What makes a great logo?
If you thought creative design was the only thing which influenced the birth
of a great logo then you are really far from the truth. A good looking logo is
the right way to start on the branding path but there are many other factors
which influence the making of a great logo:
1) Design. The design is obviously quite important. A poorly designed logo is
an unlikely candidate for greatness in branding. A good design not only helps in
providing an excellent base on which other marketing activities can be based on;
it also makes the viewers admire the creativity of the company.
2) Relevance. What are the characteristics of a relevant logo? It should relate
in some way or the other to the business it represents and should be able to
covey that to the customer quite well. The choice of colors, design and icons
used in a logo should have relevance to the company otherwise it can be a well
designed logo, but not suitable to the business and thus cannot be considered as
a good logo.
3) Implementation. A well designed logo also needs to be implemented correctly.
There are many international level design guidelines which can be used to create
some of the greatest logos of all times. Can you imagine a poorly implemented
Microsoft logo? It would just not be acceptable by the organization and caste a
poor impression on the customers as well. (Some people might even think that it
is a pirated piece of software that they are looking at!)
4) Acceptability. Some times, highly unconventional logos might look excellent
on the drawing table but may not gain acceptance with the general masses. A
great logo needs to be simple enough to be accepted by one and all. If a logo
gains acceptance with people of all ages and from all walks of life, it can be
considered as a great logo. McDonalds is one such light hearted logo which has
managed to transcend the barriers of age and creed and appeal to all and sundry
and thus represents one of the greatest companies of modern times.
5) International usability. As the world becomes a global village, it comes as
no surprise that a logo needs to be adapted in multiple languages. A great logo
should be able to accommodate this language adaptation easily. This
international usability helps in promoting the business in various geographies
as well as lets designers create a local relevance in the logo. The maxim,
‘Think Global Act Local’ fits in well with an internationally usable logo.
6) The actual business offering. A great logo cannot be made without the backing
of a great business. The greatness of a logo is also measured by the success
rate of the business and thus it is important that the overall business activity
is on the growth path.
It is easy to identify many great logos with the help of the above criteria.
Some of them are, Kellogg's, Hertz, BMW and Ford. All these logos meet the
conditions mentioned above.
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