste is popular not only in France but all over the world.

The company that owns the logo differs from colleagues who do not have such a symbol, just like the permanent effect of attracting new customers, from their complete absence.

A bit of the history of the logo

Such a concept as a logo appeared already at the beginning of the 19th century. But at the time of its appearance, it was just a designation of 2-3 characters of the typographic font, to which any cliché that did not require retyping was attributed. During that period of its existence, the logo was nothing more than a synonym for the expression "ligature". And only in the twentieth century, the stylized typeface of the name of interest began to be attributed to this category. The use of this kind of symbol played a significant role in the period of the rise in production, export of products and the tightening of competition.

For the first time in history, the registration of such an OIC took place in 1876. In connection with this event, the British Patent Office issued a title deed for the Bass beer.

Thus, the symbol in the form of a red triangle received a start in life. This mark, like the drink itself, for which registration was carried out, still exist. b

These centenarians include the Coca-Cola logo, registered in 1886. Gebrüder Thonet designation used for curved wood furniture began life without registration (in 1859).

Over time, when the world recognized such a concept as industrial graphics, stable combinations of graphic elements and other attributes appeared that ensure the identification of the company. Moreover, the combination of graphic signs, props and elements of corporate decor served to form stable combinations from the category of corporate blocks. Also known are examples of company identification without the use of graphical style. For example: until 1989 Toyota dispensed with its sign of three ellipses.

Protection of property rights

How to protect yourself from unscrupulous competitors seduced by the effectiveness of a particular logo? The only correct way out would be to obtain documents of title securing the exclusive right to own IP. To provide such benefits, there is no other way out than to register the logo in accordance with the rules provided for the trademark.

The first step to the implementation of the plan will be the registration and filing of an application for the designation of interest.

Time and geographic restrictions

The right to use a legally registered logo extends for a 10-year period. At the discretion of the owner, you can always take advantage of the chance to extend the validity of the title of protection for an additional 10 years, moreover, as many times as circumstances require. However, in the case of non-use of a protected designation for a period of 3 years, any of the competitors can file a claim for early termination of legal protection in full or in part (in the specified).

Secrets of Successful Logos

The most important thing in working on a logo is the effect of visual perception, which responds on a conscious and subconscious level with a desire to deal with a specific manufacturer and its products. In the implementation of such plans, special attention should be paid to:

1. Choosing a font that reflects the individuality of the owner. The options are: serif; sans serif; handwritten; typewritten; decorative.

2. Requirements for color, as a way to evoke positive associations and, at the same time, not overshadow the essence of the designation itself.

3. Memorability, justified by the exclusion of overly complex elements. Extreme simplicity is the key to recognizability and good readability in any size. For example: the usual Nike tick will not go unnoticed even on crowded store shelves. Even with a cursory glance, such a logo catches the eye and evokes an associative connection with something familiar, almost native.

4. Durability. (Stand out from the crowd without being led by the fashionable hysteria of different times).

5. Versatility achieved through vector design, which allows you to maintain quality regardless of the size and changes in the environment of the demonstration (on the site, on the letterhead, in advertising, directly on the product or packaging).

6. Reflection of the field of activity and compliance with the characteristics of the company will provide a thematic symbol. For example: a company of children's things, chooses associations with toys, "funny" type.

7. Uniqueness does not deny the opportunity to highlight the industry where the activity is taking place. But under no circumstances should you copy someone else's logo and repeat the ideas of other companies. Chinese brand BYD is worth mentioning as plagiarism reminiscent of the BMW logo

To please the company with the desired results, you need to answer a number of questions:

1. To understand the peculiarities of the business and the differences from competitors, to penetrate the essence of the idea conveyed to the consumer. Here you need to decide on long-term goals, characteristics of the target audience, the value of the advertised goods and services. It is extremely important to find keywords in the business description.