Wednesday 30 March 2016

What is a Logo and How Does It Brand a Business/Website?


You see them on flyers, letterhead, billboards and building signs. They appear in televised commercials, websites and other forms of advertising. Chances are that you cannot go a single day without seeing a substantial number of logos. What are logos and why are they such valuable branding tools?

What is a Logo?
By definition, a logo (or logotype) is a graphic symbol or image that is used to represent a company’s trademark and name. It is often designed to create a unique way of easily recognizing and identifying a specific company or website.

There are so many different types of logo designs that are used for companies and websites around the world. Some are more popular than others primarily because of the success of the company represented by the images. However, one should never assume that a logo is just a fancy image. As a branding tool, it has more power and presence than you might realize.

Quick to Recognize, Easy to Identify
One of the most prominent benefits of a quality logo as a branding tool is the beauty of quick recognition and easy identification. With so many different business and website names, it can become very overwhelming to distinguish between them – especially when familiar logos are not available. However, an effective logo design can make that task a lot easier – allowing people to recognize your logo and identify your brand almost immediately.

For example, when you see the letter “F” inside of a blue box, chances are that you will automatically think of Facebook. Whether you love their food or not, golden arches shaped as an “M” will remind you about McDonald’s. A white apple with a bite mark might quickly remind you about Apple. Detailed explanations and wordy phrases were not needed for you to identify those familiar brands; the logos took care of that, right? That is the beauty of logo design by Designhill. Quality logos make it a lot easier for brands to identify themselves and for clients to identify those brands.

The Power of a Brand’s Name
Another benefit of using a logo as a branding tool is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a symbol or image. There are many cases where the company or website wants to keep both the brand name and basically turn it into a logo of its own. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Quite a few logotype names have become just as iconic as symbolic logo images, according to Design Shack.

Apple might use an actual apple, but its biggest competitor – Microsoft – uses the actual word with a definitive logotype. Think about IBM, Coca-Cola, and FedEx ad UPS. The names (even as abbreviations) have basically become their logos and there is nothing wrong with that. Effective branding power extends far beyond images and words; it is more about the actual design itself.

Appreciating the Essence of Color
When examining logo design by Designhill, you likely have noticed the broad use of colors. That is because colors can highlight the essence of a brand’s logo, allowing its personality to emerge directly through the design. According to Mashable, each color brings its own implication and nuance to the message conveyed through the design.

For example, the color red conveys sexiness and energy while the color blue conveys tranquility and trustworthiness. Black is used in designs to convey credibility and power while white is used to showcase simplicity and cleanliness. Pink is used for flirty and fun messages while green conveys growth and instruction.

The Basics of Logo Design
Understanding what a logo is and why it is such a powerful branding tool is just the tip of the iceberg. You need to be able to fully understand the basics of effective logo design. According to Creative Bloq, applying several simple principles will take your logo design work to new heights.

For instance, view simplicity as a requirement – not an option. Simplicity makes it easy to recognize logos and keep them memorable yet versatile. The logo design needs to withstand the test of time, meaning that it needs to remain effective on a long-term basis. When thinking about the longevity of your logo, focus on decades – not days. As mentioned earlier, versatility is of the utmost importance so that brands can use logos in a variety of applications and mediums.

The Bottom Line
From the surface, it might seem like logos are nothing more than fancy pictures or memorable images. However, logo design by Designhill focuses on turning those “fancy pictures” into effective branding tools by truly appreciating their value. Once you fully understand the branding power of logos, you will take one step closer towards creating the next iconic image (or logotype) for your client. Without appreciating its long-term value, though, you will never be able to achieve that goal.

 courtesy:http://www.ourtuts.com/

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