Five things you need to consider to create a memorable logo

Business

Need to create a logo for your business? Here are five things you need to consider to ensure it’s memorable (for the right reasons)!

Chanel, Gucci, BMW, McDonald’s, Apple, Nike… some logos are instantly recognisable. But what makes them so memorable? And if you’re in the process of creating a logo for your own business, what lessons can you learn from these iconic brands?

Brand recognition is essential today

If someone asked you to name the top laptop manufacturers, you would probably struggle to get past five. Why? Because while some have invested in the right branding, others haven’t been as successful in establishing a memorable brand.

And right at the heart of brand recognition is your logo – the single emblem that conveys who you are and what you stand for.

Brand recognition is an essential part of marketing your business. In a noisy world in which you’re competing with other brands and ads on phones, televisions, computers and more, it’s become increasingly important to create and maintain a presence that is memorable in people’s minds. (You can read a case study here in which one entrepreneur reveals the positive impact a new logo had on his business.)

Five things you need to consider to create a memorable logo

So if need a memorable logo, how should you approach the process? Here are five things you need to consider.

1) Know what brand message your logo should promote

When people see your logo, they should be able to immediately recognise what your brand represents, your promise, your expertise, and what makes you different from other similar products or services in your industry. But how do you work out what your brand message is if you’re not 100% sure?

One way to approach finding your brand message is to use a message map. (Carmine Gallo produced a video on YouTube for Forbes where he talked through pitching a brand using a message map in 15 seconds.)

We’ve also got some advice that can help you work this out, including three ways you can bring out your brand’s personality and how to work out your USP. Once you get to the very heart of your brand’s values, you can ensure that your logo reflects these qualities clearly.

2) Opt for a minimalist design

When it comes to logo design, less definitely is more. If you look at some of the world’s most recognisable brands, their logos are immediately recognisable – and remarkably simple.

Take, for example, Apple’s apple bite design and McDonald’s famous golden arches. Neither has tried to cram in extra elements, like pictures of a laptop or a burger. Instead they are confident enough to trust that the simplicity of their logos makes them more identifiable and memorable.

3) Make sure your logo is unique

You don’t want people to get your brand confused with another business. So it’s important to focus on how to differentiate your brand’s logo from what already exists in the marketplace.

Don’t feel tempted to try a me-too version of another logo you’ve seen and liked. Instead look for ways to make your logo completely unique to your business (and reflect your brand message). And one that won’t get you in trouble for breaching another brand’s trademark!

This is just one of the reasons why we recommend getting a designer to create a logo uniquely for you. (And not use one of the online logo banks that some less experienced and cheaper designers resort to.)

A professional logo is one of the wisest business investments you can make – one you’ll use for years across your products, stationary, websites, social media and more. And one that will help to establish your brand firmly in the mind of your target customers.

4) Consider the colour association

Think carefully about the colours you choose for your logo. We all respond very differently (and often emotionally) to different colours, so you need to ensure that the colour(s) you choose will resonate appropriately with your target audience.

For example, the airline Air Asia uses white text on a red backdrop. In many Asian countries, the colour red is associated with good fortune, joy, luck and happiness. As their main customer base is in South and North East Asia, it makes sense for Air Asia to have a logo colour that has a positive cultural significance for their customers.

So what colours would your audience respond to? And which colours best reflect the type of business you are?

5) Get inspired by other logos that work for other organisations

One of the easiest ways to get creative inspiration when planning your logo is to look at what other successful brands have done (you can find some inspiration on this thread on Quora).

Ready to design your logo and build your brand?

We hope this article has helped to inspire you, and given you some food for thought if you’re ready to create a logo for your business.

If you’d like more branding advice, we also recommend reading these articles:

Photo by Stoica Ionela