What makes a good logo?

In working with clients I sometime wonder how they would answer this question because it corresponds with what they are looking in their own logo design. I think it’s really important that anyone looking for new logo to understand what they looking for but also educate themselves on what it is that they’re asking for. Here a few things to take into consideration if you’re asking yourself this question.

Levels of Meaning

This is one of my favorite element in logo design and one that I feel can be too easily looked over by clients. Too much value can be placed on the way the logo looks but it’s also got to mean something you and your customer/audience. One great way to do this is having your logo to correlate with your business’ core values and/or mission. As an example I have the citibank logo designed by Paula Scher. The red arc over the letter t is ment to look like an umbrella. The significances of the umbrella is meant as a message to their customer, that citibank is there to protect and shelter their clients and their interests.

Versatility

In the initial phases of developing a logo it’s important to brainstorm all of its intended uses. Is it for print or web or both? Will it be faxed and copied on older machines? How big and small will it get? Will it be etched into glass? Poured into concrete? How will it look on a web page that can be resized to fit and tablet or a smartphone. A logo designed for a very specific medium will not translate to another. Features like gradients, transparencies, die cuts, and embossing (just to name a few) might look nice for one but may not work as well other forms of display. That’s why keeping in mind where and how your logo will be showcased is essential. For this reason it’s important to be clear with you designer from the get go with many of the current and future application your logo could take on.

Simplicity

Simplicity is key for quite a few reasons. First off, the point of the logo is to get your point across quickly. Ask yourself, ‘Can the majority of your clienteles look at your understand what it means?’ Designers will tell you the reasoning behind every element of their design but your client isn’t going to be in the room while they are doing so. They have to understand it, so it’s sometimes good to keep an outside perspective.

Secondly, when you have too many elements competing against one another your message can get lost. This idea also plays into getting your point across quickly. People will focus on the many parts that aren’t working and not on the idea as a whole. And you’ll know which parts aren’t working because they will be the one’s that people focus on before they focus on the message. So eliminating excess line, shapes, letter, and what have you, helps keep your message clear.

And lastly, creating a simple logo goes hand in hand with having a versatile logo. Not only will it work well with a variety applications it will still remain easily identifiable. Take for instance, the New York Times logo. In recent years the Times has let hundreds of artist recreate the iconic letter T into a variety of designs but the shape is still identifiable. The logo itself hasn’t changed, so this speaks more to the logo system, but the original simplicity of the times design makes this possible.

It’s Gotta Look Good

I realize this is subjective. What looks good to you may not look good to others and visa versa. But I include this in the list because you want your client to understand it in three second but you’ll want to keep them looking for three decades. By including the aforementioned ideas into a good looking logo you’ll keep your client's attention. And a good designer will have ability to understand how shapes, lines, and color can come together to create that.

I leave you with video for Vox of designer Michael Bierut explaining what he believes makes a logo great as something else to keep in mind before working with a designer to create (or redo) your logo.