It may seem unfair, but a great logo design can make or break a brand. While it might seem like such a small part in the grand scheme of what you have to offer, it is vital that it sticks in the minds of your customers. Your logo is at the heart of your branding and is attached to everything that you do. If your customers can’t remember your logo, they are unlikely to remember your brand, and they are therefore unlikely to think of you when it comes to forking out their hard-earned cash. But what makes for a great logo? Here’s our list of the 5 essential qualities of a great logo;

A great logo is simple

The best logos forego the bells and whistles. When you think of the most famous brand logos in the world, you probably think of Nike, McDonalds, or Apple, all of which are of course incredibly simple logos – a tick, the letter m and an apple. 

A great logo means something

A logo is intended not only as a means of advertising your brand but also as a means of symbolising something that it stands for. A logo should not only tell your audience who you are, it should have some kind of meaning. Whether this meaning is immediately obvious or not, is not necessarily the point, but what is more important is that the logo feels like it has a story behind it. 

A great logo is authentic

Which brings us to authenticity. A great logo feels authentic. It feels like it is inextricable from the business, as though one cannot exist without the other. While much of this is to do with audience recognition and perception, and how well the logo is used in practice, it is also to do with how authentic it feels to your audience. If your logo feels like a mismatch of corporate ideas, it’s probably because it is one. If your logo, on the other hand, feels natural and like it belongs, then you know you are doing something right. 

A great logo is relevant

A great logo is relevant. Not only relevant to what you think the brand stands for, but also for how your customers and colleagues feel about the brand. A great logo should feel at once universal and personal. It should say something, however small, about what it is that the business does (even if it is simply in the choice of colours), while at the same time saying something broader about what it is that the business stands for. 

A great logo is timeless

If a logo has been designed with current trends or fashions in mind over and above the qualities aforementioned then it is likely that it will soon look dated and forgettable. While it is always a good idea to take inspiration from what is going on around you in the market, by copying or imitating something that looks cool, purely for the sake of it, it’s likely that this lack of authenticity will come across in the final design. 

If you look at any of the most successful brands in the world, they all have these five qualities in common. And while they may have made modifications to their logo over the years, ultimately the basics behind them remain the same. And while they may look simple in their finished state these logos would have taken a huge amount of time, effort and hard work to get right. Great logos don’t happen by accident, and thinking that they can be produced in a couple of hours is a mistake. 

Kaizen Brand Evolution

At Kaizen Brand Evolution, we have worked with numerous brands on creating and developing their brand logos. As branding experts, we know what makes for a truly outstanding logo and with our guidance and help, we can help you achieve the results you are looking for. To find out more about how we can help with your logo design you can visit our logo design page, or get in touch via our contact page or by calling 028 9507 2007.