The Principles of Effective Logo Design Now that you know what a logo is supposed to do, and what it should represent you can consider what makes a great logo.

You may like to consider our basic rules and principles of effective logo design:

1. A logo must be simple A simple logo design allows for easy recognition to be versatile and memorable. Good logos feature something unexpected or unique without being overdrawn. A complicated logo will not only make your logo difficult to reproduce and maintain, but you will also fail to engage your audience. The logo is the ultimate 'elevator' pitch to your potential clients and business partners. You don't have time to recite your entire business plan in an elevator pitch, and the same concept applies to corporate logo design. Sometimes when a logo design isn't working out right, there will be an inclination to add elements and complexity. Often times, it's better to start over with a new concept or remove distracting elements rather than add them. Simplicity isn't always an easy thing to achieve, as you don't want your logo to appear too boring or conservative.

2. A logo must be memorable Following closely behind the principle of simplicity, is that of memorability. An effective logo design should be memorable and this is achieved by having a simple, yet, appropriate logo. A great logo design will imbed itself into ones sub-consciousness. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but for a logo to be memorable it needs to use simple lines and be very easy to recall from memory. A good test to ensure that your logo design is memorable is to show it to a friend and ask him/her to retrace it a week later. A good design should use a recognizable shape or element for it to be easily remembered.

3. A logo must be versatile An effective logo should be able to work across a variety of mediums and applications. For this reason a logo should be designed in vector format, to ensure that it can be scaled to any size. Clean, crisp lines with very limited colors are almost always more effective than an illustration or complex 3d rendering, the logo must work in just one colour too.

4. A logo must be timeless An effective logo should be timeless - that is, it will stand the test of time. Will the logo still be effective in 10, 20, 50 years?

5. A logo should also be flexible enough to adapt to every business situation. If a logo is too literal or specific, you may have a hard time using it when catering to different markets. The best thing is to have an icon and logo-type designed at the same time. This will allow you to use the logo as a stand-alone image, or use it along with the type-font name as well. Often times, companies will use only the icon on its products and packaging materials. This is a common practice among software companies and book publishers.

6. A logo must be appropriate How you position the logo should be appropriate for its intended purpose. For example, if you are designing a a logo for children’s toys store, it would be appropriate to use a childish font & color scheme. This would not be so appropriate for a law firm. Be sure to carefully research your industry and target market before embarking on a logo design. You need to know and understand the common styles of your industry, but you also need to make sure that you don't infringe on anyone else's trademarked logo.

The Cloake Creative logo checklist:

• Appeal: Attractive and stimulating and appeals to majority of target market and stakeholders.
  Is it based on a legible Font, limited colour palette Illustration or simple icon.
• Imaginative: Demonstrates a well thought-out imaginative design, that stands out from the competitors.
• Symbolic: Communicates quickly and effectively - clean, clear, simple, legible.
• Reflective: Instant/consistent recognition/recall of business/product.
• Relevant: Relates well to the business for example, business mood/style.
  Corporate / Professional / Cutting Edge / Creative / Warm
• Honest and credible: Promotes accurately, sets the right expectations.
• Assuring: Statement of the promise, competencies and values of the business, allow confidence, trust, and loyalty.
• Flexible: Optimum shape for most uses, reads well and looks good in one colour at any scale, on any space, shape or surface for example: Letterhead / Business cards / Posters / Brochures/ Advertising / Signage / Website / Monograms
• Enduring: Avoids short term trends that would date
• Value: Creation of measurable brand equity
• Registerable: Ability to be registered

For our full check list contact: info@cloakecreative.co.nz

Cloake Creative Logo Tips:

TIP 1 Aim for your logo to be displayed in a prominent location on communication material.

TIP 2 Use only authorized digital files of the logo. When a logo is reduced or enlarged, it should be treated as one unit. Resize all elements proportionately.

TIP 3 Check color for accuracy and ensure that the logo is legible in the chosen print context.

TIP 4 A logo does not have to be large to be effective, but it should have ample space around it for legibility and visual integrity.

TIP 5 Everything should tie together: your business card, invoice header, stationery, e-mail signature, website, mailers, display advertising, signs, point-of-purchase signs, newsletters, brochures, flyers, product catalogs, presentation materials, wearable clothes, nametags, ad specialties, annual reports—everything!

"They created for us various brand logos and worked closely with us in choosing a brand that fitted our firm. We were delighted with the brand and its use in stationery, business cards, advertisements, our website and other promotional material."
- Judith Fitzgerald Timpany Walton Lawyers - Practice Manager