Branding Basics

Don’t forget to read our previous Branding Basics articles about the “Why” of your company and the name of your company before designing a logo: Start with Why and Hello, my name is….

The name of your company may be the most recognizable thing about it, but its logo is what will endear your brand to its audience. The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is still true today.  When designing a logo, think about the story that’s being told. Images evoke emotions without telling the audience exactly what to think. Words are wonderful because they’re explicit: they say exactly what they mean. But an image allows the viewer to use his or her own impressions and experiences to give it meaning. A logo can be much more personal to your audience than your company’s name or slogan.

Here are some things to ask yourself when deciding on an icon and font; hopefully many of these were answered when coming up with your company’s brand identity:

• Who is my audience?
• How abstract or literal should my logo be? What are the pros and cons of each for my business?
• What sort of images and ideas do I want my company associated with? Which do I want to avoid?
• Could my logo mean something different than I want? Could it be interpreted differently than I mean?
• Do the images in my logo mean something different in other places/cultures?
• Will my logo be able to expand and grow with my business?
• Will my logo look good in different applications? Will it still look right embroidered on a shirt or all in black and white?

The next step is to choose color.

First, consider what kind of look you want for your brand; your logo colors will be the foundation for your website, social media, and print materials:

• Do I want the majority of colors to be in the same family with one or two accent colors?
• Do I want subdued or vibrant colors? A mix?
• Do I want primary colors or more obscure colors?

Once you have an idea of what direction to go with your color scheme, consider the following:

• Do my color choices too closely resemble another company, a sports team, etc?
• Will my color choices look good on a computer screen as well as on a variety of printed material?
• Do I have too many different colors? Are the majority of them too similar?
• Do I have at least one accent color?
• Are my colors too overwhelming? Are they too monochromatic?
• Do I have both light and dark colors for balance?

A logo can be a powerful tool. The branding process involved with its creation and revision can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming. Don’t get caught up in the minutia, let the professionals at The Belford Group help you with all of your branding needs. Check out our portfolio to see some of our previous work.

Give us a call today; we’d love to hear from you.